Reading fairy tales

Summary

Reading Fairy Tales explores myth, belief, and imagination—poetic reflections on fantasy, faith, and the power of stories at luciditybooks.

I am aware that I enjoy reading fairy tales. Additionally, I am aware of my decision to live my life according to rumor and fantasy. Knowing this, I choose to rely on my beliefs rather than my knowledge for safety and comfort. My decision is irrational, but it is my decision to have hope in the absurd and faith in the unfounded. I can pick this perspective for myself. Still, I should not try to convince others of my counter-intuitive convictions. These convictions are nonsensical.

Despite what the so-called “know it all’s” tells you, the composition of the universe is a vast unknown. It’s just as vast as the universe itself. Similarly, the existence of a sustaining force or forces is a total mystery. In the beginning, someone or a group of people imagined the heavens and the earth. They told stories that were passed down from generation to generation. These stories brought their imaginations to life.

They had learned how to gain influence and power through erroneous assumptions. They held unfounded beliefs. These individuals began to view the natural filters of questioning and common sense as unsuitable for most people. I am aware that six days is not enough time for the formation of this dimension’s intricate fabrics. It is also not enough time for their maturation. I nonetheless choose to believe in six days.

I choose to believe that I am a descendant of fictitious people. I know that one woman and one man would have a difficult time populating an entire planet. Three women and three men would also struggle to do so in a few centuries. I put faith ahead of knowledge. I ignore all the evidence that is in front of me for the way I want things to be. The planet has been conquered by the barbarians of the north, and all its foundations are crumbling at the seams.

I make the decision to allow fictitious fairy tales to shape my traditions and customs. I also choose to keep my mental stagnation. This is contrary to healthy and productive mental development. I accept everything that I have been told without examining its legitimacy. I trust pictures put before me. I realize that those pictures are a misleading portrayal of the real world. I do these things to save energy because thinking takes a lot more energy than thoughtlessness and fact finding.

Like me, millions of people consider the myths and legends in a book to be authoritative. They view it as a guide to morality, a happy afterlife, and a mysterious paradise. It gives me a sense of superiority and comfort. None of the billions of people who have passed away communicate with the living. They do not confirm that a blissful afterlife really exists. Those who choose to believe a story can be convinced even if it is disjointed and poorly told. Miracles are attributed to plots that do not conform to observable facts.

The warmth of the equatorial seeds knows something important. What the icy north winds consider supernatural is completely normal. Sadly, programming and contraptions are replacing inherent capacities. They can never reach the powers and possibilities of steadily expanding consciousness. Faith is a substitute for facts, and I believe is a synonym for things I do not know. To understand themselves and the world around them, someone long ago made assumptions. They misinterpreted dreams and visions. These delusions were passed on to their children. This led to the development of religions and superstitions.

Different tribes are determined to persuade others with their justifications for believing in make-believe. They do this because they are aware of the certain knowledge of imminent death. This makes a wide range of fantasies plausible and possible. Coherent logic will never reach the point where dirt and water are in equilibrium. Water and dirt are both fluids that are simple to manipulate.

I can say these things because I have faith in mental corruption. I believe in the capacity for self-deception. I am plagued with it and face it in others every day. The wages of not thinking are foolishness and many plow straight into it without questioning. I choose not to be one of the thoughtless. I actively interact with my brain cells. I always have an open mind for learning.

I put away fairy tales because of life slapping me over the head with its sobering facts. I can now venture into the dark without fear of that sudden bump. I can now see people and things around me without superimposing my biases onto them. I am an infant in my understanding, but I am willing to grow. I am free to think for myself.