Application
Many good things come in threes and there are 3 essential components to our ability to Create. This is sometimes known as the Trinity, Trivium, or many other names. They are essentially Knowledge, Understanding, and Action (Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric in the Trivium Method). There are numerous variations to explain this, and since we are about to begin technical training, we will use the metaphor of a computer for this lesson. We’ll dually understand how we Create, as well as how to use a computer to do the same.
Knowledge / Input
We are Created without (having forgotten?) any stored knowledge. As soon as it becomes possible (sometime in the womb), we begin intaking information via our senses. This goes on throughout our lives, however as the saying goes “garbage in, garbage out.” If you are fed primarily nutrient-deficient food, contaminated water, mindless TV, vapid social media content, AI slop, etc, and live a sedentary lifestyle, then you will be unhealthy and ignorant. Conversely, if you eat clean foods, exercise, read, study, and otherwise intake higher quality materials, you will be energetic and intelligent. These are the raw inputs, and in the case of information, knowledge, that we can act upon.
A computer, ultimately being a man-made facsimile of Man, works similarly. Critically, know that there is no intention to say that machines are, or can be, the same as Men; they almost certainly cannot. More on this in future courses. For the sake of our metaphor however, it works. A computer is created without any information on it. At the lowest levels, it is simply circuits which can guide electricity based on input. That input comes from a keyboard, mouse, microphone, camera, or other sensors or computers. This is the raw data that the machine can act upon.
Understanding / Processing
It’s one thing to have quality inputs, but once received, they must be understood. Imagine being given a book every week, and each book taught you a useful skill. If you are given a short paper every day for a week that explains a skill, and never read them, you won’t receive any benefit from these inputs. Alternatively, if you give some of your Time and Attention (the two real currencies) to reading the material, you have the opportunity to learn 7 new skills. Learning a skill means a lot more than reading about it once - you must re-read and thoroughly comprehend what it means to truly know and implement this skill by meditating on and manipulating this information in your mind. Then of course, you must practice, practice, practice to be competent (muscle memory).
A contemporary computer receives information via inputs and then manipulates it via the Central Processing Unit (CPU). You may input text via a keyboard and then format that text in a word processor in order to write a letter, report, or story. This is the analogy to the thinking required for a human to attain comprehension.
Action / Output
Perhaps the hardest step is to act on one’s understanding. Acquiring knowledge and understanding and never acting on it is akin to hoarding; pretty selfish if you really think about it. Imagine acquiring a lifetime of knowledge, and then dying without using a skill to help someone, or better yet teaching them that skill. When knowledge and skills are shared, everyone benefits. It is often found that teaching a thing can help solidify one’s ability, and that shared knowledge will end up benefiting more down the chain. This is the notion of “paying it forward.” Natural Law states this will come back around to you. Again, “Do for one who may do for you.” Your outputs (actions) will speak for themselves, but there may also be a product of your labor, which can nourish you and/or others.
Computers similarly produce outputs, whether completed mathematics, digital or physical media, communications, etc. Many times an output will be stored in memory to be read, edited, or used at a later time. Memory comes in two forms on a computer:
- Short-term: Random Access Memory (RAM) - this is memory that is actively being used. If something isn’t actively used, it is best to shut it off in order to free up RAM, which is expensive.
- Long-term: Storage drives hold data for future retrieval. The most common forms of storage are:
- Hard Drive Disks (HDDs) - mechanical, spinning platters. Great for high capacity storage (Terrabytes are inexpensive).
- Solid State Drives (SSDs) - integrated circuits, no moving parts. More expensive, much faster, great for running software (including your Operating System).
Care
Doing anything requires the Generative principle of Care. Obviously, if you don’t Care about something, you’re never going to give it your Time / Attention. This seems basic, but it cannot be understated. Uncountable resources are spent getting you to care (and part with your resources) for things that benefit others, or worse, benefit nobody. Consider how much time you spend consuming (information, food/drink, energy, products), and then honestly compare this to how much time you spend Creating any of those same things. As discussed in future courses, balance is a key concept in life. Before you finish this White Level material, you will have begun to form the habit of Creation. This can change your life in massive ways, as it has many before you.