Honestly, I hope this title doesn't come off as arrogantly "way too smarty mcsmarty pants," because its not -- at least that was not the intent behind it.

At my work they have all employees take a "strengths test" so that we can all be placed in the best possible position/atmosphere. Whether or not i actually agree that a 100 question quiz that I answered "3-undecided" (whereas 1 = absolutely not; 5 = absolutely yes) on more than half of the questions can actually determine my "strengths" as an individual is besides the point. What i want to state here is this: one of my strengths is "connectedness" and one of our tasks as busy-bee officees is to read through the description for each strength and decide what we connect/agree with most.

So as I was reading through this particular strength i read this:"...we are individuals, responsible for our own judgments and in possession of our own free will, but nonetheless we are part of something larger. Some may call it the collective unconscious."

(drum roll.......................... AND IT WAS BORN!)

//the collective unconscious//we are individual writers responsible for our own judgments and in possession of our own free will, but nonetheless part of something larger.

But allow me to elaborate on what I think this means. Everybody has thoughts, and everybody knows that. I was talking to a good friend recently who was explaining that he felt community is vital. It is "...so important to our own personal growth as individuals." He went on to say that our thoughts are refined and corrected by what and who we experience. He said, "its a damn good thing we don't know what each other are actually thinking about" (motioning to an invisible bubble above his head). Most of the time my thoughts would be downright incoherent and/or irrational to any other being that is not me. Therefore, within the confines of a group of individuals (mostly among those we trust) our thoughts become molded and formulated into something new and probably more rational. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we somehow compromise ourselves or our beliefs. Rather, I am sure that our "first thoughts" on something reflect just how "unsure" about things we really are!

So, we are individuals. Good. Next, we are "...responsible for our own judgments and in possession of our own free will." A great man once said, "ideas have consequences." Granted, this quote requires hours of thought and writing and arguing and beer, so I won't really go into it other than to say that when we make decisions (i.e. judgments), inevitably we face opposition (whether it be from people, nature, God, etc.). This is why community is so important. I know people who have said (in their youthful enthusiasm for freedom) that they don't need anybody; that they could live alone somewhere for their whole lives, and that they don't need a church (what ought to be the epitomy of community) to be a Christian. What they are actually talking about is that they resent being confined. Nobody (and this is something I am convinced of) can productively grow, mentally and spiritually, without the influence of others in their life. Argue with me. Do it! (This is one of the only things I will ever be all dogmatically hard-pressed about!)

Our will is a heavy load. What we decide is "right" or "appropriate" or "tolerable" in every instance will inevitably conjure up something/someone that does not agree. It is our decisions, however, that pave the road of our future. My hope is that this blog can be a group of people (yes, I am not opposed to women being included, though we may want to stray away from this just for the purpose being able to say whatever the damn, hell, ass we want) that refine each other; that don't let others go into life believing whack-job things without first thinking about it and relating with others in gathering their perspective too. This blog is for whack-job, ridiculousity (yes, i made that word up, but i hope it adds to my emphasis). This blog is also for sound refinement, if we so choose. At least, that is what I hope comes of it. Again, we can just post screw-ball crap all day long, but at least we'd be in community, which brings me to the final portion: "but nonetheless part of something larger." I don't know how much more I need to elaborate on this because I have probably jumped the literary gun in already talking about community. We (every man in this group) are brothers in Christ, and until we decide (up for debate) to invite those who have not decided to follow Jesus, this is a brotherhood of growth that is part of the larger community and Kingdom of Jesus.

The Collective Unconscious=the group of us who bring together natural, inherent thoughts that aren't necessarily planned and sifted through (what might be called "conscious"), for the purpose of becoming refined thinkers and enlightened people.

whew,
ag