Somnolence

Every time I take a long absence from the world of blogs, online communities and whatever else I might end up in I always have a problem getting back into some sort of groove to get my ideas out in a way that other folks might see and enjoy them.  I’ve found that any sort of artistic endeavor, essentially anything that is “Productive” in the abstract sense of the word, is completely unlike learning to ride a bike.  In fact, it seems that the ability to learn new tricks, be they writing something relevant on your blog post, learning that sweet Zepp solo you’ve always wanted to come from your fingers, whatever, wants to leave your abilities as soon as you learn them.  I used to get pretty teed off about this sort of happening, until I noticed that this revealed a trait about humanity that I did not expect:  we are actually set up to be creatures of habit, hard wired to abhor change, even for the better.

I know that sounds kinda weird, but think about it.  From abusive relationships to getting fit, our bodies are set up to fight us every step of the way:  why do you think you are so good at failing?  That aside, what benefit might we gain from being so damn stubborn when it comes to ourselves?  Wouldn’t evolution (or whatever is actually going on) actually entail and promote change in order for species to best evolve to their surroundings?

I’m learning that the resounding answer is Hell No!  Although I am not as sure of the details of Darwin’s theory as I should be, I have come to see recently that what nature wants is a static equilibrium, homeostasis if you will, in which it doesn’t need to evolve or adapt anymore.  Just like the human body, which is functioning best (biology admits this) when nothing is changing:  the balance of chemicals and nutrients is exactly what your body is looking to receive and so on.  There is no room is homeostasis for exercise, for learning new skill, for completing anything out the ordinary.  All told, nature is a really lazy sonofabitch.

What worries me however is that as natural creatures with the fun bonus of rationality, this loafing quality of nature infests our minds as well as our bodies.  I mean, in the search for a reason why we so enjoy doing ostensibly nothing but sit on the couch and worry about when we are going to turn off the TV I have come to find that, God (or whatever) damn it, we are hard wired that way!

Now the last thing I want to give anyone a reason for underachieving (if we know each other, we’ve probably come up with plenty between us), but what I call for is for all you folks who get so ramped up about how their passions do not some to fruition TODAY is to chill out.  Seriously, calm down, because while our minds carry in them the potential for infinite creativity and potential, we are limited by our deadbeat bodies.  Now I’m not sure of the nature of the relationship between the two things is, but I know that it is only through hours and hours of repetition that we trick ourselves into believing, through practice, that our new activity is something we have always done and were meant to continue doing.

I really wish that I could add something more productive to the whole thing than “lighten up, we just aren’t that good at learning and thought” and in time, I will.  At least I want to take a look at a biological cause of the mendicant side of our nature.  So yes, that means that in addition to the neuroses that we manage to give ourselves we also have to deal with a physicality which loves our neuroses and prefers them to the labors of change.

I will get to the bottom of all this, if I have to one day burn through a PhD or two to do it.  As per my own advice, I’m gonna have to fight a bit with my own mental and physical somnolence until I get to the bottom of how we can be so good to others and so terrible to ourselves.  In the meanwhile though, I have a loftier goal, and that is to win the Nobel Prize, the Nobel Prize in Blogging.  So let me know how I’m doing, 'cause it’s hard to get those in charge to take notice.  A bientot.