http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com The meaning of life according to some guy who likes TV and stuff. Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:36:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2013/04/28/the-invisible-thread/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2013/04/28/the-invisible-thread/#comments Sun, 28 Apr 2013 16:43:43 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=2234 “We’re all connected.” It’s the ubiquitous mantra of new-agey types. Chances are if you’ve ever watched Oprah, were a fan of the TV show Lost, or have read just about anything I’ve written, you are very familiar with this concept. Along with its close cousin “everything happens for a reason,” it’s pretty much become a cliché that isn’t really given much thought. Yet, how exactly are we all connected? Sure, we’re all made of the same elements, live on the same planet, and are plugged into the same Internet, but the phrase usually refers to the idea that all of our minds are somehow connected, that our lives are intertwined, that actions taken by you, now, could somehow affect a struggling shoe salesman living in Uzbekistan. I think it’s about time we explored this concept and saved it from the nether regions of trite, hackneyed banality. After all, if the idea that “we’re all connected” is a given, why doesn’t anyone (with the possible exception of Oprah herself) really believe it? ]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2013/04/28/the-invisible-thread/feed/ 3 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2013/02/20/diary-of-a-layman-29-winter-how-to-predict-the-future-using-the-super-bowl/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2013/02/20/diary-of-a-layman-29-winter-how-to-predict-the-future-using-the-super-bowl/#comments Thu, 21 Feb 2013 01:08:49 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=2201 Those who move in spiritual circles often talk about how we are all connected, that our thoughts create our future reality, and that the universe provides us with clues about our direction in life. Personally, I look at spiritual principles as scientific rules that we just don’t understand yet. Not too long ago, the idea that people could get sick from tiny bugs they couldn’t see or that invisible waves could carry images or music was thought to be magical thinking, until science proved it to be true. So if these spiritual principles are indeed a rule of our universe, there should be a way to test and predict their occurrence. Doing this on an individual scale might prove challenging though, since one person’s thoughts may not have enough energy to make something manifest in a testable way. But what if there were an event that millions of people were focusing on, and this event inspired heated, emotionally charged thoughts that could result in only one of two possible outcomes? If only we had such an event, why, we just might be able to predict the future on a grand scale!]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2013/02/20/diary-of-a-layman-29-winter-how-to-predict-the-future-using-the-super-bowl/feed/ 8 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2013/01/23/scientific-proof-we-live-in-a-simulation/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2013/01/23/scientific-proof-we-live-in-a-simulation/#comments Wed, 23 Jan 2013 23:31:59 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=2144 Back in June 2009, I wrote an article titled “Proof That We’re Living a Life of Illusion.”  In it, I provided what I felt was overwhelming evidence that we all live in some kind of computer simulation. I also offered some simple explanations as to why I thought we did. At the time, the people who are open to believing in such fantastical theories excitedly agreed with the premise, while those who rely on hard-core scientific proof, did not. Well, a funny thing’s happened in the years since I wrote that article. Scientists are beginning to see the evidence that the non-believers require. The question now is, whether those skeptics will decide to take the blue pill or the red pill? ]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2013/01/23/scientific-proof-we-live-in-a-simulation/feed/ 17 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/12/20/diary-of-a-layman-28-fall-fasten-your-safety-belt/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/12/20/diary-of-a-layman-28-fall-fasten-your-safety-belt/#comments Thu, 20 Dec 2012 06:37:04 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=2086 There is certainly no shortage of theories about what may or may not happen on December 21. Of course, nearly all of them will turn out to be wrong. My experience has shown however, that there is one thing you can do that will likely be beneficial regardless of what’s in store for us: think positive.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/12/20/diary-of-a-layman-28-fall-fasten-your-safety-belt/feed/ 20 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/12/12/is-time-speeding-up-or-is-it-just-you/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/12/12/is-time-speeding-up-or-is-it-just-you/#comments Wed, 12 Dec 2012 07:34:28 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=2053 Let me guess, you don’t have time to read this right now, do you? Yes, the holiday season is always busy and yes time seems to go faster as you get older but doesn’t life seem to be moving at an even more frantic pace than usual lately? I know I’m feeling it. But I’ve been expecting this time crunch for a while now, so it may be a bit easier for me to deal with. Since I tend to be pretty sensitive about this stuff, what I wasn’t sure about was whether others would be able to pick up on it too. In the last few weeks however, I’ve heard at least fifteen different people exclaim in near shock about how fast time’s been going lately. And this without my even bringing it up! So, what’s going on? Can time really be going faster? If so, how much faster can it go before we can no longer keep up? And what then? Are we literally running out of time?]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/12/12/is-time-speeding-up-or-is-it-just-you/feed/ 14 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/11/11/the-solution-to-every-major-mystery-on-earth/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/11/11/the-solution-to-every-major-mystery-on-earth/#comments Mon, 12 Nov 2012 01:00:41 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=2022 The ancient world has left us with lots of mysteries that have been baffling mankind for millennia. Mysteries like the Great Pyramid of Giza, Stonehenge, the Crystal Skulls, the Nazca Lines, and many more. In addition, our history is filled with unanswered questions about who we are, what inspired the stories of our gods, what all this extra DNA is doing in our genes, and so on. What if I told you that all of these seemingly unrelated mysteries all share the exact same explanation—and that this explanation will completely change life on earth as we know it?  