My infield reaction to this question was resistance. As I sat with that, the feeling solidified into an actual verbal response. There IS tyranny in confusion; in fact, I might go so far as to say consion IS tyranny. When I am overwhelmed by thoughts or feelings that are asynchronistic, when I am overcome with ideas of what I think v. what the rest of the world tells me (rightness, "shoulds", expectations, etc.), or when I am just plain feeling uncertain or lost or hearing lots of "noise", I am for sure being ruled by those chaotic thoughts, emotions or desires. Powerless, weak, without a voice....confusion itself being the tyrant, filling me with anxiety, discouragement and zero confidence. It is only when I sit in the stillness, listening to my inner voice (hopefully guided by Light) that I am able to feel peace and safety and certainty of what is true once more.
Asking questions is of inestimable value, but only when asked with an open heart and a genuine seeking spirit. When everything is a question in and of itself, it is there that the darkness of confusion has the potential to swallow me whole.
I feel like there IS tyranny in confusion, partly because it's hard for us to maintain a strong centering in light of our own self-tyranny, of self-doubt and fear. In this question being asked of me, I am meditating on ways it may be true.
Part of the word confusion to me is the casting of doubt in firmly held beliefs. An etymology of the word confusion is to overthrow. In overthrowing the beliefs that were inculcated in me, as growing up in a human culture, I definitely have muddled through some confusion. Part of this, though, has been throwing off the mantle of authority in my life. I have overthrown the myth of government authority in my life, and that, I think is a big step in recognizing the lack of tyranny.
One thing about tyranny--most of the oppression people experience is from the threat of force, because most governments cannot enforce brutal oppression, if their populace as a whole puts them to the test. (I can think of exceptions to this, like in Cambodia, Hitler's Germany, etc.) But I think the throwing off of psychological oppression has been a good start for me.
I was made curious about the etymology of confusion as overthrow, because I know the "con" prefix means "with". So, just to put it all here so I an see it:
late 13c., "overthrow, ruin," from Old French confusion (11c.) "disorder, confusion, shame," from Latin confusionem (nominative confusio) "a mingling, mixing, blending; confusion, disorder," noun of action from confundere "to pour together," also "to confuse" (see confound). Sense of "a putting to shame" (a sort of mental "overthrow") is late 14c. in English, while that of "mental perplexity" is from 1590s.
So the "pouring together" = confusion. One can see roots of the fear of miscegenation in this therefore.
It seems like the original prompt points to different kind of "confusion".
If there is that fruitful confusion tht potentially opens up on new discoveries, that is one thing. But there is also that confusion that threatens me with (existential) destruction, because in my confusion I can no longer meet my human need for a human life.
That kind of confusion has everything to do with tyranny, because it is a tyranny that organize things so I do not readily have access to the necessities that meet my needs.
Depends on who's confused and who isn't.
ReplyDeleteMy infield reaction to this question was resistance. As I sat with that, the feeling solidified into an actual verbal response. There IS tyranny in confusion; in fact, I might go so far as to say consion IS tyranny. When I am overwhelmed by thoughts or feelings that are asynchronistic, when I am overcome with ideas of what I think v. what the rest of the world tells me (rightness, "shoulds", expectations, etc.), or when I am just plain feeling uncertain or lost or hearing lots of "noise", I am for sure being ruled by those chaotic thoughts, emotions or desires. Powerless, weak, without a voice....confusion itself being the tyrant, filling me with anxiety, discouragement and zero confidence. It is only when I sit in the stillness, listening to my inner voice (hopefully guided by Light) that I am able to feel peace and safety and certainty of what is true once more.
ReplyDeleteAsking questions is of inestimable value, but only when asked with an open heart and a genuine seeking spirit. When everything is a question in and of itself, it is there that the darkness of confusion has the potential to swallow me whole.
I feel like there IS tyranny in confusion, partly because it's hard for us to maintain a strong centering in light of our own self-tyranny, of self-doubt and fear. In this question being asked of me, I am meditating on ways it may be true.
ReplyDeletePart of the word confusion to me is the casting of doubt in firmly held beliefs. An etymology of the word confusion is to overthrow. In overthrowing the beliefs that were inculcated in me, as growing up in a human culture, I definitely have muddled through some confusion. Part of this, though, has been throwing off the mantle of authority in my life. I have overthrown the myth of government authority in my life, and that, I think is a big step in recognizing the lack of tyranny.
One thing about tyranny--most of the oppression people experience is from the threat of force, because most governments cannot enforce brutal oppression, if their populace as a whole puts them to the test. (I can think of exceptions to this, like in Cambodia, Hitler's Germany, etc.) But I think the throwing off of psychological oppression has been a good start for me.
I was made curious about the etymology of confusion as overthrow, because I know the "con" prefix means "with". So, just to put it all here so I an see it:
ReplyDeletelate 13c., "overthrow, ruin," from Old French confusion (11c.) "disorder, confusion, shame," from Latin confusionem (nominative confusio) "a mingling, mixing, blending; confusion, disorder," noun of action from confundere "to pour together," also "to confuse" (see confound). Sense of "a putting to shame" (a sort of mental "overthrow") is late 14c. in English, while that of "mental perplexity" is from 1590s.
So the "pouring together" = confusion. One can see roots of the fear of miscegenation in this therefore.
It seems like the original prompt points to different kind of "confusion".
ReplyDeleteIf there is that fruitful confusion tht potentially opens up on new discoveries, that is one thing. But there is also that confusion that threatens me with (existential) destruction, because in my confusion I can no longer meet my human need for a human life.
That kind of confusion has everything to do with tyranny, because it is a tyranny that organize things so I do not readily have access to the necessities that meet my needs.
Lately I've been realizing how I was colonized by other people and used for their need. Decolonization can personal as well as national.
ReplyDelete