Unlearning

"Education comes mainly in what we have unlearned."

-- Mark Twain

As I write this blog everyday, themes begin to emerge. One theme is the two-sided coin of simplicity and over-consumption. While previous entries have focused upon our over-consumption of material goods, it also behooves us to be aware of over-consumption on mental and psychological levels.

Think back to when you were a kid. Imagine that every Christmas, birthday and special occasion you were inundated with gifts. Way too many gifts. Gifts up the wazoo and out the yin yang! Transfer that over-receiving to the level of the mind, realize that it happens every single day, and you get a glimpse of the forced mental gluttony that takes places under the banners of child rearing, socialization and education.

As kids we are taught all kinds of things that just ain't so. Pet theories and prejudices, religious doctrines and personal opinion, old wives tales and political polemic are all peddled to us as truth. And we're young and impressionable, and so we swallow it all, or most of it at least, with the proverbial hook, line and sinker. And sink us it does. Stuck with all that psychological and mental garbage, we sink to the level of mediocrity, the level of normal neurosis, the level of most of our culture.

If what we learn at a young age, and have reinforced throughout life, is the problem, unlearning is the solution. Despite what your stepdad used to tell you, you're not fat and stupid! (OK, you could stand to lose a few pounds and Mensa isn't busting down your door to get you to join, but, hey, how many skinny Einsteins are out there anyway?) Whites aren't all prejudiced, blacks aren't all lazy, and every Latino is not an illegal immigrant. The list of crap you may have "learned" goes on and on ad nauseum.

You see, the stuff we need to unlearn is of three types -- misinformation about ourselves, misinformation about others, and misinformation about life. Everytime you are tempted to make a statement that begins with a phrase like "I am..." or "He (or she) is... " or "The world is..." you should begin to question it. Especially if it is negative. "I am lazy." Really? "She is just pure evil!" Bitchy maybe, but pure evil? "Life is unfair." Are you sure?

Old conditioning is especially insidious when we are over-emotional and uncentered. Knee jerk reactions replace open inquiry, and all the stuff we need to unlearn comes bubbling to the surface. Begin to see those times as gifts, as opportunities to see in stark relief exactly what you need to let go of in order to personally evolve.

Today is the perfect day to begin the unlearning process. Or it's a really lousy day to begin it. No matter what your opinion is, it's the only day you've got, for sure, for now, for real. And, so, see how many outdated ideas, unquestioned opinions, and needless beliefs you can retire today. Lighten the load you carry between your ears, and life will reveal to you all you need to know. The trick is simple -- let go of the mental garbage and pay attention.