When I was younger, my intellectual curiosity developed rapidly and it quickly became boundless. I explored and considered every subject I came across.
Philosophy. Science. Religion. Literature. Gardening. Economics. Technology. Everything.
My Voracious Hunger for Knowledge
Nothing was safe from my voracious hunger for knowledge. I especially became intrigued with what neuroscientists and philosophers of mind came to refer to the "hard problem of consciousness."
The "hard problem" relates human consciousness and how it arises—or how our "subjective experiences" come into existence. Scientists have little understanding in this area. They don't even know what consciousness or subjectivity is. How exactly does a physical substrate—the brain—produce imagery in the human mind? Is this just a manifestation of brain processes? Is the mind something separate or part of the body? Can science explain the mechanisms of how consciousness arises and what it is?
These are fascinating questions indeed, and I probably would have focused 100% of my intellectual energies trying to solve these kinds of problems. However, I stopped thinking as hard about these issues. I changed direction and placed my focus elsewhere.
I Refocused and Put My Energy Into SpreadingAnarchism
After I had a run in with State and learned about anarchism, I realized there are more pressing matters than laboring over obscure and arcane questions regarding the nature of human subjective experience and consciousness. That is when I started focusing on encouraging people to accept anarchism.
With that said, I would sometimes rather focus on these intriguing philosophical and scientific conundrums. Even though they seem vaguely relevant, a discovery in these areas could bring about a paradigm shift or change the course of human history. Perhaps even lead to a new technological invention that would reshape medicine, neurology, or engineering.
My Time is Best Spent Preaching Freedom
You never know. Anything could happen. I am probably not smart enough to make a huge impact; but because of our current social problems, I have decided my talents and abilities are best spent trying to convince people of better ways to live together. I honestly think I can save more people doing that than by working strictly in advanced fields on specialized subject matter.
But there is an even deeper insight hidden inside this thought.
The presence of governments and existence of politicians have dashed many hopes. Think about how their violence, arbitrary rules, and red tape have dissuaded people from going after their passions in life?
If this parasitical demon of Statism did not exist I would probably be using my time and talents doing other things. So would many other people. But governments have created a situation where the brightest people have been driven to battle for their lives and livelihood rather than spend their time doing other things and ignoring the looming threat of annihilation.
Wet Nursing Humanity into a Stateless Society
It's sad that we are in this situation where the most good will likely come from abolishing government rather than building new technologies or gaining more insight into the human brain.
It goes to show how dire of a situation humanity is in.
It is true that those who focus other intellectual issues will help mankind in some way anyway...but what happens to all that good when people destroy each other because of their bad ideas?
Those discoveries will be for naught.
But I have hope that anarchists will help end this crisis by wet nursing humanity out of the womb of violence and into an adulthood of peace and love.
“There is no peace now, and there will never be peace, so long as one rules over another.” ~Voltairine de Cleyre
Sterlin Luxan is a visionary thinker, cryptocurrency junkie, connoisseur of psychology, an MDMA high priest, and the Mr. Rogers of Anarchism. He writes for bitcoin.com, runs a consultancy business in the crypto space, and public speaker. He created the doctrine of relational anarchism and contributes to many causes in the thriving liberty ecosystem.
Wow, awesome. I didn't realize you'd come back. Welcome back man, it's very good to see you writing here on steemit again. I for one missed your different perspective on anarchism, and other things you talked about.
Stick around... we enjoy having you here.
Thanks a bunch, Dwin. I have been back for a little bit now, but not too long. I plan on staying around. If you look back a few days ago I wrote a piece called "Confessions of a Greedy Steemit User." Read it for an update of why I left.
Hats off to you sterlinluxan!! You do what you say ! Loved your article on the confession but didn't connect the dots on why you left. Always great seeing you and looking forward to your posts !
Thanks again, Jars. I appreciate you. You also doing some blogging here? I am looking for folks to follow.
I am new to steemit.. just started couple weeks back and am looking to start blogging soon! So far I have been following awesome guys like you and enjoyed your posts :). I posted my first blog on women sometime back. Here's the post if you like to read - https://steemit.com/life/@jars/women-are-not-mere-show-pieces-for-sale
Yeah I just gave you a LENGTHY response to that. Truly welcome back. I did miss you. I don't agree with you on everything, but a lot of things I do and it is disagreement that adds the spice to life, so I am actually dancing a little bit knowing you are back. Let's change the world...
Also yeah, sorry I didn't notice you had come back until I got excited and responded here. :) A lot more people and they still don't have communities so it can be easy to MISS things.
Wow another great post @sterlinluxan! I love your comment about preaching people ways to live better. I think we get so absorbed in our monotonous life, chasing something that we probably don't even have any idea and ultimatum, we forget how to live life. Following dreams, passion and going where heart takes you, cutting out from a system that we created - if we give it a fair shot, we can get closer to living life versus simply surviving! Thank you for posting such though my provoking articles!
