The Dude Testament

31. Just drop in to see what condition your condition is in.

Though the 20th century was hallmarked by “big ideas,” not all of those ideas were bad. One of the most famous was the notion that there was more to our consciousness than what we were strictly conscious of. The rise of the psychological sciences paid testament to the fact that “this whole fucking thing” might be bigger and more complex than we originally imagined. And though Sigmund Freud is now pilloried for focusing too much on sex, aggression, and the subliminal (vagina), there’s still a lot to be said for the power, depth, and breadth of the subconscious mind.

Is our subconscious a method for dealing with conflict? Is it a vestigial leftover from a biological inheritance? Is it a way of working out problems on another level? It don’t matter to the Dudeist. As long as it’s “fucking interesting” and “keeps our mind limber,” we’ll take whatever it serves up. Just like his approach in dealing with the conscious world, the Dude’s approach to dreams and imagination might be to respect its more interesting elements without getting too hung up on what it all might mean. In order to strengthen the bridge between the conscious and subconscious, a fair bit of daily “checking in” is in order. Dudeitation, baths, quietude, and “tying the room together” are all ways to ensure that we’re well aware of our condition so that we can defend against the conditioning of others.