Meaning Holds Great Significance

It may seem frustrating to start with this concept, but it's essential to acknowledge:

Without observation, any system exists in a state of incoherent and meaningless disorder.

Imagine eliminating all conscious awareness of humanity or our context in time and space—our sciences, technologies, and cultures; stripping away all self-awareness—history, mythology, identity—meaning would quickly dissipate from our existence. Without the presence of a collective (or individual) observer, nothing makes sense.

However, as soon as even a single discerning mind or sensing mechanism is introduced—be it a deity or a photon detector—patterns begin to emerge from chaos, and order surfaces from the tumult of randomness. Meaning bursts forth from the randomness of chance, gaining significance.

Causality finds its purpose.

We, as humans, possess a unique viewpoint on everything, from the physical composition of our planet to the lessons of our actions within society. Our consciousness serves as a vital sensing and synchronizing force in an otherwise nonsensical world.

We perceive light through a spectrum unique to us; we apply reasoning shaped by our neurological framework; we respond to emotions and fears rooted in our evolutionary history; we navigate according to our psychological and physiological limits, and we learn through increasingly sophisticated observation methods.

But what if there are broader or more effective ways to perceive our surroundings? What if we began to fine-tune the intuitive systems we use to navigate possibilities?

Forget about augmented reality, pharmacological enhancements, cultural biases, or religious beliefs: consider the very methods through which we synthesize real-time data around us.

Visualize our navigation through time and space as an echo-locative Doppler effect; similar to how sound waves bounce off objects (or events) to relay information back to us, we advance in our exploration of reality through the information we cultivate—the signals we emit and absorb.

Here's the dual aspect: i) the more proficient we become in transmitting and receiving data, the better we can predict outcomes; ii) the greater our predictive capabilities, the broader our possibilities become.

In essence, not only can we refine our perceptive abilities and expand our potential horizons, but we can also interpret the uncertainties of reality in ways that significantly enhance our navigation through possibilities—rendering them more meaningful.

And meaning, in all its beautiful subjectivity, is truly everything. To reach that which we seek and deem significant, our efforts ultimately hinge on the [unlimited] capacities of our instinct.

Minimizing Disruption

At Bonn University—just a stone's throw from the ever-changing Rhine River—Professor Johann Kroha has ingeniously re-engineered our interaction with the quantum realm.

Utilizing a terahertz light pulse of extremely low energy, Kroha excites particle states without significantly disrupting them; in response, these systems emit visual echoes and clues about their structures, spins, and interactions.

“It is as if we would shine a camera flash on a person, and minutes later the person emits another light pulse which, for example, carries information about the person’s state of health”—Professor Kroha

It’s reasonable to suggest that the more refined our measurement tools, the better we can engage with an observed system—ranging from petri dishes to investment portfolios.

The less disruptive our observation mechanisms—be it a scanner or conscious perception—the more we can comprehend.

Remember: the more adeptly we transmit, receive, decipher, and predict data, the more we expand, enable, and activate possibilities towards the meaningful outcomes we pursue.

Our fundamental purpose in this reality appears to be navigating possibilities toward outcomes that resonate with us.

We can do this fluidly, gliding with minimal disruptive friction, while maintaining a panoramic perspective that considers not only the possibilities directly ahead but also those lurking on the peripheries of our vision.

To achieve this and make the most of the opportunities around us, we often neglect the importance of doing less. Furthermore, we must acknowledge the entire picture— all the interrelated variables that influence our journey toward meaning.

We should strive to work within the balance and interdependence of all things—this is where the lines between physics and spirituality often blur, and rightly so.

All systems, from solar to quantum, exhibit an interdependent entanglement in which the constituent parts—ranging from planets to particles—are intertwined, and states exist in a fluid balance between possibility and activation.

This connection emphasizes that the very fabric of reality, at both quantum and philosophical levels, is a tapestry of interwoven potentials awaiting revelation through observation and understanding.

Superconductivity

The Eastern notion of Wu-Wei (often translated as non-action) has always been somewhat elusive to me.

