“The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.” – Milton

These words, spoken by Satan in Paradise Lost, can be interpreted in many ways (remember they were written by Milton and not spoken by Satan himself, who probably does not exist). Maybe they were intended as a consolation to Satan himself and to his peers for having been expelled from heaven into hell. To me, they speak to the capacity within all of us to make the most of a bad situation or conversely find fault in an otherwise comfortable life. This is human nature at its core. Our minds have a plasticity and are susceptible to have a different perception of reality depending on the information we have access to, how we interpret it, how bored / imaginative we are, or in the case of Satan, how dire our situation is. To a certain extent, one could argue that we can even mould this plasticity ourselves. Call it free will if you like, regardless of whether you believe it to be an illusion. Whatever the mechanics behind it, this plasticity can be seen as a weakness in some circumstances but a gift in others.

The words of Satan (Milton) may also be like wisdom for those of us suffering unfortunate circumstances. If your world is crumbling around you, you always have your mind and your imagination to help you cope. You can tell your oppressors what they want to hear, but what you imagine is always yours to choose. Easier said than done sometimes though, I’m sure.

The Paradise Lost verse goes on to state that Satan would rather reign in hell than be a servant in heaven. Even this sounds reminiscent of the words of slaves and the oppressed in antiquity (dating back to Euripides), who would rather die fighting than live on their knees. Perhaps Satan was in reality just a part of an oppressed minority, leading his associates to freedom. Of course there is a difference, albeit a fine line, between yearning for freedom and wanting to rule. Maybe he really is a champion for the rich and an icon for the powerful, who in turn hope that by obtaining as much power as possible in their lives through exploitation and extortion, might be able to either buy their way into heaven, or at least assume a higher ranking in the orders of hell. Making their own heaven within hell, if you will. Belinda Carlisle told us that heaven is a place on Earth, and I’m sure it is if you are Jeff Bezos. Well so is hell, if you are an Amazon delivery driver or Indian factory worker.

This plasticity of the mind has a complex interaction with the absurdity of humanity: being blessed with a desire to find the truth and ask big questions, but cursed with limited faculties to detect the evidence, let alone explain it.

Those with the desire to seek answers to these questions and the means (cognitive, financial, etc.) are doomed to spend their lives searching and collecting evidence, and extrapolating it into theories that, while most likely incorrect in many cases, are increasingly difficult to disprove using scientific methods based on the same limitations. The big bang theory is one such example, in my humble opinion, and only stands today because we are as yet incapable of detecting evidence to disprove it.

I’m not advocating for religious explanations behind the nature or reason for our existence, although I understand how such explanations come about in the absence of science. I’m just stating that until scientists can find theories that are simple enough for the masses to comprehend, the masses will remain unconvinced.

I’m cautiously optimistic that tomorrow’s scientific breakthroughs will shine a light on the nature of reality and answer some of our most burning questions. How was the universe born? Where does consciousness come from and where does it go when we die? Why are some people so overwhelmingly selfish and greedy? Maybe the answers will be accepted by the majority and bring an end to war and suffering in one way or another. Maybe we will even find the answers in time to save our planet and the lives of our children and grandchildren.