WILDERISM DOCTRINE---1.  REALITY IS

Version 4.01.02               11/04/2022

1.  REALITY IS

Objective Reality

In this day of computer-generated games and virtual reality, it is encouraging to think that your mind can invent and control reality.  This gets to the heart of the human problem, that we think that we are superior to nature.  We can manipulate reality to conform to our wishes.  And to some extent, this is true.  But then we lose sight of the reality, and that causes problems. 

There are scientists who say that reality is constructed in the brain.  While that may be true about the perception of reality, it still doesn’t change the physics of events, objective-reality.  Just try to move something with your mind.  Then try to make someone else do something just by willing it.  Ok, now really focus.  Use your internal emotions, guts.  No luck?  That’s REALITY you are trying to change.  And by the way, anyone who tells you that you just didn’t believe hard enough, well, that is the oldest blame game in the world---but it works because some people can be convinced of their own guilt and because it’s not provable.  “Gaslighted!”

Good vs Evil

I was raised in Christian Science, and that is all about “Know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you Free”.  It’s on the front wall of the church.  Evil only exists because you allow evil into your mind.  I was excused from taking biology in high school because it included the study of diseases. 

This gets to the heart of western religions, and that is that there is a good and evil, absolutely.  Of course, metaphysics explains that good and evil are not absolute, but relative, depending on the point of view---not only who is looking at it, but from what standpoint. 

For instance, a hurricane can destroy houses and cause power outages, a bad thing for the owners.  However, the electrical workers in the next state have now got good paying overtime jobs fixing the wires, a good thing.

And then there is the time range viewpoint, a lucky win at the poker table may be followed by the loss of a wife for too much time at the casino.    Good and evil are relative.

Metaphysics says that good and evil are the opposite sides of a single coin.  When you create one, you automatically create the other.  There is no such thing as good without evil.  Defining one, creates the other, by definition.  It is not necessary for us as humans to go through this process.  It is possible to take things as they come, not bothering to classify them in terms of good and evil.

But the downside of this practice is that one can become accepting of anything, and we will go into that later.

Positive Thinking

To change the subject slightly, I have spent many an hour stoned on marijuana.  I have checked, but not everyone has the same experiences I do, which is that I see meaning in nature.  This is called “claircognizance”.  Things take on an importance not seen while straight.  I really enjoy that state, but I have learned that when I come down, nothing around me has changed despite my mental gyrations.

In other words, REALITY IS.

It can’t be changed with the mind.  There is no point in “positive thinking” for changing things for the better. 

However, “positive thinking” is valuable for staying happy, which is important for health.  And don’t forget the “placebo effect”.  Thinking we are healthy can help to actually making our bodies healthy.  But that is not changing reality, just an effect of the mind/body interface.

Prayer

Science is the exploration and discovery of reality.  We think we understand how something works and have to test it.  If the result is as expected every time, then the theory is proven.  But if it works sometimes, but not others, well then there must be a hidden variable not taken into account.  So, we scratch our heads and say “how about this?”.  A scientist will then modify the experiment controlling for the new variable.  This process continues until we truly understand.

So where does prayer come in?  From what I have experienced and seen, prayer sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t.  There must be a hidden variable.  What?  We’ll get to that with the “No Magic” tenet.

Gaia

The larger picture that this first tenet draws attention to is nature itself.  If this planet has a consciousness, we call it Gaia.  We as humans are created by nature, surrounded by nature, the forests and land and the sea, and filled with nature internally in the forms of microbes, bacteria, and viruses. 

The joke is:  who is really in charge, the myriad bacteria that live in our guts, or us as a human?  Are we just a support system for the bacteria?  Which is more important?  Naturally we think we are.  Major egos.

But when we forget that we are part of Gaia, that’s when we cause problems, not only for ourselves, but for the planet.

The name “Wilder” comes from the English, meaning someone who lives in the woods, a wilder.  To me that indicates a person who is close to nature, a desirable trait.  In the city, it is easy to forget that we are part of nature.  After all, if we run out of money and food, someone is sure to take care of us.  But out in the woods, you had better learn how to get food or you will starve, and learn how to make shelter also, not to mention protecting yourself from the pests and parasites.

