You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies lit up the world as
I fell asleep
The Party told you to reject
the evidence of your eyes
and ears. It was their final,
most essential command.
[Renaissance philosophers] were alerted to the ancient manuscript tradition named after their supposed author, Hermes Trismegistus… The documents were collectively called the Corpus Hermeticum or, simply, the Hermetica.
‘Cause they fill the open air
and leave teardrops everywhere
You’d think me rude
But I would just stand and stare
The key to the Hermetic rebirth resided in attainment of gnosis, spiritual knowledge to free the mind from the bonds of material perception.
Nicolaus Copernicus (19 February 1473 – 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance polymath, active as a mathematician, astronomer, and Catholic canon, who formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than Earth at its center.
With a wave of his hand,
he had made the Earth a planet and set it spinning.
Dava Sobel
A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos
Only puny secrets need protection.
Big discoveries are protected by public incredulity.
I’d like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
Asserts that a proposition must be false because it contradicts one’s personal expectations or beliefs, or is difficult to imagine.
The character of being empirical; reliance on direct experience and observation rather than on theory
The philosophical interpretation of natural phenomena as exhibiting purpose or design.
To everything turn, turn, turn
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under Heaven
The time has come
A fact’s a fact
It belongs to them
Let’s give it back
I’ll stop the world
and melt with you
To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven
Ecclesiastes 3
Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970) was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, and public intellectual. He had influence on mathematics, logic, set theory, and various areas of analytic philosophy.
Is there any knowledge in the world which is so certain that no reasonable man could doubt it?
It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay
Awake when I’m asleep
‘Cause everything is never as it seems
We’d better think about
the games we play
The world went round,
around and round
And as I roll along, I begin to find,
Things aren’t always just what they seem
Symbolism was largely a reaction against naturalism and realism, anti-idealistic styles which were attempts to represent reality in its gritty particularity, and to elevate the humble and the ordinary over the ideal. Symbolism was a reaction in favour of spirituality, imagination, and dreams.
And oh my dreams,
It’s never quite as it seems
‘Cause I’d get a thousand hugs
from ten thousand lightning bugs
As they tried to teach me how to dance
Did all my dreams never mean one thing?
How can we dance
when our earth is turning?
A foxtrot above my head
A sock hop beneath my bed
A disco ball is just hanging by a thread
Oh you, you keep me hangin’
‘Round and ’round and ’round and ’round
All my instincts, they return
and the grand facade,
so soon will burn
A false, superficial, or artificial appearance or effect.
There is no dark side in the moon, really.
Matter of fact, it’s all dark.
The only thing that makes it look light is the sun.
(Gerry O’Driscoll)
Pink Floyd
Eclipse
Throw in some assumptions, such as moonlight being nothing more than reflected sunlight, and a framework of scientific logic takes shape.
The moon appears to shine and light the skies,
with the help of some fireflies
You come out at night
That’s when the energy comes
And the dark side’s light
I wonder how they have the power
to shine, shine, shine
This architecture of scientific logic has an inherent beauty which emerges from how various arguments fit together, how several measurements interlock with one another, and how different theories are suddenly introduced to add strength to the edifice.
An elaborate conceptual structure.
Just think of a destination
I’ll be your transportation
The moon is out, the stars invite,
I think I’ll leave tonight
The world’s still spinning ’round
we don’t know why
A time to cast away stones,
and a time to gather stones together
Ecclesiastes 3
All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed.
Second, it is violently opposed.
Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
Unknown
It’s hard to say that I’d rather
stay awake when I’m asleep
Because my dreams are bursting at the seams
Notes & References
🎥 Fireflies
💬 Quote Library
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Reject the Evidence of Your EyesThe Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.Source: 1984 by George Orwell
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He Had Made the Earth a Planet and Set It SpinningWith a wave of his hand, he had made the Earth a planet and set it spinning.Source: A More Perfect Heaven by Dava Sobel
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Big Discoveries Are Protected by Public IncredulityOnly puny secrets need protection. Big discoveries are protected by public incredulity.Source: Take Today by Marshall McLuhan
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All Truth Passes Through Three StagesAll truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.Sources
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No Reasonable Man Could Doubt ItIs there any knowledge in the world which is so certain that no reasonable man could doubt it?Source: The Problems of Philosophy by Bertrand Russell
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Every Purpose Under the HeavenTo every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven
Sources
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8Bible GatewayWebsiteTo every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven -
The Bonds of Material PerceptionThe key to the Hermetic rebirth resided in attainment of gnosis, spiritual knowledge to free the mind from the bonds of material perception.Source: The Magus of Freemasonry by Tobias Churton
🎼 Song Excerpts
Believe That Planet Earth TurnsI'd like to make myself believe, that planet Earth turns slowly
Building a Mystery, and Choosing So CarefullyYeah you're working, Building a mystery, And choosing so carefullySource: Building a Mystery by Sarah McLachlan
Did All My Dreams Never Mean One Thing?Did all my dreams never mean one thing?Source: Bad Liar (Official Video) by Imagine Dragons
How Can We Dance When Our Earth Is Turning?How can we dance when our earth is turning?Source: Beds Are Burning by Midnight Oil
I Think I’ll Leave TonightThe moon is out, the stars invite, I think I'll leave tonightSource: Rocket by The Smashing Pumpkins
