Vending Machines Feet and Me 1-7-2019

Did you ever play a game of free association?  Tell a story about a word or quotation?

I invite you to read on about a vending machine.

I started out standing in front of a vending machine reviewing the selection of chips, crackers and cookies.  This was a high-tech cash, card, app logo and I think it accepted voice commands and of course all touch tabs.  I briefly recalled the old ones where you had to pull a lever to actually release the item you wanted. And sometimes when lucky it all worked and you got it.  The new ones are much more reliable.

Anyway, the machine morphed into one at the airport with all sorts of electronic gizmos.  It was fun just to read the descriptions.  I was fascinated by the ability to put in money of some sort at the top and what you wanted came out at the bottom.  The machine took on a personality and I imagined it as a person. You put food in at the top and a short time later poop comes out at the bottom.

Next, I became a vending machine. I actually felt as though I morphed into one.  People came by and looked at all of the selections I offered. They put money into me, made their selection and I popped out just what they wanted. I became extremely interested in watching all of the people as they were walking by. Most hardly noticed me. A bunch of kids came by and started banging on me to see if anything fell out.  A very nice lady stopped by made a selection and pressed the buttons so lovingly, if I had eyes I would have started to cry.  I loved the big smiles when people got just what they wanted.

I got pinched, pulled, kicked, caressed and spoken too.  It was a great experience being able to watch others knowing that they thought they were interacting with just a machine.  And then it hit me.  How am I different from a machine?  Money in item out.  Food in poop out.  But I have feelings, consciousness, opposing thumbs, a brain and free will.  The difference between me and a really good robot is narrowing.  And when we get to the question of consciousness look up panpsychism. It states and there is a growing acceptance that everything material, however small, has an element of individual consciousness.  And that there are two parts the consciousness within something and its ability to comprehend and express that consciousness.

How about your shoes. Do they have consciousness?  Do you impart some of your consciousness to your shoes by the way you treat or respect them?  Your shoes allow you to walk in comfort for great distances. How about your feet?  They carry you around all day. How much of your own consciousness is part of feet consciousness?  Try a foot gratefulness consciousness foot massage.

Just food for thought to put into your own vending machine.  Push your own buttons, you may be surprised to see what pops out.