What can we learn through the comments on Facebook posts?  Or rather, what is the lesson behind all internet comment threads?  I have to guess there are many; have you read that stuff lately?  If in millions of years these internet comments are found by aliens what would they glean about humanity?  When you take out the content of comments, and are left with merely the structure of the comment itself, I find the biggest take away is this: the thoughts in my head care a lot about the thoughts in your head.  They would see us humans engaged in a constant back and forth, a never-ending cycle of opinions.  Alas, this too is just a display of thought.

What causes my thoughts to react so strongly to yours?  As can be observed in many a YouTube comment section, the content of discussion can be anything, and the reaction will be present and passionate.  Have you ever read something in your News Feed that just bothered you?  Did you end up replying to the initial statement?  I know I have, many times.  And it feels important.  But in reality, the thoughts in my head are just reacting to the thoughts in your head.  When thoughts do this they give themselves renewed life.  A thought in reaction can keep gaining until it completely absorbs your attention to the point where you don’t even notice you’re thinking anymore.

At this point, instead of referring to the thought reaction as merely thoughts, we call it ego.  Ego is attachment to thoughts.  This displays itself quite clearly through internet comments.  Since the people are not present, the thoughts themselves are left bare, living their own life until you see them for what they really are.  The internet leaves ego right out in the open, precariously perched in the perfect position for you to become aware of it.  The moment you notice the comments you are reading and writing are not who you are, the ego is no longer in control, and you can begin to experience you true self beyond thought.  Our ego, our mind; it is all one.  Our thoughts egg each other on, because they are truly one flow of energy, gaining life momentum through our interactions.

Sometimes I scroll through Facebook and don’t notice what I’m doing, don’t realize the reaction switch is in the on position.  Sometimes I scroll through and feel my ego rising up with each reaction.  It is in those moments that I can most clearly see the separation, see what I am not, and start to experience what I am.  Becoming aware of the ego is the beginning of its end.  Where do you notice the ego playing itself out in your world?