The human mind is a complex entity, capable of great feats and susceptible to significant struggles. Everyone grapples with their mind, and it’s crucial to remember that mental health should never be used as an excuse to let our potential go to waste. We all have the capacity to function with effort, and it’s our responsibility to harness this potential.
Our character is the driving force behind our life’s outcomes. It is the foundation upon which we build our actions, decisions, and ultimately, our destiny. Therefore, our focus should be on cultivating a character that is guided by reason. This involves establishing laws that govern our mind—laws that are rooted in basic principles of reciprocity and fairness. For instance, if we wish not to be hurt, we should commit to not hurting others. If we seek mercy, we should be ready to show mercy first.
Preventing mistakes is a natural extension of this principle. It requires us to invest time in learning how to do a job before attempting to do it. This is not an arcane concept, but a basic logical premise. However, it’s often easier to let emotions rule and guide our thoughts. Taking control requires a religious focus on our character, which in turn highlights the utility of religion or basic practice.
The challenge lies in maintaining a dual system: one that exercises reason and law over the mind, and another that allows the untamed and wild nature of the subconscious to do its work. We cannot destroy our inner nature, but we can tend to it like a garden, pruning unwanted elements and nurturing desirable ones. This is where Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) comes into play, requiring discipline to be effective.
However, the biggest hurdle is not the difficulty of discipline, but our addiction to freedom. Absolute freedom—the desire of most—implies letting go of the mind and allowing emotions to roam free in life as they do in thought. So, what could convince a free person to choose discipline? Perhaps a change in perspective.
Many of our behaviors are driven by the task of reproduction, which often deeply impacts our personal freedoms. This realization opens up alternative ways to view life. We could see ourselves as free agents in a world that we can enjoy, or as manifestations of the species known as humankind, temporary elements of a much larger process.
We are part of something much larger than just an individual existence as a free agent. We contribute to the general shaping of society itself. If we associate with this larger entity and strive to make it healthy, we can learn to build our instincts around such a paradigm—a process known as a “paradigm shift.”
This brings us to the crux of the argument. It’s not about justifying our individuality by highlighting our differences, but about committing to serve our cause, regardless of what it demands. These are different statements based on two very different paradigms, but the question is: which is most beneficial to the human being, social ethics or individual ethics?
Our philosophical addiction to freedom often blurs the line between freedom from oppression and freedom from our responsibilities to our own minds. In an absurd world, as proposed by Albert Camus, such things make little sense if we have a greater vision to pursue, and even less sense if we want actual freedom from the misery of natural toils and struggles.
To arrive at such a conclusion, we need to reach a state of mind where contemplating such things is worthwhile. This requires transforming the mind from one frustrated by its own dysfunction to one that is open to philosophical exploration. For many, this transformation involves psychiatry and therapy, but for those wanting more than recovery, philosophy becomes essential.
The Alexander Study [Rat Park] posits that the environment is a defining factor of behavior. It reveals that rats in a social environment avoid heroin, while isolated rats consume it until they die, highlighting the importance of finding healthy sources of dopamine. This theory emphasizes the need for the mind to derive satisfaction from things that support its well-being and align with its nature. As human beings, we face the additional challenge of navigating our internal world of imagination and thought patterns. To overcome these challenges, we must become skilled at shaping our inner world, often finding that the simplest solutions are necessary for solving complex problems.
A meditative practice of intentional disassociation can be a useful tool in this regard. By focusing on a noble dream and making it an obsession, individuals can learn to enter a state of imaginative disassociation whenever they encounter difficult emotions. This changes their mental environment, making life less difficult. From this place, the mind can be tended, fostering emotional control which, with philosophical guidance, can focus efforts on more constructive disciplines and practices.
Intentional disassociation serves as a tool for individuals to gain a sense of control over their mental and emotional state. By consciously disconnecting from overwhelming thoughts or feelings, individuals can create a space for introspection and self-reflection. This process allows them to examine their experiences from a different perspective, potentially gaining insights and developing a deeper understanding of themselves. Additionally, intentional disassociation can provide temporary relief from stress and turmoil, allowing individuals to regain a sense of calm and clarity.
To achieve this state, a person focuses on their most noble dream and makes it their obsession by initiating a daydream about it. They practice entering this state whenever they encounter difficult emotions, allowing the emotions to pass. This imaginative disassociation is the first step; the next step is isolating the emotion associated with that state and learning to evoke it at will. This allows people to tune out of any given thought process resulting from the internal or external pressures of life and imagination.
This change in their mental environment makes their life less difficult. From this place, the mind can be tended, fostering emotional control which then can, with philosophical guidance, focus efforts on more constructive disciplines and practices. This is most useful for the most broken—those who are experiencing extreme poverty, those who are experiencing extreme dissatisfaction with individual liberation, people who are ready to give up due to stress and the ruthlessness of life.
The human mind is a powerful tool that requires intentional cultivation and discipline to harness its potential. While our innate desire for freedom may sometimes lead us astray, it is essential to recognize the larger context of our existence and the impact we have on society. By shifting our focus from individual ethics to social ethics, we can contribute to the greater good and find fulfillment in serving a cause beyond ourselves.
Transforming our minds through philosophical exploration and therapy can help us navigate the complexities of our inner world and shape our thoughts and emotions. The Alexander Study reminds us of the importance of a supportive environment and finding healthy sources of satisfaction. Through intentional disassociation and focusing on noble dreams, we can gain control over our mental and emotional states, fostering emotional control and resilience.
Ultimately, it is through disciplined self-reflection, introspection, and aligning our actions with principles of reciprocity and fairness that we can cultivate a character guided by reason. By doing so, we unlock our true potential and contribute to the well-being of both ourselves and society at large. It is a lifelong journey, but one that is worth undertaking for the betterment of ourselves and the world we inhabit.
Jack's New Ethos 
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