Visions Limits

“Everyone takes the limits of his own vision for the limits of the world.” –Arthur Schopenhauer

Tunnel vision. Narrow vision. No vision. Broad Vision. Television. I often wonder what the world around me truly looks like. I know what I see, but is it what others see. I know it isn’t color blind like I see. Red/green colors cause me problems personally so I know the spectrum varies. Maybe to not be red/green color blind is the defect? So the rest of you who see red/green colors are abnormal.

But do people see the same thing when they look at it or do they use their eyes and mind to form the shape, color and movement of the existence they dwell in. Does the mind decide whether it likes something or not, then allow the picture to reflect that prejudice?
The quote from Schopenhauer is actually talking about a different definition of vision. That definition (in my humble opinion) is more in how far or how little we can stretch our minds around new technologies, new ideologies and new futures. And these are amazing leaps of vision that are driving us forward. Often times they are dragging me forward against my will.

I probably look at the time before computers took over the world (yes, they have) and remember the simpler life. Much like my parents remember the time before television. My grandparents generation would have reflected on the time before the telephone, the horseless carriage and expressways.

I try to embrace the new, regardless of how it often makes my skin itch and crawl. At the same time I long for what I grew comfortable with. I wish I could look under the hood of a car and recognize some of the parts. The dipstick for the oil is about the only thing that hasn’t changed in about 50 years.

So I hold onto the simple things that don’t have to be updated by Microsoft and doesn’t require a mouse click or a touch screen. I adapt and utilize those modern technologies and other mechanical things but they don’t give me comfort. Not like my old lawn tractor, acoustic guitar or the pencil that I first wrote this blog with.

The List

Marcus Tullius Cicero said that there were "Six mistakes mankind keeps making century after century.”
1. Believing that personal gain is made by crushing others
2. Worrying about things that cannot be changed or corrected
3. Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it
4. Refusing to set aside trivial preferences
5. Neglecting development and refinement of the mind
6. Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do

These points were written down more than 2000 years ago and still are out there tripping us up in our lives. Not only are they mankind as a whole’s mistakes, they trip us up as individuals throughout our lives. Some of these six pratfalls are more prominent singular events in our lives; some happen more often, repeated; and some are rare occurrences.

When I first discovered this list I tried to write a page under each mistake and try to identify the weakness of character that each showed me about myself. It was painful and liberating at the same time. It showed me my personal growth through the years and pointed out where I seemed to always be repeating the cycle of regrettable behavior. When I was done, the list was a harsh condemnation. I tore it up and tried to forget it. But the list had been made and now seems to pop up at “convenient” times, and has actually become a simple guide to the steps that I need to take.

My wife has a vision board above her desk. It speaks to her personal dreams, hopes and desires about where she sees her life in the future and shows her the paths that need to be taken to reach her “Nirvana.” I should probably be worried that there are no pictures of me on the board, but I can see her vision. In the pictures and quotes there are many shared aspects of things we like to do together, so I know she sees us that way. Together. Remembrance of my list is a way that I can find my vision of where I am moving forward. By continuing to just move forward and not falling into old, lazy behavior.

I would like to see everyone try this accounting of their mistakes, and see if it can contribute to wellbeing of mind as I experienced it. Look at your regrets. Examine your strengths. It will be a way to avoid #5 of the list; and please don’t think I am trying to compel #6 on you.

"It is a great thing to know your vices." — Marcus Tullius Cicero

Footnote: Marcus Tullius Cicero (January 3, 106 BC – December 7, 43 BC) was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists. He became an enemy of the state at the end of his life, and Cicero's last words after being captured are said to have been, "There is nothing proper about what you are doing, soldier, but do try to kill me properly." He bowed to his captors, leaning his head out of the litter in a gladiatorial gesture to ease the task. By thus baring his neck and throat to the soldiers, he was indicating that he wouldn't resist. According to Plutarch, he was slain, then they cut off his head. On Antony's instructions his hands, which had penned the many great words of his philosophy, were cut off as well and were nailed and displayed along with his head in the Roman Forum.