The Individual Versus the Instrument
November 27th 2009 04:55
This is the final post in a chain. Please see related posts for the rest of this series.
I must once again stress this one most important point - I am using the TV series 'Evangelion : Neon Genises" to help me explain the difference between individuality and instrumentality. I am discussing what happens when you die and whether your preference will make any difference. I would like others to comment, if they think they can grasp the subject matter.
In the previous posts I have outlined the intstruments and the individuals. In the end, there is only one Individual, and perhaps, thats how it must be, a singularity. It is Yui Ikari, in a body other than human, that of Eva unit one. Throughout the process of the end of the world, the literal death and rebirth of the human race, only Yui is spared, and it is, perhaps, because she does not have a human shape. Her form, holding her son Shinji within it, becomes God. The God joins to the Goddess, and all souls are called home to be born again as the God sees fit. Though the Goddess is the main power behind the event, it is the God who directs it. In the final of the process, Shini is released from the Eva, having no physical form at that time, and Yui, holding on to the Eva, disappears into space with the enigmatic words that it will be 'The final proof humanity ever existed".
Since the beginning of the 'Human Improvement Project' this was the goal. To take a human soul, put it into indestructable, godlike form, so that even if it is lonely, it will remain when the entire human race is extinct.
This raises a larger question I aim to discuss in later posts - is this thing in fact, human? Though it contains a soul that was once human, it is now fundamentally changed. The form is humanoid, but not human, it has flesh, but no nervous system, the whole reason a pilot was needed, to imbue it with a larger than normal aura or EMP. Of course, the whole creature was CREATED by man, by Yui herself in fact, so there perhaps, is the proof she spoke of?
Nonetheless, the human race is undoubtedly extinct. The final process has been completed. Before the process was finalized, there are a few humans who express their disgust at the process "Fusing humanity into a single being - it makes me sick!" "So, you plan to fill in the gaps by squashing us together?" at first, these quotes meant nothing to me. I had an inherit understanding of the process - it is exactly what is described as Brahaman. A state where all beings become an ocean of concioussness, indistinguishable, complete, and understanding all. Both Goddess and God are not exempt, and both lose their physical forms to it. I was comforted by the fact that Misato, one of the true individuals, would finally know peace. To soften the blow of losing their individuality, each sees the person they love the most as they are absorbed, making it easier for them to let go their ego barriers. For some of them, this process is intensely blissful.
For others, however (such as Huga) the process is terrifying. For Shinji himself, the God incarnate, the process is horrifically frightening. He does not let go his ego barrier until the Goddess shows him a more acceptable shape. But the base of this is - whether you want it or not, your ego barrier WILL be broken down. You will succumb, no matter how much of an individual you believe yourself to be, you are merely an instrument, and you cannot escape the final process.
At first, this seemed a wonderful thing to me. I have always seemed to have a knowledge of this state and the comfort of returning to it. The scenes in the movie are powerful and moving and never fail to bring tears to my eyes. Truly, "the beginning and the end are one and the same".
But lately, Ive been thinking of free will. Ive been thinking of my own precious individuality, and how one of my greatest passions is to be alone, unencumbered by thoughts of others. If free will truly exists, as so many religions and philosophers claim it does, even in CONNECTION with destiny, then cannot one choose not to join in? In this scenario, Yui made changes to ensure she would not be snared, and thus set herself apart, but others such as Misato and Huga - could they not have said, simply, 'No'? If the fear of losing their individuality was so great, so precious an idea, could they truly be forced to participate in Instrumentality? In this instance, I believe the Goddess had set it up so even if there was choice, they could not see it....And is that fair? I reject, vehemently, others making choices for me on my behalf, 'for my own good' without me ever seeing all the angles, and it is that exactly that has begun to irk at me, and marr the beauty of these lovely scenes.
So. What do you think? What happens when you die? Are you instrument, or are you individual?
I feel, my own truth, that no matter how much I desire to be individual, I am in fact an instrument. The holy trinity cannot be denied, the dark, the light, and matter. That is all there is. Together, darkness and light created life, and we are all Life. Life has its own entity, its own path, and we are merely a part of it. As much as I wish to explore the idea that any one individual could seperate itself, a deep part of me believes it is impossible.
Perhaps this is caught in the same paradox as free will and destiny - how both can co exist together. Perhaps the individual and the instrument co exist in a similar way.
