No One Owns It

“There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.”
-Mark Twain

I have a piece that hasn’t been published yet in my drafts titled: “Children.” Hopefully I’ll finish it and make it public someday. I have been puzzling and mulling over concepts that make up the body of that draft, while using them experimentally in life for YEARS now. The ideologies that govern the main points in that draft, live in a more present part of my brain as a result…

Why am I writing about something I’ve written?

I’ll tell you 🙂

I heard a podcast today. In the podcast someone I VERY much relate with (which is rare for me) brought the very core concept out of my draft into her podcast! It was only said in one or two sentences, but I felt like we were both “tuned in” to the same mental radio station of life in order to have a similar perspective on this obviously shared truth.

I felt my culture talk to me when I heard her vocal summation of my drafts dissertation today. Initially my true self felt that “Yes! Yes! Yes!” Feeling of familiarity and truth when she spoke. The secondary narrative that played out helps form this piece.

Western cultural concepts like capitalism create a sort of “who can get there first” mentality. “Who can do it better.” “Who can do it best?” “Who can own it all.” Etc. I have been raised in this culture so the thoughts that followed are logical, (which is what brains like to play with) but wholly inaccurate. (Which is what brains are capable of often ;))

It couldn’t have been more than a few seconds after my initial positive response to the truth that I thought to myself: “oh great, now if I publish my article on this topic people will think I’ve ripped it off of her. How can I prove “I” came up with it before she said it in this podcast? How long did it take for her to really believe and see the world this way because it took me YEARS!” “Does the way I say it sound like plagiarism?” “How can I say it better now?”

Then, I saw myself as an outside observer, the thinker of these thoughts.

I was reminded after watching my capitalistic, competitive brain compute incorrectly, that…

*WARNING: STRONG STATEMENTS COMING AHEAD*

No one OWNS truth.

As I believe no one ought to.

Everyone should have it. And it should be free. Obviously we have found a way to monetize practically every thing this world and our bodies have to offer, which I suppose is just piece of built and accepted humanity right now. That’s fine.

*STRONG STATEMENT PORTION OVER*

Why did my mind think it had the right to “say it first?”

Why do I worry that I need to “say it best?”

What gives if I publish my account of this truth in 3 months and someone thinks I’m echoing this fabulous woman?

Does time mulling out and discovering a profound truth make the truth any more true?

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“Interesting” I thought. As I thought about my thoughts.

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Q: If I am a lover of truth. If I am a seeker of truth. If I am a sharer of truth. If I am a quester for more truth. If I am a subscriber and shifter to improved truths…. Why should any of those competitive and possessive and prideful thoughts matter?

A: They don’t.

Maybe I’ll publish my account tomorrow? Maybe I’ll never publish it, and still keep living it like I have been.

No one ought to own a truth. It is not mine. It is not yours. It just “is.”

Everyone ought to have it though. Ideally for free. Understandably for a cost. A cost very MUCH worth whatever price.

The price for truth is like exchanging temporary paper for permanent gold.

Truthfully, I’m so glad that amazing woman told the truth today. I’m glad for whenever and however she found it.

I believe truth stands alone. Like a sun or moon with all of its rays of light coming off of it. Like a single point in space. How many angles can you approach that truth from? How many lines could you draw from that point of truth out into the universe? How many different places can that truth be a part of someone’s insides?

Infinite.

That is how many people can share it.

That is how many times we can consume it.

Truth always goes in our bodies and souls like warm liquid gold.

Till next time,

Love in.

Love out sweet thing.

-Aubrey