Ideation’s Limit at Extreme Scales and Idolatry

Our reason, often a beacon of clarity, becomes ever blinder with distance and difference in scales. Thus we are also often lead down paths laden with unintended consequences and ultimate failure when rely upon reason alone. If a scientist shifts the variables in an experiment, the results become chaotic and useless. Similarly, when we scale human goals to extreme ends, whether in ambition or minutiae, the outcomes veer into immoderation and unfitness. The saying goes: power corrupts, but is it the power or our innate imperfections?

Grand ambitions, while inspiring, lead to blind spots. The bigger the goal, the easier it is to overlook crucial details in planning and how we might adapt. Some adaptations which might be necessary are, in fact, impossible for us, perhaps especially alone and without guidance of God. Conversely, focusing too intently on small details can lead to similarly myopic views that ignore broader contexts and long-term impacts, or even other details. At extreme scales, variables multiply, as our reason struggles to maintain balance. We become so fixated on the goal that we lose sight of any means or consequences. Meanwhile the most powerful people materially stay powerful by betting against everyone else.

From the grandiose plans of despots to the meticulous schemes of tyrants, history is littered with examples where extreme scales led to blindness and failure. There was no end to the people willing to take advantage of this. Cognitive psychology highlights how our minds can become overwhelmed by extremes, leading to cognitive biases and flawed decision-making, merely in an unwillingness to contend with the complexity. Now some might argue that extremes drive innovation, and there is a valid point here but not the one they want. Extremes reveal truths through expression, which is almost always a valid argument against the extreme. In Resurrexit Spiritus phenomenology, extremes typically drive us to the opposite extreme, ignorantly overshooting in our unknown need for moderation. Regardless, extended extremes hardly do any good, and come at the cost of sustainability and long-term success. Extreme focus can be necessary for certain achievements, but without spiritual balance, it risks veering into territory which is unassailable by reason alone, as enticed by mortal ambitions.

Grand ambitions are like a magnifying glass intensifying our focus but at the cost of distorting our vision. The bigger the goal, the more crucial it is to maintain perspective and adaptability. Without this balance, grand ambitions can lead to blindness. Focusing too intently on small details can be like looking through a keyhole where we see only a narrow slice of reality while missing the broader picture. This myopic view will lead to immoderation and unfitness, as we lose sight of longer-term impacts. We become so fixated on our goals that we overlook crucial aspects, especially to do with ethics and spirit.