Greetings Mike,

There are two facets to my musings on spy vs. spy and related topics - the significance of the symbology in my personal life and the larger objective context.

It was my father who brought MAD magazine home when I was in my early teens. I might still have my favourite inside-back-cover fold-in somewhere; a family sitting in a kitchen having breakfast, with their new microwave sitting on the counter in the background. When folded in, they've all melted into green goo where they were sitting. I've never had a microwave! It was all interesting, but I couldn't understand the spy vs. spy, and my father had a very particular tension around it. He never fully "joined the club"... he never got the smugly confident swagger, and seemed more tortured by the issues than anything else. Spy vs. spy equals white vs. black hats and, with the debates on so many "historical narratives," it's clear that the truth is hidden. Those who seem to have escaped the oyster to any degree are often taken down one way or another.

Then there's "good cop/bad cop," aka passive v. active aggressive - the everyday applications are everywhere. As is so often said (but seldom realized), think for yourself. It's about integrity, responsibility - along self-directed lines, providing opportunities for some degree of ontological fullfilment. The Way can't be to pick a side and join in the bullying!

Dopamine and other addictions have always been politically manipulated. Back in the late 90's, there was a tv program (Canadian) called "Test for Success." In one segment they mention that the dopamine released when having an orgasm is exactly the same as when you learn something new. This article mentions the brain "learning" to associate various drugs, and many other things with a dopamine hit, but never mentions learning itself. The oyster only encourages simplistic good-for-me goals/desires. Learning itself became for most more about competition for personal material gain, whether through positive or negative pursuits - as you put it, selling the pearl.

I see life having enough natural challenges, that we could do without the artificial ones, but I guess that the dualistic principle must exist on all planes/octaves, except the Great One And All.

Lots to ponder when thinking about our collective situation.

Sonar

: That is an amazing read, Mike. The quote, the clear yet
: complex analogy extended and expanded, and then the perfect

: perspective on the spy vs. spy conundrum. So well done I
: actually felt it "moving" in my brain (somehow),
: and then I got a big smile on my face. :-)

: I'm going to sleep on this and probably write more tomorrow.

: Thank you,

: Sonar