OK. Before I go any further, let me just emphasize that the cliche part, in the post title, represents my estimation of what has been the majority opinion of the reaction, over the years, to the things that Star Wars might have in it that people have come to see, or claim to see, as "cliches." And of course, in this, I am talking about the line: "Luke... Trust your feelings... Use the force..."
Now, one might argue that there are really two cliches here. The first is this thing about your "feelings" knowing something real about life and death situations. And the second being the assumed absurdity that, as Hon himself called it once, "magical force" can be used to effect reality in any useful way. And obviously there would be some good ground to argue from for that stand. I'd like to think, though, that even being possible separate cliches, to be considered on their own merits, one might find more value in looking at them in an interdependent, combined relationship. And I'm going to do that because, in so doing, I think you can argue, just as persuasively, that in combination, and seen from the right point of view, they are in fact, not cliches at all, but valid aspects of the interaction between meaning space and physical space.
First let us suggest that your "feelings" as we refer to them might actually be capable of encoding their own form of very real information. It is most certainly not "objectified" information as we are usually now so used to, but rather other kinds of analogue signals collection, held onto, and retrieved in a completely different way.
Secondly, let us suggest that the "force" that this movie universe tosses around so much isn't so much bolts of ethereal lightening that one can either zap people with, mess their minds up with -- if they're stupid enough for suggestion -- , or move shit around with; even as it also is there to tell you things; but that it is more to suggest that it is connection itself that this "force" actually refers to. And as connection itself, how could it also not be an indispensible part of what your are able to "feel" in the first place.
Going back to the first suggestion then, another description for making decisions based on feelings might go like this: un objectified muscle nerve memory; information collected by the repetition of experience association, without conscious filtering, or specific awareness.
These subtle aspects of the body, and the whole of the nerve brain system, even though they are not also connected to a specific term, or phrase, in meaning space, are there for the consciousness to make use of, if that consciousness is attuned to reacting when combinations of such subtleties are re resonated in new interactions with the physical world. Typically, especially in the world of combat, this is referred to as muscle memory. What we're talking about when acquiring this type of "memory" is deep, focused involvement in an interaction, not waiting, necessarily, for descriptive narrative to catch up with "raw data" analogue associations that involve the entire body's ability to "perceive" some aspect of all of the different energies impacting on it. Which is precisely why soldiers, and pilots, and numerous first responders, understand this type of information so well.
Ok. So we can encode, hold, and retrieve beyond the ordinary notions of meaning space, but what then does that suggest for any further ramifications concerning "connection?"
What it should suggest, in my view, is that there may also be a great deal more that is possible to receive from "connection" than immediate, everyday, physical interaction might lull you into assuming otherwise. As I have already suggested in other posts, everything is semi permeable. Information packets, in amazing formats, cross seemingly impossible boundaries, because of it. And not all of it is random noise. And remember, this has to be, within my philosophical framework, because connection, structure, and meaning are fundamental for infinite potential to be able to set forth these brilliant branchings, of reality ray tracing vectors in the first place; the vectors to search out every possible associative path of existence creation, to see what points of original reference make the most stable, and meaning filled, such eternities. Well... eternities at least from our perspective anyway.
So maybe we should be saying "May the Connection" be with you instead of "The Force." But as far as "trust your feelings" goes, however, we must continue to encourage. We must do this, however, with the same sense of balance that we must apply to the use of reason. Both of these aspects of every reality, and of the entirety itself, are of equal importance. Living the tension between that balance is a big part of the ongoing challenge that is existence. The only sensible way I have come up with to describe it is by calling it, thoughtful, loving structure; making it, living it, and expanding it. Which might also tend towards cliche for a lot of people, but I'm sure life will go on.
And then, if one were an especially optimistic, and hopeful person, one might want to suggest a further possibility. The possibility that we might be the very meaning processors who can find a way to work the balance of thoughtful, loving structure out into the very sustaining weave of their reality's substance; growing ways of being beyond mere singular references of space and time; actually growing our perceptual frames of reference to ever greater planes of organizational possibility. Inhabiting forms, in some inconceivable way now, that span constructs involving multiple realities at a higher level of ongoing now. Who knows when not even the sky is the limit.
But there I am again demonstrating just how much of a dreamer I really am. And it doesn't take much now to get me going, piling possibilities on top of possibilities. All too plainly, if we don't mobilize ourselves, just as if we were about to start a World War 2 kind of national effort (without calling it another "War On..." thing, one can only hope), soon, the world's not going to have much use for dreamers for what will likely be a very long time to come. Perhaps not much use for this version of sentient either if we're not careful. In any case, though, the choice is pretty simply: Are we going to make continuing to fantasize living in dystopian futures a part of our march towards self filling prophecy, or are we going to try and describe ourselves into a better reality all together? The choice is ours for the taking you know. We only need believe we can take it.
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