Oh, and the epiphany for this explanation hit me while I was watching a horror movie that came out earlier this year. This movie’s tagline was, “You think you know the story. Think again.” The same can be said of this edition of “Answers to Everything.”]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/11/11/the-solution-to-every-major-mystery-on-earth/feed/ 6 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/10/10/how-the-psychedelic-shows-of-your-youth-affect-your-mind-today/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/10/10/how-the-psychedelic-shows-of-your-youth-affect-your-mind-today/#comments Thu, 11 Oct 2012 03:59:40 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=2001 Have you ever tried to track down something you saw on TV as a kid, just to see if it was even real? Many of us are occasionally haunted by snippets of movies and shows we vaguely remember watching when we were children. We may wonder if these memories ever really happened, or if they were dreams. Especially when the memories seem incredibly bizarre! Having grown up in the 70s, I caught a LOT of psychedelic stuff on TV as a kid that I've become obsessed with tracking down as an adult. Why? Discovering forgotten moments from our youth is the closest thing we have to time travel. We get to relive an experience we had and to see what actually happened. Sometimes, we may even be shocked to find that the story from way back then provides an answer to our lives now.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/10/10/how-the-psychedelic-shows-of-your-youth-affect-your-mind-today/feed/ 6 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/09/22/diary-of-a-layman-27-summer-are-you-experiencing-ascension-symptoms/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/09/22/diary-of-a-layman-27-summer-are-you-experiencing-ascension-symptoms/#comments Sat, 22 Sep 2012 23:51:56 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1966 Have you been feeling a bit dizzy lately? Does time feel like it’s been flying by faster than ever? Experiencing ringing in your ears? Seeing flashes of light or fleeting glimpses of things that aren’t there? If you’re not head-over heels in love, pregnant, or smokin’ da ganja, you may be going through what’s known as ascension symptoms. What are they, why are they happening, what do they mean, and will they ever go away? If you’d like answers to questions like these, the latest installment of Layman just might be the prescription you’ve been looking for.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/09/22/diary-of-a-layman-27-summer-are-you-experiencing-ascension-symptoms/feed/ 11 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/08/18/have-you-seen-the-honeycombs/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/08/18/have-you-seen-the-honeycombs/#comments Sat, 18 Aug 2012 14:54:11 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1868 Have you seen them? They’re everywhere: in movies and TV shows, on ads and product packaging, in architecture, design, floor patterns, the Olympics, online, and even on the paper wrapped around hero sandwiches. They are honeycombs and hexagons, and they are taking over. Sure, design styles come and go, but why has this one seemed to have popped up so suddenly, become so incredibly prolific, and been so invisible to so many? Of course, now that you’re in the know, you’ll begin seeing them too (if you haven’t already). The question is why are they here, what do they mean, and why should you care?]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/08/18/have-you-seen-the-honeycombs/feed/ 27 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/07/12/why-forgiving-others-makes-life-better-for-you/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/07/12/why-forgiving-others-makes-life-better-for-you/#comments Fri, 13 Jul 2012 03:06:52 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1853 The first time I was given advice about the importance of forgiveness was at the most unlikely of places: an advertising school I was attending in Atlanta. The school had brought in speaker Joey Reiman—a very successful advertising executive who ran his own agency. Almost immediately, I could tell this man had a lot of wisdom, but it was towards the end of his presentation when something he said really resonated with me.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/07/12/why-forgiving-others-makes-life-better-for-you/feed/ 6 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/06/08/diary-of-a-layman-26-spring-why-disney-characters-and-superheroes-are-usually-orphans/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/06/08/diary-of-a-layman-26-spring-why-disney-characters-and-superheroes-are-usually-orphans/#comments Fri, 08 Jun 2012 16:24:34 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1826 Disney taught us that, “when you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.” Unfortunately, if your dream is to have both of your parents live to see you succeed, you’re sheer out of luck. In fact, of Disney’s forty full-length animated features from 1937 until 2000, I know of only one where the protagonist’s parents remain alive for the entire film.* Then there’s the fact that just about every super-powered hero is an orphan. If this isn’t bad enough, one or both of the hero’s adoptive parents often dies too! Superman lost his adoptive dad, Spider-Man lost his uncle, and Luke Skywalker lost both his aunt and uncle. With the Amazing Spider-Man movie set for release this summer, and that movie actually exploring the mysterious back-story about Peter Parker’s real parents, I thought it would be a good time to delve into the topic of why so many of our heroes—both super and animated—are orphans, and what the message means for all of us.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/06/08/diary-of-a-layman-26-spring-why-disney-characters-and-superheroes-are-usually-orphans/feed/ 8 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/05/07/the-science-of-raising-your-vibration/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/05/07/the-science-of-raising-your-vibration/#comments Tue, 08 May 2012 01:02:49 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1798 Anyone who travels within spiritual circles has probably heard about “vibrations.” The context is usually that someone with a higher vibration is somehow more spiritual or that the goal of the individual is to raise his or her vibration. But what does this really mean? Is it all just spiritual mumbo jumbo or is there actually a science behind vibrations? As you probably figured out from the title of this article, I believe that there is absolutely a science to this spiritual concept. And I believe I can prove it.