Subtitles
there's no way of improving yourself 00:00:00
there's no way of improving yourself 00:00:03
there's no way of improving yourself because every kind of culture in this 00:00:03
because every kind of culture in this 00:00:05
because every kind of culture in this country is dedicated to self-improvement 00:00:05
country is dedicated to self-improvement 00:00:08
country is dedicated to self-improvement just take jogging that deplorable 00:00:08
just take jogging that deplorable 00:00:11
just take jogging that deplorable practice it's a very nice thing to run 00:00:11
practice it's a very nice thing to run 00:00:16
practice it's a very nice thing to run and to go dancing across the hills at a 00:00:16
and to go dancing across the hills at a 00:00:20
and to go dancing across the hills at a fast speed but these jogger spectra 00:00:20
fast speed but these jogger spectra 00:00:26
fast speed but these jogger spectra shaking their bones rattling their 00:00:26
shaking their bones rattling their 00:00:28
shaking their bones rattling their brains with running on their heels and 00:00:28
brains with running on their heels and 00:00:31
brains with running on their heels and because there's a grimness about it it's 00:00:31
because there's a grimness about it it's 00:00:34
because there's a grimness about it it's determinately good for you see why do 00:00:34
determinately good for you see why do 00:00:38
determinately good for you see why do you go to school the only one reason for 00:00:38
you go to school the only one reason for 00:00:52
you go to school the only one reason for going to school and that is that 00:00:52
going to school and that is that 00:00:56
going to school and that is that somebody's got something better whether 00:00:56
somebody's got something better whether 00:00:58
somebody's got something better whether it's a professor or a library that you 00:00:58
it's a professor or a library that you 00:01:00
it's a professor or a library that you want to find out that you are incredibly 00:01:00
want to find out that you are incredibly 00:01:04
want to find out that you are incredibly interested in how to write Chinese 00:01:04
interested in how to write Chinese 00:01:10
interested in how to write Chinese characters or how to understand botany 00:01:10
characters or how to understand botany 00:01:14
characters or how to understand botany and you would like to know you're just 00:01:14
and you would like to know you're just 00:01:17
and you would like to know you're just interested in flowers and you would like 00:01:17
interested in flowers and you would like 00:01:20
interested in flowers and you would like to find out everything there is to be 00:01:20
to find out everything there is to be 00:01:21
to find out everything there is to be known about them that's the point of 00:01:21
known about them that's the point of 00:01:24
known about them that's the point of coming here or you might like to know 00:01:24
coming here or you might like to know 00:01:28
coming here or you might like to know how to practice yoga the course is now 00:01:28
how to practice yoga the course is now 00:01:31
how to practice yoga the course is now being offered at UCLA on Kundalini Yoga 00:01:31
being offered at UCLA on Kundalini Yoga 00:01:34
being offered at UCLA on Kundalini Yoga for credit pretty funny well I think 00:01:34
for credit pretty funny well I think 00:01:38
for credit pretty funny well I think back 10 years but the whole point of 00:01:38
back 10 years but the whole point of 00:01:43
back 10 years but the whole point of coming to school is that you're 00:01:43
coming to school is that you're 00:01:45
coming to school is that you're interested in something you don't come 00:01:45
interested in something you don't come 00:01:48
interested in something you don't come to improve yourself but the trouble is 00:01:48
to improve yourself but the trouble is 00:01:51
to improve yourself but the trouble is that the schools got the wrong idea they 00:01:51
that the schools got the wrong idea they 00:01:54
that the schools got the wrong idea they gave people honors for learning and the 00:01:54
gave people honors for learning and the 00:01:59
gave people honors for learning and the reward for studying French should be the 00:01:59
reward for studying French should be the 00:02:03
reward for studying French should be the ability to speak French and enjoy 00:02:03
ability to speak French and enjoy 00:02:05
ability to speak French and enjoy reading French and having fun with 00:02:05
reading French and having fun with 00:02:07
reading French and having fun with French people but when you get a degree 00:02:07
French people but when you get a degree 00:02:10
French people but when you get a degree for it 00:02:10
for it 00:02:11
for it then the degree becomes the point in a 00:02:11
then the degree becomes the point in a 00:02:15
