Go2Go2Go2
^{Travel Exhortations by Ric Carter}

FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE FOR TRAVELERS:
  What You Shouldn't Know When You Go

Before you start on a journey, you should learn stuff about where you're going, right? If fact, the more you know, the better, right? And you should learn even more as you travel — that's a major reason for going, right? Yeah sure.

But maybe there's other stuff you SHOULDN'T know, that you CAN'T know. And maybe you're better off NOT knowing some of this stuff, right? So, just what are the ranges and limits of this FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE?

DISTINCTION AND CONTEXT

Let's distinguish between knowledge that you obtain improperly, and things that you just don't want or need to know, and things that you REALLY don't want to know. And then let's confuse it all by saying, it depends on the context.

For instance, think about shepherds. Lonely young virile shepherds alone with their flocks for extended periods, with no human contact, no friendly voices, no friendly faces except maybe that cute ewe who's giving you the eye. What happens then?

You think you know what happens. You can speculate, make jokes, act disgusted (while hiding a pang of envy). But do you KNOW? And HOW do you know? Do you WANT to know?

That's where we get to "improperly obtained knowledge." If you're a common wayfarer or adventure tourist and you sneak up on a shepherd who's doing a ewe, you are violating privacy. That's bad. Shame on you.

But try another context: You're a military traveler, ie scout or spy, and you spy the process of the ewe-doing. You're just performing your job. That's good. If you hang around for a few days and note that the ewe-doing occurs at the same time every day, not just with this individual but with all the shepherds in the region, that's valuable military intelligence. Now can advise your commanders as to the best times and places to infiltrate your invading forces.

The ethics of forbidden knowledge varies with the context. What to a civilian is DON'T WANT TO KNOW - SHOULDN'T LEARN is to the military scout's NEED TO KNOW - MUST LEARN. Gosh!

TABOO AND ACTION

Another aspect of forbidden knowledge is that of TABOO, where some information is alluring and sensitive and delicate but also possibly mind-blasting. Taboo functions as insulation, protecting both the observed and the observer. Don't look at the naked goddess — she'll be seriously embarrassed, then she'll turn you into an aardvark.

We also have to look at the difference between thought (or knowledge) and action. It may be immoral or illegal to know something, but as long as you don't act on that knowledge, no consequences may ensue; while if you DO act, you may be punished.

Thus it's illegal to intercept many forms of radio signals, even though you may legally own a receiver that can easily pick up such unencrypted signals. You can even record such signals, like cellphone conversations. As long as you keep the contents of these signals to yourself, no problem. But share them, and you're in trouble.

CONCRETE EXAMPLES

Considering all the above stuff, here are some examples of FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE you may encounter on your travels. As always, context changes things. And things change contexts. Everything changes. Yow.

  #   You don't need or want to know what goes on inside that Mormon-Mayan-etc temple or military police station or sausage factory. Don't try to get past the guy at the door.

  #   You don't need to know what those other people are doing in their private spaces. Put away that night-vision telecamera, unless you're being paid to do surveillance.

  #   You can't know what the pattern in that ethnic weaving means unless you're very familiar with the culture. Don't try to unravel it — you'll only make a mess.

  #   You probably don't want to know anything about that package that was left on the bus or train. Just get out of there very rapidly.

  #   With a new and/or temporary sex partner, don't ask what gender or species they were at birth. You could be terribly surprised.

  #   When someone points a gun at you, don't ask if it's loaded, and don't ask them why they're doing this to YOU.

  #   Don't try to find out if the raging winds or waters are strong enough to carry you away.

  #   Don't try to find out if you can really drink more rum than that argumentative goon over there.

  #   You really really don't want to know who or what your partner(s) think of during sex.

  #   Don't ask whose idea it was to tie you to a pole and light the bonfire. It won't do you any good.

  #   Don't ask a shepherd to name a favourite sheep, lest jealousy rear its ugly head.

  #   Don't ask for whom the bell tolls — it tolls for you.

There's much more to forbidden knowledge, but if I told you what it is, I'd have to kill you. You probably don't want that. So don't ask.

