I have been having a couple of thoughts about the different levels and how
the attitude toward thinking has changed before and after (and at the dawn
of) the intellectual revolution. Which has lead me to this conclusion. I'd
really like to know what people think.
My assumption:
To an individual there are experiences. And experiences comprise the
entirety of existence for a "subject".
By experience, I mean everything that's ever passed through your mind from
your birth to your death, every sight, every sound every taste, every smell,
every touch, every thought, every emotion, even experiences for which there
is no word. Each experience can be of high quality or low quality. We are
able to determine if something has quality is because of our experience. A
"good" taste, a beautiful woman, a great conversation, a brilliant idea are
all high quality experiences.
All experiences can be categorized according to where they fit in the
quality hierarchy.
A sense (sound, sight, touch, taste and smell) is a biological experience.
A feeling (emotion) is [predominantly] a social experience
A thought is an intellectual experience
A ______ is a fifth level experience
The difference between two levels of static quality is that one level can
see the quality in some experience where there should not be quality
according rules of the inferior level.
For example:
The Social level doesn't see quality in thinking about the theory of
evolution. It's a waste for people to spend their time thinking when they
could be productive members of society.
The Biological level doesn't see quality in abstinence, sharing, or the
golden rule, the trademarks of the social level.
So, in looking for a fifth level: what are high quality experiences that are
of no merit intellectually, socially or biologically speaking? Religion
maybe (not the organized kind, that's social), maybe Drugs (peyote rather
than crack), maybe meditation, maybe even talking about the idea of quality
itself. Who knows. But I think the fifth level is a lot closer to awakening
than everybody thinks. Definitely within my lifetime.
I even believe that it already may have dominated for short amounts of time
in previous cultures. Traditionally there could never be a discussion like
this however, first of all, there was no framework to incorporate a fifth
level experience intellectually speaking. Also, perhaps those that could
experience the fifth level were few and far between, destined to know
something that they could never convey. Thirdly, perhaps the fifth level
hinges on some modern technology being incorporated into the human
experience. The internet, has brought us all together, Robert Pirsig's words
have given us the framework in which to put it, but what else is missing?
The acknowledgment of the existence of a fifth level ensures it's swift
arrival, and perhaps because of this discussion, we will all acknowledge
when it occurs. It will enter into our existence, it won't be a thought, but
it will be similar to a thought, it will be a high quality experience. It
will also be similar to a thought in that a single thought can permanently
improve the quality of one's life as a single fifth level experience could
improve the quality of all of one's thoughts.
What experiences have been known to have that effect? Near Death, seeing
God, experiencing Nirvana, reaching true enlightenment, becoming the Buddha,
one with the universe. All possible fifth level experiences. Not all fifth
level experiences would be the same, as not all thoughts would be the same.
There will be flavors. Another warning, don't abandon the other levels in
seeking the fifth level, if it isn't a smart thing to do, don't do it. Only
those with a thorough knowledge of MOQ and confidence in their intellectual
static level should venture into the unknown. For when you return, you may
never think the same.
Rob
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