I realized a while ago, that a majority of our life’s actions and beliefs are based on imaginary perceptions and perceived values. Take, for example, the world’s economy runs on the perceived value of a country’s currency. At one time currencies were backed by Gold and precious stones, but now the US Dollar is Golden. And if you think further, gold and diamond’s value is also perceived. We, the humans created the concept of perceived value. The value of a loaf of bread for a starving person may be more valuable than the value of gold or diamonds of the same weight. The value of precious stones and metals, currency and now Crypto are all imaginary. It’s based on the perceived value in an open market.
Now, let me stretch it further to the perceived value of our social beliefs and actions.
For example, the perceived value of a woman’s virginity was and still is extremely high in some cultures; similarly female genital mutilation was considered a right belief thousands of years ago and still practiced in many countries openly based on the perceived value of female genitals.
Is it right? A belief based on imaginary perceptions and perceived values when practiced blindly and imposed on others, is that good for humanity?
Praying to an imaginary figure called God has reaped no benefit beyond personal satisfaction, but calling for tens of millions of people to take a dip in a river on an imaginary holy day is nothing beyond generating business as is done in every religion from Hinduism, Islam to Christianity. Practicing Baptism, and taking a pilgrimage to Haj, Western Wall and Char Dham is nothing but some clever marketing persons’ ideas of generating business by creating perceived value of something imaginary.
Yes, people believe they get personal satisfaction or happiness for example from imaginary stories, created for the purpose of pure entertainment like films and TV shows and that is ok; but if that belief is promoted and propagated to the masses who then follow it to affect others negatively, is that a good practice?
We Indians are proud of 400 million (an imaginary number) people gathering for Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj India, but what is being promoted by this? An imaginary belief that the Ganga river will wipe their sins and make their lives meaningful. What does the pilgrimage to Haj does? Many times tens and hundreds of people have died just in stampede but that does not stop the madness. In the end, many businesses and the country reap many economic benefits and the masses experience only an imaginary belief, a perceived value.
Perceived value is just like virtual reality(VR). We put on our special glasses and someone else’s imagination creates an imaginary world all around us. But what if these VR glasses start spreading diseases, killing people, and making you crazy? Do you still want to continue to use those VR glasses? Just look around we are all wearing our own brand of VR glasses and killing and hurting ourselves.
Take 2 Creations 