A Metaphor To Understand Immaterialism

[aurum]

I just finished watching Leo's latest video, Why Brains Don't Exist. Video here for reference:

 

It's a relatively advanced video that is going to fly over the head of most people. So I'd thought I'd share a metaphor from my own experience that really helped some of these ideas clicked.

Hopefully this will be of value to you seeing things in a new way.

Let's call it The Movie Metaphor.

 

The Movie Metaphor

Imagine you are watching a movie from a 1st person perspective.

In this particular movie scene, the character is sitting in the passenger seat of a car while your friend drives. They look out at the road ahead.

In the movie, you might see the car passing other cars. Or driving by trees. Or even turning around and going in a different direction.

So from one perspective, you could say that time and space exist in this movie.

But actually, you know this isn't true. With a simple SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE, you could recognize that in reality, no space or time exists in this movie.

Why?

Because the reality is that the car isn't going anywhere. It's just a changing image on the screen that creates THE ILLUSION that the car is moving any sort of physical distance.

The screen never moves.

As far as time, you also know that the entire movie is already recorded somewhere. You could pause, fast forward or even rewind if you wanted. It's all already there.

In essence, the supposed "material nature" and reality of the movie holds no actual weight.

It's just changing images on a screen. Not happening anywhere, at any time.

Of course this is fine if your goal is to watch a movie. You're not EXPECTING it to be actually real. You just play along.

But here's the million dollar question:

What if no one ever told you it was a movie?

What if you grew up from day 1 watching and believing that the movie was real life? And that you actually were the 1st person character on the screen?

It would be a pretty big shock to realize that wasn't true.

Well if you haven't guessed by now, this is a metaphor for exactly what is going on in your life.

Your life isn't material. It's just changing images on the "screen" of your consciousness.

And it's not happening anywhere at all. Because even the idea of "anywhere" is just another image.

Mindfuck, I know.

So now we have to ask another question.

Who are you?

We said you were the one watching the movie...but what does that make you?

What is it that is becoming aware that it's only watching a movie?

That's for you to answer

[Joseph Maynor]

Beautiful description.  I am the Watcher.  I am in the illusion without being in the illusion.  

Edited November 28, 2017 by Joseph Maynor

[Viking]

Though we dont have the illusion of control while watching a movie

Edited November 28, 2017 by Ilya

[Shin]

Quote

The screen never moves.

[Alex K]

@aurum Personally I find it misleading with the movies. They are 100% real albeit not in a sense that they are your legit first person maya )= They are partial derivative in from our good old maya. 

Video proves to me that we are not reducible to the brains by any reasonable method, we are inherently mystical.

Edited November 28, 2017 by Alex K

[aurum]

10 hours ago, Shin said:

?

[aurum]

@Joseph Maynor

You’ve got it.

[Nahm]

@Joseph Maynor close.