Illuminate This!

The world is full of smart people; it's a fact.

The world is full of dumb people; this too, is a fact.

What is the difference between the two? 

Perception.

 A smart person perceives a problem and its variable solutions in a different manner than a dumb person. A smart person can and will see one or more solutions to a problem, a dumb person will often not see any solutions, if they see the problem at all.

 Geniuses, smart people, savants, morons, idiots, and dumb people are in essence, the same. Again, it's all about perception.

 Are you confused yet? Good, now let me explain my logic, though flawed it may seem at present, I assure you, in time, it will become clear and perhaps you will come to understand it as I have.

 I present to you, there are no true geniuses in this world just as there is a lack of truly mentally retarded people. 

 How can this be?

 Einstein was a genius, as were Tesla, Beethoven, Bach and Mozart. It could also be surmised that Gates, Wozniak and Jobs are and were geniuses. These were and are men that have excelled in their respective fields of research and work and they have given the people of this earth a great many things. Some of them necessary, as we now perceive them, and some of them unnecessary - to some.

 Do we have examples of mentally retarded people as "heroes" and "icons" of our lives? No? Why is that? Perhaps the icons of Corky Thatcher and Quasimodo have or had nothing of substance to contribute to society. Or perhaps it is again that we perceive them in a different manner and therefore, do not place as great an importance on their words and deeds.

 Again, why is that? Are we all not equal in the eyes of the creator? Has not divine providence guided us all to our own ends? Has not Darwin theorized that we all originate from the same pool of slime and microscopic bug poop?

 It is unfair to call someone "simple minded" simply because they do not bother to complicate their lives with unnecessary things or ideas. Likewise, it would also be unfair to ridicule the complex for embracing discussion and thought of ideas and problems that may seem a ridiculous waste of time and energy to others. Each of these is inherent and therefore inalienable from and to the other. They are the very things that make them genius, or simple. 

 The very nature of a person cannot be lamented by another based on a disagreement in choice of lifestyle and have any righteousness. The diversity in nature is the very same thing that gives nature all of its beauty and splendor. Why is it that we are so quick to exemplify the uniqueness and beauty of flowers, while lambasting the same in our own specie? To be different is a beautiful thing, yet beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.

 Einstein had a thought, and idea that what he was taught was not true, in its entirety. He felt that there was more to the story of the universe. Therefore, he set out to find the answers he sought. It was his perception that changed physics.

 Forest Gump did not understand why he could not do certain things. He felt no different from any other boy or man and he certainly saw himself as no different. Therefore, he set out to do the things he wanted, regardless of what he was told. It was his perception that changed America. 

 Now before the ridicule starts for using a fictional character as an example, especially when compared to the likes of the "Great Einstein", I will ask this, how many people do you think have not heard of Forest Gump? Perception is the only difference between real and imagined. If you don't believe me, just ask the Wright brothers.

 I do understand that we cannot all be complex or simple; that we do, in fact, fact need a balance of the two to properly navigate this life. There are no candles that shine brighter than others; this is a lie that has been propagated throughout the ages. I will explain this in detail later.

 Every person wishes to be some person of great importance. What most fail to realize, is that, they already are. They only have to look to those in their own lives to see the truth in this statement. I do not wish to be anything other than what I already am. I also do not wish this world to be filled with only super bright lights and in quoting one of my sons cartoon movies you can understand why,

 "When everyone is super, no one will be."

 I do not wish for all of us to be the same, for if we were, then we most surely would revert to the dust or that primordial cesspool, in a much more rapid, but far less interesting manner and time. There is a distinction in all things and it is by these distinctions that our perception is either nurtured or altered. We view all things in a certain manner based upon our perception and it is by these distinctions that we lend credence or criticism to anything and everything we come into contact with.

 How is a contribution to society measured then? By means or deeds affected? Does an object that positively affects one million lives have more weight and merit in our society than a word that accomplishes the same? If so, then I ask; who made these rules? 

 Rules; we live and die by them daily. They are purportedly the fabric of our morality and the very thing that prevents our society from crumbling from the incessant rot that would surely follow a lawless and rule devoid people. 

 Yet again though, are not rules and laws based on perception? Does not the morality of religion seek to impose itself in-law, upon those atheists and abomination's the books speak of? Is not the "Faggot" perceived by the religious "nut" to be in danger of eternal hellfire for their sins? 

 Is not the "Christian whack-job" perceived by the "atheist devil worshipper" to be a complete and utter fool believing in fairy tales? How is it that we can hope to create a better world for our children, yet at the same time, decry any opinion that is different from ours? 

