What's So Amazing About Really Deep Thoughts?

So you found a girl who thinks really deep thoughts
what's so amazing about really deep thoughts?
Boy you best pray that I bleed real soon...
how's that thought for you?

- Silent All These Years - Tori Amos

My mental reply to the comments in the earlier post was chattering into an aria too loud for the comment box.

So here it is instead.

The melancholic tone probably mislead some of you into thinking that what I’m ONLY saying is that we should think deep thoughts on the pressing issues of the day.

That we should put on our metaphorical underwear over our clothes and leap tall buildings or don white and blue saris and go forth into the slums of Calcutta, all in the name of doing something, being pro-active about the ills of the world.

Pffft.

No lah.

What I was trying unsuccessfully to say, is -

The primary purpose for disengaging ourselves from being pre-occupied solely with our own little lives, is simply so that we better ourselves. Please don’t point out the possible irony of how this brings us back to being concerned with the self. Shhh.


Benefit No. 1 – Defining Yourself

Facing up to difficult issues forces you to think, to rationalise to yourself, what it is about the issue that makes you feel the way you do about it.

It’s easy enough to declare “I’m against the Iraq invasion” or “Suicide bombers are evil” or "Buddhism is not a religion” or “Brangelina were already co-joined before Brad split with Jen”. Far harder to justify your position with points based other than on “I just know-lah, trust me”.

I’m saying that in confronting difficult issues, you develop a better understanding of your core beliefs, principles and convictions.


Benefit No. 2 – The View from the Fence

Thinking critically about things that have very little to do with your life helps you develop the ability to look at things from unfamiliar perspectives. With no vested interests, you learn to be non-partisan.

When you can rationalise from both sides of the argument, you never run the risk of looking like a stubborn, close-minded, ego-centric fool.


Benefit No. 3 – Learning from Others

As much as I whinge about the immaturity, foolishness and shallowness of some people, I’ve still managed to learn a lot from them.

Some time back, one blogger in particular, let’s call her Tinypants, found instant stardom after being highlighted in the local newspaper. Her metamorphosis from run-of-the-mill young Malaysian with a voice on the Internet into Bitch Queen of PPS was most entertaining. It always amuses me how easily people fall into the delusions of grandeur and self-importance.

The sad thing about self-appointed Mean Girls (you know the species, those popular, I’m-so-bad-it’s-cool girls who don’t appreciate the very big difference between wry sarcasm and playground bullying) is that an inevitable bellyflop off the popularity scale is often just around the corner.

Well, the bellyflops, a succession of them in fact, did come. It was almost sad to see such a vicious stone-casting. But to my surprise, after a series of tantrums, Ms. Tinypants began to pick herself up and appeared to be re-assessing. And changing. Dunno if anyone else saw it, but I sure did.

Then one day, I left constructive criticism on her site and she surprised me again by taking it graciously, despite my having previously crossed swords with her, sans kid-gloves.

A short email exchange later, I realised that I’d learnt something from Tinypants, of all people. I’d written her off as an incorrigible brat but she in turn taught me something about human nature.

Whether it be from reading blogs or books or watching movies or following a case-study, there is so much to learn about human nature, if we would only take the time to analyse, to think further. Observing, while suspending judgement, ultimately leads to a better understanding of not only the inherent fallibility of man, but also of man's promise for redemption.


Benefit 4 – Compassion, Appreciation & Perspective

I totally understand how emotionally draining it is to think about all that is desperately wrong and bad in this world. But I’m not saying that we need to meditate on it, much less write to your MP.

If one were to consistently avoid having to think about the ugly and depressing aspects of life, whether by intentional ignorance or making a joke out of it, sooner or later, one becomes apathetic to the misfortunes of others. I don’t mean apathy as in not being pro-active, I mean not having compassion.

After all, compassion, in its truest sense, can only be triggered when you emotionally process a situation befitting such a response.

Similarly, appreciation. We never miss what we have. It always takes a comparison with another’s lack to be truly grateful for what we have.

Which leads me to perspective. When you open yourself to learning through observation of others, from experience, from seeking to understand, the result can only be the widening of your horizons.

It gives you perspective. You’re less likely to be surprised or flummoxed when Life throws a new-style curveball at you.

You’re less likely to be told to get a grip or hold your horses or such other grabby metaphors.

You basically, become a better person.


Benefit 5 - Time to Stand and Stare

No time to stop your daily routine, just to stand and stare? More important things to do, money to make, mouths to feed?

No one’s asking you to drop the baby or give up your job.

Just take a moment to stand outside of your life.

Take time to breathe. Find balance.

Put yourself in a zebra’s hoofs as it stands amidst a herd of horses. Would it feel like the belle of the ball, or would it be desperate to hoof it outta there?

Read a poem aloud. Savour each word. Think about what's going on behind the words.

Look at the pictures in any copy of National Geographic.

Pretend you’re a little piglet (or such other kosher animal) singing a very loud aria (google - Olivia, pig, very loud songs – if you’re wondering about the repeated reference).

A poor life this if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare. - William Henry Davies



It was never solely about thinking deep thoughts only about serious issues.

The point is - to take time for things unconnected to our daily lives.

I think what I’m also saying is, by not focussing on the nitty-gritty routine of your daily life, you might actually find yourself.

Perhaps even a better version.