LIFE: its relativity

Life has 2 absolute consequences, self-realization and self-destruction. Self-realization is the result of simply reaching out to the limits of our capacities, to others and to God, the ideal reaction to the void. Self-destruction is the result of either entirely trying to fill the void, the absolutely restrictive reaction to it; or completely giving up, the absolutely permissive reaction. Life would be so simple if it consisted of just these absolutes; but it doesn't. It is complicated by 2 levels of relativity.

At the primary level our lives are blends of "reaching out... " and either trying to fill the void or giving up. The possible blends form a continuum of reactions from simply "reaching out..."; through reactions with decreasing amounts of "reaching out..." matched by increasing amounts of either trying to fill the void or giving up; down to entirely trying to fill the void or completely giving up. The consequences of this relativity are quite simply, the more we "reach out..." the more we enjoy self-realization, the more we try to fill the void or give up, the more we suffer self-destruction.

At the secondary level there are 8 ways we can try to fill the void. These appear one at a time in  reactions increasingly removed from the ideal, gradually increasing in 'weight' while the 'weight' of "reaching out..." diminishes. In the reaction midway between the ideal and the absolutely restrictive  are all 8 ways we try to fill the void in equal 'weights' that in total match the 'weight' of the ideal. In reactions approaching the absolutely restrictive, "reaching out..." and 7 of the 8 ways we try to fill the void gradually disappear while one becomes completely dominant in the extreme. The eight ways we try to fill the void in no way affect the relative consequences at the primary level. At the secondary level however, they confuse our lives; and the more there are the greater the confusion.

Individually, some of us are less confused than others. That could be good if "reaching out..." dominates our reaction to the void or bad if trying to fill the void dominates. Collectively, we are not as confused as we could be. This is not good however, because trying to fill the void with money and all it can buy is becoming more and more dominant. Unfortunately, "greater prosperity for all" will not save us from the consequent self-destruction. Neither will tinkering with the 'weight' of other ways we try to fill the void. Our only salvation is to reduce to zero the 'weight' of trying to fill the void, by reaching out to the limits of our capacities, to others and to God.