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/05/07/the-science-of-raising-your-vibration/feed/ 13 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/04/05/the-answer-to-everything/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/04/05/the-answer-to-everything/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:26:45 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1722 If you’ve ever wondered why we are here, this article is for you. If you’ve never wondered, some part of you has been wondering without your knowledge or else you wouldn’t be reading this now. There’s been a lot written about what life is and what we’re doing here. Some of it is very technical and philosophical. Some of it is very metaphorical and poetic. And then there is the actual answer, which we may never know. However, one truth I’ve noticed about this world is that cycles exist within cycles within cycles. Electrons swirling around a neutron are similar to our planets swirling around the sun. The shape of a leaf is indicative of the shape of the tree it came from. History repeats itself. Myths evolve over time but their basic elements all remain the same. Putting these truths together I was able to trace back to the origins of the first story and, to my shock and awe, uncovered an answer to a question I’ve been wondering for a very long time: why did the universe evolve to become so seemingly complicated? The answer, ironically enough, is incredibly simple.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/04/05/the-answer-to-everything/feed/ 9 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/03/11/diary-of-a-layman-25-winter-the-golden-path/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/03/11/diary-of-a-layman-25-winter-the-golden-path/#comments Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:00:09 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1704 In a New York Press article from August, 2011, film producer and director Tommy Pallotta, said, “I am a fan of audience participation, but I also think audiences like to be told a story. There’s this thing video game designers call a ‘golden path’—there’s a definite way that the majority of people are going to experience the game, and the designers plot that. A lot of the interactivity in a video game is really just the illusion of interactivity. It’s about engaging the audience and giving at least the feeling of volition. But as the artist you have the sense that you are, in some way, controlling it, blending the craft of storytelling with the illusion of agency.” In other words, in a game you think you are controlling the action, but really it’s already been pre-programmed. Kind of like what we think of as destiny. In fact, maybe that’s exactly what destiny is: the path we are meant to take in order to have the most fulfilling experience.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2012/03/11/diary-of-a-layman-25-winter-the-golden-path/feed/ 11 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/12/21/diary-of-a-layman-24-fall-the-chocolate-cake-of-negativity/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/12/21/diary-of-a-layman-24-fall-the-chocolate-cake-of-negativity/#comments Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:25:07 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1607 We are living through some pretty dark times. The economy continues to be horrendous with the middle class going through the toughest challenges it’s ever had to face. To make matters worse, natural disasters are becoming more powerful and frequent than ever before, the uprisings in the Middle East are bringing unprecedented instability to the region, and if these “end of days” scenarios weren’t enough, the Maya, Nostradamus, and others all actually predicted the end of the world in 2012. It’s not like this is anything you haven’t heard on the media or from others dozens of times before. The funny thing? None of it’s true. Lately, we’ve been hearing and accepting dozens of statistics like these without question. It’s a sinfully delicious dessert the entire world seems to be stuffing themselves with: the chocolate cake of negativity.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/12/21/diary-of-a-layman-24-fall-the-chocolate-cake-of-negativity/feed/ 7 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/11/11/diary-of-a-layman-23-summer-the-mayans-predicted-the-coming-of-green-lantern/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/11/11/diary-of-a-layman-23-summer-the-mayans-predicted-the-coming-of-green-lantern/#comments Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:02:58 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1551 By now you have no doubt heard that according to astronomers and anthropologists, December 21, 2012 correlates to the “end” of the Mayan calendar. And, despite having repeatedly heard about this for many, many years now, it is also very probable that you still have no idea exactly what this means. The reason is because it’s very complicated. To even begin to understand it you need to look to the Mayan myths of the Sacred Tree and understand their incredibly complex Long Count calendar of tuns, k’atuns, and b’aktuns as well as their concepts of the Great Cycle, the Great Great Cycle, and cycles within cycles. You’d also need to understand astronomical occurrences involving the precession of the equinoxes and the conjunction of the sun at the intersection of the plane of the ecliptic and the Milky Way. You can do all that, or, you can simply read my interpretation of this summer’s Green Lantern movie, which shares the same message as the Mayan mythology.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/11/11/diary-of-a-layman-23-summer-the-mayans-predicted-the-coming-of-green-lantern/feed/ 14 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/05/30/diary-of-a-layman-22-spring-deciphering-hollywood%e2%80%99s-hidden-messages/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/05/30/diary-of-a-layman-22-spring-deciphering-hollywood%e2%80%99s-hidden-messages/#comments Mon, 30 May 2011 22:46:15 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1521 As mentioned in last quarter’s column, there have been a lot of “life-as-illusion” themed movies coming out lately. While I suspect that the success of Avatar and Lost are partly responsible for this trend, I think people’s fascination with 2012, drastic world changes, and a surge in our search for meaning are also fueling the recent string of films about alternate realities and simulated worlds. When airplanes are crashing into buildings, cities are submerged underwater, the Middle East is revolting, and the world economy is collapsing, real life almost seems more fantastical than our dreams. Jon Stewart summed it up perfectly at the 2008 Academy Awards: “Normally, when you see a black man or a woman president, an asteroid is about to hit the Statue of Liberty.” Yes, we are now officially living in the future, and we all know what kind of stuff happens in the future—exactly the kind of stuff that’s happening right now. But at least, thanks to Hollywood, we’ve been warned. And Hollywood’s heads up may even go much deeper than prophesies of events to come. They may help explain the reality we all find ourselves in.