Aug. 12, 2024
The Ego-Viewpoint Provides Limited and Inaccurate Assessments of Events
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, The Hidden Forces of Life, Ch.8 Life — A Mass of Vibrations, pp. 178-179
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2024/08/07/the-ego-viewpoint-provides-limited-and-inaccurate-assessments-of-events/
Video presentations, interviews and podcast episodes are all available on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of Sri Aurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,880
If we review our lives through
the lens of history, that is,
2
00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,160
looking back over the events of
our lives from where we are
3
00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:12,760
today, we can see that things we
thought at the time were
4
00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:17,080
positive things were in some
cases highly detrimental to us
5
00:00:17,080 --> 00:00:21,040
over time.
And similarly, things we found
6
00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:26,040
distasteful or bad may turn out
to have been very positive from
7
00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:30,120
this view.
On the same token, we try to
8
00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:34,800
judge economic, political,
sociological events in the world
9
00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:38,800
we live in based on our
immediate impressions.
10
00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:44,840
But using the lens of history
review, we frequently find that
11
00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,840
things turned out badly in some
cases that we thought were
12
00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,520
positive and turned out
positively in cases we were
13
00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:56,120
deeply concerned about.
These things illustrate for us
14
00:00:56,120 --> 00:01:00,280
that trying to judge anything
based on our narrow focus from
15
00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,599
the standpoint of the ego,
whether it is the individual ego
16
00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,240
or the larger framed societal
ego that we adopt with our
17
00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:14,080
religion, our politics, our
country, etcetera, is bound to
18
00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,720
lead us to inaccurate and
incomplete conclusions.
19
00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:23,200
Another aspect to be considered
is that the things we believe
20
00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:28,080
are positive chances for us are
in many cases at the expense of
21
00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:33,520
others and thus in balance lead
to more suffering than joy and
22
00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,640
eventually can turn our own joy
into sorrow.
23
00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,440
For instance, we enjoy many of
the amenities of our modern
24
00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,280
lives, air conditioning,
Internet, mobile phones,
25
00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,880
etcetera, without considering
the cost these things have both
26
00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:54,960
in terms of resource utilization
and waste by products, but also
27
00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,360
in many cases on the long term
quality of life we lead.
28
00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:04,360
We also failed generally to take
into account opportunity cost.
29
00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,520
Choosing one line of development
collapses numerous other
30
00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,760
potential lines of development.
We cannot, from our ego
31
00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,600
standpoint, know in advance
which one would actually turn
32
00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:20,320
out best for our growth and
development over the longer
33
00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,880
term.
Quantum mechanics takes up this
34
00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,600
very question about the
numerous, if not indeed infinite
35
00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:32,320
choices available as latent
possibilities and how they all
36
00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,200
shrink down once an actual
choice is made.
37
00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:40,880
That does not imply we have made
the best choice, simply that we
38
00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:45,280
have moved in a particular
direction and put aside other
39
00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,800
options.
A disciple inquires.
40
00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,800
Quote.
A happy chance may come from a
41
00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,280
set of circumstances which harm
nobody.
42
00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,760
End Quote.
The mother writes.
43
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,120
Quote.
We do not see if harming anyone
44
00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,640
or anything simply because we do
not have sufficient data.
45
00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:12,240
We cannot judge circumstances,
for we do not know the world.
46
00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:17,040
What do we know about it?
Our vision is so short and so
47
00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:20,120
limited.
Just think, a man can never know
48
00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,840
what lies beyond his 120 years
at the maximum.
49
00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,240
And I am putting a very big
limit, and I count the first
50
00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,400
years of his existence, though
generally he does not remember
51
00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,480
what has happened.
Then what does one know about
52
00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:38,680
the world in so short a time and
about the consequences of
53
00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,880
things?
Nothing at all, and even
54
00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,200
granting that one can remember
sufficiently well to know the
55
00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:50,120
result or antecedent of a
so-called chance, it is
56
00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:54,040
altogether a local knowledge.
What does one know about what is
57
00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,240
happening at the antipodes or in
a million other places on the
58
00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:03,320
earth at the same moment?
We know nothing about it, and as
59
00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:08,520
we know that all that happens is
linked, that all things are
60
00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:13,480
closely linked consciously, that
there cannot be a vibration in
61
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:18,880
one place without there being
its consequences in another, how
62
00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:23,680
can we tell whether our chance
is not harmful to someone though
63
00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:28,640
it be favorable to us?
I think it is impossible to form
64
00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:32,000
a judgment.
How shall I put it, a correct
65
00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,240
judgment about things, For one
does not know what is going on
66
00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:41,040
in the world.
We do not know the whole, we
67
00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:45,880
know nothing of the play of
forces, and we say that chance
68
00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,000
is the result of a play of
forces.
69
00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,800
Only instead of being the
expression of divine harmony, it
70
00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,160
is the expression of conflicting
wills.
71
00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,480
These wills are not all
necessarily bad or hostile, but
72
00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,720
they are always ignorant.
Each one tries to realize his
73
00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,040
own will, and the victory is to
the strongest.
74
00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,360
The strongest is not necessarily
the best In this field.
75
00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,440
When one thing is realized, how
many others could have been
76
00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,880
realized which were not?
Because this one was realized?
77
00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:27,200
And all these things we do not
know and quote reference.
