Jonathan Haidt’s book The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion depicts the subconscious mind as an elephant, with the conscious mind as its rider. The elephant – that great big bundle of emotions, fears, neuroses, cultural conditioning, etc., – is nearly always the one who makes the decisions about where it and its rider actually go, due to its size, its strength, its intelligence, and the fact that it’s the one with its feet on the ground. The rider is then left to come up with “rational” justifications for the decisions made by the elephant, which helps him maintain the illusion that he is actually the one in charge.

He’s not.

Terzanelle of the Elephant

I see you, elephant – you cannot hide.
I know your ways. You want to be unseen.
Between my mindful moments you would slide.

My subjugation’s your banal routine,
but every now and then I catch a flash.
I know your ways. You want to be unseen.

I drive; you tell me, “Probably, you’ll crash.”
I search for courage in a land of fear,
and every now and then I catch a flash.

I see your dominance and shed a tear
for my delusions of autonomy.
I search for courage in a land of fear.

I recognize there is no solid “me”.
I mourn for my belief in virtue, and
for my delusions of autonomy.

I know now – I was never in command.
I see you, elephant. You cannot hide.
My efforts at control are built on sand.
Between my mindful moments you will slide.

I think, in truth, that I shall never see
a pocket-filling block to rival this.
Could better friend than thee, o iPhone, be?

Except for fear of moisture, I would kiss
your clean-lined form, and know I’ll never own
a pocket-filling block to rival this.

Your screen so touchable, as smooth as bone,
your compass…gyro…hidden deep within
your clean-lined form. And no, I’ll never own

a fraction of your App Store’s offered sins.
Some use your GPS, while others need
your compass…gyro…hidden deep within.

With you I never will miss tweet nor feed.
The people ‘round me…happy with their phone?
Some use your GPS, while others…need….

Apart from you, my most beloved one
I think, in truth, that I shall never see
the people ‘round me happy with their phone.
Could better friend than thee, o iPhone, be?

The Cat, she chase a dream. She take her time.
She creep around and sneak up on it slow.
She not afraid of trek, or steepest climb.

There is no distance she’ll refuse to go.
This dream, it try to run – but there’s no chance!
She creep around and sneak up on it slow.

If nimbleness required, then she will dance.
If need to be relentless, she’ll pursue
this dream. It try to run, but there’s no chance.

If once, for all, she’s set her heart on you,
The lengths this Cat will go to know no bounds.
If need to be relentless, she’ll pursue.

Along the way, she take in sights and sounds.
She pad about and taste the joy of life.
The lengths this Cat will go to know no bounds.

This is the woman that I call my wife.
The Cat: She chase a dream – she take her time!
She pad about and taste the joy of life.
She not afraid of trek, or steepest climb.