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/05/30/diary-of-a-layman-22-spring-deciphering-hollywood%e2%80%99s-hidden-messages/feed/ 19 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/03/13/diary-of-a-layman-21-winter-the-tangled-web-we-weave/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/03/13/diary-of-a-layman-21-winter-the-tangled-web-we-weave/#comments Sun, 13 Mar 2011 22:05:00 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1482 There have been a lot of “life-as-illusion” themed movies coming out lately. We’ve had Avatar, Inception, and TRON: Legacy, and this month alone there’s The Adjustment Bureau, Limitless, Sucker Punch and Source Code. All these films share themes of alternate realities, questions about what is reality, and insight into powers that might be manipulating the reality we live in. While I hope to discuss the most recent batch of these films in an upcoming column, for now I’d like to bring up one that slipped past the radar of many moviegoers. This film actually gave me goose bumps when it revealed an angle that I’ve only recently adopted, and have never before seen in any other movie. That film is Disney’s Tangled.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2011/03/13/diary-of-a-layman-21-winter-the-tangled-web-we-weave/feed/ 16 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/12/21/diary-of-a-layman-20-fall-was-jesus-a-user/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/12/21/diary-of-a-layman-20-fall-was-jesus-a-user/#comments Wed, 22 Dec 2010 03:45:03 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1460 In anticipation of TRON: Legacy, I recently re-watched a bunch of simulation-world films including The Thirteenth Floor, eXistenZ, and the original TRON, which I hadn’t seen in over twenty-five years. While I remember being somewhat confused watching the futuristic Disney film as a kid, seeing it again with new eyes, I was amazed at how clearly it expressed the “life as illusion” theme I’ve been so fascinated by as an adult. In the original movie, Jeff Bridges is considered a “user.” While Bridges often plays users in his films, in this case, it refers to a computer user who manipulates the scenarios of a digital world that is very similar to our own. In the original film, users are considered mythical, messianic figures who can help free the programs from the game they find themselves in. This got me thinking.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/12/21/diary-of-a-layman-20-fall-was-jesus-a-user/feed/ 8 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/09/21/diary-of-a-layman-19-summer-clearing-a-path-for-your-destiny/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/09/21/diary-of-a-layman-19-summer-clearing-a-path-for-your-destiny/#comments Tue, 21 Sep 2010 20:14:04 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1440 Throughout my travels this summer, I kept hearing similar themes coming up again and again: the idea that the world seems to be broken and in need of repair, that the system no longer works, that the rules have drastically changed since we were kids, that there seems to be a gap between where we are and where we want to go, both as a society, and in our individual lives. Admittedly, these themes were most often being repeated by me, but others weren’t giving me the kind of baffled looks I used to get when I spoke my mind. No, most of the time they agreed with me and shared their frustrations about how hard things seem to be these days. Initially, I had no answers. But then, a solution came to me from a most unexpected source—the TV show, Lost. Actually, the source wasn’t the unexpected part since I’d been getting wisdom from Lost for years and had even written a book about it. What was unexpected was that the show had already concluded three months earlier.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/09/21/diary-of-a-layman-19-summer-clearing-a-path-for-your-destiny/feed/ 8 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/06/27/diary-of-a-layman-18-spring-spiritual-growing-pains/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/06/27/diary-of-a-layman-18-spring-spiritual-growing-pains/#comments Mon, 28 Jun 2010 03:59:16 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1415 On the evening of October 6th, 2009, I awoke from a deep sleep with the sensation that there was a bright light shining on me from behind my head. Not only could I see this light, I could feel it and I soon became very hot. It felt almost as though the light were cooking me, but I didn’t want to move—or maybe, I couldn’t move. Eventually, the light faded and I fell back to sleep. So, what was it? Was it all in my mind? Was I getting some kind of program download or vibration upgrade? Was it a celestial connection? An angel communication? An alien probe? I wasn’t sure, but my forehead was very red the next morning and soon began peeling as though I’d gotten a sunburn. But this was October, and I hadn’t been out in sun for any length of time. Completely baffled, I decided to seek the help of my trusty mentor and longest childhood friend…television.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/06/27/diary-of-a-layman-18-spring-spiritual-growing-pains/feed/ 11 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/26/lost-in-myth-%e2%80%9cthe-end%e2%80%9d/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/26/lost-in-myth-%e2%80%9cthe-end%e2%80%9d/#comments Thu, 27 May 2010 01:45:19 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1388 Lost is dead. Long live Lost. And so it ends, in much the same way it began—with a close-up of Jack’s eye, staring straight up past the tall stalks of bamboo that circled the sky above. This time however, that eye would close, and with it, our six-season journey that took us right back to where we started—with questions about a mysterious show that seemed to parallel the mysteries of life. For some, the journey was far more compelling than the destination. For others, it was the perfect resolution and they can walk away feeling fulfilled. Whatever you thought about the conclusion, the one thing most viewers can agree on is that the show challenged us to think in ways we might not have otherwise. In short, Lost was a real trip. And what a long, strange trip it’s been.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/26/lost-in-myth-%e2%80%9cthe-end%e2%80%9d/feed/ 30 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/20/lost-in-myth-understanding-%e2%80%9cwhat-they-died-for%e2%80%9d/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/20/lost-in-myth-understanding-%e2%80%9cwhat-they-died-for%e2%80%9d/#comments Thu, 20 May 2010 04:27:16 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1369 In the penultimate episode of Lost, “What They Died For,” Jacob tells the surviving Losties why he chose them as candidates: “I chose you because you were all alone. You were all looking for something that you couldn’t find out there. I chose you because you needed this place as much as it needed you.” This explanation really resonated with me, on one hand because it provided a mythologically sound answer to the main question I’ve always had about Lost: why do all these characters have major issues? And having that answer provided the other reason I really liked the explanation: I immediately understood that while Jacob was addressing the remaining candidates, he was really speaking to us.