Being on a Roll

I intend to write a longer piece on this but have little time so shall quickly blast off the idea. As I have written previously we have two types of thinking. The studious, analitical, measured, considered though we practice in study. It is slow, laboured etc. Then we have another type of thought, infinitely faster. This is intuitive, reactionary, animal, word free thought. It kicks in when we are in danger. It also comes in at many other times. 

Going through life we look for meaning. This is usually, arguably only can be done the slow way. The intuitive, fast way may offer nothing here. But what is happening when we find iouraelves on a roll? in the zone. There are many terms for it. Athletes practice until they can drop in toi the zone yet it seems no ammount of practice can make a Gascoigne, someone who can be in this state with ease. It is a joy to behold and no doubt why we pay so much to those whos intuitive reactions and motor skills are upthere with animals. Our pride in our consciousness overlooks our similarities to the reactionary thought shown by say a hunting leopard, a peregrine falcon. There is clearly pleasure in this state of being. Most animals play to explore the possibilities of their selves. This enjoyment will be seen in some of our athletes in the olympics. This 'intelligence', and surely it is a kind, though bereft of what we might call meaning may be the secret to a happy life. All the self help, all the philosophy, all the religion seems to miss some crucial point. 

Making ourselves, in our imaginations, somehow greater than animals, aligning ourselves upwards to gods rather than looking sideways to other animals is killing us off. Astro physisists ask why we are alone. One answer they give is that our type of consciousness may lead, in all cases swiftly to self destruction.

This is why I am changing route. For a time enamoured by the fantasies of the linguistic mind I now see it works in contrast to this other, quicker way of thinking. We all know, without having to rationalise what we should do. It is only to keep ourselves in check, to police our worst excesses that we need use depression inducing slow thought.