Life: A User’s Guide

[Notice: this guide is a continual work in progress
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Whatever you do, don't read it

Introduction
Instinct and intuition are amazing things. Don’t believe me? Not one of us has ever been born with a user’s manual. Nor, did such a manual ever magically drop from the sky into our laps outlining this mysterious, yet, ubiquitous condition that human beings have since recognized as being alive. Everything had to be learned via trial and error. Were it not for our friends instinct and intuition, our ability to learn may not have had the necessary time to manifest itself in ways that prevented our ancestors from prematurely dying off.

I am a simple fool. Having no formal education, I cannot speak authoritatively on any subject, as I am unqualified to do so. Yet, I find that I am compelled to speak in some capacity. Perhaps the combination of my simple mind, instinct, intuition and experiences afford me a unique perspective on this whole “life” thing that other human beings may (or may not) find useful or valuable.

You see, there are some things that I’ve just always instinctively, or, intuitively “known.” I’m certain that you are the same way. No one taught us these things. We didn’t learn this stuff. It just sort of happened, somehow. I believe that every human being has access to these faculties in varying aspects of degree. And it is upon these very traits — so intrinsic to the human condition they are — that I place my voice. If we can attribute our survival throughout the ages to these innate (and, perhaps, latent) abilities, why would it ever be a good idea to begin ignoring them? Science may be casting a light upon superstition, but superstition is not the fruit of the subtle voice nature has instilled within us all.

Science shouldn’t silence these internal personal mechanisms for the same reasons personal beliefs shouldn’t retard scientific advancement. Science must be tempered by what makes us human, and what makes us human must be tempered by science, as the horrors that checker human history clearly demonstrate. A mind that can strike a harmonious balance between the two would be a formidable mind indeed.

I instinctively know this. I wasn’t taught this, nor did I glean it from a book.

So, it is by this power then, vested in me, by The Great Electron itself, that I shall lay down a guide — a guide to life — packed full of things that I just somehow “know,” or have just somehow always “known.” Things that you may or may not know, things that you may or may not agree with. Having said that, you can either go away and ignore my silly diatribe at this point, or, you can grab yourself a fresh cup of coffee and settle in for Chapter One: Being Alive.