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/20/lost-in-myth-understanding-%e2%80%9cwhat-they-died-for%e2%80%9d/feed/ 21 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/13/lost-in-myth-discovering-you%e2%80%99re-really-from-%e2%80%9cacross-the-sea%e2%80%9d/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/13/lost-in-myth-discovering-you%e2%80%99re-really-from-%e2%80%9cacross-the-sea%e2%80%9d/#comments Thu, 13 May 2010 17:38:54 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1345 In “Across the Sea,” Lost finally gives us the origins story for Jacob and the Man In Black. The episode was pure, 100% mythology. Those who watched the episode based on the surface story alone were probably disappointed. Let’s face it, taken literally, myths are silly: talking snakes, little boys defeating giants, jealous gods, immaculate conceptions, mortals with superpowers, a sword stuck in a stone, the Force, Never Never Land, Wonderland, Oz, the Matrix, the Island. On the surface, all myths seem like children’s stories. It’s only when we dig deeper that we find the truth worthy of a wise old soul—a soul that knows where it really came from.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/13/lost-in-myth-discovering-you%e2%80%99re-really-from-%e2%80%9cacross-the-sea%e2%80%9d/feed/ 40 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/05/lost-in-myth-are-you-a-candidate/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/05/lost-in-myth-are-you-a-candidate/#comments Thu, 06 May 2010 03:40:51 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1330 Wanna know why the Man In Black is really trapped on the island? It’s not because he’s malevolence, evil, or darkness, and it’s not because Jacob wouldn’t let him leave. It’s because he hasn’t overcome his issues. And what are his issues? Up to now, all we know is that he seems to be terribly frightened of adolescent boys. Hopefully, we’ll get a better answer next week, but as ridiculous as this might sound, I actually think there may be something to it.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/05/05/lost-in-myth-are-you-a-candidate/feed/ 3 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/22/lost-in-myth-is-the-last-recruit-a-sucker/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/22/lost-in-myth-is-the-last-recruit-a-sucker/#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:24:37 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1314 In Lost’s “The Last Recruit,” the Man In Black refers to John Locke as a “sucker” for believing in fate. As he points out, Locke pursued this belief until it got him killed so perhaps MIB has a point. Despite his compelling argument, Jack takes a leap of faith towards the exact same conclusion as his former nemesis. So does this make Jack—the last recruit himself—a sucker too? My short answer is yes, but, what if this isn’t necessarily a bad thing?]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/22/lost-in-myth-is-the-last-recruit-a-sucker/feed/ 6 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/15/lost-in-myth-everybody-loves-answers/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/15/lost-in-myth-everybody-loves-answers/#comments Thu, 15 Apr 2010 06:28:59 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1295 In Lost’s “Everybody Loves Hugo,” Richard complains that Jacob “never tells us what to do.” Richard’s frustration echoes clearly into our world. For most of us, Jacob, aka God, never seems to tell us what to do. He just sits back and lets us make our own mistakes, leading to countless horrors and suffering. For many, this is a major argument as to why there is no God. Yet, when watching Lost, we see that Jacob does in fact tell the Losties what to do—sometimes directly, sometimes through his lists or clues, and sometimes through messages that he passes on through his emissaries. But certainly this doesn’t happen in our world. Here, there are no ghosts of Michaels past, otherworldly whispers, or visits from dimension-hopping Desmonds to guide us on our journey through life. Or…is there?]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/15/lost-in-myth-everybody-loves-answers/feed/ 3 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/12/lost-in-myth-where%e2%80%99s-your-%e2%80%9chappily-ever-after%e2%80%9d/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/12/lost-in-myth-where%e2%80%99s-your-%e2%80%9chappily-ever-after%e2%80%9d/#comments Mon, 12 Apr 2010 04:27:16 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1280 Once upon a time, you believed that you were very special. That you’d grow up to make a difference in the world, be paid handsomely for doing so, find true love, have some equally special children, and live happily ever after. Unfortunately, life hasn’t worked out quite as good as the fairytale. So, were we all lied to? In Lost’s “Happily Ever After” Desmond discovers that there is a reality where all his dreams can come true. So where is this reality and do we need to be as special as Desmond to get there?]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/12/lost-in-myth-where%e2%80%99s-your-%e2%80%9chappily-ever-after%e2%80%9d/feed/ 3 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/01/lost-in-myth-unwrapping-the-package/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/01/lost-in-myth-unwrapping-the-package/#comments Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:08:17 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1268 In “The Package” Jin is distraught over having his $25,000 confiscated at the airport, Sun is panicked that her lavish bank account was emptied by her father, Widmore is angry that events aren’t going according to plan, and Desmond didn’t seem particularly happy about being drugged, stuffed in a sub, and brought back to the island. But if there’s anything that life and Lost teach us, it’s that our plans aren’t always in our own best interest. They say that man plans and God laughs. The question is, is God laughing with us, or at us?]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/04/01/lost-in-myth-unwrapping-the-package/feed/ 3 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/27/diary-of-a-layman-17-winter-the-hero%e2%80%99s-journey/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/27/diary-of-a-layman-17-winter-the-hero%e2%80%99s-journey/#comments Sat, 27 Mar 2010 23:27:55 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1227 Just like any story, your life story is filled with twists and turns, an array of interesting characters, moments of bliss and despair, of success and failure, of challenges that will help you grow, and questions that will cause you to wonder. Among the cast of characters there will be love-interests, villains, tricksters, mavericks and mentors. There will be many friends and enemies, and millions of extras. However, there will only be one hero. That hero, is you.