Thanks, Jars. I really appreciate you taking the time to write out these responses and follow each post. That means a lot. Hopefully, we can actively create a freer society. At least, that's the kind of thinking I hope many of my articles provoke.
Yes, good stuff. When anarchy comes from a good place. It's the best thing possible! I'm a big fan of Lysander Spooner. And I really hope that we can break down the borders without a panic, and I think blockchains technology could play a big part in opening it all up.. Keep preaching freedom!
I completely agree with your statement, "the most good will likely come from abolishing government rather than building new technologies or gaining more insight into the human brain".
I am a keen follower of new technology but what use is it if the controls rest with a biased block of individuals. In every country today "government for the people"has been replaced by "government for the people in the government". As soon as a government comes into power they start on their personal and party agenda, leaving the interests of the common people out in the cold.
Great article! Upvoted and will follow you for more.
"Nothing was safe from my voracious hunger for knowledge" - exactly how I feel sometimes.
I had said in one of the post that science could be keeping us stupid because it sets LIMITS in the minds of 'THE People' as to what is 'REAL' or 'Possible' or 'NOT possible'.
The part where you said 'you may not be big enough', remember, we are like the lamp posts, we may only tinker at night but that is a BIG help in DARK times and we lead the way until sun arises then we may not be seen but it doesn't matter then.
If we undermine our Anarchism candles because we think we are too small - we will never know how many fall into ditch because that lamp was not where it was supposed to be in the DARK times!
I think my "conundrum" musing makes sense to you!
nice posts ever by you i read your post welcome back as for some period you were absent.
I really like your article.
Upvoted
Hello there!! So nice seeing your post... I was wondering why you vanished. Saw one of your replies above referring to your confession article.... It's hard to find genuine people like you @sterlinluxan. Love your posts on anarchism and life in general. Please don't vanish again!
Anarchy. Live without central bank or goverment control. Who agrees?
well done ...
Good analysis of the different flavors of anarchists ... Id be interested to hear your thoughts on the correlation between anarchism and Tao'ism, obviously falling on the side of the softer anarchist approach
Nice post ! Well said
Upvoted
@sterlinluxan very nice piece and very well written, I honestly don't think we currently have leadership in our government and for that matter why have one at all?
In fact I just posted something in that regard. If you have a moment check it out
https://steemit.com/life/@fshllc/hmmmmm
The truth will set you free!
Reading your posts I am getting more knowledge about anarchism. Nice post.
very awesome post, remain me when I was young..very inspired..thanks for sharing
Great post I have been an anarchist all my life! 3rd generation lol good stuff brotha
We are in the same boat ... heard Jeff is going to be in vegas on Saturday, will go meet with him 💪🏼🙌🏼💯
Anarchism Rocks.
Upvoted and RESTEEMED :]
Awesome my friend!
It's good to see you writing about anarchism.
Upvoted.
Good article man. In a perfect world I would be down for anarchism. But don't you think at this point, it is kind of impractical to even talk about it? I personally am a minarchist, and I do see the value of government in a very small way. For example, the social contract that allows for an authority to establish a law. The way I see it though, is that government is now a cancer that continues to grow, and I have given up hope in a sense believing that we can scrap it. I am speaking from a perspective of living in the US by the way. In order to reestablish a minarchist state, we would need to start everything over somehow, and anarchy would only feasibly work with a collective high-iq, population, which I just don't see as realistic anymore.
Excelent! Very good guy! Follow you now!
I feel your need to consume any information you run across and regurgitate it into knowledge..
I have referred to myself as a "eternal scholar". Although that title is a bit lacking in depth ;)
This post was very informative thank you for sharing
you have my upvote
Nicely Done @sterlinluxan! We appear to be very like minded.
I see you are also a meme master as well eh?
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Keep up the good work. Upvoted and Following
"They don't even know what consciousness or subjectivity is"
I know what they are. Consciousness is the ability to take yourself into account when you make plans. Subjectivity means dependence on the person viewing.
Oop. Hard problem solved. Guess we can go home now.
Guess that was a valuable comment in you standards.
Thanks Sterlin. Insightful as always and sadly true. I often wonder what the world would be like if humanity was free to follow their passions. I know we will see this one day. If not my generation then my son's generation. Keep up the fight and keep steeming ahead. You have my support!
Good read! Keep spreading the word. I try to do that as well here on Steemit. Here is my latest post if you're interested:
The most powerful argument for libertarianism and anarchism
nice post keep on it !
Ahh the hard problem - like trying to bite your own teeth or see your own eyes. Kind of wild we're trying to recreate consciousness without the faintest understanding of it.