We are coining a new word and concept to describe something very important that must be articulated. After all, if something is not put into the right words, understanding it’s true reality may elude us.
Consider this new concept – Meme-ppets [pronounced me’me’pits].
This concept may be a key to unlock a certain understanding for us. Memeppets are short memetic snippets – essentially short and effective memetic constructions. You may regard them as little thought captions.
Memeppets essentially are small slogan like phrases that we often repeat and throw out, they cross our mind when we think, and our tongue when we speak. Repeating them can condition the way we view the world, and our relationship to it.
Regard memeppets as very dangerous to your mental health and soul, when they are malignant.
Some memeppets are malignant, and others are not. Here is one that is malignant and dangerous to you.
Often we hear the phrase “Improving the world” or “saving the world“.
Please do not misunderstand us, for we are not picking on anyone, and this reminder is directed to us as well. Many good hearted and sincere people want to change, improve, or save the world.
But it is the idea of improving or saving the world, the whole world, or a large portion of it, that is a malignant memeppet, infecting a large portion of humanity.
This memeppet is sweet to the mind and tongue, but poison to life.
“Improving the world” and “saving the world” are of those little memetic engineering tricks, that are played on so many good hearted and sincere people. And they are far more dangerous than we may realize.
If you want to improve or save the world, please consider this – do you think that you are going to “save” that goat herder on a mountain slope in Nepal ? Or, let’s say, a Lama herder in Peru?
Tell us, can you “save him” or “improve his lot” without speaking his language, or knowing his religion, or even reaching him – physically or electronically?
Can any of us even reach out to the guy next door to us? Have we reached out to the guy on the corner down the street from us? If we can’t communicate with someone next door, let alone a goat herder in Nepal 10,000 miles away, what business do we have trying to save the world?
“Improving the world” is one of those myopic quests best left to the uninitiated. For we cannot save the world, only God – Allah most high – can save the world, much less than improve it.
In fact, consider the distinct possibility that the world itself is doing just fine without you or I, thank you very much.
Consider the distinct possibility that is we humans, who are in a terrible state.
Start with yourself.
Improve your life, and then try to reach and improve those you love, those standing right next to you.
Now some people may protest; is it not commonly said that messengers like Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them) did save, or improve, the world? Or at least the lives of large numbers of people? Aid them, or even save them? The answer, with a straight face, is yes they did. But the whole while their intention was to help those next to them. And it was these people they helped who carried it on to successive generations until finally, even the Sikh cab driver in New York can no benefit directly from New York can now benefit from the work of Muhammad
The point is first and last to worry and seek about helping those you can help, those directly in front of or next to you, those within reach of your words or actions, and not some imaginary goat, or lama, herder in Nepal or Peru, or a New York cab driver
It is only those close to you that you can help, anyone else will be a wasted delusional effort.
“Saving the world” and “improving the world” comes under the category of saying things that we really don’t mean. We often repeat and say a lot of silly stuff that we don’t really mean, this affects our minds and hearts, what we say has the power to confuse us and distract us from doing real productive work.
Now, you may ask: what if those next to me don’t want my help, what if they will not even listen to me?
It is true that some people close to you don’t want help from you.
Consider this little rule of thumb – in history no Prophet is accepted in his own town. Jesus, Muhammad, and Moses were initially not accepted in, and even driven away from, their own town or land.
Do not rack your head against a wall or door that will not budge. If your sledge hammer can’t knock down a wall, then get a friend to help. Instead of using a sledge hammer against a locked door, perhaps someone else knocking will open it. If the door won’t open to you maybe it will open to someone else.
Sometimes your sledge hammer might cause more harm than good. However it is quite possible that a door may open quite peacefully to someone else.
Some doors are not destined for us to open, but they may be destined for someone else to. If you move yourself out of the way, God – Allah most high – may bring someone else. Someone for whom the door or heart closed to you may open.
In fact consider this; that door may actually only be locked because you are standing in its way. When you walk to a door, divine law allows you three knocks before you must turn away, and return from whence you came.
Start with yourself, then those around you, and if their hearts remain closed step away, and seek a helping friend.
Start with understanding and prayer, and all else will follow.
