The closing remarks I made in a comment in this blog http://www.naktiv.net/mobile/blog/488/my-theory-on-why-people-object-to-nude-images/ were perhaps a little strong. That said, as you come to understand how the mind functions and the role it plays in shaping and molding the physical attributes of the body. You come to a staggering realisation that for all the advances we have seemingly made as a species, there are aspects of our being where we are very much dragging our knuckles along the ground.
It's somewhat difficult to put into words why I made the statement I did, but to give you an idea, here's a hint at what I really did mean by mental illness.
Something like 1% of the human population control 98% of the world's wealth, and we on the whole accept this.
A great deal is understood about the human mind and how it functions. Rather than using this information to educate and improve other people's situation, it's used to control and manipulate others and take unfair advantage of them.
Darwin stumbled upon an understanding of the evolution of species and what you've probably been taught is that this theory is about survival of the fittest. The strongest genes win out. That's not actually the case. It is the most adaptive and cooperative genes that win out. Those that adapt to environmental change and work together harmoniously thrive and survive.
It's fascinating that a good deal of knowledge and wisdom taught thousands of years ago is only just now, in the last 20 or so years, being proven to be correct by modern brain science. IE: It has to date had no scientifically accepted proof.
You might wonder why is it that the world has come to be this way? The underlying answer is somewhat complex and comes down to three main drivers. Fear, ignorance and genetic evolution.
Our brains and bodies were built for survival. If you get killed today you don't pass on your genes tomorrow. For this reason you're built with a negative bias, to spot all the negatives and overlook the positives.
These genetic predispositions are starting to not serve us so well in the modern age. The world has changed at an amazing rate in the last century. So much so, we've embraced a course of self destruction. Stress related illness and obesity are at the very top of the list of things killing us off like flies. Second are the toxins we're knowingly putting into our food, household products and damn near everything else. Sugar is right up there up there on the toxin list by the way, alongside the modified gluten we guzzle down, that is akin to a tablespoon of sugar per serve.
Some might shrug their shoulders and exclaim "sheesh, what to do, what do?" and keep on keeping on because that's what everyone else does and is expected to do. That by definition is mental illness.
Dan Seigel, a renowned brain researcher, made the realisation that all defined mental illness was either rigidity of mind, a chaotic mind, or combination of both.
When you have rigidity of mind to keep living the way you live, even though you know at a very deep level it's very likely to dramatically shorten your life, that's mental illness. The fact everyone does it makes it no less a limiting aliment.
It's perhaps the case that it's not until you unplug from "the Matrix" that you start to see the world with a clearer perspective.
I stopped listening to any news about a year ago. I started really simplifying my life around the same time.
I started paying attention to my health and mental wellbeing. Right now I consume about 1 book a week on neuroscience, self improvement and various other topics.
I'm rewiring my brain.
So there are moments and comments from time to time when I might well sound crazy. Here's a truly crazy notion. When i turn 50 in two years time i intend to get younger year on year. Not because i don't want to age, or fear getting old or dying. Quite the opposite.
As a young man I studied everything imaginable and in many respects I was way ahead of my time in terms of thinking. I was however a psychological and emotional wreak of a person. I did believe in myself and my ability but I lacked conviction and confidence.
I now have those in sufficient doses to be different.
On the whole I'm certain I can evolve. I can free myself of my biological and evolutionary limitations by learning everything I can about them, fully understanding them and turning them to my advantage.
Some people identify a limitation within themselves and surrender to it. We should aspire to find a way to break through it.
I guess all this is a little like the 1984 Apple Mac ad. Think Different.
