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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Fuzzy Philosophy: Life is like a Rubik's Cube

I dont normally talk about what makes me tick on my blog, or how I see the world really. I dont know if that is a bad thing or not. Today, I want to break my inner silence and share with the world one philosophy I hold that, I think, can be applied to anyone from any time, place, creed, etc. This universal principle is something I like to call:



Life is like a Rubik's Cube

Now, I did not come up with this world renown puzzle box, but I see it as the conceptual basis of my argument. If you are not a conceptual person, you may want to stop reading this here... because it is going to get more complex as we go on. In my view, we are all born with a Rubik's cube. It represents our state of being, which has the following properties.

  1. The more complete our cube is, the more happy our life is. People like having all the colors matching, even if the other sides are a mess. A completely solved cube is akin to the "perfect" life and whatever that means to that person. My "perfect" life is not the same as yours etc., but would make me happy and content for the rest of my days.
  2. The less complete our cube is, the more chaotic and unhappy our life is. Most people do not like randomness and sorrow. A completely random, unmatched cube is akin to complete insanity and being completely miserable.
  3. We can occasionally turn our cube through our actions and choices we make, both moving it towards completion or towards chaos. We cant always see all of the aspects (or sides) our choices affect. Like the real life game, strategies, short cuts and hits can be learned and use as a person grows and experiences life. For example, where you choose to go to university, your career, who you become friends with etc are things you control and affect your quality of life well into the future, both positively or negatively.
  4. Others can turn our cube through their actions and choices (both directly and indirectly), wither they realize it or not. For example, having a medical misdiagnosis, being fired by an over zealous boss, a neighbor giving you some brownies they made etc. Not all are bad, not all are good. Some dont seem to affect anything.
  5. Sometimes fate turns our cube. These are things that are not a result of anyone's actions or choices, they just sometimes happen. Natural disasters are an excellent example.
  6. Any or all of these forces can act at any time, and in any combination. You loosing your job because some big wig at a company mismanaged money can be broken down into several categories. Rarely can you categorize something in just one category.
  7. Death is equal to breaking the cube, wither it is natural or caused by another. I am not making any comments about what happens after you die. This only applies to life as far as I have thought it out.
  8. Even with a solved cube, if you continue to live on, things can still turn your cube just as before. For example: You retire in your prefect place with your significant other. All is blissful and great, then your significant other develops cancer.
  9. No matter how many times your cube is turned, the possibility for true happiness (or having a completed cube) still exists, even if it is difficult to unravel the path to get there.
So, I see my life as a Rubik's cube. All things that happen can have the potential to affect each side, or the path to my happiness. Some people live with only one aspect of their life making them happy, like having a wonderful job, but a totally chaotic (or completely unsolved) personal relationship side. Others are totally content with where they are in life, only to have their lives devastated by disease or accident. What I find is wonderful about applying this way of thinking to you life is, no matter how twisted up your life gets, no matter how chaotic and unhappy, if you work hard enough you can still achieve happiness in the future. Also, attaining happiness is an ongoing task with the ever changing mosaic that a Rubik's cube creates.

Let me know what you think. I have tried to assess all aspects of my theory, but I am sure there are things I have missed. Maybe you can apply this to your life, either future or past, and work towards your happiness.

3 comments:

Jennifer @ Mom Spotted said...

I always joke and say its like a puzzle. You can't get the whole picture until you sit down and play with the pieces :)

Anonymous said...

Nice post! I enjoyed reading it and think you have some good thoughts on life! :)

Anonymous said...

i have spend a year solving the cube,at first i succeed to solve just 1 aspect of my cube(life),but after a while i undrestood even that aspect that i thougth is solved ,was not, that was my first lesson from this cube.
after a while i undrestood how to solve the aspect corresctly and i was wondering if i do this other aspects may also complete ,but i was not right.
chalenging more with that cube i got that if i wanna solve all aspects i have to break the aspect i have solved(the aspect i enjoyed)
i had some studings on chaos theory ,the main point i found was :"irregulars have theire own regularity"so i was wondering what kind of irregularities are valuble and what kind of them are not?
now my consider is those kinds of iregularities that make use step through a more valueble regularity are adorable,i mean some times we have to break the regularity(the aspect we have made it and we like it)to reach a more valuble regularity.
the other point u told a bout "fate" :
i believe fate ,but i dont consider it as a key point,it can only makes u near abit or far abit from what you are seeking,and what you are expected to do is to manage the events ,manage your fate.i mean if u know the rules and folow them fate doent take much influence on you,and the last point is the more you get closer to solve, the more things apears you have to chalange with.

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