I think this article/poem was not just thought provoking but a real masterpiece and scholarly. The author has so much talent and should keep on writing and keep sharing with people.
The predicament is about “seeming and inescapable individuality”. I think our individuality results from our “perceived self”. Individuality or perceived self results from our own perceptions and perceptions of others as to who we are and about the world around us. Our perceptions are usually limited by our observations of physical and material world around us. We tend to not go deeper as you did in your article. Many of us are not even capable of.
I think if we get out of or get rid of our perceived self, we can be one with “all”. “All” here is not limited to all human beings or even all living beings. It includes all in nature. The flowers, the trees, the sky, the stars, all that makes up mother earth. There is no limit, there is no bottle to hold us in.
I also think that perceived self results from ego that we all have. Once we get rid of our ego, it is easy to be one with all. Our ego differentiates us from others. So, once we get rid of our ego, there is no difference. That is why our scriptures advise us to eliminate our ego. Eliminating ego helps us “surrender” – to God and also to “all”. Concept of surrender also brings humility and that is a prerequisite to getting rid of ego, which again helps us be with all.
Finally, when did we choose this? The answer is when we “grew up”. We, as children, do not have these limitations of differentiations. As we grow, world starts influencing us and starts imposing limitations upon us.
And on whose ill-advice? Obviously, material world that we live in and that influences us as we grow up (seemingly, of course).
However, when we get down to the lower levels of reality of our world or the world that we live in, individuality is not always bad. It has its benefits. Perhaps, because of the world that we live in, with all its ills, individuality can be beneficial. It all depends on how we use or practice it. This is no different than technology. Lots of benefits when used judiciously. Individuality offers diversity, in views and in practicing life. No one can think comprehensively. So, group thinking provides diversity of views. That, I think, is the premise of Awakin Circles. It is a think tank. Different life styles and customs of different societies enrich our life and our experiences.
Secondly, when tasks are complex, individuals with different knowledge and expertise can work together to accomplish complex tasks. That is teamwork. Complex tasks could not be accomplished without diversity that individuality provides.
So, individuality, when practiced judiciously, can be very beneficial in the world we live in.
On May 22, 2015 Anonymous wrote :