I think about this a lot. I don’t know, I have no resolution in working through my questioning. I wrote this to myself today:

Some “patterns” (the unconscious and the common unconscious) are so extreme that anyone in one’s life notices them and to some extent via willingness one can even become somewhat aware of one’s own pattern. Still, it persists.

I believe what the Roman slave who was so smart the Romans freed him: “Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto”, or “I am human, and I think nothing human is alien to me.” -Terrance

I believe we all have patterns and for the most part we are oblivious to them unless they cause is extreme pain and even then they are very, very difficult to change.

I’m not a pure fatalist, I think it a worthwhile effort to work at glimpsing our patterns and make more meaning out of the ones that are aligned with our soul and values purpose (regardless if “fiction” or not) and reduce the harm the contradiction patterns do.

I think we can learn about patterns most clearly in relationships. Relationship is difficult, but it can also be the most rewarding because only in telationship can one get feedback “the good, the bad, and the ugly”.

Mostly we are not interested in hearing feedback, it simply causes friction and does not help. It takes it seems to me some higher order of reference.

Sometimes we are willing to hear feedback. It probably takes time to process. First reaction is nearly always to be defensive or lash back, learning to pause is critical if I have reached a point where that I am increasingly committed to just listen and just consider the feedback calmly and think of it as not good or bad, not right or wrong — just information.

I think the current 2021 deluge of information combined with always connected, tailoring, targeting and machine learning curating is so subtle it has greatly diluted the concept of “truth” or “fact” because it has such a powerful connection into our unconscious.

In fleeing the uncomfortable disorientation of these novel circumstances and clamor for attention I think people retreat even deeper into self proclaimed “castle bastions of truth”. Religion would be a good example. The pandemic it seems to me has added fuel to the fire of fleeing self inspection.