Introduction to Theme

Do try to pay attention. I understand the youth of today take issue with putting their focus to one subject for an extended period of time, but what will follow in the brief future is well worth it. At the close of this introduction you will be informed as to whether the rest of this whole ordeal will be worth your time, if this is right for you. You could even call this the ‘condensed extract of everything to follow.’ 

Do I have your attention?

Wonderful. I’m smiling ear to ear, truly, if you couldn’t see. What we just formed, out of thin air, out of the chaos of infinite possibilities for that moment…

was a promise.

A type of social order or structure, in fact the very simplest. From silence there is now a contract, the terms of which are known to both parties. Your attention for my introduction. One condition apiece, beautifully balanced. Don’t allow me to confuse you, however. The number does not matter. A promise can be made with any number of conditions on either end. What solidifies the promise, what allows it to be worth anything at all, is not the quantity of promises. It is the invisible force that is generated between them… 

the expectation.

The expectation of fulfillment, born from both parties separately, placed upon each other mutually. I expect your attention. You expect a worthy introduction. That expectation, that valuing, of what is not in your possession will, under the right conditions, be enough to warrant your feeling justified in giving up what is in your possession to attain it.

Grandeur aside, I feel inclined to point out that these are relatively middling stakes which we have established. There are, of course, promises of less worth. We could agree to trade lunches, or children might agree to play a certain game at recess. There are also, of course, promises of much higher value. A group of friends may promise to rent a home together, a couple can promise their entire lives to one other, and a parent can promise protection, comfort, and opportunity to their child.

Please don’t misunderstand. The ‘value’ that I speak of in these examples does not apply to the material worth of the time or physical items involved in these exchanges. That would reveal the value of the conditions. To find the value of the promise itself, you must look at its ‘climax.’ The moment where either the conditions are met, or they are not. If you and I fail to trade lunches we will simply enjoy our own. We had food to trade in the first place, so the only thing to gain is a change in contents, a temporary change in flavor and texture. However, if you are, say, in a serious relationship, then the consequences become much higher.

A relationship is multifaceted. Twice as complicated, or more, than the most intricate physical structure in the known universe: the human brain. A relationship is a social structure generated from two minds attempting to navigate each other at varying levels of intimacy, and not infrequently at the very greatest levels of intimacy. Given this complexity it is completely believable that the things one wishes to achieve from a relationship will vary per individual, and that the promises generated to allow a relationship to exist will be stacked on both sides with a multitude of conditions. Limits, boundaries, needs, and so on need to be carefully accounted for so that both parties feel satisfied with their arrangement. Success in navigating this maze of consciousness can mean some of the most important psychological, physical, and material human needs are met.

Failure can mean a total collapse of an established lifestyle.

Promises are what have allowed communication and civilization. You could even say the only reason we are able to exist as conscious beings in a chaotic universe is due to our ability to trust. To trust that what we know to be true about the physical universe will not drastically change overnight and throw us into an abyss of unknowns.

Promises are everything to humans.

So it should come as no surprise that promises and social bonds will be the primary focus of this course. In studying psychology I find this is a wonderful first leap in understanding. It is well established that humans have a hierarchy of needs that are required for baseline adequacy of mental health. Understanding the way in which humans go about acquiring those needs, which is done entirely through promises to themselves and others, will offer you a wonderful foundation for your comprehension of the human mind.

I thank you for your attention up to this point, and I do hope that my introduction has piqued your interest. If not, feel free at this time to exit through the same doors you came through. There is no shame in a lack of interest, and if I have been unable to fulfill my end of our promise then I wish you only my apologies and best wishes on your endeavors. I abhor a broken promise, so if one has already fallen to pieces between us, allow me to break no more.

However,

if you do wish to stay, I can promise that after leaving these halls you will be among the foremost qualified practitioners and researchers of psychology alive today.

                                                                          ♦

By the end of the first class the seats were only slightly less full, and my satchel quite a bit less empty. After the initial introduction, there was no more talk of the course contents, only simple explanations of schedule and grading. The professor was just finishing up a sales pitch for his publications as a deep rumble rolled through the stone walls and wooden benches of the room. The deep toll of a bell swept in from all directions, overpowering the professors' talk of ‘modest price.’

As the class clamored to their feet the professor shouted out some last reminders about the next lecture, all of which were swept into the river of sound formed by the stampeding students. I thrust my satchel over my shoulder and turned toward the towering oak doors, the grand exit of the classroom, now crammed with my fellow classmates rushing to their next engagement. They spilled out into the intricate gothic hallway beyond, anxious to make a clean start on attendance for this new semester.

Is it even possible, though?

Thinking about the scale of this building I couldn’t help but think it was some sort of cruel joke by the professors to even implement attendance in the first place. Spiral staircases, sprawling courtyards, and winding hallways all intersected in a nauseating web. This was an honest to goodness Scottish castle. The focus of its construction was keeping out invaders, not allowing for easy navigation by new students.

I let out a small sigh. I had avoided the initial rush of the class, but I, myself, still had to locate the elusive ‘Sociology Hall.’ I stepped through the threshold of the classroom and entered into the hallway, still bustling with students running to and fro. All behavioral sciences were grouped into a single wing of the academy, so it couldn’t be too far. One foot in front of the other and I’ll end up… somewhere. I gazed out at the myriad students nearby. I could easily ask someone.

But…

I allowed my gaze to wander from the groups of students, following the stone carvings of the wall up to the ceiling above. Adorned with vines, flowers, and innumerable patterns, all shaded so gently by the light cast from the tall windows lining the hall. I find it so very easy to get lost in things like this. My mind goes blank, and I feel like time slows. I could just study the stonework in this castle for…

I could feel a weight quickly force its way past my shoulder, spinning me where I stood. All I managed was a meager “Hey, wai-” before losing my footing and falling to the ground.

To think, opposed to the intricacy of the walls and ceiling, the floor of this magnificent hall was so incredibly simple and smooth. Too smooth, honestly. No wonder I-

“Do you mind? We’re all trying to get to class and you’re just standing here blocking off the middle of the walkway.”

I was caught off guard. Not by the sudden criticism tossed down at me, but by the lovely voice doing the tossing. So soft and gentle. It must be difficult trying to sound stern. I prepared to turn myself around and push myself up, quipping as I did so.

“You know, I feel like that should be my line. You can obviously talk, so why did you have to-”

My tongue froze in my mouth. As soon as I had turned myself around, I was greeted with a small, pale hand thrust into my face. Incredibly pale. You could tell me it was made from a cloud and I’d believe it. And beyond that hand…

“I know, I know, just…”

Was the most beautiful girl…

“Get up! People are staring…”

I had ever seen.