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THE JOURNEY OF UNDERSTANDING HUMANITY AND ITS INTRICACIES

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Blog 20 OCT, 2024

Promise to Challenge

In my previous blog post, I made a commitment to challenge myself by actively engaging with people. I promised to "set the stage" for human connection since I was the one longing for it. By assembling the necessary props and adjusting my frequency, I embarked on this journey toward building my social life. Along the way, I became intrigued by the concept of attraction. This led to an essential question: What draws me to certain people and what pushes me away? Does it happen randomly, or do we have full control over who we choose to interact with? I couldn’t ignore these questions—they felt too important to leave unanswered. In understanding them, I believed I could gain a deeper insight into human nature.

A week later, my self-exploration deepened as another question arose: Do humans have value? This came to mind when I realized how differently I interact with various individuals. From there, more questions followed:

Do all humans have value?
When interacting with others, do I subconsciously place people in a mental hierarchy?
Do you see people with high social standing, based on their presentation, as more valuable than others?
If so, do you think this ranking system is something we’ve learned, or is it just human nature?

    With that, here’s an overview of the questions I’ll explore in this post:

    What is attraction and what propels us toward others?
    Does fate play a role, or do we have full control over our connections?
    Do all humans have value?
    Is a social hierarchy real, and should we follow it?
    Are social hierarchies a product of nature or nurture?
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Diary Entries on the Findings

First Entry: Week 1

I decided to take my own advice and truly listen to myself. There’s a previous entry I published titled Set the Stage where I spoke about how essential it is to get started. Setting the stage is about creating the environment you want to experience. It’s like gathering all the ingredients needed to make that recipe you’ve been craving—creativity in motion. In my podcast, I emphasized the importance of human interaction and how vital it is to connect with others. So, I followed through and began striking up conversations with strangers. It felt refreshing to break out of my shell and engage with new people. To my surprise, I started enjoying the experience and even felt a sense of adventure. I noticed I was no longer afraid of initiating conversations, but here’s something I need to work on: carrying the conversation. Here’s how it typically plays out: I greet someone, perhaps mention the weather (it’s been scorching hot lately), then ask a follow-up question. The person answers, but I struggle to keep the flow going after that. It’s something I’ll continue to improve.

    Second Entry: Week 2

    Hello again! I hope you’re well. This week has been quite insightful as I’ve been reflecting on the interactions I’ve had. These encounters won’t just leave a short-term mark on me; they’ll likely have a lifelong impact, no matter how small or significant. One of the main realizations from this week is that everyone is selfish, including myself. And you know what? That’s okay. Whether we admit it or not, we all act out of self-interest in some way. As a recovering “people-pleaser,” I now advocate for a healthy sense of selfishness. Let me make a distinction between selfishness and greed. A selfish person focuses on their well-being with the intent to eventually help others. On the other hand, a greedy person drains others without any intention of giving back. If you find yourself taking more than necessary, without a plan to replenish or share, then that’s when you crack open a dozen cans of greediness—brewed to perfection, might I add. Don’t worry, I’m not here to judge. After all, we’re dualistic beings, living in a dualistic world. How does this tie into human interaction? Well, understanding selfishness helps explain why we sometimes feel disconnected from one another. Our minds tend to see everything outside ourselves as “other,” which is perfectly natural. We need individuality to maintain unity. But, like everything else, it’s a double-edged sword. Living in an era where people aren’t encouraged to form meaningful connections contributes to both personal and collective downfall. We’re not just humans because of our physical bodies; we’re human because of our emotional, mental, spiritual, and social dimensions, among others. Remember, the world we see is a reflection of the internal one. What we perceive through our eyes is merely a manifestation of the mental plane—the true origin of our reality.
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Attraction and the Role of Fate

On the question of attraction, I do believe fate plays a role in aligning us with certain individuals, but how we choose to interact with them depends on us. It’s not just black and white; there are many factors that guide these decisions. Our past and subconscious mind often play a vital role in who we’re drawn to and how we interact with them. When discussing attraction, we can’t ignore energy. We are electromagnetic beings having a human experience, and how we vibrate sends out signals that others pick up on. Those who vibrate at a similar frequency are drawn to us. But what creates those signals? Every word, thought, emotion, and action emits vibrations. Our body stores memory, just like the brain. It’s an archive that holds both past and generational experiences, captured in our DNA. Some of these inherited experiences lie dormant, while others are active, shaping our behaviors, habits, and even our physical appearance. We often attract people who reflect parts of ourselves because our bodies and minds are drawn to familiarity. This is where attachment styles come into play. Your attachment style is essentially the blueprint of your nervous system, often determined by your upbringing. If you’re interested in learning more, check out The Attachment Project. Our vibratory state, shaped by internal and external experiences, attracts similar energies. Many of us unconsciously attract versions of ourselves, which is why we often encounter the same people in different bodies.

Findings on Human Value

In Week 2, I also gathered people’s thoughts on whether every human has value and whether they believe in the concept of social hierarchy. Surprisingly, many people answered, “It depends,” which makes sense—the world isn’t black and white, so why would I expect clear-cut answers? Here’s a glimpse of my first interview:

"Everyone has value—that’s why we’re all here, right?"

This response came from a guy who, interestingly, didn’t mind the ranking of individuals. He explained that his past experiences, particularly betrayal, made him put up defenses, making it hard to trust others. “You always have to question people’s intentions,” he said. He prefers not to form connections easily, which contrasts with my desire to meet and engage with new people. During our conversation, I became aware of how my mind was processing the interaction. I subconsciously analyzed his body language, social cues, and searched for common ground. I believe this stems from our survival instincts—we value familiarity because it feels safer. Recognizing patterns allows us to predict outcomes, making connections less risky. In a way, it’s like we’re always searching for reflections of ourselves in others. Other interviewees shared similar thoughts. While they believed that everyone has value, they emphasized that not everyone realizes or utilizes their full potential. That got me thinking about a book I’ve been reading called Lila: An Inquiry into Morals by Robert M. Pirsig. The main character questions whether a woman named Lila has quality or value after a heated argument. Without spoiling too much, I’ll summarize it like this: Everyone possesses quality, and quality encompasses us all. Value isn’t black and white, and we can’t define it rigidly. According to metaphysics, value is divided into dynamic and static qualities, with further subdivisions such as biological, intellectual, and social patterns. This philosophy has deeply influenced me, helping me understand that while everyone is valuable, the degree to which they contribute to the world varies. And yes, I agree with my interviewees—unfortunately, not everyone taps into their full potential.

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Final Thoughts and Ongoing Research

Although I’ve gathered some information, I haven’t fully explored the nature vs. nurture aspect of social hierarchies. That’s where the remaining days of October come in—I’m dedicating more time to researching this topic. Do you think social hierarchy is something we’re born with, or is it taught? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Feel free to send your responses to naturesjournalbyjeneska@gmail.com.

All photos in this blog are captured through the lens of Jeneska

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