Life has programmed man’s mind for success;
primarily to aid him in finding food,
then in the other areas related to his 
individual survival, and thus that of his offspring, 
herd, and species.
Via the mind, life prods man toward success in a manner,
and to a degree unique amongst creatures,
e.g. even after he has had enough to eat, 
if there is nothing else pressing to do ,
man will continue to eat, well past the point of  hunger, 
even as his thoughts dream of yet other successes.

  
Thus, the obese couch-potato, 
sitting with a bowl of chips, 
his mind caught up in a tv adventure show 
is, in a way, still striving for success;
he is getting nourishment, rest, 
and daydreaming of activities that could some day
prove valuable.
 

In this manner is man again in a
superior position to other animals who, 
once an immediate survival need is seen to, 
will lay down, take a nap,  
and forget about everything.
 

For some reason, 
(experimentation, or oversight perhaps), 
life produces a few people whose minds have 
an innate hunger for something more than this;
their brains contain cells which, (to put the matter in 
human terms, which we must do), 
seek to comprehend themselves --  
to realize their own essence  --  
to somehow reveal to themselves 
the nature of their activity 
which is their raison d'être
 

Based on your ability to TAKE IT,
this is either: a most challenging undertaking  --  or, 
an impossible one.
(Reminder: only the weak take the binary way out.) 
 

No matter your individual interests in life,
you will indirectly and inescapably assist 
the human species in its success and survival,
and the neural consciousness in the majority of men’s
brains is likewise programmed to have this 
as its exclusive concern.   

                             In a minority, it is not.
 
 
 

When the success of the herd is an overriding, 
even if, unwitting concern to the individual cow,
it experiences a pressure of unimaginable magnitude,
and I say, “unimaginable” advisedly in that 
since this is the natural condition for ordinary cattle, 
none are aware of its specific presence.
Although men do make mention of being under 
“stress and pressure,” they do so only in the context of 
some discreetly identifiable ephemeral condition,
while never being conscious of an ongoing pressure to succeed that is with them from birth, 
and is a constant in their life 
well outside the normal bounds OF consciousess.
 

All well and good, 
for what has been described thus far is simply the normal, 
though ignored nature of routine existence:
you do not exist merely for the purpose of YOU,
and taking seriously thoughts you have which say otherwise, 
only confuses you --  
misdirects your mind 
to keep those pesky little neurons who want to 
comprehend the nature of their activity from getting out of hand.
 
 

On this mass cattle drive
individual cow cortices are driven to say:
”I am greatly concerned about nuclear waste;
world population; the rise in conservatism; 
the return of the mini skirt” 
and cause the bovine medium for the sentiments 
to accept them as meaningful comments about
matters that are of personal significance to that individual cow.
 

In case you haven’t noticed,
(I am about to employ theatrical sarcasm “advisedly”
in that the obviousness of which I will make note
goes entirely UN-noted by ordinary humanity),
in case you haven’t noticed,
life goes on regardless of what thoughts you 
or anyone else have about it.
Life does what it does,
including furnishing you with the thoughts you have about --
 -- what it does.
 

Life WANTS men to think about it --
to be concerned for it  --   to worry about it  --
to share the pressure of keeping the thing going,
but since it has six billion men on the job,
night and day, seven days a week,
it can tolerate a person here and there who 
takes care of personal business on company time.
 

Life does not need you PERSONALLY to worry about it,(yeah, I know, this may come as a major bummer,
but you gotta face the facts);
it demonstratively needs the other six billions cows to
fret-about, and debate its health. and future  --  but --
it does not specifically need YOU to do so,
(in case you’re interested --  and can make use of 
this information).
 
 

  
Trying to KNOW-THE-KNOW  & DO-THE-DO, (that is: 
to figure out mind with your mind & then 
stand-on your own feet, (if you know what I mean), 
is like being in a chess game with life;
a game that only you and it knows about:  
the most fascinating, 
make-up-the-rules-as-you-go  game of 
strategy and discovery imaginable.
 
 

Life makes your brain have thoughts;
your thoughts make you think what you do about life -
         don’t you get it?!
 

Life makes your brain have thoughts;
your thoughts tell you who are --
         don’t you get it?!
 
 
 

You play for life --  life is your home team;
life makes the rules; life issues all the equipment;
life owns the stadium; pays all the salaries,
does all the hiring & firing, and demands in return,
your full mental allegiance --
it wants that you should worry about its welfare.
 

But remember: it has the complete mental allegiance of 
six billion other content players,
and this universe is far too large a stadium 
for it to keep track of every one.

                             Don’t you get it?

        …I hope you do --  if you want to.

                                         JAN