# Philosophical Question:



## Last Fearner (Jun 3, 2006)

*How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?*

*___________________________________________*
*Last Fearner*


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## Jenna (Jun 3, 2006)

Last Fearner said:
			
		

> *How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?*
> 
> *___________________________________________*
> *Last Fearner*


 
Hey LF  Had you put this in the Comedy forum I might have given you a straightaway answer but since I know what level of a thinker you are I will say that some people can handle lightbulbs almost for their living it is so regular and it would never change the colour of one hair on their head and maybe this is from either complacency or metaphorical blindness to what lightbulbs represent or maybe it arises because they are FORCED to handle lightbulbs and none of us learn anything from coercion

For others they need to handle only the one lightbulb to become changed completely and reborn

And here is another thought for you..... is the dimension of the lightbulb relevant? You might forgive someone that has handled a hundred little low wattage lightbulbs and never stopped to think whereas it may be easy to see that one HUGE incandescent BEACON would change everything and for me this is very relevant

I do not know how this answer suits the question and if I am a dupe to reply to a joke then I will claim I knew all along and give the alternative and electronically correct answer as four, ha! 

Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna


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## OnlyAnEgg (Jun 3, 2006)

Last Fearner said:
			
		

> *How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?*
> 
> *___________________________________________*
> *Last Fearner*


 
One burned out bulb; because, everyone knows, people won't change while things are working.


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## celtic_crippler (Jun 3, 2006)

One...if you hit 'em right. LOL


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## Laeticia (Jun 3, 2006)

OnlyAnEgg said:
			
		

> One burned out bulb; because, everyone knows, people won't change while things are working.



That was a good one, Egg! And oh so true...


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## Jade Tigress (Jun 3, 2006)

OnlyAnEgg said:
			
		

> One burned out bulb; because, everyone knows, people won't change while things are working.



Yeah, and many won't change things even when they're _not_ working...because change...can be a scary thing.


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## OnlyAnEgg (Jun 3, 2006)

Jade Tigress said:
			
		

> Yeah, and many won't change things even when they're _not_ working...because change...can be a scary thing.


 
That's a beautiful irony, too.  Change is the only constant.  That which does not change, stagnates.  We are so fearful of change and transition that we strive to never move.

I rather like seeing things change.  Though some change hurts, that soon changes, too.


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## Martial Tucker (Jun 3, 2006)

Last Fearner said:
			
		

> *How many light bulbs does it take to change a person?*
> 
> *___________________________________________*
> *Last Fearner*




Only one, if the person's eyes are open......


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## Jenna (Jun 3, 2006)

OnlyAnEgg said:
			
		

> That's a beautiful irony, too. Change is the only constant. That which does not change, stagnates. We are so fearful of change and transition that we strive to never move.
> 
> I rather like seeing things change. Though some change hurts, that soon changes, too.


Hey Jim  this is very thoughtful as ever and yes change canbe a wonderful harbinger of rebirth however I have noticed lately that folk are so very keen to hail change as the panacea to ALL problems that they implement it withlittle thought for consequence and I think there is merit in status quo which needs to be considered fully before embarking upon programs of change.... the corporate world is full of this but who cares bout them it has filtered down to our level where we are often coerced into changing ourselves for no good and valid reason andmany change to follow fashion or what is current and this is not always so clever would you agree I wonder?

Yr most obdt hmble srvt,
Jenna


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## OnlyAnEgg (Jun 3, 2006)

I would indeed agree, jenna.  Change for it's own sake or for marketing reasons is ridiculous.  There is a natural flow to the universe.  Moving with it, changing as is needed because of it...that's good change, as I see it.  It's resistance to that particular change that causes problems.


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## Last Fearner (Jun 4, 2006)

Jenna said:
			
		

> Hey LF  Had you put this in the Comedy forum I might have given you a straightaway answer but since I know what level of a thinker you are ....


My Dear Jenna, I am so very pleased that you knew me for the philosopher, and understood that I posted this question on this forum for a reason. Yes, it is not a joke, and I like your answer very much




			
				Jenna said:
			
		

> For others they need to handle only the one lightbulb to become changed completely and reborn....


