What War-Gaming Taught Me about Me

Lifted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WOPR

No, this is not about me.  I’ve learned that it must not be about me because I’m a human being.

Here’s what has been reported by people experiencing psychedelic or dissociative trips:  I felt the presence of someone else.

I started thinking critically about some of the stories founding America’s favorite religion.

I started thinking that I could be whatever I wanted to be.

I started imagining what I would do if I could do anything.

I called that “future imagination” thing “war gaming.”

But I wasn’t thinking about wars.  I was thinking about peace.  How I could help people.

And it would be great.  And people would thank me.

I’d have to be President of the United States, of course.  I’ve always wanted to be President.  I couldn’t think of a better position to be standing in if I wanted the power to save you.

But, why stop there?

Let’s save everyone.

Let me save everyone.

Only I can save everyone.

You see where this went?

In simulation after simulation, everything got better for a while and then turned out VERY WRONG in the end.

I caused more long term damage because of the way I went about solving short term problems.

Ok, fine.

Screw that.

Let’s write books, I thought.

No, screw that… let’s make movies.

Awesome.  I’ll have a jet plane.

I’ll have money.

I’ll buy cocaine and have beautiful chicks of all flavors and varieties.

And then this will be great…

and… that turned out badly for me.

Every time I have personally tried to make a plan and put that plan into action, it has failed.  I’ve joked that “the universe” was stopping me, because He has other plans; you might just think Joe Winett is incapable of working a plan.  We’re both right.

So, I stopped planning.

I just did what I needed to do whenever I felt the need.

And, I lost my business.  And, I lost my family.  I found a hot new girlfriend and started smoking weed, then started using meth, and then switched to crack, and then got a good job to pay for crack, and then lost that job, lost my girlfriend, lost my home.

Then I tried to join the army.  They figured out I’d been in a mental institution, an inpatient stay I was required to disclose on my medical information form, but had not.  “Winett!!  Get in here!!”  “Go home!!”

Then I lived at the Salvation Army.

Then I loved under a bridge.

Then I drank vodka with a stripper.

Then I was saved by a friend and moved to Dallas.

Then I was saved by a friend and moved to Shawnee.

anyway…

It’s not about me.  It cannot be about me.

I don’t need to save you, you need to save yourself.

Lean on Jesus, lean on me, lean on a wall, lean on you, but it can only start when you FREE YOUR MIND.

The message is the message whether you hear it from me, or they hear it from you.

The truth is the truth and you think you know it when you hear it.

Anyone telling you to think a certain thing is trying to enslave you.

“Let me do the thinking for you, and you’ll be much better off.”

Maybe, maybe not.

I know that what you choose to believe is a choice.

Choose to be free.