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Of
course, none of this means that the Big Questions aren't important. Of
course they are. But if you're going to spend time and energy contemplating
the secrets of the universe, you need to be careful not to use your lack
of knowledge as an excuse.
Frankly,
no matter how incredibly a philosopher you are, there are some hard, cold
facts about the mysteries of life:
- No one
you'll ever meet while you live on this plane of existence knows the
actual answers to the Big Questions. If you meet someone who pretends
that they do, run away, very quickly.
- Thought
is ultimately bound by language. We can't communicate concepts, even
to ourselves, unless we command a language that is articulate enough
to convey that concept. English, for example, is a great language, but
if you try to use it to communicate great ideas, you're going to discover
quickly that English is quite vague, limited, and even contradictory.
Because of the limitations of language -- including the short life of
slang, the many meanings for one word, the variation in dialects --
even when people have come up with mind-blowing concepts, the words
that record their thoughts instantly and increasingly blur those concepts
when they're communicated to others as and time passes us by.
What does this all mean to us? It means that no matter how much you
learn from and share with others, we all have to figure out the details
of life and philosophy on our own.
- People
have been contemplating the Big Questions for a Very Long Time. Frankly,
most of the Big Questions have basically been answered. We're just still
searching either because we're mad that the old answers didn't change
anything, or because we're still figuring out our personal take on things
(see #2).
Perhaps
this is the greatest reality check of all: if you want to hold the Truth
in your hand, fill it with old cliches.
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