This is so true!



			
				Jenna said:
			
		

> And here is another thought for you..... is the dimension of the lightbulb relevant? You might forgive someone that has handled a hundred little low wattage lightbulbs and never stopped to think whereas it may be easy to see that one HUGE incandescent BEACON would change everything and for me this is very relevant


I would agree that it is relevant, yet I don't know about the forgiving part. Not to blame anyone for their lack of awareness of the little light bulbs, but only a fool would not take note of the "beacon."  Even a blind person would take note of the warmth from such and intense light if it were close enough.  These points are very relevant to the question, and I am glad that so many have given it serious thought.



			
				OnlyAnEgg said:
			
		

> One burned out bulb; because, everyone knows, people won't change while things are working.


Excellent answer! Amusing and insightful.



			
				Jade Tigress said:
			
		

> Yeah, and many won't change things even when they're _not_ working...because change...can be a scary thing.


Beautiful. I like that you see things from a different perspective. Truth can be viewed from many points of view.



			
				Martial Tucker said:
			
		

> Only one, if the person's eyes are open......


I like your answer very much, Martial Tucker! I like to think that this applies more to "eyes open" in the "spiritual sense" as well as physically. This also ties in to what Jenna said about dimension and wattage, which would affect the intensity. Ever notice that when your eyes are physically closed, it seems dark, and you don't notice if a light is on. However, if you look close, through your eyelids, you cans see some light.

Try this experiment. Turn only one light on in the room you are in. Close your eyes, then turn the light off and on. See if you can tell when it is on. Next, try to close your eyes real tight (don't cover them, just squeeze the lids shut). You probably won't be able to tell the difference if the light is on or off. However, if the light is very intense, or in close proximity, you will see the light even if your eyelids are closed real tight.

What do you think of this experiment, philosophically, in relation to the light bulb question I asked?

I have enjoyed the thoughtful answers thus far, and look forward to more!
CM D. J. Eisenhart


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## Martial Tucker (Jun 4, 2006)

Last Fearner said:
			
		

> I like your answer very much, Martial Tucker! I like to think that this applies more to "eyes open" in the "spiritual sense" as well as physically. This also ties in to what Jenna said about dimension and wattage, which would affect the intensity. Ever notice that when your eyes are physically closed, it seems dark, and you don't notice if a light is on. However, if you look close, through your eyelids, you cans see some light.
> 
> Try this experiment. Turn only one light on in the room you are in. Close your eyes, then turn the light off and on. See if you can tell when it is on. Next, try to close your eyes real tight (don't cover them, just squeeze the lids shut). You probably won't be able to tell the difference if the light is on or off. However, if the light is very intense, or in close proximity, you will see the light even if your eyelids are closed real tight.
> 
> What do you think of this experiment, philosophically, in relation to the light bulb question I asked?


My response was primarily meant to be in a spiritual context, but the same reasoning could apply for any transfer of "information".

By that, I mean that if we consider the light emitted from the source as information, or a "message", then as you implied, the primary factors are the strength of the light/message, and the distance from the source.
I think if we imagine the source of the light/message as being a person, then again, the strength of the light/message that reaches our eyes would be stronger (all else being equal) if the source/person is closer to us. For actual light, physics would dicate the the term "closer" means physical distance. In a spiritual context, I would interpret "closer" as describing
an emotional attachment.

What I'm really trying to say is, I interpret your question this way:
If someone is trying to convey a message to us, they will be more successful if either: A) the message is relatively powerful, or B) the person
conveying the message is "closer" to us emotionally, giving them more credibility in our minds. 

A weak message from a relative stranger will not penetrate closed eyes. 
A stronger message , or a message delivered from a friend will likely penetrate even closed
eyes to some degree. However, when the eyes are tightly closed and covered, intentionally shutting out the world, then virtually no message will get through.


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## monkey (Jun 4, 2006)

There has been a lot of times when some one on the street did somethig odd>Id qutote to my wife (Hes a dim bulb or to many watts for that volt).Now as far as some one to change.Look at it on how & why you require the change.Then many ways that will be both adaptable & benifical will arise.


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