Tools and their uses

It seems that a large contrast between human beings and the other creatures that live on this planet is the human ability to develop and use a wide variety of tools.

This is probably taught in elementary school and also might be quite obvious.

What might not be so obvious is that many human beings have developed in their psyche and passed to generations, that humans are inseparable from the tools that they create.

Humans can easily lose themselves in the idea that they are their age, or their money, or job, or possessions.

Time, money, professions, and possessions are all tools that we use to measure ourselves, and are useful tools.

But they are not us.

It is taught to a lot of us from an early age that these things are what make us.

Sort of like how tools in a toolbox help to make the car. They don’t make the car, they are useful to use in making the car. Yet they are not the car.

This all seems very simple, yet the human psyche suffers a great deal because of this confusion.

It is difficult to separate ourselves from these measuring tools after years of use. We even strive to become the tools. Wanting to be thought of as rich or young or old or famous, as the guy with the big house or even the person with very few possessions. We might even want to be thought of as an old bum on the street, or the sickly person, or the promiscuous person.

All of these tools we find uses for, and some of the uses can temporarily alleviate suffering in addition to causing it.

It seems to me that it may be important to try to realize a constant separation from these tools in as much as they relate to our self. Not thinking that we are old, just that we are living. Not thinking that we have more money, than someone else, just that we have a useful tool. Not even thinking that we are sick or unhealthy, just that we have a tool that may or may not tell us we can be well again.

Our tools are useful for measuring. That is why we developed them. It may be that the first tools were used simply to survive, though our measurement of survival may be measured by the quantity of our tools and our ability to use them individually as well as in groups.

It seems reasonable that it is no small wonder that we have this developed confusion, that since the tool measures us we are inseparable from the tool.

Indeed, it appears that we are inseparable from the tools.

Appearances are often deceiving and can be harmful.

Is it even important that we realize with vigilance, clarity, and constant awareness, that we are not the tools?

I am thinking that to believe ourselves to be an object such as a tool or a concept such as a measurement is at the very least a delusion.

Reality, may not be possible to thoroughly understand, since we are but a small part of it individually, but it may be quite possible to avoid delusion, by maintaining vigilance, clarity and constant awareness.

Avoiding delusion seems to me to be an important part of self realization, of human realization, of living realization, and may well prevent more suffering than tools/measuring devices can alleviate.

I believe I am concluding with: Use the tools and avoid the delusion. Teach from an early age that tools are useful but they are only tools.

Sorry to beat you up with tools, but I have used tools for years as a mechanic, and the analogy seems fitting.

I have often thought of myself as a mechanic, yet I believe that the word mechanic is a tool to measure what I might call myself, and some may find it easier to put living beings in a little box in their mind with a name attached to it. It makes for easier mind organization.

So even a word is a tool.

So what are we really? Are we a conglomeration of tools, measurements and words?

Let not our own creations delude us and trap us into a box.

Let our creations be useful to free us from this box!

Larry  = the word or tool used to name me.

July 18^th 2009 = the measurement of time.

Me = just another word.

Useful? Maybe. Self-deluding? Easily.