Total awareness of conditioning

How do I free myself from my conditioning of the culture in which I was born? First, I must be aware that I am conditioned; not somebody telling me that I am conditioned. You understand the difference?

If somebody tells me I am hungry, that’s something different from actually being hungry. So I must be aware of my conditioning, which means, I must be aware of it not only superficially, but at the deeper levels. That is, I must be aware totally.

To be so aware, means that I am not trying to go beyond the conditioning, not trying to be free of the conditioning. I must see it as it actually is, not bring in another element, such as wanting to be free of it, because that is an escape from actuality. I must be aware. What does that mean?

To be aware of my conditioning totally, not partially, means my mind must be highly sensitive, mustn’t it? Otherwise, I can’t be aware.

To be sensitive means to observe everything very, very closely; the colours, the quality of people, all the things around me. I must also be aware of what actually is without any choice. Can you do that?

Not trying to interpret it, not trying to change it, not trying to go beyond it or trying to be free of it; just to be totally aware of it?

Jiddu Krishnamurti - The Awakening of Intelligence

Should Testers Code? Blah blah blah blah.

Should Testers code?

I don't know.

If you want to code then code.

If you don't then don't.

Just remember to have the right tools for the job at hand and be mindful of limiting yourself.

What I will say is...........well I won't say it cause I'm stealing it from Gerald Durrell so what I will do is share with you a passage from The Amateur Naturalist.

What really makes a naturalist? Well I think that a naturalist first of all has to have a very enquiring mind.  He seeks to observe every little variation in nature and to try and discover its origin and function.  It was Sherlock Holmes who said, "You see, but you do not observe."  That is true of most people in the world today.  A naturalist must keep an open mind and be interested in many things, although may specialise in one particular subject.

 Does that resonate?

15/01/13 Update. Derek Sivers makes a good point.

Ted talk: Temple Grandin: The world needs all kinds of minds