Finite and Infinite Learning

There has always been only two teachers. The Infinite Player clearly hears both, but listens and learns, from one.

The finite player, however, is perpetually conflicted between the two.

He/she tries to pick out the best of both worlds. Hence, learning is chaotic and leads only to continued disappointment, because two opposing concepts cannot be equally true at the same time.

The finite player wants it both ways and sets up for himself impossible situations in which nothing is learned except the experience of learning something. The Infinite Player simply surrenders his capacity to choose and, through that, learning is assured.

Only an ego must choose WHAT to learn and so, learns a whole lot of nothing… about everything. The infinite player learns everything about nothing, because everything IS nothing and this realization tends to cause a significant reduction in stress (because how can the meaningless be stressful, except to those who require meaning?).

The finite player wants to “know” a lot about everything, since this seems to indicate an increased ability to WIN finite games and finite life is identified by how many egocentric games can be WON.

WINNING makes “life” worth “living” (or so they say)

Therefore, the world provides the finite player with a whole lot of learning about everything. The finite player is a “Master of Information” and egocentric esteem is attained by those finite players who demonstrate the retention of huge stores of information. In fact, finite players construct massive tombs, called “universities,” for which to store and disseminate lots of information about nothing. Finite players congregate and teach one another the skills necessary to WIN finite games. Yet, they tend not to question the value of what they learn, but simply strive to learn more in the belief that this will increase their chances of succeeding in a finite world.

Unfortunately, this “information” tends to squelch out information NOT learned in schools, universities, books, curriculum's, etc. In other words, NOT provided by the world. Hence, ONLY the world TEACHES the finite player.

They learn nothing from anything else.

The infinite player simply finds nothing of value in the world that is worthy of learning. Oh sure, they learned a lot too. But somehow these folks came to realize that all their learning amounted to nothing and, thus, they basically ignore the VOICE that speaks for the world. You know, that voice that tells you what you should be doing. What you should feel and THINK.

They still hear what you hear, but have no desire to listen and so, remain unmoved by that which causes you intense anxiety.

When you no longer superimpose your meanings upon the "world," what it all really means will become apparent. Until then, you will seek out the best of both worlds and will only be disappointed by the perpetual chaos you now experience.


Artwork by Todd Schorr - "Into the Valley of Finks and Weirdos"

The Finite “Rules of Perception” Demand Clear Lines of Chaos

The infinite player really has NO commitment to the MEANING of anything. 

This allows them to play with meanings simply by adjusting the egocentric “Rules of Perception.” As a rule, finite players do NOT play with rules. They need to SEE things remain exactly as they’re ‘supposed’ to and so everything does…

Of course, infinite players are certainly aware of the all the numerous relative meanings you and I idolize as “truth.” Yet, because ALL meanings are relative, infinite players tend not to quibble over “truthiness.” They simply do NOT commit to any of our “truths.” Of course, the recipient of this response tends to get all befuddled over the apparent lack of commitment to any specific viewpoint, causing them to defend their “truth” all the more (sometimes even to the point of violence). Infinite players are fully engaged but, ironically, are seen as indifferent and odd by finite players.

Nevertheless, the “Defenders of Truth” are completely impotent, unless there is a clear enemy for which to defend against (in fact, without a “truth” to defend, their lives would be pretty damn boring)

But, no matter how brazenly defensive the finite player gets, the infinite player always fails to engage the battle. They just don’t connect to ALL your profound and sacred meanings, but… they have none of their own to replace with (important point).

Nevertheless, infinite players still love to play in all our fooking finite games. However, we resent them cause they don’t play like we do (possibly demonstrating that we don’t really ‘play’ at all).

It’s almost as if they SEE an entirely different world than we SEE. A world that simply does NOT conform to the finite meanings that we believe are seriously worth believing.

However, infinite players realize that any attempt to define what they SEE, will only meet with opposition/defiance, since finite players have clear and concrete “Rules of Perception” that command exactly what can and cannot be experienced. These “Rules of Perception” determine what can be seen specifically through the finite meanings you demand everything adhere to, based on what you have learned it all means. 

Without these sacred “Rules of Perception” how could you play your ego-games…and WIN. How could the games of “life” be seriously engaged in without definitive rules determining how to perceive the game so that WINNERS can be determined? At least, that’s what the finite player believes and this is why the ‘rules’ are especially important and sometimes even more important than the game itself.

Some finite players even forget it’s a game… Ha!

