First Encounter with Root#
When smartphones first emerged, I overheard a "computer expert" discussing root permissions; it was the first time I heard the term root. At that time, there was a smart phone at home that came with a prepaid plan, but it was slow and burdened with various bloatware that made it even more sluggish. I thought to myself, how great it would be if I could root it and delete those junk apps.
Unfortunately, over the years, I have never successfully rooted any of the phones I encountered. Later, my family bought a low-quality domestic TV that had its VPN component stripped away and forcibly hid the Android settings entry. This reignited my desire to root, but even when I learned effective methods, I hesitated to act. A TV with 16GB of memory is not designed for tinkering. A TV could have a faster processor and more memory, but people generally prefer a large screen to watch news broadcasts and weather forecasts. Therefore, TVs are usually "simple-minded." This simplicity, compared to their physical capabilities, makes the potential benefits and risks of rooting a TV disproportionate.
In short, rooting is a risky endeavor, especially for novices. However, today I don't want to discuss how to root my various junk Android devices; rather, I want to talk about rooting people. The idea is quite simple: various phones come with various restrictions and ads. For example, recently, there have been reports that Xiaomi phones and TVs cannot install Telegram or USB software. Similarly, human thoughts are also filled with external impositions that greatly occupy the brain and soul's memory with garbage. On a deeper level, although humans claim to have free will, there are many shackles on the mind, whether they be viewpoints, morals, or instincts...
The Connection Between Machines and Human Language#
Rooting belongs to the realm of computer science, but I do not understand programming. I have always enjoyed comparing the human brain to computers, believing my own CPU to be quite poor, unable to learn subjects like mathematics. The emergence of large language models like ChatGPT seems to increase the necessity of comparing the human brain to computers. We can simply categorize various programming languages as machine languages, with various processes akin to computer thinking. A functioning program, or machine language, possesses a certain logic. This logic underpins the operation of the digital world.
The advent of large language models allows us to see a certain logic between human languages from another perspective. That is, human language can be formally constructed. And this constructed entity can be understood by people. This logic inspires us to ponder the rules of language. Wittgenstein has a book called "Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus," which I have not read, but his emphasis on the philosophy of language makes me yearn for the logic and rules embedded in human language.
The Internal Logic of Language#
Writing articles is a luxury for me; it consumes a lot of time and produces some textual garbage. But why do I persist tirelessly? Because there is something that makes me tremble all over. Each thought in my brain is like an independent system. They do not gain meaning from being recorded in words, but they continuously generate in my brain as I think in my native language. This ongoing generation of thoughts, through accumulation and enrichment, constructs a self-consistent world. The meaning of words is not constructed on paper or in binary data; rather, it becomes the key and bridge into our world. What an exhilarating activity that is! 
Thus, human language does not mean human thinking; language is an extension of thought in the objective world, a treasure map left by another world in the present. Language itself reflects the rules of thought from a certain aspect or dimension. It also reflects the rules of the world we create. Therefore, studying language itself or a particular article has unimaginable value and significance.
From Objective Language to Subjective Thought#
First, let me clarify what I mean by subjective and objective.
The so-called objective includes not only the material entities we exist in, such as the earth, atoms, galaxies, tables, and smartphones, which have objective reality, but also various physiological and social activities that reflect human thought.
The subjective, which is usually referred to as subjective, is the thinking activity that occurs in a person's brain. This subjectivity is itself objective.
I believe there is also a kind of pure subjectivity that does not depend on the material world. It cannot be said that matter determines consciousness; rather, it should be said that matter determines the consciousness of matter. As long as the material conditions are met, a kind of subjectivity will be reflected in the material world through material means. When the material conditions are not met, a kind of subjectivity will not be reflected in the material world. For specifics, refer to Past Lives, Future Lives, Sacred Objects, Me.
The appearance of human thought is a description of brain activity, while internally it is an independently operating system. Language itself exists logically in the objective world; language is a reflection of thought in the objective world, so thought itself is logical.
A person's books, a person's speech and behavior, and any activity in the objective world all reflect a person's style and characteristics. This style and characteristics, along with various common traits, collectively build an external objective image. Within the subjective realm, there is also a logical system. This system has fixed principles that guide all human behavior. As long as these principles are changed or developed, a person will be reshaped. Breaking all the shackles of thought to achieve ROOT of thought.