then the degree becomes the point in a game of one-upmanship and of course 00:02:15
game of one-upmanship and of course 00:02:19
game of one-upmanship and of course one-upmanship is the main business of 00:02:19
one-upmanship is the main business of 00:02:21
one-upmanship is the main business of the educational community today you 00:02:21
the educational community today you 00:02:25
the educational community today you learn all the rules of how to be a good 00:02:25
learn all the rules of how to be a good 00:02:29
learn all the rules of how to be a good professor it's instructive to go to a 00:02:29
professor it's instructive to go to a 00:02:34
professor it's instructive to go to a professional professors meeting in my 00:02:34
professional professors meeting in my 00:02:38
professional professors meeting in my field which is philosophy you go to a 00:02:38
field which is philosophy you go to a 00:02:40
field which is philosophy you go to a congress of philosophers and you'll find 00:02:40
congress of philosophers and you'll find 00:02:42
congress of philosophers and you'll find when they all get together in the bar or 00:02:42
when they all get together in the bar or 00:02:44
when they all get together in the bar or in the restaurant and somebody's room 00:02:44
in the restaurant and somebody's room 00:02:46
in the restaurant and somebody's room the one thing they don't talk about is 00:02:46
the one thing they don't talk about is 00:02:48
the one thing they don't talk about is philosophy it is very bad form indeed to 00:02:48
philosophy it is very bad form indeed to 00:02:53
philosophy it is very bad form indeed to show interest in philosophy among your 00:02:53
show interest in philosophy among your 00:02:55
show interest in philosophy among your colleagues the same is exactly true in 00:02:55
colleagues the same is exactly true in 00:02:59
colleagues the same is exactly true in clergy gatherings they would don't talk 00:02:59
clergy gatherings they would don't talk 00:03:01
clergy gatherings they would don't talk about religion while they both talk 00:03:01
about religion while they both talk 00:03:03
about religion while they both talk about is politics church politics and 00:03:03
about is politics church politics and 00:03:06
about is politics church politics and academic politics because it's bad form 00:03:06
academic politics because it's bad form 00:03:09
academic politics because it's bad form to be brilliant on a faculty because it 00:03:09
to be brilliant on a faculty because it 00:03:13
to be brilliant on a faculty because it outclasses your colleagues there for 00:03:13
outclasses your colleagues there for 00:03:16
outclasses your colleagues there for faculty people tend to cultivate the 00:03:16
faculty people tend to cultivate the 00:03:18
faculty people tend to cultivate the studied mediocrity 00:03:18
and you've got to watch out for that it 00:03:22
and you've got to watch out for that it 00:03:25
and you've got to watch out for that it means if you get mobs of students coming 00:03:25
means if you get mobs of students coming 00:03:26
means if you get mobs of students coming to your lectures you get pretty black 00:03:26
to your lectures you get pretty black 00:03:29
to your lectures you get pretty black looks from your colleagues and then of 00:03:29
looks from your colleagues and then of 00:03:35
looks from your colleagues and then of course there's a whole world of 00:03:35
course there's a whole world of 00:03:37
course there's a whole world of one-upmanship bin research and 00:03:37
one-upmanship bin research and 00:03:40
one-upmanship bin research and publication of learning papers and how 00:03:40
publication of learning papers and how 00:03:42
publication of learning papers and how many what's the relative quantity of 00:03:42
many what's the relative quantity of 00:03:45
many what's the relative quantity of footnotes the basic text footnotes on 00:03:45
footnotes the basic text footnotes on 00:03:47
footnotes the basic text footnotes on footnotes and the various ways of making 00:03:48
footnotes and the various ways of making 00:03:51
footnotes and the various ways of making your bibliography painfully accurate in 00:03:51
your bibliography painfully accurate in 00:03:55
your bibliography painfully accurate in its endless but you see what it is 00:03:55
its endless but you see what it is 00:03:59
its endless but you see what it is it's scholarship about scholarship and 00:03:59
it's scholarship about scholarship and 00:04:01
it's scholarship about scholarship and not scholarship just as learning because 00:04:01
not scholarship just as learning because 00:04:07
not scholarship just as learning because learning is good for you is irrelevant 00:04:07
learning is good for you is irrelevant 00:04:10
learning is good for you is irrelevant to learning the whole idea of improving 00:04:10