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/27/diary-of-a-layman-17-winter-the-hero%e2%80%99s-journey/feed/ 4 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/25/lost-in-myth-%e2%80%9cab-aeterno%e2%80%9d-cadabra-and-the-island-is%e2%80%a6a-cork/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/25/lost-in-myth-%e2%80%9cab-aeterno%e2%80%9d-cadabra-and-the-island-is%e2%80%a6a-cork/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:13:21 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1213 In “Ab Aeterno,” Richard Alpert loses his faith after discovering that the plan he’s dedicated so much of his life to, may in fact, not exist. From the very same episode, some Lost fans began feeling the same. For six years, Lost viewers with an insatiable hunger for answers have anxiously waited to find out what the mysterious island actually is. At the writer’s strike a couple years ago, Carlton Cuse held up a picket sign that read: “Do You Want To Know What The Island Is??” Thousands of fans have dreamed up imaginative theories, all in an attempt to solve the show’s complex riddle. And now at last we have our answer! According to Jacob himself, the island is…A CORK!!! (crickets)]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/25/lost-in-myth-%e2%80%9cab-aeterno%e2%80%9d-cadabra-and-the-island-is%e2%80%a6a-cork/feed/ 2 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/20/lost-in-myth-the-message-of-%e2%80%9crecon%e2%80%9d%e2%80%94learning-to-let-go/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/20/lost-in-myth-the-message-of-%e2%80%9crecon%e2%80%9d%e2%80%94learning-to-let-go/#comments Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:08:13 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1199 In “Recon,” James Ford learns a life-changing lesson from a TV show just as we are learning from Lost. The metaphor is clear: there are messages in the media that are meant to help guide us on our journey. All you have to do is let yourself see through to their true meaning in order to uncover the wisdom.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/20/lost-in-myth-the-message-of-%e2%80%9crecon%e2%80%9d%e2%80%94learning-to-let-go/feed/ 0 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/14/marc-oromaner%e2%80%99s-lost-in-myth-the-lesson-of-%e2%80%9cdr-linus%e2%80%9d%e2%94%80what-about-you/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/14/marc-oromaner%e2%80%99s-lost-in-myth-the-lesson-of-%e2%80%9cdr-linus%e2%80%9d%e2%94%80what-about-you/#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:18:06 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1181 For many of us, our lives don’t work out the way we planned. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a plan. It’s very apropos that Lost’s “Dr. Linus” episode was named for a teacher since it taught us some very valuable lessons about who we are and what our purpose here may be. In other words, it really was all about you. ]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/14/marc-oromaner%e2%80%99s-lost-in-myth-the-lesson-of-%e2%80%9cdr-linus%e2%80%9d%e2%94%80what-about-you/feed/ 1 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/04/lost-in-myth-%e2%80%9csundown%e2%80%9d%e2%80%94temptation-of-the-dark-side/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/04/lost-in-myth-%e2%80%9csundown%e2%80%9d%e2%80%94temptation-of-the-dark-side/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:16:52 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1156 Whereas “Lighthouse” was all about our enlightenment, “Sundown” explored our dark side—temptation. “I can see her lying back in her satin dress in a room where you do what you don’t confess,” sang Gordon Lightfoot in his 1974 hit “Sundown.” The song is all about succumbing to temptation, hence once again revealing the double entendre that the Lost writers are so fond of using in their episode titles. When the sun goes down, man gets tempted by the dark. Why a “satin” dress? Sounds like Satan, don’t it?]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/03/04/lost-in-myth-%e2%80%9csundown%e2%80%9d%e2%80%94temptation-of-the-dark-side/feed/ 6 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/24/lost-in-myth-how-%e2%80%9cthe-lighthouse%e2%80%9d-can-enlighten-us/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/24/lost-in-myth-how-%e2%80%9cthe-lighthouse%e2%80%9d-can-enlighten-us/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 04:16:49 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1134 You’ve probably noticed that in every flash-sideways so far on Lost this season, the central character of the episode has been shown looking into a mirror. Kate looks at herself in the auto body restroom after discovering that Claire was pregnant, Locke in his own bathroom just before attempting to call Jack, and Jack looks at himself both in the airplane while noticing the strange mark on his neck, and again in “The Lighthouse” when noticing an appendix scar that he doesn’t seem to remember. The easy metaphor of course, is that we are looking at secondary versions of these characters through the looking glass. But what’s the deeper meaning for us?]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/24/lost-in-myth-how-%e2%80%9cthe-lighthouse%e2%80%9d-can-enlighten-us/feed/ 3 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/22/lost-in-myth-why-lost-can-be-a-substitute-for-willy-wonka/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/22/lost-in-myth-why-lost-can-be-a-substitute-for-willy-wonka/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:15:10 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1104 Lost episode 6.4, “The Substitute,” has so many parallels with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory , I am convinced that the movie can be used to reveal Lost’s endgame. While I’m sure those parallels also exist within the actual Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book, since I am more familiar with the 1971 Gene Wilder movie (having seen it dozens of times), I will make my comparisons there. Sure, this may turn out to be nothing more than stuff and nonsense, but in the words of Wonka, “a little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.” So, let’s get to it because we have so much time and so little to do. Strike that…reverse it.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/22/lost-in-myth-why-lost-can-be-a-substitute-for-willy-wonka/feed/ 7 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/13/lost-in-myth-a-tale-of-two-kates%e2%80%94why-you-can%e2%80%99t-escape-fate/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/13/lost-in-myth-a-tale-of-two-kates%e2%80%94why-you-can%e2%80%99t-escape-fate/#comments Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:13:35 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1079 Have you ever met someone for the first time who seemed really familiar to you? Strangely, this person likely wound up being an important player in your life. This exact scenario happens to Jack in LA X when he recognizes Desmond on the plane. In What Kate Does, Kate’s parallel life is once again setting up the scene for her to have a connection with Claire and baby Aaron. What if the reason for this familiarity is because we are recognizing these people from our future, or from the story of our destiny?]