I don't want to transform.doc

Slaja: I’ve seen your site. It’s about transformation. I don’t want to transform

Braja: I’m not asking you to transform

Slaja: Then what are you asking?

Braja: I’m not really asking anything. More accurately, asking people to do something is not the first objective. Before describing the primary objective, however, I want to say something preliminary. First, the trivial observation that you have no choice – at least according to common sense you are changing all the time: you ‘began’ as a fertilized egg that became a fetus, an infant, a child, an adult and you will age and die

Slaja: So you are saying that since I’m changing –transforming– anyway that I should or might decide how to change?

Braja: That is certainly an option but I don’t think I am saying quite that. My question is not simply ‘what should I do with this human life?’ Even if it were, I would say that there is no one way. I say, that even the unexamined life is worthwhile living; accepting life as fate is ultimately fine. At the same time, the examined life is great in two ways. The first way is that it is inherent in human nature to appreciate one’s life. Thus even in the ‘unexamined’ human life, there is an enjoyment of living itself. The second way is the exploration and creation of possibilities. The possibilities created by one individual may be shared by others – and then further built upon; this is a rough description of how culture changes. If you say you don’t want to change, you are probably saying that you enjoy your life and that you think that the culture in which you live are just fine and I have no essential problem with that – even if fear of change is your motive and not enjoyment of what you have. I mean that I have no problem in principle with accepting one’s culture but there may be problems when the culture is destructive

Slaja: So, after all, you are saying that I should change?

Braja: No. I was just pointing out the values of stasis and of change. What I am saying is rather different than that. First, I examine the possibilities and find them in some way to be much greater than the actuality. Second, I inquire into how to realize those possibilities that are or might be desirable. Third, I examine how to make choices. Fourth, I attempt to motivate people to look into these issues. Finally, for those who do want to look into the issues –regardless of where the motive comes from– I reflect on ways to do so