I Wonder How They Have the Power to ShineI wonder how they have the power to shine, shine, shineSource: Baby I Love Your Way by Peter Frampton
- It Belongs to Them, Let’s Give It BackThe time has come - A fact's a fact - It belongs to them - Let's give it back
Source: Beds Are Burning by Midnight Oil
It’s Never Quite as It SeemsAnd oh my dreams - It's never quite as it seemsSource: Dreams by The Cranberries
I’ll Stop the World and Melt with YouI'll stop the world and melt with youSource: I Melt with You by Modern English
Just Think of a Destination I’ll Be Your TransportationJust think of a destination - I'll be your transportationSource: One Minute More by Capital Cities
- My Dreams Are Bursting at the SeamsIt's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep - Because my dreams are bursting at the seams
- That’s When the Energy Comes, and the Dark Side’s LightYou come out at night - That's when the energy comes, and the dark side's light
Source: Building a Mystery by Sarah McLachlan
The Grand Facade So Soon Will BurnAll my instincts, they return and the grand facade, so soon will burnSource: In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel
The Moon Appears To ShineThe moon appears to shine and light the skies, with the help of some firefliesSource: Baby I Love Your Way (Big Mountain) by Big Mountain
The World Went RoundWe'd better think about the games we play - The world went round, around and roundSource: Time Is Ticking Out by The Cranberries
The World’s Still Spinning ’Round We Don’t Know WhyThe world’s still spinning ’round we don’t know whySource: Champagne Supernova by Oasis
There Is No Dark Side in the MoonThere is no dark side in the moon, really. Matter of fact, it's all dark. The only thing that makes it look light is the sun.Source: Eclipse by Pink Floyd
Things Aren’t Always Just What They SeemAnd as I roll along, I begin to find, things aren't always just what they seemSource: Upside Down by Jack Johnson
To Everything Turn, Turn, TurnTo everything turn, turn, turn - There is a season turn, turn, turn - And a time to every purpose under HeavenSource: Turn! Turn! Turn! by The Byrds
We Are Turning with the Earth So FastWe are turning with the earth so fast - but it feels a lot slowerSource: Left & Right In the Dark by Julian Casablancas
You Keep Me Hangin’ ’Round and ’RoundOh you, you keep me hangin' - 'round and 'round and 'round and 'roundSource: From the End of the World by Electric Light Orchestra
📖 Excerpts Library
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Different Theories Add Strength to the EdificeThis architecture of scientific logic has an inherent beauty which emerges from how various arguments fit together, how several measurements interlock with one another, and how different theories are suddenly introduced to add strength to the edifice.Source: Big Bang by Simon Singh
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Nothing More than Reflected SunlightThrow in some assumptions, such as moonlight being nothing more than reflected sunlight, and a framework of scientific logic takes shape.
Source: Big Bang by Simon Singh
-
Symbolism Was Largely a Reaction Against Naturalism and RealismSymbolism was largely a reaction against naturalism and realism, anti-idealistic styles which were attempts to represent reality in its gritty particularity, and to elevate the humble and the ordinary over the ideal. Symbolism was a reaction in favour of spirituality,...Sources
Symbolism (movement)WikipediaWebsiteWikipedia contributors. (2025, January 19) In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. -
The Corpus Hermeticum[Renaissance philosophers] were alerted to the ancient manuscript tradition named after their supposed author, Hermes Trismegistus... The documents were collectively called the Corpus Hermeticum or, simply, the Hermetica.
Source: The Magus of Freemasonry by Tobias Churton
🖼 Images Gallery
A Disco Ball Is Just Hanging…
I Wonder How They Have the…
I’ll Stop the World and Melt…
Just Think of a Destination I’ll…
Ocean Eyes
The World’s Still Spinning ’Round We…
You Spin Me Right ’Round
⚛️ Narrative Elements
All My Instincts, They Return
Free the Mind from the Bonds of Material Perception
I’d Like to Make Myself Believe
We’d Better Think About the Games We Play
📼 Video Room
Believe Your Eyes
🔎 Lexicon
Argument from IncredulityAsserts that a proposition must be false because it contradicts one’s personal expectations or beliefs, or is difficult to imagine.- AssumptionAn assuming that something is true.
- BeliefA mental attitude of acceptance or assent toward a proposition without the full intellectual knowledge required to guarantee its truth.
- DreamA state of mind marked by abstraction or release from reality.
- EdificeAn elaborate conceptual structure.
- EmpiricismThe character of being empirical; reliance on direct experience and observation rather than on theory.
- FacadeA false, superficial, or artificial appearance or effect.
- GnosticismGnosticism is the belief that human beings contain a piece of God (the highest good or a divine spark) within themselves, which has fallen from the immaterial world into the bodies of humans. All physical matter is subject to decay, rotting, and death. Those bodies and the material world, created by an inferior being, are therefore evil. Trapped in the material world, but ignorant of its status, the pieces of God require knowledge (gnosis) to inform them of their true status. That knowledge must come from outside the material world, and the agent who brings it is the savior or redeemer.
- HeliocentrismThe idea that the sun is at the center of the universe, with the Earth and other planets moving around it.
- HermeticismThe outlook associated with the Hermetic writings, a literature in Greek that developed in the early centuries after Christ under the name "Hermes Trismegistus." Much of it is concerned with astrology, alchemy, and other occult sciences, but there is also a philosophical Hermetic literature.
- IdealismAny doctrine holding that reality is fundamentally mental in nature.
- ImaginationThe ability to confront and deal with reality by using the creative power of the mind; resourcefulness.
- MagicA concept used to describe a mode of rationality or way of thinking that looks to invisible forces to influence events, effect change in material conditions, or present the illusion of change.
- Naturalism (Literature)A style of art or literature that shows people and things as they actually are.
- ParticularityThe quality or state of being particular rather than general.
- Realism (Art)The attempt to represent subject-matter truthfully, without artificiality, exaggeration, or speculative or supernatural elements.
- SymbolismThe practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships.
- TeleologyThe philosophical interpretation of natural phenomena as exhibiting purpose or design.
