There are no answers to that question. Or, if there is
an answer, then the answer is in the question itself.
If there are no answers, then does that mean there are
no questions?
Not at all. There are many questions. There are
probably more questions than there are grains of sand on a beach.
It is the question that is important, not the answer.
Albert Einstein, one of the foremost questioners of
our time, made this clear when he advised; ‘Don’t listen to the person who
has the answers, listen to the person who has the questions.’
Our world is huge. Our galaxy is enormous. Our cosmos
is vast. Coming up with answers for just our world minimises and constricts our
sense of wonder, let alone our galaxy and the cosmos.
Answers contain, enclose, and limit us. Questions open
up, expand, and amplify our appreciation and awe.
Questioning in Turbulent Times
It is difficult to claim anything but that we are
living in turbulent times. Environmentally we are witnessing cascading
disasters – e.g. species extinction, turbulent weather systems, toxic waste
pollution … Socially our political systems are increasingly polarising people.
Wars seem continuous, shifting from one geopolitical hot-spot to another every
few years. Individually we are suffering more and more from anxiety,
depression, obesity, isolation, and bullying. All these examples are only a few
of the plethora of examples that could be given.
In the various conversations around this topic can be
heard the optimistic contention that when people are faced with increased
severity and personal harm from disaster that they will ask questions of the
systems from within which the problems emerge.
However, history and psychology suggest that instead
of people asking questions around these plights, most often simplistic answers
are sought instead.
And, where do we find simplistic answers? Amongst the
socio-political extremes; where to question is out-of-the-question (if you’ll
excuse the quip.)
This, in turn, leads to greater polarisation. Then,
sadly, the answers proclaimed by each side morph into righteousness. One side
claims to have the right answers and that the other side has the wrong
answers. Of course, the other side claims the exact opposite.
In the ensuing shouting match, the ability to question
gets tossed aside.
All this leads inevitably to …
… greater turbulence.
What can we do in the face of all this?
Keep questioning, especially questions that open our
eyes, ears, and hearts to the wonder and mystery of the cosmos and our world.
Yet, understand too, that each question only leads to further questions, not to
simplistic answers.
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