 Are all opinions wrong? No, again, it is a matter of perception. 

 I have an opinion, several of them in fact, on various topics. None of them are wrong, yet at the same time, none of them can truly be considered right. I cannot stand before anyone and state that what I believe is any more correct and righteous than what they believe. I cannot in good conscious force my opinion on another - the very idea is preposterous and detestable to me. The only exception to this is my sons.

 I do not consider myself to be a smart man and I do not consider myself to be a dumb man, rather I think myself somewhere in the middle, exceptionally average. My perception of things is different than some, but it may in fact be akin to anothers. Just because ten of you may perceive or understand things differently than another ten or twenty, does not make you smarter than they, or exceptional. This is the lie. We are all the same and we are all equal under the creator.

 For those that would seek to control others, for the sake of their own benefit, or for the sake of the subjects, to state that they are, in fact, better, smarter, more valuable, exceptional or illuminated is a fallacious notion. We are as our perception, not only of ourselves, but of others, dictates. 

 If a man should create a game and the rules thereof, then invite everyone to play, but only disclose the rules to his close friends, does that make the man and his friends smarter than the rest of the players? Does that make them exceptional or better than the rest? No, not hardly, it does in fact make them weaker than the rest because they had to have that manufactured advantage, or handicap, to play the game, while others did not.

 If a player, ignorant of the rules, should somehow surmise and adapt his play to these rules, would that make him smarter than other players that have not? No, it would not. It merely means that his perception has changed allowing him to understand the rules and play more effectively.

 If we were all blindfolded and some figured out how to remove the cover, would that make them smarter or more exceptional? If some stumbled through life with the blindfold on, but did not with it off and others did not stumble with it on, who then is better? Is it the man that can see and live fine without sight or the man that must have sight to live?

 The suppression of competition does not make the suppressors exceptional at or in anything; if you must suppress your competition to win, then I propose you really are weak when compared to those that don't. Those that thrive in the midst of competition are the stronger of the two for they have learned to alter their perception of things and adapt to the rules of life.

 You cannot call yourself enlightened, illuminated, smart, exceptional, and brilliant or genius while actively engaging in the suppression or oppression of any competing ideas or actions. The inability to embrace competition and the discussion of differing ideas and opinions is a true sign of an intellectually inferior mind. These people that cannot stand the thought or actions of anyone that is not in accord with them are truly infantile in not only their actions, but thoughts as well. They have refused to allow their perception to change by refusing the very things that promotes growth and change - discussion and experience.

 Einstein, Newton and Galileo faced similar challenges and ridicule from an intellectually inferior community of scientists, theologians and mathematicians. In spite of all the hardships they faced, look at what we have learned from them; the earth is not the center of the universe, the galaxy or even the solar system. There is such a force called gravity, which in essence binds all things to each other. Gravity is proportional to mass and mass is proportional to energy.

 Nikola Tesla is another that faced hardship, ridicule and suppression by those fearing the spread of new ideas and the ensuing alteration of perception that would be unleashed upon the world. To verify this you need only to look at his theories and experiments, and then look at his number one rival - and his rival's supporters.

 There are a few men in this world that claim to be of an elite group, they expound that they are indeed enlightened and therefore are more valuable and far better suited to control this world.

 These are the same men that actively seek to suppress and extinguish the introduction and discussion of alternate ideas. They abhor competition of any kind and it is not tolerated insofar as they can control it or crush it, they will. They actively seek to chart the acceptable lines of discourse among the populace into harmless topics of no importance to them.

 They create the environment where ridicule is extolled upon all differing opinions by their dependent agencies and professionals. They have created a game and forced it upon the world, but the rules of the game they have only shared amongst themselves. They seek to crush, imprison or murder any and all that would discover these rules for fear of competition and exposure.

 They live a lie every day and refuse to allow their perception to be adjusted, for they do know that if the fabricated life they cling to so desperately should ever be placed on the scales of honesty and integrity, they would surely be found wanting.

They create nothing, they produce nothing, and they contribute nothing useful to this world or its peoples.

They consume, destroy and corrupt anything and everything they come into contact with.

They cannot stand competition because they know they cannot stand up against competition.

They thrive only within the carefully controlled conditions they create and they battle fiercely to maintain this small world.

They are intellectually inferior and morally devoid of any principle or integrity.

The fraud they live and perpetuate upon the people has arrested all growth and alteration of their perception to the point they can no longer see past their own hands.

  It truly is all about perception. Allow your thoughts to alter your perception and eventually your perception will alter your thoughts.