78
00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:31,320
Sri Auro Bindu and the Mother.
The Hidden Forces of Life,
79
00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:38,640
Chapter Eight Life A Mass of
Vibrations, pages 178 to 179.
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,880
If we review our lives through
the lens of history, that is,
2
00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:08,160
looking back over the events of
our lives from where we are
3
00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:12,760
today, we can see that things we
thought at the time were
4
00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:17,080
positive things were in some
cases highly detrimental to us
5
00:00:17,080 --> 00:00:21,040
over time.
And similarly, things we found
6
00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:26,040
distasteful or bad may turn out
to have been very positive from
7
00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:30,120
this view.
On the same token, we try to
8
00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:34,800
judge economic, political,
sociological events in the world
9
00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:38,800
we live in based on our
immediate impressions.
10
00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:44,840
But using the lens of history
review, we frequently find that
11
00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,840
things turned out badly in some
cases that we thought were
12
00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,520
positive and turned out
positively in cases we were
13
00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:56,120
deeply concerned about.
These things illustrate for us
14
00:00:56,120 --> 00:01:00,280
that trying to judge anything
based on our narrow focus from
15
00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,599
the standpoint of the ego,
whether it is the individual ego
16
00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,240
or the larger framed societal
ego that we adopt with our
17
00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:14,080
religion, our politics, our
country, etcetera, is bound to
18
00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,720
lead us to inaccurate and
incomplete conclusions.
19
00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:23,200
Another aspect to be considered
is that the things we believe
20
00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:28,080
are positive chances for us are
in many cases at the expense of
21
00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:33,520
others and thus in balance lead
to more suffering than joy and
22
00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,640
eventually can turn our own joy
into sorrow.
23
00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,440
For instance, we enjoy many of
the amenities of our modern
24
00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:45,280
lives, air conditioning,
Internet, mobile phones,
25
00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,880
etcetera, without considering
the cost these things have both
26
00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:54,960
in terms of resource utilization
and waste by products, but also
27
00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,360
in many cases on the long term
quality of life we lead.
28
00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:04,360
We also failed generally to take
into account opportunity cost.
29
00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,520
Choosing one line of development
collapses numerous other
30
00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:12,760
potential lines of development.
We cannot, from our ego
31
00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,600
standpoint, know in advance
which one would actually turn
32
00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:20,320
out best for our growth and
development over the longer
33
00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,880
term.
Quantum mechanics takes up this
34
00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,600
very question about the
numerous, if not indeed infinite
35
00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:32,320
choices available as latent
possibilities and how they all
36
00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,200
shrink down once an actual
choice is made.
37
00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:40,880
That does not imply we have made
the best choice, simply that we
38
00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:45,280
have moved in a particular
direction and put aside other
39
00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,800
options.
A disciple inquires.
40
00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,800
Quote.
A happy chance may come from a
41
00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,280
set of circumstances which harm
nobody.
42
00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,760
End Quote.
The mother writes.
43
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,120
Quote.
We do not see if harming anyone
44
00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,640
or anything simply because we do
not have sufficient data.
45
00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:12,240
We cannot judge circumstances,
for we do not know the world.
46
00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:17,040
What do we know about it?
Our vision is so short and so
47
00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:20,120
limited.
Just think, a man can never know
48
00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,840
what lies beyond his 120 years
at the maximum.
49
00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,240
And I am putting a very big
limit, and I count the first
50
00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,400
years of his existence, though
generally he does not remember
51
00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,480
what has happened.
Then what does one know about
52
00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:38,680
the world in so short a time and
about the consequences of
53
00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,880
things?
Nothing at all, and even
54
00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,200
granting that one can remember
sufficiently well to know the
55
00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:50,120
result or antecedent of a
so-called chance, it is
56
00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:54,040
altogether a local knowledge.
What does one know about what is
57
00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,240
happening at the antipodes or in
a million other places on the
58
00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:03,320
earth at the same moment?
We know nothing about it, and as
59
00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:08,520
we know that all that happens is
linked, that all things are
60
00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:13,480
closely linked consciously, that
there cannot be a vibration in
61
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:18,880
one place without there being
its consequences in another, how
62
00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:23,680
can we tell whether our chance
is not harmful to someone though
63
00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:28,640
it be favorable to us?
I think it is impossible to form
64
00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:32,000
a judgment.
How shall I put it, a correct
65
00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,240
judgment about things, For one
does not know what is going on
66
00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:41,040
in the world.
We do not know the whole, we
67
00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:45,880
know nothing of the play of
forces, and we say that chance
68
00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,000
is the result of a play of
forces.
69
00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,800
Only instead of being the
expression of divine harmony, it
70
00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,160
is the expression of conflicting
wills.
71
00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,480
These wills are not all
necessarily bad or hostile, but
72
00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,720
they are always ignorant.
Each one tries to realize his
73
00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,040
own will, and the victory is to
the strongest.
74
00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,360
The strongest is not necessarily
the best In this field.
75
00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:15,440
When one thing is realized, how
many others could have been
76
00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:19,880
realized which were not?
Because this one was realized?
77
00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:27,200
And all these things we do not
know and quote reference.
78
00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:31,320
Sri Auro Bindu and the Mother.
The Hidden Forces of Life,
79
00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:38,640
Chapter Eight Life A Mass of
Vibrations, pages 178 to 179.