It is NOT an “outside” world that you are victim to, but the egocentric PERCEPTION  of an “outside” world. The Rules of Perception are entirely egocentric and demand that all images adhere to strict finite boundaries. Nothing is allowed too close to anything else and any attempts at unification or reconciliation must be within clear and concise boundaries. Perception simply demands that the difference between right and wrong, here and there, more and less, white and black, etc, etc, be clearly observable to all finite players. This limits all attempts at unification from the very start, because as long as black and white are SEEN as distinct from each other, unification (or “Oneness”) is impossible, because the Rules of Perception will simply NOT allow for it.

There can never be peace in your world as long as perception follows egocentric rules insisting peace be distinct from war.

You need to separate this from that. Everything must be defined and categorized.The ego-self demands clear lines of chaos and there can be NO “grey area.” The ego-self cannot exist in an uncertain limbo-land of fluctuating boundaries that do not conform to strict RULES. Everything must be in its proper place and order, adhering to its respective limits, levels, degrees, colors, sizes, amounts, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. All egocentric relationships must conform to distinct boundaries and all relationships that rely on boundaries, in order to “know” their purpose, are egocentric and thus, FINITE.

For the ego, only relationships that are maintained from within such finite boundaries, are sanctified and allowed to be RECOGNIZED as “true.” It does not matter whether or not such relationships allow for expansion or extension, as long as they exist within the proper boundaries and, thereby, conform to the respective rules the boundaries indicate.

In your world, ‘relationship’ is a game like any other game, with both winners and losers. Is it any wonder so many relationships eventually collapse from the oppressive, superimposed meanings of their own rule-limited boundaries? 

The chaos of your world is perceived within specific finite boundaries. But that’s okay because, as long as it remains within its boundaries, you’ll “know” exactly what it is and so, your chaos is comfortably normalized. Yet, infinite players clearly sees the connective web that unifies all ego games into one infinite tapestry, thereby, making the games themselves, completely meaningless. Infinite players are not effected by the insanity of chaos, because they see it’s all interwoven and, other than the connective relationship which unifies all games, all games are completely meaningless.

But finite players take their games very seriously indeed and so, miss the connection altogether and suffer accordingly.

This results in failing to actually seeing that everything you DO makes NO sense whatsoever, even though what you DO has clear finite boundaries and rigidly conforms to the Rules of Perception. This is why you pretend that the games you play MUST be played. However, If you were to learn, even for the briefest of moments, that this is NOT the truth…

… the finite walls you’ve constructed would come a tumblin’ down…

…and TRUTH would rush in upon you through a tidal wave of ecstatic, in-your-face, revelation.

At least, that’s what infinite players suggest would occur (I wouldn’t know).

But we’d rather die…

…then NOT play by the rules and so…

…no doubt we will follow that rule to the very end.

Ha!

Artwork by Naoto Hattori - "untitled"

Do Infinite Players See Things That Finite Players Can't???

Infinite Players are Fully Engaged (while finite players engage fear)

Infinite Play: “A Joyful Participation in the Sorrows of the World”

The ego-self is one serious dude, yo!

Egocentricity thrives on taking life seriously through some heavy duty serious beliefs, cause if “you” weren’t serious about what you believed, then what the fook would you be?

Free?

Egocentric seriousness demands accurate predictions from which to adequately prepare for every eventuality.

“You” went to school for umpteen years, learnin’ all manner of serious sheit, as a means to better negotiate your “world,” and everything you learned was to aid you in accurate “prediction.” Hence, an ego-self that can accurately predict expected outcomes is more capable of winning the egocentric games required to give "life" meaning. Accurate prediction of outcomes results in more efficient “preparations” for achieving the desired outcome . Of course, the ‘desired outcomes’ always conform to egocentric perception (whether or not that perception is “true” has been historically open to debate).

Clearly, egos don’t like SURPRISE. 

This is because “surprise” does NOT conform to predictability and, thus, does not allow for adequate preparation. You didn’t finish 18 yrs of mind-numbing "education" to further your capacity to be “surprised” by life. Your mind control was facilitated with the express purpose of adequately preparing for what “you” were taught to predict, based on what was predicted in the past (with adjustments made for specific "time" periods), so as to accumulate as many ‘desired outcomes’ as possible. How else would you realize your "aliveness," if you weren't out there grabbing all that "gusto" you were taught to "grab."

However, you’re now fooking bored outa your wits with experiencing everything you expect based on preparing for your predictions. Now you're startin' to wonder if the games are worth playing

In fact, I know a “transgender” teenager, who can look forward to incredible “surprises” throughout life, if able to detach from expected outcomes and predictable desires. However, if the conditioned expectation of “happiness” continues to rule the mind, then this teenager-come-adult will struggle and suffer through preparing for the seriousness of the games and NEVER attaining the expected outcomes as taught. The problem is and has always been the egos need to conform to achieving outcomes the world informs are very serious. If this teenager can learn to play infinitely, he will fooking fly! However, if he chooses to become victim to a world that demands conformance to finite expectations... he will suffer.