DEITIES and RELIGIONS for TRAVELERS:
  Pick A God(dess), Any God(dess)(es)

You want to journey afar but you feel a spiritual vacuum, a need to be part of something greater than yourself. Your are but a worm. (Or maybe you're a PILGRIM; see PILGRIMAGE FOR MORONS — click here.) Perhaps you need some faith(s), some god(s) or goddess(es), and/or some priests and/or wizards and/or gurus to mediate and interpret your faith. How do you go about acquiring these?

MEDIATORS: First, let's look at these mediators, because personal contact with such as these may lead you to higher principles and entities. Mediators come in many flavors and varieties: priests and priestesses and pastors, mullahs and magicians, rabbis and radio talk-show hosts, shamans and seers, gurus and geeks, vestal virgins, etc. Others of a similar nature are those who practice artistry, scientism, poetry, political persuasian, exploration, economic development, athletics, etc.

Any and all of these may be in contact with Greater Forces and may bring a Higher Message in which you can invest your faith and energy and resources and time, and especially your money. Think of them as Holy Flacks, propagandists for principles. They can be found in every public place and platform, in every media outlet, whispering or shouting in every ear. Find one you like and go with him/her/it. Before and after shearing, every sheep needs a herder.

ENTITIES Then there are the Higher Entities and Greater Forces. They may be gods, visible or invisible; you can carve yourself some of the former or imagine some of the latter. Imagine their countenance, form, shape, weight, taste, smell, texture, physical and mental impact. Imagine their thoughts — that's as close as you'll get, because if they're REALLY Higher Entities, you won't be able to comprehend them, any more than an ant can grok the human who stirs up the nest.

Or the Greater Forces may be impersonal, idealized models embodying pure concepts: Pure Art or Pure Intellect or Pure Music or Pure Murder or Pure Politics or Pure Sex or Pure Football, etc. They'll always be much purer than you, you worm. Find the model that most appeals to you and go with it. Worship it. Fall before it. To find out more about such Higher Entities etc, see HOW TO DISCOVER EVERYTHING ABOUT DEITIES.

FAITHS: And then there are the faiths. You can select from any True Faith (mostly monotheistic) or Hybrid Faith (any polytheism, including Xianity) or Synthetic Faith (you'll find many on the Web) or Traditional Faith (often ethnic-based) or Secular Faith (no deities need apply) etc. If none are appropriate for you, create your own — see START YOUR OWN RELIGION FOR PHUN AND PROPHET!

Between and within faiths you'll encounter the most stupendous ASSORTMENT (often contradictory) of preachments, variously pro and con regarding war and peace, love and hate, inclusion and exclusion, hope and fear, and other polarizing emotional issues; and a crazy-quilt of rules regulating behaviours such as sex, diet, dress and appearance, ritual, speech and thought, movement, and anything else the rule-makers can think of to regulate. Only the most anti-survival of these rules and preachments disappear via Darwinian selcection; everything else survives. Select the philosophy-faith with the sets of preachments and rules that most appeal to you, and go with it.

APPLICATION: How does this apply to travel. That's simple! Your selection of a faith-force-friar may provide the impetus for your journey and/or vice-versa. Thus there is an intertwining of modes and means. Here are some examples.

• * You may have selected a faith that drives you near and far to proseltyse, to try to convert others to your belief system.
• * You wish to go someplace and blend in, so you select a faith that's common there, like Catholicism or Voodoo in Louisiana.
• * You may have selected a faith with vivid deities that you can carve and paint as you travel, spreading your iconography everywhere.
• * You may have been seduced sexually-mentally-spiritually-artistically-economically into some belief system that molds you like putty and sends you on your way.
• * Your may have a deity that demands human sacrifices and/or solicitors, and you travel to where the pickings are good, like Florida.
• * Maybe you pointed your finger at random into a holy book, or a voice spoke in your head, directing you where to go, like {JHWH} telling GW Bush to invade Iraq.
• * You may have a faith that imparts a holy need to firebomb the sites and believers of other, unholy belief systems.
• * You may have chosen to travel wherever your flock-cohort-crew-congregation-bunkmates-affinity group goes, always.
• * Maybe the Devil made you do it.

As mentioned above, you need not be limited to hauling existing meta­physical baggage along with you on your journey. You can INVENT YOUR OWN RELIGION or SUBMIT TO THE GREAT OTTER or JOURNEY WITHIN YOURSELF, or just see what drops out of the sky or oozes up from the ground. So many options! The selection process itself becomes a tasty game, a condiment for your travel. Enjoy!