The Native-Americans and indigenous peoples everywhere seem to have figured it out pretty well, living with nature and respecting it.  Then the Europeans came along with the view of conquering nature.  Not sustainable it turns out, what with global warming and the resultant droughts and food shortages.  It appears humans are a self-correcting species, as are all species.  When it gets to be too many for nature, there will be reductions.

This tenet is about recognizing the truth in which we live.

If we were going to define “good” and “bad”, let’s make it about what is good for the planet versus what is bad, as opposed to only thinking about that concept for ourselves.  I am not saying to ignore our own desires, but to be aware of the cost.  “Carbon Footprint” has become a concept which is useful for the planet.  I would say let’s go farther, let’s say “Planetary Footprint”.

Planetary Footprint

It would be beneficial to have a new profession of Planetary-Monitors, people who are trained to look at a situation or practice and who could give it a number.  Then at least we could know what our footprint is, and make intelligent choices about what we have to have and what we can let go.  The beauty of this is that it will be based on science, not on politics or outdated religions.  I can see a new major in college where “Planetaries” become educated.

There should be a tax based on the size of a person’s planetary footprint.  If you need a big house with lots of extra rooms, fine, but it should cost more.  Heating and cooling a large house should not only cost more in the heating and cooling expenses, but in the tax.  This would encourage smaller living quarters.  Perhaps the homeless who live in tents are a positive wave for the future and should be applauded, small planetary-footprint.

Everything purchased should have an indication of its planetary-cost, and not just the cost of manufacturing and distributing, but also the cost to the planet, and could be taxed accordingly.  The tax would go to restoring the damage to the planet caused by that product.

Building a shopping mall would have a large footprint and should be taxed so that when the mall dies, it can be put back to nature, the parking lot and buildings razed and trees and grass replanted.

Even if there are no planetary taxes, there should at least be greater awareness.  The idea is to start considering the planet when deciding what to do.  We need to get closer to nature, if not in living, at least in our thinking.

Do you remember when the Pandemic started in 2020?  What was the item which caused panic-buying?  Do you remember that the stores finally said that a person could only buy one pack of toilet paper?  Toilet paper!  Now what does this indicate?  To me it shows just how far removed we have become from nature.  I certainly agree that cleanliness is desirable, but by what techniques?  Toilet paper is made from felled trees, trees which create the oxygen which we need to breathe.  And for what?  To keep our hands clean?  Can’t get our hands dirty anymore?  That’s how far we have become estranged from nature.  It has gotten to the point where public toilets must be self-flushing because people are afraid to touch a handle for a second---don’t want to catch germs.  Too far removed from nature in my opinion.  A little soap and water handle these situations quite well.  Not to mention that infants need to be exposed to dirt to develop a healthy immune system.

Overpopulation

Obviously, the old Biblical phrase “Be fruitful and multiply” is no longer a good idea.  Even if we reduce our footprints, there are just too many people on the planet.

A lot of what is causing that is the third-world country concept of old-age insurance, lots of kids.  Social security is a good idea for those countries.

Then there is the Catholic Church, which says that sex without trying to make a baby is wrong, and that birth-control and abortions are bad.  Not helpful.

Even the medical profession is not helping by trying to save everybody.  “Human life is sacred”.  I disagree.  The planet is “sacred” and we are part of the planet, but not more important.

It used to be that Africans had natural birth control, a proportion of the babies would not survive.  It is much easier on everybody when babies die than when they are older.  A lot of philanthropic money has been spent reducing baby deaths in Africa, just to cause worse problems later housing and feeding everyone.

Birth-control and abortions should be free and easy to get.  To avoid abortions, morning-after pills should be in every woman’s purse.  Sex is a natural act and cannot be stopped, shouldn’t be, it is not only fun, but also a powerful urge.  The thing is, a child shouldn’t be the result.  Of course, if someone or a couple wants a baby, fine, but no more accidental children.