to learning the whole idea of improving 00:04:13
to learning the whole idea of improving yourself by learning is irrelevant to 00:04:13
yourself by learning is irrelevant to 00:04:15
yourself by learning is irrelevant to the learning process and in the same way 00:04:15
the learning process and in the same way 00:04:17
the learning process and in the same way doing business is doing business doing 00:04:17
doing business is doing business doing 00:04:22
doing business is doing business doing business such as manufacturing clothes 00:04:22
business such as manufacturing clothes 00:04:25
business such as manufacturing clothes is a very good thing to do I can 00:04:25
is a very good thing to do I can 00:04:29
is a very good thing to do I can conceive that it would be extremely 00:04:29
conceive that it would be extremely 00:04:30
conceive that it would be extremely enjoyable something one could be very 00:04:30
enjoyable something one could be very 00:04:32
enjoyable something one could be very proud of to make good clothes cos you 00:04:32
proud of to make good clothes cos you 00:04:35
proud of to make good clothes cos you need to sell them because you need to 00:04:35
need to sell them because you need to 00:04:36
need to sell them because you need to eat but to make clothes to make money 00:04:36
raises another question because then 00:04:43
raises another question because then 00:04:47
raises another question because then your interest is not in making clothes 00:04:47
your interest is not in making clothes 00:04:48
your interest is not in making clothes it's in making money and then you're 00:04:48
it's in making money and then you're 00:04:50
it's in making money and then you're gonna cheat on the clothes and then you 00:04:50
gonna cheat on the clothes and then you 00:04:54
gonna cheat on the clothes and then you would you get an awful lot of money and 00:04:54
would you get an awful lot of money and 00:04:55
would you get an awful lot of money and you don't know what to do with it you 00:04:55
can't you know you can't eat ten rows of 00:05:00
can't you know you can't eat ten rows of 00:05:04
can't you know you can't eat ten rows of beef in one day can't live in six houses 00:05:04
beef in one day can't live in six houses 00:05:07
beef in one day can't live in six houses at once can't drive three Rolls Royces 00:05:07
at once can't drive three Rolls Royces 00:05:09
at once can't drive three Rolls Royces at the same time what do you do when you 00:05:09
at the same time what do you do when you 00:05:14
at the same time what do you do when you just go make more money you put your 00:05:14
just go make more money you put your 00:05:16
just go make more money you put your money back 00:05:16
money back 00:05:17
money back invested in something else and it'll 00:05:17
invested in something else and it'll 00:05:18
invested in something else and it'll make more you don't give a damn how it's 00:05:18
make more you don't give a damn how it's 00:05:20
make more you don't give a damn how it's made so long as they make it you don't 00:05:20
made so long as they make it you don't 00:05:23
made so long as they make it you don't care if they follow the rivers but oil 00:05:23
care if they follow the rivers but oil 00:05:25
care if they follow the rivers but oil fumes throughout the air everywhere kill 00:05:25
fumes throughout the air everywhere kill 00:05:28
fumes throughout the air everywhere kill off all the fish so not so long as you 00:05:28
off all the fish so not so long as you 00:05:30
off all the fish so not so long as you see these figures happening you're not 00:05:30
see these figures happening you're not 00:05:31
see these figures happening you're not aware of anything else 00:05:31
aware of anything else 00:05:33
aware of anything else so you see you went out to do 00:05:33
so you see you went out to do 00:05:36
so you see you went out to do a self-improvement Lee making mum you 00:05:36
a self-improvement Lee making mum you 00:05:38
a self-improvement Lee making mum you see is a measure of improvement a 00:05:38
see is a measure of improvement a 00:05:41
see is a measure of improvement a measure of your economic worth wildness 00:05:41
measure of your economic worth wildness 00:05:43
measure of your economic worth wildness or least that's what it's supposed to be 00:05:43
or least that's what it's supposed to be 00:05:46
or least that's what it's supposed to be it isn't anything of the kind but you 00:05:46
it isn't anything of the kind but you 00:05:48
it isn't anything of the kind but you went out in other words for the status 00:05:48
went out in other words for the status 00:05:50
went out in other words for the status instead of for the actuality so if in 00:05:50
instead of for the actuality so if in 00:05:55
instead of for the actuality so if in other words you you do an art you're a 00:05:55
