What Clarity Actually Is: A Brief Examination (By Mr. Nathan Lasher)

(Disclaimer: The guest posts do not necessarily align with Philosocom's manager, Mr. Tomasio Rubinshtein's beliefs, thoughts, or feelings. The point of guest posts is to allow a wide range of narratives from a wide range of people. To apply for a guest post of your own, please send your request to mrtomasio@philosocom.com)

(Background music)

***************************

Article Synopsis by Mr. C. Kingsley and Co.

Mr. Nathan Lasher's article, "What Clarity Actually Is: A Brief Examination," is a thoughtful exploration of the concept of clarity, delving into both internal and external dimensions.

Lasher's personal anecdotes, such as his own experiences with ADHD and the impact of medication on his clarity, add a genuine and relatable element to the discussion. The clear structure of the article, with distinct sections such as Introduction, Main Points, and Conclusion, aids in guiding readers through the arguments and insights.

The article challenges readers to consider why adults often struggle with clarity compared to children, prompting deeper reflection on learning processes and cognitive habits formed over time. By differentiating between internal and external clarity, Lasher provides a comprehensive view of the concept, allowing readers to appreciate its multifaceted nature and relevance in various aspects of life.

The inclusion of Mr. Tomasio Rubinshtein's notes adds depth to the discussion, offering alternative viewpoints and reinforcing the collaborative spirit of the article.

Overall, Mr. Lasher's article is a commendable exploration of clarity, blending personal experiences with philosophical inquiries.

Introduction

Clarity, or the degree to which a person understands or has knowledge of something, is perhaps one of the most important concepts we have in this life.

We are taught at a young age how to learn and gain knowledge. So, why have we as adults forgotten how to get clarity? Adults tend to look at something and go “Well I have no idea” and they have forgotten how to learn something new. Why is this so difficult for adults but so easy for children? 

This also relates to the fallacy of pseudo intellectuals believing that their level of understanding is absolute. It's basically a person believing that something hasn’t evolved past where their mind has taken it.

Sidenotes

I have very recently gained much clarity through simply taking the medicine I need. My ADHD, the inattentive kind, makes it very difficult for me to have clarity about very many things. Adderall I started retaking a few days ago has revealed to me what clarity really is.

I’m hoping I can get Mr. Tomasio to collaborate on this article a bit. I feel like he might add some value through either linking up relatable content or sharing his insights. The idea of me being a polymath in reference to never having specialized in anything. However, I can still use every single thing I’ve learned about something, in the form of abstract thinking, as that knowledge is up there I am able to use it to understand other things.

Main Points

Clarity is nothing more than focus. Nothing will ever become clear unless you can spend some time focussing on it in efforts to better understand it. Clarity should be every person's objective in life.

Look at humanitys' need for clarity on what happens before and after life. This is the basis of most organized religions. It isn’t something I have ever cared to indulge fully into. After all, the afterlife is a matter of spirit. What practical use does it play in spectating after our physical life has been exhausted? As this singularity is not possible without your life here ending, why worry about where you are going to spend the afterlife, and focus on your actions in the present instead?

Another way in which I recently started to experience clarity again, was thanks to taking my medicine. It allows my thoughts to not be so scrambled together.

So, you must differentiate between internal and external clarity. Both require the attainment of knowledge to effectively process information enough for us to understand it.

Internal clarity is about exercising your intrapersonal expression of intelligence. You must always seek to understand what is going on inside of yourself. This kind of clarity will help reveal a sort of non-duality reaction. The better you understand yourself the better you will see how you fit into this world.

External clarity is very easy to gain now-a-days thanks to the internet. You can literally gain a higher level of understanding simply by making a quick Google search. The internet is an encyclopedia of almost everything in the world. I feel like people often forget this due to the bias they have towards thinking the more-toxic aspects take up the entirety of the internet or only using the internet for specific things. 

An everyday kind of habit to help your overall understanding of life would be to constantly notice everything around you. Do so and do a quick Google search on any random questions that might pop into your mind.

Abstract cognition is a great tool to use because this is what accesses all previous material stored in your brain.

What is 3x3? This question doesn’t require a calculator because somewhere in your brain is knowledge which lets you automatically solve for this. This is just the basis of what you can do with understanding.

(Mr. Rubinshtein's Note: Our extent of perception goes as far as our understanding allows it. Questioning our thinking in its current form will allow us to work towards its expansion. As reward for our efforts, we can indeed get a greater understanding of reality, and understand its multi-layered form).

You might end up using that clarity and understanding on an everyday basis. It can also attach to your memory bank, so that the next time you see a particular object, that specific object won't necessarily be important but it might raise questions at random. Your brain will be wondering because it is trying to gain clarity on something it doesn’t understand.

(Mr. Rubinshtein's note: Many of us do not, by default, seek a clearer understanding of reality. However, we can do it even on a frequent basis, once we are to break apart our habits, as a habit itself we can adopt. That includes our cognitive habits, whose recognition by ourselves requires internal clarity in the first place).

Music might be one of the easiest ways to determine clarity. Look at any musician and how they play their instrument. It is very obvious that they have much clarity in response to music. A teacher to their students might seem like they have much clarity on the topic they are discussing. One might increase their own clarity by asking how the subject matter relates to something you know. You can measure the polymathy of a professor by seeing how well they can relate their subjects to other things.

Conclusion

Clarity is a learned act. It is impossible to gain clarity without first gaining knowledge. My clarity of vehicles is minor at best. It doesn’t mean, however I don’t understand how to drive one. I might increase my understanding by looking up how the various components within a vehicle work. I would achieve clarity by doing this. That is an example of external clarity.

(Mr. Rubinshtein's note: And of course, the example of internal clarity, is for Mr. Lasher to understand how to use the tools and expertise he has as a driver, to operate the car he is in, AKA, utilize himself to employ the bigger context to his will)

We must learn to desire as a child does. Imagine wanting to seek it like you might've wanted when you were a boy or a girl. We will understand things better when we can imagine every potential that clarity leaves room for.