Keeping Our Own Company

Faith, that the landscape will provide, is hardwired into animals. Qualia has always appeared, when needed, to lead them to what they need for survival (whether or not they noticed it, or ritual with it, is another question). Faith in the human landscape is not yet instinctive; instead of instincts, our traditions point out the most sure-footed landmarks and pathways, ensuring some degree of human success.

However, man-made landmarks and pathways are apt to be misleading, and they often lead us to exactly the opposite of what is good for us. The resulting skepticism has made us less willing to put our faith in qualia. We may even have become less capable of holding qualia in our minds, because ideas and meanings are now always easily searchable outside of us. A great deal of knowledge can be found on the internet, but not happiness. Happiness comes from inside, from the qualia within, which is too fine to be sensed by our Big Dopamine distorted neurolandmarks and pathways.

When we actually do begin to pay attention to Little Dopamine instead of Big Dopamine, we will become sensitive to the fact that, even though Little Dopamine necessarily comes before Big Dopamine, we do not know this side of us at all. Unless we are fantasizing in Big Dopamine, our thoughts no longer satisfy us. Our attention spans have become extremely short. We know only our outward-facing, Big Dopamine-addicted, selves. We are extremely uncomfortable alone.

When we learn to choose the qualia to hold in mind, for ourselves — instead of just accepting instincts or traditions — then we shall restore our lost faith, and our happiness.