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Greetings Sheeple "Baa Baa"
Shoshin
No one in particularNowhere Special Veteran
It would seem that we sheeple conform to the norm....
I just watched this interesting social experiment...Baa Baa 
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Spirituality means waking up. Most people, even though they don't know it, are asleep. They're born asleep, they live asleep, they marry in their sleep, they breed children in their sleep, they die in their sleep without ever waking up. They never understand the loveliness and the beauty of this thing that we call human existence. You know, all mystics -Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion -- are unanimous on one thing: that all is well, all is well. Though everything is a mess, all is well. Strange paradox, to be sure. But, tragically, most people never get to see that all is well because they are asleep. They are having a nightmare.
Last year on Spanish television I heard a story about this gentleman who knocks on his son's door. "Jaime," he says, "wake up!" Jaime answers, "I don't want to get up, Papa." The father shouts, "Get up, you have to go to school." Jaime says, "I don't want to go to school." "Why not?" asks the father. "Three reasons," says Jaime. "First, because it's so dull; second, the kids tease me; and third, I hate school." And the father says, "Well, I am going to give you three reasons why you must go to school. First, because it is your duty; second, because you are forty-five years old, and third, because you are the headmaster." Wake up, wake up! You've grown up. You're too big to be asleep. Wake up! Stop playing with your toys.
Most people tell you they want to get out of kindergarten, but don't believe them. Don't believe them! All they want you to do is to mend their broken toys. "Give me back my wife. Give me back my job. Give me back my money. Give me back my reputation, my success." This is what they want; they want their toys replaced. That's all. Even the best psychologist will tell you that, that people don't really want to be cured. What they want is relief; a cure is painful.
Waking up is unpleasant, you know. You are nice and comfortable in bed. It's irritating to be woken up. That's the reason the wise guru will not attempt to wake people up. I hope I'm going to be wise here and make no attempt whatsoever to wake you up if you are asleep. It is really none of my business, even though I say to you at times, "Wake up!" My business is to do my thing, to dance my dance. If you profit from it, fine; if you don't, too bad! As the Arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens."
Most people, Anthony de Mello maintained, are asleep. They need to wake up, open up their eyes, see what is real, both inside and outside of themselves. The greatest human gift is to be aware, to be in touch with oneself, one's body, mind, feelings, thoughts, sensations.
http://demellospirituality.com/awareness/37.html
Outstanding post from @pegembara
As we all know, flock Sangha have been shorn. However I take refuge in the three jewels. In other words I belong to the Buddhist 'thus have I herd'.
This very unconscious copy cat behaviour can be utilised by those of us befriending wolves, learning to be unpenned and most importantly _learning kinder behaviour _...
Warning the following video contains unsuitable viewing for sheeple:
Did you break free? Do we promote through mindful, kinder, more insightful behaviour a global sheepdom?
Years ago, when I was a Parent Governor, the Head of Governors implemented a Structural Training programme called "Investors in people". It's too long to explain (please see link) but it was basically a team-building exercise. There were 16 of us in total.
At one point during the course, (not long into it) the instructor approached 2 of us (another Governor and me) and asked us, to come back early after morning break, and sit in different seats.
The result was quite revealing.....
"oh... you're...in my seat...."
"No, I just chose to sit elsewhere...."
"But... you were over there, before....."
"Yes? You go there, now....."
"But....THIS is my seat!"
The instructor watched all the while..... and finally revealed the disadvantages of acting like sheep and not 'thinking outside the box'...
Mu!
It reminds me a bit of Pavlov's dog ....
And for the Aussie and Kiwi members it's Pavlov's dog not pavlova cake...
Some sheep are quite rebellious actually....
humans are social beings and it is uncomfortable, and in the time of ancient humans, downright dangerous for the passing on of genes, to go against the flock, because there is safety and security, both mental and physical, in numbers.
Thats why when the Buddha said that this practice goes against the stream, something in me thinks that he knew that simile was true on a number of levels. This practice goes against natural selection of the human being itself, everything that helped humanity survive to this day.
Eww. The people who conduct these "experiment"... just... ugh. All in the name of "science" right? Eww.
This makes me think of several large circles of friends I've had in the past. We all started out as unique individuals but slowly there was more and more of group-think. Same jokes, same opinions, same behavior. It came to a point that I just quit attending as it had become tiresome.
Sometimes I think if the whole spiritual shebang is not in large part more of the same. Once out of the parental "bubble", do we desperately need an outside agent to provide the parameters for what is good, important etc.? Is that what a large part of religion and philosophy is for?
A friend asked an interesting question the other day: "What would you think if no one else had an opinion?"
That's why it's nice being around Dudeists.
Being a Buddhist is still quite unusual in the west, so we have a head start.
Sometimes people conform out of fear or reaction as opposed to doing so by choice. I don't think that particular experiment proved anything other than reaffirm the basic principle that sentient beings have emotions and feelings.
What we need is someone to tell us sheeple how to think ... ?
Cayotepl love sheeple! Just ask the Donald.
Baaaaaa!! Sheep dog very good!!
Celibacy is the most extreme form of rebellion against our selfish genes. Its astonishing that the Buddha realized it 2500 years ago.
Researchers have, I think, concluded that humans are not herd animals (like sheep), but are pack animals (wolves, apes, etc). There is the tendency to want to be part of the group. As a species, we identify strongly with specific groups. When overdone, it leads to not so good consequences.
To become sheeple, folks must be conditioned into sheeplehood over a long period of time from a very early age. Sheplehood is really an uncomfortable state and leads to growths in supressor occupations such as jailers, priests, false leaders, and sheeple study professions such as Psychiatrists ans psychologists and such.
In their suppressed sheeple state, people are more likely to grab at false promises and straw ladders.
Deepening awareness of self and environment is a valid path out of the state of sheeplehood. Buddhism can be just such a path. Still, we must be alert for false teachers who would lead the unwary right back to the pens of sheepledome.
Peace to all