Sounds of Silence

Date: 7-Apr-2008/14:22+3:00

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I've frequently experienced anger directed at the lack of forthrightness of dream entities who would seem to have the ability to assist me in building a permanent connected line to other dimensions. Regular reader and participant asked the probing question: "If you were somehow in charge of another world, would you let most of the current population in?"

My answer grew lengthy enough that I wanted to make it an essay rather than a comment.


If I were able to set up the design the world I'm in charge of, no one is unwelcome but everything is guided toward its right place. I don't have a problem with unpleasant people existing, nor do I take issue with them being happy. I'm merely mad when they have undue influence on those who do not deserve it...if they were all alone in a bubble munching on Doritos with other unpleasant people, that's fine.

In fact, I probably enjoy many things that unpleasant people have made. It may that the precise reasons I find them unpleasant were what gave them the perspective for their invention, making it appear surprising and thus unique to me. It would be foolish to try and define the entirety of my universe so that such viewpoints could never exchange information with me (hopefully in a very indirect way, e.g. through trade of inanimate objects).

My only rule is that the walls which separate groups of beings from each other not be impenetrable. There should be freedom for each person to find their right place, and not be stuck somewhere with those they don't like. Communities can have policies for admitting new members, but shouldn't hide their existence all together, at least not long-term.

Are there hidden communities? I often quote this bit from Sounds of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel, where the narrator has entered a secret spirit-world that surprises him. He expresses his outrage that those beings are not communicating better about their elusive plans with mortals, and supposes to tell them about the right way to do it:

"Fools," said I, "you do not know

Silence like a cancer grows

Hear my words that I might teach you

Take my arms that I might reach you"

But my words like silent raindrops fell

And echoed in the wells of silence

And the people bowed and prayed

To the neon god they made

And the sign flashed out its warning

In the words that it was forming

And the sign said "The words of the prophets

are written on the subway walls

And tenement halls

And whispered in the sound of silence"

I have mixed feelings about this concept of being so subtle. But the need for subtlety in intervention does arise here on Earth. Let's take a real world example: the 5-year-old girl in the neighboring house is *constantly* being verbally abused by the father, in a loud and unacceptable way that I can hear in my room next door.

Certainly it would be nice if I could go over there and tell the kid that this is unfair treatment. I'd like to offer some insight into what might be done about it so they aren't alone in processing this. But if I tried to influence this situation and talk to her when no one was looking...that's not feasible for a stranger to do. I could get in a lot of trouble, and talking to the father is likely not going to work either.

Despite the fact that something can in principle be done about this--realistic solutions are hard to come by. The pool of foster parents is somewhat limited, and might not provide as well financially. The kid's not being *beaten*, so child protective services don't get involved. Also there might be attachments! Despite this guy being a jerk, if the kid found out she was going somewhere that the father couldn't go, she might not accept it.

Though I seem stuck in helping, there are things I can do. I can write children's books, or make TV commercials, or games that might appear on the back of a cereal box. Then I can hope that all of my little work will help that child (and more than just that child) so that when they get to 18 they won't be as damaged as they might otherwise be. I always thought They Might Be Giants were quite subversive with their children's album, suggesting an active rebellion, as in "I am not your broom":

Now Broom, you must now sweep for me

The dust it fills my room

No, John, I will not sweep for you

For I am not your broom

What nonsense are you speaking, Broom

My words you must obey

Another life awaits me and

I'm leaving you today

I am not your broom

I am not your broom

I've had enough, I'm throwing off

My chains of servitude

I am not your broom

I am not your broom

No longer must I sweep for you

For I am not your broom

If the macrocosm and the microcosm have similarity, then this applies to any smart being that might reach down to help me. Not only might it be "illegal" to even start a direct conversation, but there could also be a limited number of "foster families" to put me with & perhaps there are higher priority subjects. My attachments to this world might be too great--for all my complaining, I might be homesick after a day or two.

Though some of this is what I've put together from intuition, some has been explicitly communicated in other dreams. Once a dream-being told me he was not allowed to talk to me because it was illegal, and there was quite active prosecution going on [1]. Others have shown me hospitals where they're trying to orient newly reincarnated beings to their non-material bodies, and that it's a tough process [2]...the more experience you've had in the physical world, the better you might be able to adapt, so it could be worth living out your life and getting your mind as far as possible before you try it.

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