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/13/lost-in-myth-a-tale-of-two-kates%e2%80%94why-you-can%e2%80%99t-escape-fate/feed/ 2 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/03/lost-in-myth-what-the-la-x-in-%e2%80%9cla-x%e2%80%9d-really-refers-to/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/03/lost-in-myth-what-the-la-x-in-%e2%80%9cla-x%e2%80%9d-really-refers-to/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:56:20 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1066 As soon as I learned of the title of Lost’s Season 6 premiere episode last year, I immediately began to wonder about its implications. Sure, the LA X was a reference to LAX, the abbreviation for Los Angeles International Airport where Oceanic Flight 815 was suppose to land, but why was there a space between the “LA” and the “X”? Like everything on Lost, surely this play on letters was for a reason.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2010/02/03/lost-in-myth-what-the-la-x-in-%e2%80%9cla-x%e2%80%9d-really-refers-to/feed/ 2 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/12/24/myth-in-movies-why-the-phantom-menace-is-responsible-for-our-current-world-crisis/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/12/24/myth-in-movies-why-the-phantom-menace-is-responsible-for-our-current-world-crisis/#comments Fri, 25 Dec 2009 03:18:35 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=1060 I just watched what is quite possibly the most brilliant and hysterically funny movie review I’ve ever seen. This masterpiece critique was created by Mike of Red Letter Media and consists of seven parts that can all be viewed on YouTube. I highly recommend everyone viewing at least the first two parts of his videos, but it will not be necessary to understand what I’m about to say. His analysis brought to the forefront something that I’ve pushed down deep into my psyche for over ten years and am only now ready to release: The Phantom Menace is not only the biggest disappointment in movie history, it is also very likely completely responsible for screwing up our world’s history. Yes, I’m completely serious. Before I begin proving my point, let me begin with some facts that will be a little easier to swallow.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/12/24/myth-in-movies-why-the-phantom-menace-is-responsible-for-our-current-world-crisis/feed/ 2 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/12/19/diary-of-a-layman-16-fall-why-the-universe-seems-to-kick-us-when-we%e2%80%99re-down/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/12/19/diary-of-a-layman-16-fall-why-the-universe-seems-to-kick-us-when-we%e2%80%99re-down/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:26:32 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=839 They say that when it rains, it pours. Why is that? Why do bad things come in threes? Why do things go from bad to worse? Why does the universe always seem to kick us when we’re down? This time of year, when the days are short and cold, it can be easy to find yourself in a dark place. And that’s when the powers that be decide that it would be a perfectly good time for several of the following to happen all at once: Getting sick. Getting hurt. Getting into a fight. Getting into an accident. Losing your job, your life savings, your dreams, and finally, your mind. Why must everything hit us all at once? Is there any reason for it, and more importantly, is there any way to avoid it?]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/12/19/diary-of-a-layman-16-fall-why-the-universe-seems-to-kick-us-when-we%e2%80%99re-down/feed/ 2 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/11/16/myth-in-movies-2012%e2%80%94hollywood-predicts-the-world-will-be-destroyed-by-special-effects/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/11/16/myth-in-movies-2012%e2%80%94hollywood-predicts-the-world-will-be-destroyed-by-special-effects/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:50:28 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=526 It was inevitable that this day would come. With the growing knowledge about the Mayan calendar end date of December 21, 2012, it was just a matter of time before Hollywood seized the opportunity to show its version of what the end date could mean. Since worldwide spiritual enlightenment, a slow transition from a patriarchal to matriarchal society, or nearly imperceptible earth-changes are admittedly not the stuff of blockbusters, Hollywood logically opted for a disaster flick. And not just any disaster flick, but a disaster flicks’ greatest hits.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/11/16/myth-in-movies-2012%e2%80%94hollywood-predicts-the-world-will-be-destroyed-by-special-effects/feed/ 2 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/09/15/diary-of-a-layman-15-summer-are-we-the-bad-guys/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/09/15/diary-of-a-layman-15-summer-are-we-the-bad-guys/#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:00:49 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=544 Nobody deserves to suffer. But perhaps we could all use some challenging times to help us grow so we might reach the next level. Maybe the universe is just breaking us down so we can be mended, nudging us towards a more united world. Perhaps this is all preparing us for whatever is to come in 2012 or beyond—the challenges that we may not be ready for now, but after several more beatings will be tough enough to handle. Let’s face it; we’ve become soft, spoiled, greedy, selfish, and lazy. We are just like the pompous Roman rulers before the fall of their empire or the snooty noble class before the French Revolution. In effect, we have become the bad guys.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/09/15/diary-of-a-layman-15-summer-are-we-the-bad-guys/feed/ 0 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/07/05/lost-in-myth-does-%e2%80%9cknowing%e2%80%9d-know-something-we-don%e2%80%99t-know-about-lost/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/07/05/lost-in-myth-does-%e2%80%9cknowing%e2%80%9d-know-something-we-don%e2%80%99t-know-about-lost/#comments Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:00:37 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=280 A bizarre airplane crash, mysterious whispers, a foreboding set of numbers, a strange group of outsiders who seem to know what’s going on, and a shiny black stone which hints at clues to a resolution. While these themes could apply to Lost, all of them are also featured in Knowing—the recent sci-fi movie with Nicholas Cage that comes out on DVD on Tuesday, July 7th.