I must once again stress this one most important point - I am using the TV series 'Evangelion : Neon Genises" to help me explain the difference between individuality and instrumentality. I am discussing what happens when you die and whether your preference will make any difference. I would like others to comment, if they think they can grasp the subject matter.
In the previous posts I have outlined the intstruments and the individuals. In the end, there is only one Individual, and perhaps, thats how it must be, a singularity. It is Yui Ikari, in a body other than human, that of Eva unit one. Throughout the process of the end of the world, the literal death and rebirth of the human race, only Yui is spared, and it is, perhaps, because she does not have a human shape. Her form, holding her son Shinji within it, becomes God. The God joins to the Goddess, and all souls are called home to be born again as the God sees fit. Though the Goddess is the main power behind the event, it is the God who directs it. In the final of the process, Shini is released from the Eva, having no physical form at that time, and Yui, holding on to the Eva, disappears into space with the enigmatic words that it will be 'The final proof humanity ever existed".
Since the beginning of the 'Human Improvement Project' this was the goal. To take a human soul, put it into indestructable, godlike form, so that even if it is lonely, it will remain when the entire human race is extinct.
This raises a larger question I aim to discuss in later posts - is this thing in fact, human? Though it contains a soul that was once human, it is now fundamentally changed. The form is humanoid, but not human, it has flesh, but no nervous system, the whole reason a pilot was needed, to imbue it with a larger than normal aura or EMP. Of course, the whole creature was CREATED by man, by Yui herself in fact, so there perhaps, is the proof she spoke of?
Nonetheless, the human race is undoubtedly extinct. The final process has been completed. Before the process was finalized, there are a few humans who express their disgust at the process "Fusing humanity into a single being - it makes me sick!" "So, you plan to fill in the gaps by squashing us together?" at first, these quotes meant nothing to me. I had an inherit understanding of the process - it is exactly what is described as Brahaman. A state where all beings become an ocean of concioussness, indistinguishable, complete, and understanding all. Both Goddess and God are not exempt, and both lose their physical forms to it. I was comforted by the fact that Misato, one of the true individuals, would finally know peace. To soften the blow of losing their individuality, each sees the person they love the most as they are absorbed, making it easier for them to let go their ego barriers. For some of them, this process is intensely blissful.
For others, however (such as Huga) the process is terrifying. For Shinji himself, the God incarnate, the process is horrifically frightening. He does not let go his ego barrier until the Goddess shows him a more acceptable shape. But the base of this is - whether you want it or not, your ego barrier WILL be broken down. You will succumb, no matter how much of an individual you believe yourself to be, you are merely an instrument, and you cannot escape the final process.
At first, this seemed a wonderful thing to me. I have always seemed to have a knowledge of this state and the comfort of returning to it. The scenes in the movie are powerful and moving and never fail to bring tears to my eyes. Truly, "the beginning and the end are one and the same".
But lately, Ive been thinking of free will. Ive been thinking of my own precious individuality, and how one of my greatest passions is to be alone, unencumbered by thoughts of others. If free will truly exists, as so many religions and philosophers claim it does, even in CONNECTION with destiny, then cannot one choose not to join in? In this scenario, Yui made changes to ensure she would not be snared, and thus set herself apart, but others such as Misato and Huga - could they not have said, simply, 'No'? If the fear of losing their individuality was so great, so precious an idea, could they truly be forced to participate in Instrumentality? In this instance, I believe the Goddess had set it up so even if there was choice, they could not see it....And is that fair? I reject, vehemently, others making choices for me on my behalf, 'for my own good' without me ever seeing all the angles, and it is that exactly that has begun to irk at me, and marr the beauty of these lovely scenes.
So. What do you think? What happens when you die? Are you instrument, or are you individual?
I feel, my own truth, that no matter how much I desire to be individual, I am in fact an instrument. The holy trinity cannot be denied, the dark, the light, and matter. That is all there is. Together, darkness and light created life, and we are all Life. Life has its own entity, its own path, and we are merely a part of it. As much as I wish to explore the idea that any one individual could seperate itself, a deep part of me believes it is impossible.
Perhaps this is caught in the same paradox as free will and destiny - how both can co exist together. Perhaps the individual and the instrument co exist in a similar way.
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