other words you you do an art you're a 00:05:57
other words you you do an art you're a musician why do you play music the only 00:05:57
musician why do you play music the only 00:05:59
musician why do you play music the only great reason for playing music is to 00:05:59
great reason for playing music is to 00:06:01
great reason for playing music is to enjoy if you play music to impress an 00:06:01
enjoy if you play music to impress an 00:06:05
enjoy if you play music to impress an audience to be read about yourself in 00:06:05
audience to be read about yourself in 00:06:09
audience to be read about yourself in the newspaper you're not interested in 00:06:09
the newspaper you're not interested in 00:06:11
the newspaper you're not interested in music so in the same way why do I come 00:06:11
music so in the same way why do I come 00:06:15
music so in the same way why do I come and talk to you because I enjoy it I 00:06:15
and talk to you because I enjoy it I 00:06:19
and talk to you because I enjoy it I like the sound of my own voice I'm 00:06:19
like the sound of my own voice I'm 00:06:21
like the sound of my own voice I'm interested in what I'm talking about and 00:06:21
interested in what I'm talking about and 00:06:23
interested in what I'm talking about and I get paid for it and that's smart in 00:06:23
I get paid for it and that's smart in 00:06:25
I get paid for it and that's smart in this life is to get paid for what you 00:06:25
this life is to get paid for what you 00:06:27
this life is to get paid for what you enjoy so here's the situation you see 00:06:27
enjoy so here's the situation you see 00:06:31
enjoy so here's the situation you see there is no that the the whole idea of 00:06:31
there is no that the the whole idea of 00:06:34
there is no that the the whole idea of self-improvement is a is a will of the 00:06:34
self-improvement is a is a will of the 00:06:38
self-improvement is a is a will of the wisp and a hoax that's not what it's 00:06:38
wisp and a hoax that's not what it's 00:06:41
wisp and a hoax that's not what it's about 00:06:41
about 00:06:41
about let's begin where we are what happens if 00:06:42
let's begin where we are what happens if 00:06:48
let's begin where we are what happens if you know if you know beyond any shadow 00:06:48
you know if you know beyond any shadow 00:06:50
you know if you know beyond any shadow of doubt that there is nothing you can 00:06:50
of doubt that there is nothing you can 00:06:54
of doubt that there is nothing you can do to be better well it's kind of a 00:06:54
do to be better well it's kind of a 00:07:00
do to be better well it's kind of a relief isn't it now you say well now 00:07:00
relief isn't it now you say well now 00:07:03
relief isn't it now you say well now what will I do 00:07:04
see there's a little fidgety comes up 00:07:10
see there's a little fidgety comes up 00:07:13
see there's a little fidgety comes up because we're so used to making things 00:07:13
because we're so used to making things 00:07:17
because we're so used to making things better leave the world a better place 00:07:17
better leave the world a better place 00:07:18
better leave the world a better place than when you found it sort of thing I 00:07:18
than when you found it sort of thing I 00:07:20
than when you found it sort of thing I want to be of service to other people 00:07:20
want to be of service to other people 00:07:22
want to be of service to other people and all these dreadfully easy ideas and 00:07:22
and all these dreadfully easy ideas and 00:07:26
and all these dreadfully easy ideas and so we think does that little it's still 00:07:26
so we think does that little it's still 00:07:30
so we think does that little it's still but supposing instead of that seeing 00:07:30
but supposing instead of that seeing 00:07:37
but supposing instead of that seeing that there isn't really anything we can 00:07:37
that there isn't really anything we can 00:07:39
that there isn't really anything we can do to improve ourselves or to improve 00:07:39
do to improve ourselves or to improve 00:07:42
do to improve ourselves or to improve the world if we realize that that is so 00:07:42
the world if we realize that that is so 00:07:46
the world if we realize that that is so it gives us a breather in the course of 00:07:46
it gives us a breather in the course of 00:07:50
it gives us a breather in the course of which we may simply watch what is going 00:07:50
which we may simply watch what is going 00:07:52
which we may simply watch what is going on watch what happens 00:07:52
on watch what happens 00:07:56
on watch what happens nobody ever does this you know and 00:07:56
nobody ever does this you know and 00:07:59
nobody ever does this you know and therefore it sounds terribly simple it 00:07:59
therefore it sounds terribly simple it 00:08:02
