13.6.07

Think for yourself and question authority.

Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are going in this ocean of chaos, it has been the authorities — the political, the religious, the educational authorities — who attempted to comfort us by giving us order, rules, regulations, informing — forming in our minds — their view of reality. To think for yourself you must question authority and learn how to put yourself in a state of vulnerable open-mindedness, chaotic, confused vulnerability to inform yourself.
- Timothy Leary.

7 comments:

Matt said...

It can be a little scary. But it's funny, once you start thinking for yourself, how many of our day-to-day rules make no sense — they seem to be just for the sake of 'order,' and to get us used to rules. (This is true of both government and religion.)

Christina said...

Such as?

(I'm not looking for an argument here, I just want to hear examples of silly rules)

Anonymous said...

Your mum is a silly rule!

Matthew P said...

...and so Mr Leary has set himself as an authority on what to do if we wish to think for ourselves?

Anonymous said...

I think it involves a certain amount of LSD, at any rate.

Rebel Heart said...

poor Satan huh

Matt said...

Silly rules like half our traffic rules; or like "don't walk on the grass" type rules; they're only necessary because we've forgotten basic common sense, because we've been taught that we don't need to think because we have rules for everything...