“Where do thoughts come from?”
This question had never crossed my mind, not even once. But then, out of the blue, I saw this video “The Origin of Thought” pop up in my YouTube recommendations; it immediately captured my attention.
And that got me thinking about where my thoughts actually originate from and how they form.
Of course, I know the answer won’t be just as simple as “Oh, I have a brain, so I have thoughts.” So, I decided to give the video a watch, hoping it might shed some light on the matter, especially since it’s a video presenting a renowned philosopher from India that I know - J. Krishnamurti.
The video must be worth a watch.
Update (Aug 2, 2023): The original video “The Origin of Thought” I mentioned earlier seemed to be only a video edited by someone that randomly popped up in my YouTube recommendation when I wrote this entry. I've just noticed it got hit with a copyright claim and got taken down today, but luckily I still kept a transcript of it. I tried looking for the same video on the official Khrisnamurti Foundation Trust channel, but no luck, and I only managed to find this video “What is thought?” that is somewhat similar to what I was watching before.
The root of thought
To answer where something originates from, tracing back, in many cases, is a good initial approach. I noticed this is how Krishnamurti approached the question, too.
So, where do human thoughts actually originate from?
He began his answer this way: “The beginning of thinking is memory. Without memory, there's no thinking.” From there, he then traced back the origin of memory to knowledge, and further back to experience.
More or less, his explanation goes like this: it all starts with us experiencing something, then we gain knowledge about it. The knowledge then accumulates and becomes memory stored in our brain. Later, when we recall that memory, it conjures up imageries in our minds with which we make sense of our world. This response of our memory is what we call thoughts.
Or in simple terms, the order of how our thoughts come to be is: experience, knowledge, memory, and then thought.
But of course, there’s still more to this.
The nature of thought
As explained in the video, thoughts emerge from a vast treasure trove of memories as responses to various stimuli and challenges we encounter in life.
Memories are things of the past. Knowledge gained through experience can become obsolete or inapplicable under certain circumstances.
The past implies that there’s still continuation after that. In other words, our knowledge and experience are never complete, and therefore our thoughts too.
And since we rely on thoughts to make most of our decisions; our actions, behavior, and outlook are also partial and limited.
Perhaps that’s why we, humans, can never be perfect?
Although they can never be complete, we indeed still need thoughts. We still need knowledge.
We need knowledge to find our way back home. We need knowledge to know how to speak a language. We need knowledge to know how to cook.
However limited, we need knowledge to survive and thrive. We need knowledge to evolve.
Collective memories
At a fundamental level, we are shaped by memory. Our experiences and accumulated knowledge form the basis of who we are.
However, we are not just isolated individuals; rather, we are interconnected with others through shared experiences and collective memories.
Collective memories are shaped by historical events, cultural practices, and common experiences that are passed down from one generation to another. For example: folklore, national celebrations, or shared experiences during challenging times like wars or natural disasters.
These memories are often deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric of a community and can influence its values, beliefs, and social norms.
They play a crucial role in shaping our understanding of ourselves and others, as they contribute to our sense of identity, as well as our perceptions and interactions with the world.
Collective memories are often mistaken as memories that belong to us. They indeed make us feel the same emotions and pain that others feel, but it doesn’t mean they belong to us.
That’s why, at times, we may experience having thoughts that don’t feel like they belong to us. When that happens, we should have known that it’s very likely we have unconsciously picked up collective thoughts stemming from collective memories.
What are we?
“Psychologically, inwardly, what are we? We are memory, nothing else. […] We are the name, the form, outwardly. Inwardly, the content of our consciousness is put together by thought.”
This is something Krishnamurti said that has intrigued me.
We apparently inhabit two distinct worlds: the inner world and the outer world, both shaped by thoughts, whether they belong to us or not.
Thoughts are the means through which we process and interpret what we see, hear, and learn. They influence our emotions, beliefs, and responses to the world around us. In a sense, thoughts are the building blocks of the worlds we inhabit.
Outwardly, we are recognized by our names, physical appearance, and societal roles. But this is only one facet of our being.
Inwardly, we are primarily shaped by memory. Our memories store our experiences, beliefs, emotions, and perceptions, which collectively contribute to forming our sense of self. Or we can say, our true self is shaped by the content of our consciousness.
Our consciousness is a complex interplay of memory, thought, and experiences. It’s not just a singular entity but a dynamic process that constantly evolves and responds to various stimuli.
Krishnamurti had simplified all of these explanations by stating, “Our consciousness is the product of our thought.”
What he meant by that is to truly understand ourselves, we must turn inward and engage in introspection rather than relying on external sources like psychologists or philosophers for answers. Though they may tell us what we are or consult their “sacred books” to find out what we are, we will never truly be satisfied with their answers.
Observing our own selves can be a more fruitful approach. To do so effectively, we must first recognize the significance of our memories and thoughts in shaping our identity.
By doing so, we can gain deeper insights into our inner selves and explore how our thoughts influence our actions and perceptions.
As our inner world is deeply intertwined with our memories and thoughts, understanding this connection will most likely lead us to greater self-awareness and a clearer understanding of who we are.
Examining the interplay between our memories, thoughts, and consciousness will undoubtedly bring us closer to answering the question of what it means to be human.
Super consciousness?
Before summing up his explanation by stating that consciousness is the product of our thought, Krishnamurti mentioned something intriguing: “super consciousness” - a phrase that immediately piqued my interest.
Here's the message behind “super consciousness” as far as I could understand it.
We all know that consciousness is a complex web of beliefs, fears, emotions, and experiences. It comprises both the conscious and unconscious aspects of our mind, extending beyond our immediate awareness to deeper layers of thoughts, emotions, and memories.
I thought “super consciousness” should suggest a higher level of awareness or a profound grasp of reality, but it turned out I was wrong.
Krishnamurti went on to reveal that even the desire to attain such a higher level of consciousness is still a product of our existing consciousness. In other words, there's no distinct separation between our everyday consciousness and this supposed “super consciousness”.
Our minds have a tendency to deceive themselves and create various illusions. While thought is a powerful tool for understanding and navigating the world, it can also lead us astray by constructing intricate mental landscapes that might not match reality.
Throughout life, we have invented numerous grandiose-sounding terms to communicate our ideas or simply to impress others to grab their attention, but many of them might only be products of our self-deceptive thoughts.
I can't emphasize more how important it is to stay critical, especially towards our own thoughts.
To avoid falling into self-deception, introspection is therefore crucial. By regularly questioning and challenging our thoughts, we can become more aware of and recognize the illusions they may have created. And also through this process, we can better understand how our thoughts shape our actions and, consequently, our reality.
After all, the journey towards greater self-awareness involves continually seeking to uncover the truth beyond the veils of illusion that thoughts can create.