"We don't usually notice how little control we have over the mind, because habits channel psychic energy so well that thoughts seem to follow each other by themselves without a hitch. After sleeping we regain consciousness in the morning when the alarm rings, and then walk to the bathroom and brush our teeth. The social roles culture prescribes then take care of shaping our minds for us, and we generally place ourselves on automatic pilot till the end of the day, when it is time to again lose consciousness, in sleep. But when we are left alone, with no demands on attention, the basic disorder of the mind reveals itself. With nothing to do, it begins to follow random patterns, usually stopping to consider something painful or disturbing. Unless a person knows how to give order to his or her thoughts, attention will be attracted to whatever is most problematic at the moment: it will focus on some real or imaginary pain, on recent grudges or long-term frustrations. Entropy is the normal state of consciousness - a condition that is neither useful nor enjoyable."
- Flow (Mihaly Csikszentmihaly, 1990)
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Psychic Entropy
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3 comments:
CHICK-SET-ME-HIGH is how I remembered to pronounce his name. He wrote that the flow experience is not limited to composers and athletes. In fact, it can be achieved by anyone who composes music or participates in sports. LOL! I don't think he ever got past those two examples.
"But when we are left alone, with no demands on attention, the basic disorder of the mind reveals itself. With nothing to do, it begins to follow random patterns, usually stopping to consider something painful or disturbing."
He's revealing himself here. When I am left alone, I don't dwell on negative shit. I amuse myself. By what process do "random patterns" of the mind necessarily lead to painful or disturbing things? They could just as randomly land on joyful things or neutral things.
"Unless a person knows how to give order to his or her thoughts, attention will be attracted to whatever is most problematic at the moment: it will focus on some real or imaginary pain, on recent grudges or long-term frustrations."
Same thing here. When he sees his thoughts, he sees that they involve problems, pain, grudges, and frustrations. Other people just go to sleep. Still others probably fantasize about conquering the world.
"Entropy is the normal state of consciousness - a condition that is neither useful nor enjoyable."
Entropy represents inactivity. While agree that it is not productive, I do not agree that it is the normal state of consciousness. This guy needs to expand himself, maybe try composing music or playing sports.
Sorry to kick this guy, but I listened to his tape, read his book, and got jack squat. Seems like a depressed lab-rat who is mesmerized by the ability of regular people to enjoy a hamburger.
HAHAHA! All right Aaron - fair enough. I don't agree with you entirely, but I certainly can see your point.
I think Mihaly presents a lot of examples of people achieving flow in everyday activities (like eating hamburgers), not just composers and musicians. Maybe it's not especially helpful to people who have no problem quieting the mind, I don't know.
Until recently, I had only read exerpts of Man's Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl. I ended up buying it a month ago. It's a quick but very deep read and it reminded me of Flow (and the Noble Truths) - thus the post.
I'm probably exaggerating. Could be that he used these examples so much in the tapes that I was like "Who are you even talking to?" How about some flow for the rest of us?
I did enjoy Flow; I just never got any flow from it. I got a lot of flow from sports and martial arts, though. I was hoping his material would help me achieve it at work, doing chores, etc.
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