One of the greatest benefits I’ve gotten from (westernized) Buddhism is the idea that a resistance to reality is at the root of much unhappiness.
It seems absurd to me that the human mind so constantly wishes that reality was different—I don’t see how it serves our evolutionary needs. But while I don’t have an explanation, it is amazing how often I find myself denying reality instead of “Immediate adaptation to the realities of the situation! Followed by winning!”. For example, when I encounter bad, unexpected auto traffic, whining is such a horribly unproductive reaction that it still boggles my mind every time I do it. Yet in many moods (already tired, stressed) it is my default response.
I think many rationalists would get a lot more personal happiness out of working on this single concept, as well as improving strategy for our causes, than many of the narrower and more complex ideas presented on OB/LW.
I heartily endorse this sentiment, but it’s important to remember that wishing reality was different can also be valuable motivator.
I’m pretty good at accepting the things I cannot change. The problem is that this sometimes generalizes too broadly, and leads me to accept things that I probably shouldn’t. My emotional reactions don’t always have the wisdom to know the difference.
I’m talking about present reality, not future reality. Our mind doesn’t seem to distinguish very well, as you mention w/ your emotional reactions. We imagine that the current context is different in the same way that we imagine the future could be different, even though the current situation is (tautologically) unchangeable.
The question of whether future reality can be changed is far from straightforward, but at least there’s a shot. Whereas we know for sure that the inputs we are experiencing in the present moment cannot be changed. We can act in the next moment to change things in the moment after that, but nothing will change the fact that I’ve encountered an unexpected traffic jam.
“I don’t see how it serves our evolutionary needs.”
Ever heard of the concept of group selection? Evolution does not just happen at the level of individual genes, it can also take place at the societal level. If we accept the axiom that human beings have been living in ethnic and tribal units since the beginning of our species’ history—a valid assumption considering that we evolved on the African savannah and had to compete with both apex predators and powerful herbivores—then society will select for those traits that it deems most suitable for its continued survival, and groupthink appears to be one of them.
Am I implying that social conformity is the cause of most of our problems? There’s actually quite a bit more truth to that statement than most people are willing to acknowledge, but the point of this blog post is that you can still make it in spite of all the barriers society puts up. I for one do not disagree.
One of the greatest benefits I’ve gotten from (westernized) Buddhism is the idea that a resistance to reality is at the root of much unhappiness.
It seems absurd to me that the human mind so constantly wishes that reality was different—I don’t see how it serves our evolutionary needs. But while I don’t have an explanation, it is amazing how often I find myself denying reality instead of “Immediate adaptation to the realities of the situation! Followed by winning!”. For example, when I encounter bad, unexpected auto traffic, whining is such a horribly unproductive reaction that it still boggles my mind every time I do it. Yet in many moods (already tired, stressed) it is my default response.
I think many rationalists would get a lot more personal happiness out of working on this single concept, as well as improving strategy for our causes, than many of the narrower and more complex ideas presented on OB/LW.
I heartily endorse this sentiment, but it’s important to remember that wishing reality was different can also be valuable motivator.
I’m pretty good at accepting the things I cannot change. The problem is that this sometimes generalizes too broadly, and leads me to accept things that I probably shouldn’t. My emotional reactions don’t always have the wisdom to know the difference.
I’m talking about present reality, not future reality. Our mind doesn’t seem to distinguish very well, as you mention w/ your emotional reactions. We imagine that the current context is different in the same way that we imagine the future could be different, even though the current situation is (tautologically) unchangeable.
The question of whether future reality can be changed is far from straightforward, but at least there’s a shot. Whereas we know for sure that the inputs we are experiencing in the present moment cannot be changed. We can act in the next moment to change things in the moment after that, but nothing will change the fact that I’ve encountered an unexpected traffic jam.
“I don’t see how it serves our evolutionary needs.”
Ever heard of the concept of group selection? Evolution does not just happen at the level of individual genes, it can also take place at the societal level. If we accept the axiom that human beings have been living in ethnic and tribal units since the beginning of our species’ history—a valid assumption considering that we evolved on the African savannah and had to compete with both apex predators and powerful herbivores—then society will select for those traits that it deems most suitable for its continued survival, and groupthink appears to be one of them.
Am I implying that social conformity is the cause of most of our problems? There’s actually quite a bit more truth to that statement than most people are willing to acknowledge, but the point of this blog post is that you can still make it in spite of all the barriers society puts up. I for one do not disagree.