Pilgramage

[333]

Peace,

If a picture is worth a thousand words;

A book is worth a dozen photos?

What is the value of any "given" experience?

If experience speaks, volumes;

What is the value of a volume,"collection of mental images"?

For Example;

An afternoon, summer event, where you are the complete stranger?

vs or :

One month, vs One Year, or 3 Years etc.

333

[wax]

333- What is the value of any "given" experience?

Wax- You have lost me a bit.

First of all a picture is not worth a thousand words, the logical mind rejects such a claim.

The claim is made to impress upon the observer that a picture can transfer a great deal of information, yet even a picture broken into a thousand segments and observed for factual content can not relay as much information to the observer as a thousand words written well for content... unless... well let's put it this way, "Is the observer blind? Can the observer read?"

But of course that brings us to the larger problem of your question: What is the value of any "given" experience?

It can not be answered.

There is no such thing as "any given moment" when it comes to experiences.
Are you enjoying an ice cream cone or watching your child die?
Are you two minutes old or have you lived for 100 years?

I think (and thus therefore may be wrong) what you are "getting at" is the accumulation of knowledge.

I think therefore I am?
No... I think, and can communicate, therefore I may claim I am!
Similar... yet very different!

[333]

Peace,

333- What is the value of any "given" experience?

Wax- You have lost me a bit.


The idea that some folks can be born, live and expire, never setting foot out of their "hometown", while others travel the world, both examples may bring fulfillment to the individual, then again both experiences may not and leave the individual confused and wanting.

If all one knows is a tiny example of culture/s and are happy then so be it, but does it lend any credence to their wisdom?

Is it better to be unaware and happy? Is ignorance equal to happiness? What is the value of this ignorant "life" versus a life of an individual that has endeavored for enlightenment and wisdom and experienced even one culture other than their own? Then, what is the value of that "other "culture experience, if its a two week experience versus a one year experience and so on?

On the "spectrum" of human dispositions, all answers would be accurate pertaining to the individual but still, the experienced versus the non experienced can be quantified.

So... yes how does one accumulate knowledge and how does one place "value" on said experience.

I think that I may not be, ergo I know that I am.

333

[wax]

333- I think that I may not be, ergo I know that I am.

Wax- Good one ;D

I can only assume that your use of "value" is a measurement of some sort... makes sense I suppose.
Yet that measurement must be quantified in some way to clarify expectation.

You mention ignorance of other cultures as apposed to experience of such... but you appear to assume that experience is enlightenment and wisdom in some way.

Hmmm... how to explain my point though?

333- What is the value of this ignorant "life" versus a life of an individual that has endeavored for enlightenment and wisdom and experienced even one culture other than their own?

Wax- Europeans three or four centuries ago "experienced" African cultures a great deal... then then promptly enslaved those cultures for financial gain.

Long before that Muslims experienced Judeo-Christian cultures and vice versa... and we are still experiencing each other today.

In 1990 I found myself passed out on a beach in Belize.
I had "experienced" a great deal to be sure but in my recovery I found a paradise.
I have returned there many times but in the last few years my experience has not been the same.

Rich Americans discovered Belize shortly after I did and the two cultures have "experienced" each other too much in my opinion.
Instead of free beaches most are now privately owned.
Instead of joy one now finds greed.
Fisherman are now tourist agents and fish is expensive because no one wants to live that way any longer.

Locals who have lived for centuries without stress now must pay a great deal of money in order to live... because experience concerning cultures is not always the good thing eco-tourists and retired Americans claim it is.

Oh... but the sea-cow is safe!
We don't want the dugong being hunted and eaten anymore... even though it was never under pressure until the fat white men arrived with their cabin cruisers.

So I guess I must conclude that it depends upon what is being measured and who is doing the measurement.

Knowledge is valuable as long as it is sought... but "wisdom" is interpritation at best.

[333]

Peace,

The sum of a person is derived directly from their "experience", what they "reason" about said experience, and what they "think", about their "logic".

The unexamined life is not worth living flowed from the lips of Socrates. Ignorant life would seem counter productive using this logic.

Wisdom is to often unheeded, cest la vie, although I would believe wisdom would have far more value then interpretation. Who is doing the measuring when we fail to measure our selves, your right , is extremely important.

How ever it still posed what is the value of this "wisdom" gained through exposure to more "experience".

333

[wax]

I must say I wonder about "experience" myself at times.
It is far from universal in any way.

Socrates was right but one of you is missing an important point I think!
But how to explain?

Three men look at a beach.
One sees a place to lie down and enjoy the sun.
Another sees a spot to set up a resort and charge others to lie down and enjoy the sun.
Another sees a great place to drug chicks and rape them... and beat them... until they attempt to escape or bleed to death.

Which one has not "examined his life?"
Trick question of course all three have which is why Socrates gets confusing at best.

Mainly of course is the fact that we have none of his writings, Oh... we have what Plato says he would have wrote if he wrote but then...

Socrates was a critic of democracy and in that at least he holds some credit but his praise of Sparta leaves those like you who would attempt to paint his above comment about an examined life somewhat suspect in the least!

I on the other hand understand full well... which makes me both Spartan and Socratic, yet far short of you (joking of course but I think you will get the giggle).