therefore it sounds terribly simple it sounds so simple that is almost it looks 00:08:02
sounds so simple that is almost it looks 00:08:04
sounds so simple that is almost it looks as if it isn't worth doing whoever just 00:08:04
as if it isn't worth doing whoever just 00:08:07
as if it isn't worth doing whoever just watched watch what's happening and watch 00:08:07
watched watch what's happening and watch 00:08:13
watched watch what's happening and watch what you are doing by way of reaction to 00:08:13
what you are doing by way of reaction to 00:08:16
what you are doing by way of reaction to it just watch it happen and don't be in 00:08:16
it just watch it happen and don't be in 00:08:20
it just watch it happen and don't be in a hurry to think you know what it is in 00:08:20
a hurry to think you know what it is in 00:08:25
a hurry to think you know what it is in other words people look at the say oh 00:08:25
other words people look at the say oh 00:08:26
other words people look at the say oh that's the external world oh how do you 00:08:26
that's the external world oh how do you 00:08:32
that's the external world oh how do you know the whole thing from a neurological 00:08:32
know the whole thing from a neurological 00:08:35
know the whole thing from a neurological point of view is there happening in your 00:08:35
point of view is there happening in your 00:08:37
point of view is there happening in your head that you think there is something 00:08:37
head that you think there is something 00:08:42
head that you think there is something outside the skull is a notion in your 00:08:42
outside the skull is a notion in your 00:08:44
outside the skull is a notion in your nervous system the may or may not be but 00:08:44
nervous system the may or may not be but 00:08:48
nervous system the may or may not be but it's a notion in your nervous system you 00:08:48
it's a notion in your nervous system you 00:08:52
it's a notion in your nervous system you think this is the material world 00:08:52
think this is the material world 00:08:55
think this is the material world well that's somebody's philosophical 00:08:55
well that's somebody's philosophical 00:08:57
well that's somebody's philosophical idea or maybe you're you think it's 00:08:57
idea or maybe you're you think it's 00:09:00
idea or maybe you're you think it's spiritual that too is somebody's 00:09:00
spiritual that too is somebody's 00:09:02
spiritual that too is somebody's philosophical idea this real world is 00:09:02
philosophical idea this real world is 00:09:04
philosophical idea this real world is not spiritual 00:09:04
not spiritual 00:09:06
not spiritual it is not Material the real world is 00:09:06
it is not Material the real world is 00:09:10
it is not Material the real world is simply 00:09:10
so could we look at things in that way 00:09:15
without as it were fixing labels and 00:09:22
without as it were fixing labels and 00:09:26
without as it were fixing labels and names and gradations and judgments on 00:09:26
names and gradations and judgments on 00:09:28
names and gradations and judgments on everything but watch what happens watch 00:09:29
everything but watch what happens watch 00:09:33
everything but watch what happens watch what we do now if you do that you do at 00:09:33
what we do now if you do that you do at 00:09:39
what we do now if you do that you do at least give yourself a chance and it may 00:09:39
least give yourself a chance and it may 00:09:45
least give yourself a chance and it may be that when you are in this way freed 00:09:45
be that when you are in this way freed 00:09:51
be that when you are in this way freed from busybody mess and being how to 00:09:51
from busybody mess and being how to 00:09:56
from busybody mess and being how to improve everything that your own nature 00:09:56
improve everything that your own nature 00:10:00
improve everything that your own nature will begin to take care of itself 00:10:00
will begin to take care of itself 00:10:03
will begin to take care of itself because you're not getting in the way of 00:10:03
because you're not getting in the way of 00:10:05
because you're not getting in the way of yourself all the time you will begin to 00:10:05
yourself all the time you will begin to 00:10:10
yourself all the time you will begin to find out that the great things that you 00:10:10
find out that the great things that you 00:10:17
find out that the great things that you do are really happenings for example no 00:10:17
do are really happenings for example no 00:10:23
do are really happenings for example no great genius can explain how he does it 00:10:23
great genius can explain how he does it 00:10:30
great genius can explain how he does it yes he said I have learned the technique 00:10:30
yes he said I have learned the technique 00:10:33
yes he said I have learned the technique to express myself because I had 00:10:33
