Mental Deconstruction 1

"Complex systems are complex in part because of the way they evolve; that is just the nature of the beast. And so, while it's important to understand why a particular system evolved as it did — to understand the financial, political, social, scientific, and psychological forces that shaped the way, for instance, that cancer is treated in this country — I find it useful to ask an entirely different question: if we were making this system up from scratch today, what would it look like?" - Stephen J. Dubner

I am a very complex system, I believe. So, let's start from there, that o.k. With you?

Yes, of course, go ahead. Please.

All right, well as you know, you being me anyway, I am somewhat troubled by the state of mind I find myself in.

Yes, yes, I do understand, continue.

Well, yes, my, our, state of mind, it's become so complex over the years. I don't think that it should be like that, do you?

Well no, of course not, I quite agree, but I am you after all. Do go on.

Of course you are, silly me! Well, as we both know, we have not found, as in the words of John Dewey, "...any reason for attributing to man a significance different in kind from that which belongs to a baboon or a grain of sand." In fact, we have found the opposite is true, wouldn't you agree?

Yes, yes, of course, we've already covered our binary nature - our inherent duality, as Gods or Dogs, in fact; but as your devoted analyst and mental deconstructor, please do tell me more. Not what you haven't found, but what you have!

Right, sorry, we do tend to wander when we wonder don't we - oops, there I go again.

Harrrumph!

Sorry, well, I am me, but more fully "I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together."

Yes, very true, but why is this a worry for you, is there a specific complex to our complexity?

Well, I'm not sure really, it's just that I find that I don't really like the world I'm in very much, and that does upset me you know, just look at all the pigs.

The pigs?

Yes, the pigs, see how they run like pigs from a gun, see how they fly. 

I'm crying. 

So am I now.

Yes, I'm afraid we both are.

So, you see, me, you, us, I just feel like, well, that I'm sitting on a cornflake, waiting for the van to come. Do you ever get that feeling?

Yes, yes, yes, of course I do. I'm you, remember! Now, do continue.

Well, recently I've found myself thinking, like thoughts, you know, like, what's it all for? Why do I exist? Where do I come from and where am I going?

Haha, well, that last one's easy, that's a favourite old joke of ours isn't it.

Is it?

Yes, you know, Tony Hancock, years ago, doing the silent monologue sketch.

Oh yes, I remember, the one where he's in the crowded railway carriage commuting with all the bowler hatted brigade.

Yes, that's the one.

And he works himself up more and more in his head, thinking to himself about all the futility of the human condition...

And then bursts out, "where are we all going?"

And the bowler hatted brigade all shout out "Waterloo!"

Yes, absolutely brilliant that.

Yes, but...

What?

Where are we all going?

The End

(C) 2013