The combined implications of our behaviour and conscious beliefs form our extended beliefs. Extended beliefs constitute our entire understanding of the universe. When there's a conflict between any two extended beliefs, we experience dissonance and angst. For example, when I ate meat, my behaviour implied some blend of the following extended beliefs: that the animals were not suffering, that my eating the meat wasn't causing the animals to suffer, that it didn't matter if the animals suffered, etc. However, such extended beliefs were in conflict with other extended beliefs that implied that I was causing animals to suffer unnecessarily, and that I shouldn't eat meat. Deep down my extended beliefs included the knowledge that, if I had personally and intimately known any of the animals I was eating, I would have loved them and my heart would have broken seeing them killed. My general understanding of the world implied that I was causing the murder of beings that mere circumstance had prevented me from knowing and loving. In order to continue eating meat, which I enjoyed, I was forced to suppress from consciousness the conflict among my extended beliefs. I had to board up part of my mind and forbid myself from thinking certain thoughts. My mind had to constantly fight with itself, and my refusal to face the truth prevented me from being at peace. My later choice to observe the truth required me to stop eating meat, and in doing so, I was able to more comfortably see the universe the way my extended beliefs required.
Even though I've been able to free myself from my angst-causing self-deception in regards to eating meat, I'm still not whole. I am fully aware that there are people in this world who are in desperate poverty. I am fully aware that climate change is likely going to drive millions of future humans and sentient non-human animals into extreme suffering and premature death. I am fully aware that the billionaire-class uses control over essential resources to obtain wage slaves who do their bidding. I am also am fully aware that problems are getting worse, and that if nothing is done, they will cause more and more desperation. In the same way that it's only by chance I don't intimately know and love any of the animals I used to eat, it is similarly by chance that I don't know and love any of the people whose lives are in danger. Somewhere there is an impoverished parent who would easily give everything to save their child at risk. It is only by chance that I don't love that child, but I have the means to contribute towards saving them and many others. I live a privileged lifestyle in a wealthy country. I spend my money consuming things that the parent would happily give up to save their child. I consume when I could participate in saving someone who only by chance do I not know and love. If I continue to consume, I will be forced back into blinding myself to the extended reality in my mind. I will be forced back into an unconscious conflict with myself, and I will continue to not be at complete peace.
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