to express myself because I had 00:10:35
to express myself because I had something in me that had to come out I 00:10:35
something in me that had to come out I 00:10:38
something in me that had to come out I had to know how to give it out so if I 00:10:38
had to know how to give it out so if I 00:10:41
had to know how to give it out so if I were a musician I had to learn how music 00:10:41
were a musician I had to learn how music 00:10:44
were a musician I had to learn how music is produced that means learning to use 00:10:44
is produced that means learning to use 00:10:47
is produced that means learning to use an instrument or learning a technique of 00:10:47
an instrument or learning a technique of 00:10:48
an instrument or learning a technique of musical notation or whatever it may be 00:10:48
musical notation or whatever it may be 00:10:51
musical notation or whatever it may be if I want to describe something I have 00:10:51
if I want to describe something I have 00:10:54
if I want to describe something I have to learn a language so others can 00:10:54
to learn a language so others can 00:10:56
to learn a language so others can understand me 00:10:56
understand me 00:10:57
understand me I need a technique but then beyond that 00:10:57
I need a technique but then beyond that 00:11:01
I need a technique but then beyond that I'm afraid I can't tell you how it was 00:11:01
I'm afraid I can't tell you how it was 00:11:05
I'm afraid I can't tell you how it was that I used that technique to express 00:11:05
that I used that technique to express 00:11:08
that I used that technique to express this mysterious thing I wanted to show 00:11:08
this mysterious thing I wanted to show 00:11:10
this mysterious thing I wanted to show you if we could tell people that we 00:11:10
you if we could tell people that we 00:11:13
you if we could tell people that we would have schools where we would 00:11:13
would have schools where we would 00:11:15
would have schools where we would infallibly train musical geniuses 00:11:15
infallibly train musical geniuses 00:11:19
infallibly train musical geniuses scientific miracle minds and there would 00:11:19
scientific miracle minds and there would 00:11:24
scientific miracle minds and there would be so many of them we wouldn't know what 00:11:24
be so many of them we wouldn't know what 00:11:27
be so many of them we wouldn't know what to do with them 00:11:27
to do with them 00:11:28
to do with them geniuses would be a dime a dozen and 00:11:28
geniuses would be a dime a dozen and 00:11:31
geniuses would be a dime a dozen and then we would say well these people are 00:11:31
then we would say well these people are 00:11:33
then we would say well these people are after all not very ingenious 00:11:33
after all not very ingenious 00:11:35
after all not very ingenious you know PhDs how many of them other 00:11:35
because what is fascinating always about 00:11:41
because what is fascinating always about 00:11:43
because what is fascinating always about genius is the fellow does something we 00:11:43
genius is the fellow does something we 00:11:46
genius is the fellow does something we can't understand he surprises us 00:11:46
can't understand he surprises us 00:11:50
can't understand he surprises us but you see just in the same way we 00:11:50
but you see just in the same way we 00:11:53
but you see just in the same way we cannot understand our own brains 00:11:53
cannot understand our own brains 00:11:55
cannot understand our own brains neurology knows relatively little about 00:11:55
neurology knows relatively little about 00:11:57
neurology knows relatively little about the brain which is only to say that the 00:11:57
the brain which is only to say that the 00:12:00
the brain which is only to say that the brain is a lot smarter than neurology 00:12:00
brain is a lot smarter than neurology 00:12:03
brain is a lot smarter than neurology yes yet there is this which can perform 00:12:03
yes yet there is this which can perform 00:12:07
yes yet there is this which can perform all these extraordinary intellectual and 00:12:07
all these extraordinary intellectual and 00:12:09
all these extraordinary intellectual and cultural miracles but we don't know how 00:12:09
cultural miracles but we don't know how 00:12:12
cultural miracles but we don't know how we did it but we did we didn't have some 00:12:12
we did it but we did we didn't have some 00:12:19
we did it but we did we didn't have some campaign to have an improved brain over 00:12:19
campaign to have an improved brain over 00:12:23
campaign to have an improved brain over the monkeys or whatever maybe our 00:12:23
the monkeys or whatever maybe our 00:12:25
the monkeys or whatever maybe our ancestors it happened they're all gross 00:12:25
ancestors it happened they're all gross 00:12:30
ancestors it happened they're all gross you see is fundamentally something 00:12:30