Your experience of “desensitization” is a direct result of your incessant avoidance of SURPRISE due to your FEAR of experiencing the 'Meaninglessness of Nothing.' The egocentric self-construct demands all perception fit the appropriate boxes so that the outcomes arrive as predicted. This often involves years of very SERIOUS WORK.

I have a friend who claims to be a Buddhist and he takes that claim very SERIOUSLY. He works very hard at preparing for what he was taught to predict based on the ideology he chose TO BELIEVE. Years of meditation and other spiritual "practices" (mostly to deal with his guilt for every time he had swatted a fly) are his means of preparing for his 'learned' predictions. As the prediction states, one must adequately prepare for dissolving karma, else one can only predict (expect) further suffering through the cycles of birth and death (he really wishes I would take this stuff seriously, rather than giggle all the time).

Egocentricity thrives on the serious preparation that comes from adequate prediction and all religio-spirituality is entirely constructed on predictive models of “success.” Without an expectation of “success", egos would not seriously play the games the world prescribes as necessary to seriously acknowledge that “you” seriously exist.

However, there is a way to play all “life” games in which seriousness is completely trumped by the expectation of “surprise.” Unfortunately, this is difficult for finite players because there’s actually nothing to DO and serious egos are easily identified by all the finite things they DO that are supposed to make “life worth living.”

In my ongoing study of the infinite player, it’s clear they lack the expected “seriousness” necessary to demonstrate a desire to “win” in the egocentric games they play. Yet, what is also clear is that they tend to expect “surprise” by detaching from all outcomes, but still continue to play in all the games you and I take seriously.

Infinite players tend to exhibit a “joyful participation in the sorrows of the world” (Joseph Campbell).

The infinite player realizes the incredible power of the mind. By tapping this power, they realize that any THINKING that merely serves to reference and reinforce an “outside” world is powerless, because you have been taught what to believe about an “outside” world that reflects ONLY the past. Infinite players realize the essential non-existence of past thinking and need NOT be victimized by a "world" that is neither "inside" nor "outside." Yet, for the finite player the "world" seems to determine ALL thought, and not the reverse, and it must always remain rigidly "outside" the mind.

This makes THOUGHT very serious indeed, demanding your victimization to the nothingness of all meaning.

Nevertheless, eventually, one day you will finally ask yourself "why do I take NOTHINGNESS so damn seriously."

It seems that this is, undeniably, the first step in playing infinitely in a finite world.

Are you up to it?

 Artwork by Travis Louie

Hey! Let's All Play The "Bullshit Game" (oh...you're already playing)

But, you’ve got NO time for games. You're life is serious business, yo!

However, time and thought are so deeply enmeshed in your mind, that there really is no difference (except for those who ‘lack’ time). Everything you encounter and perceive as "outside," is fully experienced "inside." Doesn’t matter if there really is such an internal/external division (which ego is loathe to admit). Fact is, ALL experience is internally encountered and every encounter is undeniably an encounter with THOUGHT, because in your head, THOUGHT is all you CAN ever encounter and, hence. claim to "know."

Hence, “time” is in your head and exists nowhere else. Yet, because you have no experience of ‘present’ time, you rapidly scurry around attempting to make the best use of time because egocentric time is of short supply (and let’s not forget that “time is money,” yo!).

The egocentric self-construct ("you") is actually a “time machine." Although it can ONLY go forward into the future and backward into the past, it does this entirely through the use of THOUGHT. In fact, the ego is nothing more than an obsessive identification with past/future THOUGHTS. Every THOUGHT the ego THINKS is entirely preoccupied with the past and NOTHING ELSE and ONLY this insures it will have a future (discounting the possibility of death, which egos are expert at discounting). Simply put, the ego insures itself a future existence because it identifies itself as having existed in a past (egos even conjure up past ‘existences’ that conform to medieval times or even farther back in the past and this is referred to as “past lives").

This means that NOT one thought in your mind is TRUE and, instead, is ALL bullshit and this is the reason you have absolutely no PRESENT experience. There’s simply too much fooking bullshit for you to ever be PRESENT. You don't even have the capacity to tell the difference between truth and bullshit.

Make no mistake, the bullshit you refer to as THOUGHT includes images, words, emotions, experiences, sensations, perceptions, etc, etc, etc. None of it makes any difference whatsoever and, for this game, “bullshit” merely refers to that which does not exist and is patently meaningless. An ego that thinks (and all egos believe they actually do "think") thinks bullshit and since it’s bullshit, it’s not true and what’s not true must be a lie. Lies are also referred to as “illusions,” but since it is experienced by YOUR mind, best to refer to all your THOUGHT as "delusional."