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/07/05/lost-in-myth-does-%e2%80%9cknowing%e2%80%9d-know-something-we-don%e2%80%99t-know-about-lost/feed/ 0 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/06/12/diary-of-a-layman-14-spring-proof-that-we%e2%80%99re-living-a-life-of-illusion/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/06/12/diary-of-a-layman-14-spring-proof-that-we%e2%80%99re-living-a-life-of-illusion/#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2009 05:00:01 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=515 When I first saw The Matrix back in 1999, I instantly became fascinated with its “virtual reality world” concept. At the time, and for many years afterwards, I saw the theme as a metaphor for the illusionary material world we live in—a world of time, space, and the assumption that we are all separate individuals. My belief, in line with what I had taken from kabbalah, was that in reality, we were all one united energy force. Call it God, the light, Buddha, Allah, the universe, sentient energy, whatever. The point was that this energy created our illusionary world in order to experience itself. After all, since it was an all-knowing, all-powerful energy, existence was pretty boring. This energy wanted to experience the one thing it couldn’t know: what it was like to not be it. So, it created an imaginary world of time and space and separated itself there into different material elements that eventually evolved into human beings.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/06/12/diary-of-a-layman-14-spring-proof-that-we%e2%80%99re-living-a-life-of-illusion/feed/ 16 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/05/14/lost-in-myth-the-incident-having-faith-in-jacob-and-lost/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/05/14/lost-in-myth-the-incident-having-faith-in-jacob-and-lost/#comments Thu, 14 May 2009 04:00:06 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=265 Just as how the Others blindly follow Jacob, we Lost fans have invested five years of our lives blindly following a TV show that has become increasingly intricate. Will our commitment be worth it in the end? Those of us who have faith have stuck with it, but we’ve lost a lot of former believers along the way. What if the series finale is a disappointment and leaves many of the major questions unanswered? Will we question our blind faith in a show that we hoped would give us answers to its convoluted storyline, and beyond? Hopefully we won’t get to that point, but I have some thoughts just in case we do.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/05/14/lost-in-myth-the-incident-having-faith-in-jacob-and-lost/feed/ 0 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/05/07/lost-in-myth-follow-the-leader%e2%80%94can-changing-one-moment-change-everything/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/05/07/lost-in-myth-follow-the-leader%e2%80%94can-changing-one-moment-change-everything/#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 04:00:26 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=249 Have you ever wondered what would happen if you could go back to a particular moment of your life and do something differently? What if you hadn’t taken a job you’d accepted, married someone you’d broken up with, said “no” when you’d previously said yes…or vice-versa? What if we were all allowed one do-over? Would your life be completely different than it is now, or would events have conspired to put you in pretty much the same place? By continuing to explore the concept of the variable, “Follow the Leader” brings up these very same questions, and if you’ve been paying attention, it’s already given us the answers.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/05/07/lost-in-myth-follow-the-leader%e2%80%94can-changing-one-moment-change-everything/feed/ 3 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/30/lost-in-myth-the-variable%e2%80%94choosing-to-sacrifice-for-the-sake-of-the-island/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/30/lost-in-myth-the-variable%e2%80%94choosing-to-sacrifice-for-the-sake-of-the-island/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:00:13 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=241 At the end of my last column, I asked whether the “variable” would prove to be an event that could change everything. The one thing that could have a domino effect on the outcomes of every event that followed. I wondered if this changeable event is what Ben and Widmore have been fighting for control of. After watching “The Variable,” I have to say “yes,” this is what the term is referring to. However, I’m still not so sure whether the variable will actually vary anything according to the mythology of the show.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/30/lost-in-myth-the-variable%e2%80%94choosing-to-sacrifice-for-the-sake-of-the-island/feed/ 0 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/16/lost-in-myth-some-like-it-hoth%e2%80%94tv-as-psychotherapist/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/16/lost-in-myth-some-like-it-hoth%e2%80%94tv-as-psychotherapist/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:34 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=229 If you’ve read my writings about Lost, you probably know that I believe it’s more than just a show: Lost contains hidden messages about how the world really works. That’s right, I sincerely believe that a TV series is giving us clues that can help us understand the mysteries of life. Well, if that were true, shouldn’t Lost include this little tidbit within its own mythology? Shouldn’t it demonstrate how the media can provide answers to our own life challenges so that we’ll know to look there to find them? Yes, I believe it should, and to be honest, I’ve been wondering if it was ever going to do so. In “Some Like It Hoth,” I finally received my answer.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/16/lost-in-myth-some-like-it-hoth%e2%80%94tv-as-psychotherapist/feed/ 0 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/09/lost-in-myth-is-dead-really-dead/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/09/lost-in-myth-is-dead-really-dead/#comments Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:00:10 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=218 Perhaps the most ironic theme of “Dead Is Dead” is that it actually seems to imply anything but. The episode is more about the futility of death, rather than its finality, yet, I don’t think this is its ultimate message. The message in its fullest form is that dead is only dead if your services will no longer be needed.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/09/lost-in-myth-is-dead-really-dead/feed/ 0 http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/02/lost-in-myth-whatever-happened-happened%e2%80%94figuring-out-your-destiny-from-lost-and-life/ http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/02/lost-in-myth-whatever-happened-happened%e2%80%94figuring-out-your-destiny-from-lost-and-life/#comments Thu, 02 Apr 2009 04:00:24 +0000 The Layman http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/?p=205 Before I go to sleep at night, sometimes I ask the universe a question about my destiny. The answer, as bizarre as it may seem, usually comes in the form of a song that wakes me up on my clock radio the next morning. While I haven’t done this in awhile, last night I once again had the urge. I asked the universe (God, the light, soul guides, my future self, whatever you wanna call it) what is going to happen on December 22, 2012—the day after the Mayan calendar abruptly ends. The answer I received really surprised me.]]> http://thelaymansanswerstoeverything.com/2009/04/02/lost-in-myth-whatever-happened-happened%e2%80%94figuring-out-your-destiny-from-lost-and-life/feed/ 0