It was suggested in class that we take some time to look at our thoughts.
Some of my thoughts are “my” thoughts. They are from “my” life. They are “my” memories. But then there are thoughts that are “others” thoughts. Do you ever have a song stuck in your head? Is that song a thought? I would say it is. If we are thinking about it, it is a thought. What about the magazine article that you just read? Or that movie you just watched? We also get imprinted with the thoughts of our family. All of these outside influences become a part of our stream of thought. I would say that these are society’s thoughts.
I believe that we think our own thoughts but we also think the thoughts of others. That is one of the main reasons I rarely watch TV, especially the news. If you listen to something over and over again, it starts to become a part of your thought process. And then you identify with that thought so much, you start to think it is your own thought.
I think the different typefaces in Vas represent these various thoughts, the thoughts from Square and also from his society.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Your thoughts are not YOUR thoughts
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5 comments:
I would disagree slightly with what you're saying. I think maybe you're using the word 'thoughts' a little too generally with regard to society. We're definitely all influenced by others and especially our family, but I wouldn't describe it as being "imprinted with" their thoughts exactly, but more influenced by their ideas. A person's process of incorporating those influences into their own thoughts is still their own stream of consciousness and still consists of their own thoughts, even if the influences are very strong.
Jay - I can see what you are saying, but can you try my idea on a bit? It's a hard thing to accept that maybe our thoughts are not our own. We live in such an isolated and individualist society. I can see that it is difficult to even consider what I am proposing. What I am touching on in my post it the concept called Universal Mind.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_mind
"Thomas Edison believed that he got some of his ideas from a source outside himself. Once, when complimented for a creative idea, he disclaimed credit, saying that 'ideas are in the air,' and if he had not discovered it, someone else would have." -- Psychocybernetics by Maxwell Maltz
I think what you are thinking of are memes. J. Jones brought this up in our discussion of religion. There certainly is a difference between our inner monologue and the "replay" of ideas and other things that we think of throughout the day.
I agree quite strongly with your observation that repeated exposure to others' thoughts can create "others' thoughts" in our mind. I have been confused with my thoughts wondering whether they are mine or others. Prayers in religion are an example, specifically prayers that are taught collectively and through rote memorization.
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