In
order to maintain some sense of sanity (whether that sanity be real or
imagined), humans like you and I are certain to need certainty. The anxiety and
stressors placed on the average person usually stem from some combination of
uncertainties in their lives. We are comfortable knowing that a dog is a dog, a
paycheck brings in money, and household belongings will be there upon returning
home. These tangible ideas are what keep people going. Religion is one of these
tangible ideas that ease people’s discomfort about what we truly mean and how
we fit into the world or universe. This is not necessarily a negative idea;
that we have to put ourselves into the realm of the known in order to deal with
the unknown. It allows us to move forward and for some, instead of fear the
unknown, explore it. The quest for knowledge is the quest for certainty. What
we find may also leave us bewildered, unable to comprehend the possibilities
outside of what we know to be concrete. The theory that I am merely a
holographic version of actions being performed by a two-dimensional version of
myself out in the “universe” somewhere is completely bewildering. It also
creates that sense of “enchantment that follows a complete collapse of
reference and reconcilability.” This is the driving force behind progress.
Bewilderment is necessary. It reminds us of our insignificance, while also
reminding us of the relative role that we play.
I agree that stress is something that is minimized by certainty. We need to be certain of some things in life to lessen the day to day issues and keep us grounded. However, as humans, we definitely are not certain of everything and that's why bewilderment and wonder are so important. Without bewilderment we couldn't have hope for the parts of life that we do not understand.
ReplyDelete