Nevertheless, finally realizing that it’s all bullshit should be a liberating experience, allowing you to play in all your experiences infinitely, in total and complete freedom from any finite cares and woes. Unless, of course, you’re really attached to some of your bullshit and refuse to see it as bullshit (which is quite understandable for an ego).

Note that bullshit applies to ALL THOUGHT and NOT just the ones you don’t like. It includes all images and sensations and NOT just the ones you’d prefer NOT to experience (see/hear/touch). The “beautiful” blue sky is as much bullshit, as the road kill you passed on the way to work and the great "sex" you had last night is as much bullshit as the mind-numbing repetitive "work" you do, day after day, year after year. It’s ALL, quite simply…

….bullshit.

So next time you have a “thought,” (ANY THOUGHT) promptly inform your ‘self’ that it’s “bullshit.” All day long, after each thought, repeat to yourself, “bullshit” and continue with “Yep, that’s bullshit too, and that, and yep, that too is bullshit. Oh and that’s bullshit and this is bullshit as well. Nope, that does not matter, because it’s bullshit too and that and that and even this…. bullshit.” On and on, ad infinitum. Note all the images that enter your mind, representing an external world, and repeat…”bullshit.” And when your kid pisses you off, don’t forget to remind your ‘self’ it’s all “bullshit.” Upon watching the news…”bullshit.” Looking forward to your vacation? “Bullshit.” Won the lotto..."bullshit." Just got married/divorced..."bullshit."  Increased your "spiritual awareness"..."bullshit."

Immediately after viciously blaming yourself for acting stupid, inform yourself that the blame was bullshit, just as 'acting stupid' is "bullshit." After your angry tirade against the tyrannical government, quickly inform yourself that it’s all bullshit. You feel proud of a job well done…”bullshit.” Great meditation session…”bullshit.”

Remember not to exclude any experience (thought) you encounter and be sure to immediately stamp it as bullshit. Everything and anything that is encountered by egocentricity is pure bullshit.

Finally, at the end of the day, upon realizing how little stress you feel, in extracting yourself from the experience of time by acknowledging it’s ALL “bullshit,” promptly inform your self that thinking “it’s all bullshit”…is “bullshit” too. Have a good nights sleep, waking up all refreshed to glide seamlessly through ever more bullshit (and don’t forget to label your dreams as “bullshit”). Why get all stressed out about bullshit when it’s all bullshit and this bullshit is no different than that bullshit? (including everything written here).

This is one way of playing infinitely in a finite world (the subtitle of this blog). But note how your ego will squirm in defiance of this game. The ego wants “truth,” but it wants truth sprinkled with sugar on top, choosing certain ‘thoughts’ to reflect “truth,” while others can be false. Yet, I ask that you simply explore the claim that ALL thought is bullshit, simply because it conforms to an ego which does not exist that conjures up thoughts that do not exist, to accentuate ‘moments in time’ that do not exist. The meanings you apply to bullshit are what make it bullshit, because outside of your meanings, it means jack-shit (even if billions of other minds also agree that the bullshit is “true,” that makes it even more conclusively…"bullshit”).

And when anyone (and I do mean anyone) attempts to inform you that their bullshit is actually some kind of sacred "truth," be sure to immediately flush it down the hopper, where all shit is deposited, especially bullshit.

As you continue this “bullshit” game, you should begin to recognize some things. First you’ll start to recognize that everything you see, means something because you want it to. But by recognizing you injected the images (thought) with meaning, outside your meanings you don’t have a clue what it means. This leads to understanding that, since ALL images are THOUGHT, outside your precious meanings, your THOUGHTS don’t mean anything at all and all the suffering you’ve endured all these years is as meaningless as the thoughts in your head, because all your suffering is based exclusively on meanings you applied to THOUGHT that is entirely based on the past.

That's called "bullshit."

But be warned, the ego-self will grit and grind over your considering its THOUGHT meaningless. This is because “you” are nothing but a swirling cesspool of PAST meanings all rolled up in a tortilla and sprinkled with some zesty existential salsa to give "life" flavor. But bullshit tastes like bullshit, no matter what you pour over it to make it more palatable (which is just more bullshit).

And “you” are as meaningless as each and every thought in your head (because “you” are nothing more than each and every thought in your head). You are... bullshit.

But don’t worry that it’s all bullshit. Just think of what you will experience when you finally scrape away all the bullshit you’ve been knee-deep in all these years.

And BTW, the object of this game is not to win (what could you win but more bullshit?), but to keep on playing the bullshit game. Only difference this time is that you know it's bullshit and can finally have FUN playing...Yea!

But I'm sure you have more serious and important things to do than play bullshit games right?

Artwork by Mark Ryden - The Butcher Bunny"