Why-Spiralling

I can’t stand why anymore. Why is basically the only thing you hear on here, on other social media, in private life, and almost anywhere else. There is altogether too much why.

Many of the questions we ask with a why can’t really be answered to our satisfaction.

At best, why is operational. Although it is rarely used in such a disciplined manner. By operational, I mean it leads to matter moving matter. And it knows that’s what it’s doing. In doing so, it likely needs to point to how. Either that, or it brings about the end of a requirement for further whys. That, in particular, rarely seems to happen.

Why isn’t too much more than a primitive, structural, metaphysical error.

In almost all cases, we can’t sufficiently answer why. On a personal level, in particular. In my experience, we’re almost always pretty wrong. Actually, even if we were right, it doesn’t matter too much anyway to any sort of outcome anyone would want.

Still, for whatever reason, our stories are quite precious to us. Even when they sustain our miseries. Actually, in these cases, they seem to be most precious indeed.

On a personal level, why, and the supposed insight that comes from it, is an attempt to diminish uncertainty and alleviate anxiety. The problem with lots of why, for the sole purpose of insight, is that it tends to lead only to more why. And therefore, more uncertainty. A problem can never really be resolved like this.

Even with the best possible why, we’re probably still going to do what we do.

The reality of how, however, is more or less real. How is almost always more important. How is process. How is the only way to get predictable results. We can spend a lifetime chasing why, but how will still be sitting, dutifully and patiently, waiting for us. No matter how much why’ning we’re running.

For me, Nietzsche had it somewhat the wrong way around. I prefer:

He who has a how can bear almost any why.

Why demands singular causality; how offers complex, non-linear insight. Therefore, how gives us steps. Something we can work with, because that’s how reality really is.

Most of us who ask why - philosophers, therapists, bio-individual substack writers, whoever - very often don’t offer much more than the paid generation of more whys and, ironically, more ambiguity. Maybe that’s the business model?

Worst of all, perhaps, is that every why inevitably demands a because.

And a because locks in a some-thing.

Because reifies why with some-thing, and that’s where the problems really begin.

But in a way, there isn’t really a why, and so there isn’t really a because.

We can entertain ourselves with why and because, for sure. Maybe even find a little comfort. Throw them around cleverly and get a date. It’s still basically pointless.

All this isn’t depressing - it’s excellent. It means the past, the whys and becauses, don’t need to define the present or the future.

If you let them, as most of us tend to do, they certainly will. But they don’t have to. You have control over this.

More and more, I strive for how. Writing here. Creating tools. In my life. How has resolved issues I once thought intractable. Quickly. Even the worst issues are far from intractable with a how.

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PAIN

I’m working on some new stuff for everyone and wanted to run a poll for some feedback.

Curious to know if anyone suffers from pain, chronic or otherwise, and would find sessions for that useful? I didn’t realise how many people suffer from pain until recently, so far I’ve been very lucky with that.

Hypnosis is extremely effective for pain management, particularly where drugs and other stuff don’t work.

Feel free to get in touch via dm with any suggestions, etc.

All the best,