Is 'Don't Be Evil' Good Enough?

Google's informal motto is 'Don't Be Evil'. I would say that this really isn't 'good enough'. If you just decide not to be evil - you can still be really really really Bad!.

I think a better (though not as catchy) motto would be something like Do Good and Get Better. That would be a perfectly self improving system which only did good works.

Much better than simply not being evil.

Why Letters Are Better....

A question:

Do you prefer to get emails or letters?

For me at least I far prefer receiving letters. It's SO much more personal. You know the person at the other end has sat down and really thought about what they want to write. They've had to buy letter writing paper and envelopes. They've had to make the effort to go down to the post office buy a stamp and send the whole package off.

That takes effort, and perhaps even a little love - which is the missing ingredient in so much these days I feel.

Also of course, these days everyone's emails are read by computer, probably several computers.. I quite like the way letters (at least as far as I know) aren't read by anyone else before they arrive at their destination. Perfect encryption!

Egoless Love

Love. What a great word. It's a shame that so many people are scared of it. Luv, lol, lurve... If you love someone...let them know!

Anyway.. Egoless love. One of my favourite quotes from one of my favourite books (The Prophet) is the following:

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love.

I realised recently that the only people I think I can say I've ever really loved is my family. I'd do anything for my family if they asked (and I thought it was fair!). I feel like I have understood what love is now - which is that love is a purely giving thing. I shall speak here of love in a boyfriend-girlfriend way - but I believe these thoughts apply to how one loves ones friends & environment too.... anyway..

Before with past girlfriends I've always tried to be decent upstanding sorta person, and to treat them well - in a loving manner. But I suppose in the back of my mind was always that I'd get something nice out of it all.

That is not love. It's loving (perhaps) in a way.. but not really love. When I was dumped (happened far too many times to keep track of ;) It always hurt quite a lot. .. and that is where the ego bit comes in (read the previous post).

If you truly love someone you give your love with no hope of reward. In a truly loving relationship your partner would take that love freely and give it back freely. This is what I am aiming for in my next relationship (should I be so lucky to end up in one!)... I will do my best to just love the person for who they are with no expectation of getting anything in return.

Or maybe this is all just a load of bollox 'cos it's valentines day soon and I don't have a date ;)

Egoless State

After my Vipassana course I actually ended up in hospital suffering from Mania. It passed very quickly and I felt fine again after a week.

I believe the course was worth the hospital stay. Actually it was quite pleasant - free food, free accommodation and I even had en suite for the first few days! Excellent :)

It brings me on to the point of this post. When I first read up on what Vispassana was all about it talked about an egoless state. Now, I (ME ME ME) has always been quite attached to my ego. But I realise now what an egoless state is - and the benefit of being in such a state.

Your ego is your projection of yourself onto others. I want You to have a particular opinion of ME. And so I shape myself to make you see what I want you to - so that you will like me.

Pretty dumb idea really, as if it turns out that you don't like my projection then you can hurt ME through my ego. Does that make sense?

Some people wrote to me after I had posted on my personal blog - to say they hoped I was ok - and well done for posting about it. Because there's a stigma attached to mental illness. But I wasn't afraid to say what happened.

You see, what I learned is that if you have a problem with me, then that is *your* problem. I am trying to live a good life - and just do good things - and if you have a problem with that - then there's really not much I can do about it!

So I am not scared to say what I am feeling any more - because I am happy with myself and so I do not need to project a fake me to win acceptance or appreciation!

Analogue vs Digital

Which is better - a computer / a concert?
Which is better - a sandwich / a bottle of coke?

I like the digital world. Or at least it has it's uses. Like skype. I can use it to talk to my family & friends. But it can also be addictive - constantly checking the news. Really - what's the point sometimes? It's always bad news!! 'cos it sells better that way. Here's a suggestion - 1/8th of a newspaper should be devoted to happy news. That'd be great!

But back to the question. Analogue or digital. A sandwich you make is fully analogue. And it tastes great. The digital equivalent is probably a Mc Donald's hamburger. Tasty - but artificially so. Remember, you are what you eat. So eat well.

Music - Dancing - Laughter - Comedy. Try to get a computer to reproduce any of that. Impossible - at least at the moment. Good job too. There's something wonderful about music. But there's music everywhere. Hear the wind in your ears, the beat of your shoes as you walk down the street. It's everywhere - if you open your eyes & ears and look for it.

I reckon anyway.

And, like I said in my first post. These are my thoughts and if you don't like them - well, feel free to move onto the next blog :) But constructive comments are more than welcome!