Story Bazaar

What is Reality?

Sam worked hard to keep up with current events. He ventured through many social media spaces to form his opinions...

One day, on what he thought was a whim, he decided to search a few of those spaces with the word "reality"...

He created a special document to hold his collection of the comments he thought could help him form his own opinions---quite a mixed bag of thoughts and feelings:

"No such thing as reality, we're all fooling ourselves, life is a dream."

"Reality is what you end up with when your drugs wear off."

"I could really let go on this one---so much to say---don't quite know the words... I think we need the reality of compassion for ourselves? Maybe that's what I mean..."

"Reality is good drugs, safe sex, and plenty of food."

"I doubt reality---fantasy is much kinder..."

"The reality of politics is the successful implementation of a fractured program of values."

"The reality of love is unconsciousness."

"The reality of politics? War, greed, enslavement, abuse, oppression..."

"Love is the Only reality."

"Hate is the only reality---love is a trickster wraith..."

"The state of the world is a reality? The state of politics is a reality? The state of corporate culture is a reality? Actually, all that is just what a bunch of folks want to be real whether it is or not---just what dances around pretending to have permanence---just the latest phantom of a perverted selfish imagination propping up a temporary rule of chaos with the sacrifice of humanity's hopes and wishes as its outcome."

Sam had gathered these few, out of many more, to help him think things over; but, the last one, the longest one, had something about it---oh, sure, some of the others were important in their own way; but, something was lurking in that last one...

He went back to the site and followed the thread further:

"...just the latest phantom of a perverted selfish imagination propping up a temporary rule of chaos with the sacrifice of humanity's hopes and wishes as its outcome."

"How can you say that? There are real values in every person's reality..."

Sam scanned down a bit:

"Real values? Lasting? Values someone can count on to not evaporate in the face of the latest fad-thinking?"

"Values? Reality? Come on! It's all just random stuff---what evolution uses as raw materials..."

"Well, if I can jump in, values are fluid---yours mine theirs---easy to turn them into each other, depending on the circumstance..."

Sam scanned a bit further---found more from the original person who'd talked about "...the sacrifice of humanity's hopes and wishes as its outcome." :

"Well, you can doubt whether humans have a higher self---that's fine. Plenty of 'modern' philosophers and scientists claim our minds are just the result of random chemical interactions. But, if you really want something to think about---want some solid info---some thoughts that are more true than most everything else I've ever read, check out this link: ________ ."

{{{due to Wattpad limitations, the link is down in the comments...}}}

Sam took the link---read the words---grabbed his dictionary---read it all again---and, again...

Nearly every day for a few months, Sam referred back to that link and the "magic" words that made so much sense...

He'd go to sleep wondering how he could ever live up to those words...

He'd wake up with fragments of those words floating in his consciousness...

Sam decided, after he'd thought long and hard---shared some of his thoughts with his best friends down at the cafe---thought even more... He decided he hadn't truly been living a Real Life up to this point...

His new motto became:

"If you can't nail down your values---can't clearly name your reality--- your mind will surely get you in trouble."

~~~~~~~~~

If you liked this story, consider giving it a vote :-)

If you have a question, please, do ask me in the Comments...

New Tale Next Saturday