The Tree

So, this is my third post. In my first post, I revealed my desire to explore my "self". I discussed how difficult that can be, comparing our own thoughts to gravity.

In spite of the difficulty of exploring a self, in my second post I did start on the task and came to the initial conclusion that...(drumroll please)... I would rather feel good than feel bad. I have more to say on that topic, but before I continue along that path, I want to step back and discuss a second desire for writing this blog.

I want to write this blog is to share with other people. I hope to put into words feelings that others have felt and ideas that others have thought. I hope to arrive at some sort of explanation for the actions that others have taken. Everyone asks questions about themselves and struggles to understand what they are, but it's often very difficult to put that struggle into words. And if putting our questions into words is difficult, then it's even more difficult to arrive at an answers to those questions.

In exploring myself, I would hope to start at a point that is common for all men. If you are reading this, then you are a "self" just like I am. That is the one point we all start from. We have many additional beliefs, and in those we begin to separate from each other, but at the core there is at least one point that we share in common.

When I think of all the beliefs of all the different people in the world, I sometimes envision a tree. The ends of the branches represent all of different beliefs that people come to hold. The trunk of the tree represents those things (if any) that all men believe.

Consider starting at the bottom and moving up. To me, it seems like the first major branching of the tree is essentially between the naturalists and the supernaturalists. The naturalists believe nothing exists beyond that which we can detect with our five senses. The supernaturalists believe in a spirit world of some type, or a least the possibility that something exists beyond that which we can detect with our five senses.

You could continue down either of those first major branches and would come to additional forks in the tree. For example, down the supernaturalists branch, you would soon come to another branch that would represent the monotheists versus those that believe in multiple gods. If you continued down the monotheists branch, you would soon come to a triple branch, representing the Jews, the Muslims, and the Christians. At least those are the major monotheistic religions. There are actually many more. But I hope you get the point.

The point is that each of us has some set of beliefs that we have arrived at. And the image of a tree seems to me to be a decent anology to represent the idea that one's current beliefs are the net result of an entire series of decisions on increasingly specific ideas.

Now, just to clarify a point, I am not claiming that we arrive at our beliefs in such an orderly way. Babies obviously don't sit in their cribs pondering whether they want to become supernaturalists or not. Instead, we start out believing essentially the same thing as those who raise us. As we grow, our believes grow and change, and even then most people still don't try to construct their beliefs by traveling from the most general to the most specific beliefs. My use of the tree image is just my attempt to organize in my mind all of those beliefs that people have arrived at - it's not an assertion about how people actually come to arrive at those beliefs.

So, having raised this analogy of tree, let me ask this: Is there a trunk to this tree? That is, is there anything that all men believe? Can I find a starting point that all men accept and from which we can begin to move forward? I believe I can. In fact, I believe I already have.

I believe that this assertion of "self" is a point upon which all men can agree. That is, I believe every person that has ever lived can say with absolute conviction that "I would rather feel good than feel bad."

Some of you might question that truth by raising the point of masochism. The existence of masochism in some people does not diminsh my point. Dictionary.com defines masochism as "the tendency to find pleasure in self-denial, submissiveness, etc." Some people may seek self-denial and submissiveness, but what is the reason given in the definition? To "find pleasure". The ultimate goal of finding pleasure is there in masochism the same as in any other actions. Masochism is just a different means to the same end.

If you eliminate masochism, I don't know what other exception might exist.

I hope you agree. I will continue to explore my self, and in doing so I will continue to climb the tree of beliefs and become increasingly specific in the ideas I accept. I'm sure there will be some points upon which some of you will disagree, and you may not continue in the journey. I suppose that is unavoidable, but my goal is to start, at least, at a common point that we can all agree upon. If I've succeeded, and so you're still with me, please continue reading as I press ahead.