Ending Life

Then there is the other end of birth, dying.  It should be made painless and easy.  Keeping someone alive beyond the point where life has meaning is not healthy for the planet.  I recognize how the Hippocratic-Oath, to do no harm, is useful for the health-profession, but it is too absolute.  There needs to be some balancing morality, or at least some other profession that helps in the dying process.  A hospice helps with the discomfort of dying, but would be better if it could speed death up.

Kurt Vonnegut in his novels, advocated for suicide-parlors with purple roofs, right across the street from the then ubiquitous, orange-roofed Howard Johnsons.  You could walk in and not walk out.  You got your tasty last meal, whatever drug you wanted to get high, favorite music and scenes, go to sleep pleasantly, and not wake up.

Let those who have fulfilled their purpose in life leave room for those who have more to do.  I am sure there will have to be some restrictions on who can do this, but it is a concept which will help the planet.

Dan Brown wrote his novel “Inferno”, after his “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels and Demons”.  It was about an “evil” genius they were trying to stop from distributing his manufactured virus.  It turns out that the virus went global before they could stop it, and what it did was permanently change everyone’s DNA so that only one out of every three people could make a baby. 

Of course, Ron Howard couldn’t put population-control in his “Inferno” movie, so it was bastardized to be about terrorists.  Interesting---population-control is a taboo subject.  No wonder we are in trouble.  All biological species go through a period of population reduction when overpopulated.

Burial

What to do with our bodies when no longer needed?  Egyptians and Christians like to preserve the body even after death, so preservatives like formaldehyde are pumped in and caskets and cemetery space used.  Next cremation seems advisable, but it uses between 20 and 30 gallons of gasoline to completely burn a human body, 60% water. 

I like the natural-burial, just a shroud covering my unpreserved body laid under a middle-aged magnolia tree.  A young tree might not live and an old one will die sooner, so let my body feed a grown magnolia tree so that I can smell good to passersby for 60 years.  I wouldn’t mind a brass plaque nailed to the tree, “Here returns Chris Wilder,  1946 – 20??, Wilderist”.

Personal Honesty

What I have been discussing is the impact to the planet, how we should become honest about the costs. 

Now let’s change focus to ourselves, a single individual.  Let’s get honest.

We as a species are the evolutionary end-result of a bunch of other species---we are a part of nature to start with.  It is true that we have imaginations which seem to be missing in other species, but we still don’t understand where that came from, the simple higher number of neurons in our brains or aliens modifying our DNA?   You can choose if you want, but I think the jury is still out, and it really doesn’t matter---we have to deal with who we are.

Honesty.  We should start at the most basic level.  To survive as a member of this species, we must figure out how to eat and not get killed.  Second, we must have sex to continue the species.  Sex is quite basic, but our imaginations allow us to put all kinds of rules on it which might or might not be useful---that’s called culture.

Why would we ask a human to deny his needs, hungers, urges?   Unless of course, the need impacts someone else’s life directly in a negative way.  But otherwise, why would we?

Sexual Honesty

The scientists have come up with 3 aspects of sex:  1) what sexual equipment you are born with, 2) how you feel inside (male or female), and 3) which sex you are attracted to.  It’s not so simple, but it is basic.  Of course, there are all the variations and the only judging that we can do would be based on the percentages, which ones are more prevalent.  Lucky you if you should be born with the 2 “normal” aspect combinations, one being a female body feeling female and desiring males.

But what of the others?  Do we call them “bad”, “abnormal”?  No.  Diversity is a desirable attribute in nature, healthier in the long run.  The coming out of LGBT people is a major step forward in a culture.  And everyone is different in some way.  If we can overcome the shame involved in being different, then we can be honest to others about ourselves, and that reduces stress, which means we will live longer healthier lives.

The Tail

I understand where it comes from, but sexual taboos have caused enormous stresses on most of our cultures.  I realize that it is a very personal and even secret thing between 2 adults, but what is the problem with prostitution?  There are many men who need it and lots of women who are happy to do it.  The reverse also.

