I am indebted to Sheila Providenza and to Ingerlil Teute who inspired
this conversation.
Arguably the most commonly asked class of questions is
"Why?" questions, questions seeking an explanation.
Just as arguably, although "Why?" questions have an impact
interimly, they don't have any real power ultimately.
The issue isn't whether things can be explained or not. That there's an
explanation for things, that there's a cause of things is
certainly one of our most cherished beliefs. "Why?" questions
inquire into that cause within our preferred belief system,
within our limited view of an already expected explanation.
The issue is rather one of causality itself. We ask "Why?"
until we discover a cause which seems plausible within our preferred
belief system. Then we stop inquiring, seemingly satisfied with
what we've discovered. Yet if we expand our limited view, if we expand
the box a bit, if we start thinking outside the
box, we hear the next question calling to be asked is "What's the
cause of this cause?". After that question we
hear the next one calling to be asked is "What's the
cause of this cause of this cause?"
etc on and on and on, and there's no end.
In other words "Why?" questions are powerful only within a limited
domain. And within a limited domain, the trouble with accepting an
answer to a "Why?" question as true is it's based on an
arbitrarily accepted cause. It's based on a
false cause. In matters of Self, in matters
pertaining to
Conversations For Transformation,
"Why?" questions aren't powerful ultimately. Ultimately
Self is cause. Self is source. It is because it is because
that's what it is -
est.
"Why?" questions asked in a limited domain stopping short of that are
inadequate. They don't cut to the heart of the matter. There's
no reason ultimately. Things are just
what's so.
The emperor isn't wearing any clothes ... he hasn't got anything
on! Things are what they are because they are because that's
the way they are.
There's no reason for writing these essays. They don't
mean anything. I write them because I write them because
that's what I do.
Conversations For Transformation
is a uniquely internet expression of my acknowledgement (and, in many
cases, my
interpretation)
of Werner Erhard's work. The possibility of writing a book of
Conversations For Transformation
comes up often. I look at it. It's a moment to moment
thing with me. Even a successful artform expressed through a different
medium than its origins' isn't guaranteed to work. Your favorite book,
for example, made into a movie doesn't necessarily carry over from
paper to the big screen. The screenwriter's imagined view of things may
jar with the view you imagined as a reader. And don't even get me
started on The Beatles reworked as elevator muzak ...
The internet is a malleable medium. Works on the internet
can be ongoingly and always changed and tuned and retuned. A real
consideration about switching the medium for
Conversations For Transformation
from the internet to a book is a book, to one degree or another, is
chiseled in stone and can't be edited or refined once
published.
There's a lot to be said for writing a book. There's a lot to be said
for not writing a book. I've considered writing a book. I've considered
not writing a book, leaving
Conversations For Transformation
as a purely free expression on the internet.
You may copy these essays. You may reprint them. You may distribute
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Conversations For Transformation: Essays By Laurence Platt Inspired
By The Ideas Of Werner Erhard, And More
Please keep each title visible saying the essays are written by me
inspired by the ideas of Werner Erhard, and more. Beyond that, they're
yours to own and to share as you see fit.
Like the sky at night and
the planet
by day.
Conversations For Transformation
aren't bought or sold. I write these
Conversations For Transformation
for You. They're my gift to you. There's no charge. They're free. If
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Conversations For Transformation
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