Languages
Language in itself is not just a means of communication between two or more subjects and not only a transmitter of certain meanings. Perhaps it would be too simplistic to think so. Language is a mystery. A certain rite and mystery, performed by people in the process of their communication with each other.
Today, there are about 6-7 thousand different languages in the world. If we are to believe Wikipedia, their number is inexorably decreasing at an average rate of 1 language every 2 weeks. Experts consider globalization and migration to be the main reasons for the disappearance of languages.
Question: But where did such a huge number of languages come from? Isn’t it reasonable to assume that once, in the distant past, at the dawn of human civilization, there existed only one language (let’s conditionally call it “proto-language” – author), common and identical for all living beings inhabiting our planet at that time?
How can one not recall the famous biblical myth of the Tower of Babel, when people, who were building a giant structure out of fired bricks and spoke the same language, suddenly stopped understanding each other, quarreled, and thus could not finish and timely deliver the project, to put it in modern terms?
Be that as it may, whether the story of the construction of the “tower to the heavens” was true or just a beautiful, artistic fiction, the myth of the Babylonian giant contains one important, I would say, fundamental aspect — the moment of division.
The chronology is such that initially there was one language, common to all. Then, suddenly, there were many of them. This epochal moment of division somewhat played into the hands of the System, for, I repeat, the ancient builders never managed to complete their much-desired tower. The moment of the schism first occurred among like-minded individuals, and only later, after the division, did the alienation affect different peoples: this contributed to their ideological, linguistic, and subsequently, spiritual distancing from each other.
Moreover, over time, the number of different languages continued to increase, and mutual misunderstanding among people reached its peak (after several millennia). To some extent, this fact has been mitigated by the long-standing existence of the institution of translators and interpreters for various languages, including the rarest and most exotic ones. So, citizens of different countries can, even without knowing a “foreign” language, perfectly understand a speaker of another dialect and culture.
Alternative ways of communication
1) Telepathy – some figurative messages (also feelings, emotions): images that are formed within our consciousness and subconsciousness, and then somehow transmitted to another entity. “Telepathic communication is communication thru associations and images, rather than logical-constructive, because when we communicate, we break a word into sounds, and then put it back together, essentially using analytics” (from A. Sklyarov’s lecture “The Myth of the Tower of Babel”).
2) Music. Another type of communication, quite unconventional in its essence. It is favorably distinguished from its previous “counterpart” in that there is no need to strain all your channels, completely abstracting from the outside world to study it; there is also no need to seek out any additional reserves or demonstrate extraordinary abilities to “speak” it. It is enough to simply learn to play a musical instrument or tune yourself to perceive beauty.
Music – is a grand, international, invisible, universal language that knows no borders or barriers. Unlike telepathy, it has long been and successfully used by tens and hundreds of millions of people around the world, transforming the cold, lost planet in the vast cosmos into a concentration of beauty and meaning.
And indeed, to feel and understand music, it is absolutely unimportant what national, cultural, racial, political, religious, or any other affiliation the music lover or musician has. It is enough to simply love art and be open to perceiving the creative energy that originates somewhere among the endless fields of the musical staff. Sometimes, in two or three chords, music can express what none of the known languages of the world can convey in words.
The language of music is beautiful and accessible to everyone, regardless of people’s age, beliefs, or social status. By the way, music is another powerful way to escape the Matrix. For more details see the section “Beyond the Limits”.
– Language is a very convenient indicator for recognizing in the “us-them” dimension. Communicating with a foreigner (even if you are having a pleasant and friendly conversation on abstract topics), you remain a stranger to him with unclear intentions. But as soon as you switch to the language of his native country, an invisible switch in his head instantly flips, and suddenly, you are already “one of your own” among strangers.
There is, however, another aspect. This is when people who speak the same language cannot understand each other. Because of this, quarrels, conflicts, and sometimes even civil wars often break out. Moreover, as a rule, these are people with common interests, living in the same climatic zone and having “hatched” from the egg of a single culture.
Indeed, who needs these languages and for what purpose? What useful purpose do they serve? What truly valuable and significant in a strategic sense can language offer the modern layperson? What can this “candy” offer beyond its shiny and bright wrapper? Beside its intellectual-communicative bonuses? Beside the practical embodiment of the thesis “my tongue is my enemy” and the occasional use of profanity in everyday life?
In my opinion, nothing. Language is as useful an “invention” as it is meaningless. Evidence? Please. The meaninglessness of our language (as well as any other one) is already proven by the fact that if a word or phrase is repeated countless times, it completely loses its meaning. Conduct a simple experiment: quickly and repeatedly say a word out loud. For example, “table.” And you will see for yourself that I am right. Moreover, language is a tool that constantly (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) creates concepts and myths. More precisely, it is our mind that first creates them, which produces thoughts that, in turn, create various ideas, concepts, and representations.
Communication between people is the same as programming: reinforcement some concepts and dismantling others. The latter I would call “erroneous theorems of the brain.” Erroneous, because they will never be entirely true. Concepts sometimes lead us astray. They kind of preserve, freeze a certain part of our reality, and thru these “glasses,” we continue to see everything, but already in a distorted light: as if thru thick and murky lenses. It’s hard to imagine a more suitable ground for the creation of all sorts of prejudices.
Well, and finally, language in the global sense — an integral element of the Matrix. Without it, it would be an inanimate, “dead” language (a language that has only survived in written form and does not exist in active use — author’s note), like Sanskrit is today among modern languages and dialects. In reality, language is a skillful tool in the hands of the System, and we, like spectators in some strange cinema, clearly observe this performance on the big screen of life, while ourselves being direct participants in the “film”.
Language has contributed to the division and alienation of different peoples from each other — mentally, culturally, and even personally. Not to mention such properties of language as its ability to describe colors, quantity, direction, temperature, place, etc.: “For example, in one language a person might say: ‘You have an ant on your right arm.’ And in another language, the same thought would be expressed as ‘You have an ant on your southwestern hand.’ Such differences can, at the very least, be confusing. No wonder the builders of the Tower of Babel couldn’t continue their work” (wol.jw.org). And now, to piece together this “broken cup,” it will surely take more than one century.
Going further up the ladder of logical reasoning, one can conclude that ordinary language is merely an artificial phenomenon created by the System and, at the same time, an unconscious self-limitation of people to prevent the “sleeping dragon” within them from awakening (the “dragon” in this context symbolizes alternative methods of interpersonal communication).
On the other hand, the word inspires, elevates, enlightens, and provides additional strength and energy for new achievements. Language is a deadly weapon of propaganda, and at the same time — a way to express love.
Language – integral part of the society
Imagining modern society without languages is very difficult.
But perhaps communication thru words and symbols is just an intermediate stage in the development of our species? Just as a person first goes thru a period of youth, then enters a stage of maturity, after which old age comes and preparation for the next life begins. “There cannot be no languages, because then there would be no humans either. Beside regular communication, there is also facial expressions and sign language — this is also a language, albeit non-verbal [the so-called “body language” — author]. There is also the language of glances, when people understand each other with half a glance and nothing needs to be said. Society is communication, civilization is too. Even animals communicate with each other: thru scents, sounds, etc. All living beings have a language” (T.G. Sokol, philologist, candidate of pedagogical sciences).
Interestingly, in a figurative sense, the Creator of our Universe also possessed the knowledge of language. We remember: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (St. John’s Gospel, chapter 1). That is, even before the creation of the world, language was attributed with a certain superhuman, divine essence.
The Book of Your Life
“Stepping outside the System is not an open, destructive war. It is the creation of an underground, far-reaching network of free people united by a single noble goal.”