Of course it shouldn’t be coerced in any way, but that is a different story.  Thinking about it in relation to Gaia, prostitution has a smaller planetary footprint than marriage.  Wives require a lot more amenities (washers, driers, etc.) than most men.  In any case, sex shouldn’t be the driving force in marriage, love and companionship should be.

The problem that a sex-starved man has is that his imagination can run away with him allowing him to believe that the woman he is after, really wants it.  This leads to stalking and rape.  There are also women who can fantasy about a recalcitrant man, leading to trouble.

It used to be that only men were the crew on ships.  Now women are crew also.  The testosterone of the men near a female goes up, this is biology.  Most men can control it, but for some, it isn’t possible.  That’s why I think there should be prostitutes aboard every ship.

This is not my idea.  It comes from a 6-book series written by Piers Anthony called “The Bio of a Space Tyrant”.  He had it so that a space-ship about to embark on a months-long or years-long voyage would advertise in the paper for prostitutes to come aboard.  They were paid by the company and their job was to take care of the sexual needs of the crew in order to keep them stress-free.  It was always a joke among the beginner crewmen that they were going to “wear out the tail”.  Of course, it couldn’t be done.

Status

Another source of dishonesty are the clothes and jewelry we wear.  People judge others by those things, but do they really indicate who we are, or just what we have?  Wilderism supports the idea of nudist colonies because when you are not afraid to show your “imperfect” body to others, you are coming to grips with who you really are, imperfections and all.  I’ll show you my imperfections if you will show me yours.  And by the way, if you have ever been to a nudist colony, you realize that the experience is not about sex, it is about the suspension of judgment of others.  Can you be that honest?

Science Misunderstood

Science itself goes through times when it is misunderstood, and this is understandable.  Science has different branches.  We call physics and chemistry “hard” sciences meaning that the laws are well defined and work every time, while biology is more “soft” because there are so many variables due to evolution changing things all the time, psychology very “squishy” because of the highly variable nature of the brain and consciousness, and lastly we get to nutrition, which shouldn’t be called a science at all.

Many people don’t trust science because of the news reports, that this “new discovery turns physics on its head!”.  What they don’t realize is that the physics that is being discovered is for the very small or the very large.  At our level of space, speed, and time, physics laws were set down by Newton back in 1687 and still apply perfectly today.  Yes, when it comes down to elementary particles or galaxies, there are changes in the theories going on, but at our level everything is understood and works, otherwise TVs, cellphones, and computers couldn’t be trusted.  So blame the misunderstanding on journalists who need to excite with a splashy headline about “new science”.

And as far as nutrition is concerned, every couple years somebody comes up with a theory about how to eat more healthy.  They publish books, do talks, TV shows, and DVDs.  They make a bunch of money and most people follow along like a herd of sheep.  Of course, this new diet or whatever, only works on some people, not even on most.  And then a couple years later along comes another “genius”.  Nutrition has to do with how people absorb food, but there are so many different variations of human, that one-size never fits all.  Nutrition is not a science, it’s more like an endless series of fads.

Ambos Mundos

This is the name of the hotel mentioned in Tennessee William’s “Night of the Iguana”.  In English, it means “both worlds”, in the case of the play, it means the world of the “real” and the world of the “fantastic”. 

This other world is available by taking psychedelic drugs.  It is a viewpoint which shows the “meanings” behind what is happening in the “real” world.  It can also be accessed during a severe illness and there are a few people who can go there naturally.

The Sufi Mystic, Rumi, teaches a method of getting there called “soul gazing”, looking into another person’s eyes for an extended period.  In his poetry he says that there are 2 sets of eyes, the eyes for the physical world of separation and the eyes that see the soul-world of union.

In other words, instead of seeing the boundaries between things, this mental state shows the connections between them.  It is a vision which brings joy and understanding and peace.

A person facing their own imminent death who gets to this state of union, finds acceptance and peace, no longer afraid of death.