If I navigate some linguistic nuances, it aligns more comfortably with the overarching concept of navigating reality and possibility.

At its core: non-action shouldn't be equated with inaction. Instead, it is perhaps best viewed as a path of least resistance.

Consider this phrase not as a shortcut or a self-help adage; instead, envision it as a current of energy that not only fuels but also inspires our navigation through reality. A lightning strike loses none of its power simply because it follows a path of least resistance.

When we create friction or resistance—in how we perceive the world, others, or our environments—we obstruct that current. If we forcefully resist or cling—internally or externally—we hinder our own progress.

This can lead to a muddled perspective, blinding us to opportunities and preventing us from predicting outcomes or realizing the ambitious wave functions; our orbits become distorted, our spins diminish, and our navigation through possibilities becomes more cumbersome.

However, if we maintain the right approach, driven by meaning (rather than fear), and move with minimal friction (assuming a state of superconductive potential), we can achieve precise and fluid maneuverability, allowing us to flow seamlessly with the intertwined currents of potential.

We can manage our energy outputs to avoid futile attempts to control the uncontrollable; we can yield to the undeniable forces of nature while overcoming unnatural forces.

Such a viewpoint can create a significant distinction between feeling oppressed by greater powers—from the laws of thermodynamics to human regulations—and skillfully navigating among them.

The unavoidable realities of biological aging and entropy; the toxic cultural and political complexities; the flawed or irrational beings around us; we can exist free from unnecessary distractions, anchored by a steadfast conviction of self-mastery.

Yet, there exists an unspoken caveat to the Wu-Wei philosophy: it is technically unattainable. It is an ideal we aspire to and may only occasionally experience.

Regardless, it is inherently challenging for a reason. Whatever that reason may be—character development, the fear of solitude, legacy building, or gaining momentum.

It embodies discipline, wrapped in an intuitively inquisitive and meaningful journey through reality.

In essence, we should adapt to the twists of the narrative rather than allowing them to dictate our course—lean into the rhythms of the possible wave functions surrounding us; transmit our echoes more precisely into the winds that matter, rather than forcefully into the dense open air.

Achieving a perspective so refined that we never encounter resistance is impossible. However, refining it to attain a level of energetic, instinctual dynamism akin to superconductivity that fosters a more meaningful journey through space and time—that seems to encapsulate the essence of Wu-Wei.

Expanding the Peripherals

Consider team-based competitive sports. Each team typically has a transmitter: a quarterback, a pitcher, a handler, a forward; and a receiver— a catcher, batter, cutter, goalie, or guard.

These players must navigate both the fields of possibility and the arenas of potential with a finesse that demands they consider as many options as possible, as well as the most effective ones at any given moment.

The elite athletes—from Mahomes to Messi to Tyson—excel at swiftly deciphering data, predicting outcomes, and operating within an expansive field of ambitious possibilities.

They must understand how events in space and time (the plays, maneuvers, outcomes) unfold around them; they instinctively adjust their vision, pace, thoughts, speed, and rhythm.

Neurochemically, their brains are wired to optimize performance through the adept deployment of neurotransmitters like norepinephrine. Their physiology responds as needed, redirecting blood flow or dilating pupils to enhance acuity. This is why they excel in critical moments and thrive under pressure.

Their positioning, maneuvering, and coordination—knowing when to leap, intercept a pass, or evade a punch—stem from countless hours spent honing strategies, reflexes, nutrition, and pain tolerance.

The finest MMA fighters, chess players, attorneys, or parents are not merely those who dominate their surroundings—they also relentlessly refine their internal dispositions.

Navigating possibility with utmost finesse, artistry, dynamism, and energy, with the most expansive self-definition possible—extending well beyond 360 degrees.

No matter how we frame it—cognitive adjustment; highly engaged neurocognition; expectation management; cultivating particle interactions; riding the wave functions through Heraclitus’ River pushed by Brahman winds amid echoes of Taoist perception—the key takeaway is that we should not be deceived into thinking we can accomplish much less than we are truly capable of in any given moment in space and time.

Subscribe to Borealism on Substack