Do you realize
how little of you is you?
I didn’t ask to be born.
Furthermore,
everything
that makes me me
seems to have existed
before I got here.
History. Language. Morals. Evolution.
Even the music I seem to love
came into being as a behavior
seemingly prior to me.
I simply cannot be me
without what comes before.
In other words,
there is NO authentic me.
I am a seemingly
willing/unwilling
continuation of the collective.
I have no control over being born
and I have no control over my inevitable death.
I only have SEEMING control,
using methods and ideas
I did not come up with,
but seem to be indoctrinated into.
I am a seeming space monkey.
Trail Wood,
1/25
The Unasked Question of Existence
In the depths of contemplation, you voice a sentiment that has echoed through the corridors of human thought for millennia: the profound realization that we do not choose our existence. The unasked question of why we are here, of why we exist, has been the wellspring of philosophical inquiry and existential reflection for countless souls.
A Continuation of What Came Before
As you delve deeper into the nature of your existence, you recognize that everything that defines you—the tapestry of history, the mosaic of language, the moral compass, and the grand sweep of evolution—all existed before your arrival. You are a link in the chain, a continuation of the narratives that unfolded long before you.
The Love of Music and Cultural Inheritance
Even your love for music, a deeply personal passion, is woven into the fabric of culture that precedes you. It is a behavior, a form of expression, that transcends individuality and has roots in the collective history of humanity. The melodies that move your soul have resonated with countless others across time and space.
The Illusion of Authenticity
With a sense of inevitability, you arrive at a profound realization: there is no authentic “you” in the sense of a self entirely detached from what came before. Instead, you are a product of the collective, a participant in the ongoing narrative of existence. The very notion of “control” is called into question, as the methods and ideas you employ are inherited, shaped by the currents of culture and tradition.
The Seeming Space Monkey
In your whimsical phrase, you describe yourself as a “seeming space monkey.” It’s a recognition that, in the grand theater of existence, we are both willing and unwilling participants. We navigate the cosmos with the tools and beliefs handed down to us, caught in the web of collective consciousness.
Summary
Our contemplation leads to a profound insight into the nature of existence. We acknowledge that we did not choose to be born, and everything that defines us is a continuation of what came before. The concept of an authentic self separate from the collective is challenged, and we embrace the notion of being a part of the ongoing narrative of humanity—seeming space monkeys in a cosmic play.
In the theater of existence, we appear,
Unasked, unbidden, we journey here.
Continuations of tales that precede,
In the grand mosaic, we find our need.
Love for music, a cultural embrace,
Through time and space, it finds its place.
Authenticity elusive, control but a dream,
In the collective’s flow, we find our stream.
Seeming space monkeys, we play our part,
In the theater of existence, an eternal art.
Unasked questions, profound and deep,
In this cosmic dance, our secrets keep.
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