The Microscope

Ever since my high school Biology class I've always thought the microscope was the perfect metaphor for enlightenment. Science is the observation of the natural world. We are given only a limited range of vision. Therefore our observation of the natural world is handcuffed by the physical limitations of our human form. Microscopes are tools that enhance our vision by increasing the range at which we can observe the natural world.

Before microscopes our best tools to make conclusions about things beyond our natural range of vision were inductive and deductive reasoning. These two methods are very useful but at the same time not all people are gifted with the correct combination of imagination, rationalization and self awareness required to engage in critical thinking. Microscopes help average people (students, scientists, etc) who aren't necessarily great thinkers. Now you can see with your own two eyes that there are really really tiny organisms. You don't have to think in the abstract when discussing viruses and bacteria. Because if it's one thing that people suck at it's thinking in the abstract. To put it another way if there were no microscopes you probably wouldn't wash your hands when you went to the bathroom.

Most people don't use microscopes outside of the required classes in high school. So every New Year these people make Resolutions without regard for the connection between those kinds of Resolutions and the kind of resolution used to define the clarity on your television or computer screen. Metaphors are not in most people's wheelhouses. So although you listen to Jay-Z you probably have no idea what he truly means when he says "I'm focused man!"

I don't like New Year's Resolutions because they are tiny admissions of defeat. They are weak promises that are almost always broken. They are testaments to our inability to follow through. It's a way of saying I know I'm not good enough yet. I'm either too fat or too weak or too poor. It's a big arrow pointing directly to the source of your unhappiness. So instead of making Resolutions, you should change your resolution. Meaning the clarity of your view of the world.

When using a microscope there are two ways to change the resolution. You can use the coarse adjustment knob for when you have trouble seeing anything. You should use the fine adjustment know when your almost there but things are still a little blurry. If your life sucks you may want to turn that coarse adjustment knob. But if you are on the right track you may want to just hit that fine adjustment knob. Either way your view of the world has to change before you have the proper motivation to change yourself. If you have a weight problem for instance you don't really have a weight problem first and foremost you have a problem with the way you view your weight. Your perception is your reality, maybe you should take a good look at yourself. Should you through out the scale and get a new mirror? Or maybe you just need a microscope. Happy New Years.