252 A Programmer’s Guide to the Mind
Third, I have to „shift my weight‟ from the back „foot‟ to the forward
„foot.‟ This is hard enough to do when crossing physical gullies, but when
trying to change me, it can be almost impossible. For the individual who
suffers personal tragedy, he must let go of his hurt and decide to continue
living. For the technological society, it means holding on to the method of
science while at the same time being willing to let go of the irrationalism
of the past. The temptation is to cling to the „good old days,‟ to throw out
the technology and to start hugging trees or glorifying pioneers.
Personal Transformation is like walking—it requires two me‟s.
The first me anchors itself solidly to the „ground.‟
The second me detaches itself and moves forward.
The second me then plants itself down on the „ground.‟
Then the first me detaches from the ground.
Finally the first me moves forward to join the second me.Of course, if the ground beneath my back „foot‟ begins to crumble, then
I have no choice but to jump. How does one dissolve the foundation under
a back „foot,‟ for a me of Mercy identification rooted in emotional 'facts'?
Simple. You get rid of idols and debunk emotional sources—as I am doing
here in this book. Remember that the me of the child is based in
emotionally important people, events, and objects. Alter these emotional
supports, and me simply falls apart. We call this step „removing a person‟s
crutches.‟
How violently will an individual react when his idols are disturbed?
Well, it depends upon how much „weight‟ he is placing upon them. If most
of the „weight‟ of personal identity has moved forward, then they will slide
away fairly easily. However, if he is clutching on to them for dear life, his
reaction may be quite violent, and reaching the far side may involve quite a
clumsy kind of jump. Pity the poor individual who still has both „feet‟
firmly placed on the side of emotional 'truth.' When the „earthquake‟
comes and the „idols‟ begin to topple, he falls with them.
What does it feel like when identity changes from one me to another?
Exactly like it sounds. I literally change inside. What used to be me is no
longer me. I feel „reborn‟—as if I have died and come back to life again.
We have examined now what happens when the me of the physical
body moves ahead while the me of Mercy identification stays with