What is a Person?#
Undoubtedly, ROOT permissions are the foundation of human thought. I never believe that one can change a person's principles purely from a subjective level. Although I do not deny the existence of a purely subjective world. As the saying goes, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." To change a person's thinking principles, one must start from both the objective and subjective aspects of the person. The objective here is easy to understand, while the subjective refers to the subjective activities that can be observed from the objective.
Marx once said that man is the sum of all social relations. I believe the two cannot be equated; beyond social relations, there also exists the relationship between humans and nature, and even between humans and pure subjectivity.
Human Social Relations#
To change a person, altering their social relations is the easiest way. For example, when a movement occurs, a person's property rights and possession relationships are disrupted. For instance, a prolonged pandemic causes countless people to lose their loved ones. For example, a significant change in social systems, prioritizing agriculture while suppressing everything else, raising troops to conquer the world... Any individual will undoubtedly be changed under severe social upheaval. Regardless of whether the degree of change can reach the level of root, we can be certain that when a person's social relations are changed to a certain extent, the underlying logic of what makes them human will definitely be altered, and they will be ROOTed.
Human Natural Relations#
The relationship between humans and nature also defines humanity. Living in society does not mean that humans are only regulated by social relations. Humans exist in the world, fundamentally acting upon their relationship with it. For example, property rights are defined by law; anyone within this legal framework should passively refrain from interfering with the rights of property owners. Property rights do not define the relationship between humans and objects but rather the relationship between humans, thereby enabling human dominion over objects. However, in a natural state, humans can acquire objects without any interference, leading to the disappearance of the concept of property rights.
So what exactly is the relationship between humans and nature? It can be definitively stated that it excludes social relations between humans, leaving only the relationship between humans and objects. All objects are subjects, and all humans are also subjects. Only one subject remains, which is the individual. This feeling can be described by the childhood perception of the world, where everyone is an actor on my stage, and I am both the protagonist and the director.
From an extreme perspective, suppose a person is born into a world without other humans to illustrate the nature of human relations. If there are no sentient beings for this newborn to imitate, their view of the world should be chaotic and slow, while also being a being with very low desires, desperately probing this world.
I remember someone once cited the example of a wolf child, a child raised among wolves, who could communicate simply with them and whose habits were similar to those of wolves. This indicates that he inherited the habits of wolves. He took wolves as his model for imitation. Although he looked different from wolves, his imitative behavior indicates that he perceives himself as a wolf. Thus, his self-identification as a wolf is a social behavior.
In the hypothetical world described above, a person in a purely natural state should not consider themselves human. They would only imitate what they encounter in their new world. The round sky and square earth, the alternation of day and night, the changing of seasons, the blooming and withering of flowers... They would see themselves as one with this world, feeling the rules of this world and internalizing those rules. Until they die, they would still lack the concept of death; to them, this world has no endpoint, just as suffering gives way to joy, and the seasons change. They would also lack concepts of reproduction and love. They would fear pain, but this fear would only drive them to explore this world further.
Pure Subjectivity of Humans#
Pure subjectivity is a reserved option. We live in this objective world, where everything is an impression of the objective world. All behaviors are nothing but various explainable biological phenomena. This objective world is so perfect that it can explain our birth and death as merely certain scientific phenomena physiologically. From a scientific perspective, I will never believe in this so-called rigorous world, nor will I be foolish enough to disbelieve it. I am just constantly questioning whether there is nothing beyond this world. Is the sky truly blue, or is it just an illusion? Therefore, I believe in the possibility that humans possess a pure subjectivity that does not exist in the objective world.
ROOT, Shedding the Shell of "Human"#
The above is my entire understanding of humanity. Due to the interconnectedness between human subjectivity and objectivity, we can directly analyze human thought. The so-called root thinking is about rooting people, which means changing the three properties of humans I mentioned above. Among these three properties, we need to distinguish what can be changed and what cannot be changed. Then, to what extent must changes occur to reach the level of root, and so on.
In fact, it is meaningless to merely discuss the degree of change in the aforementioned social or natural relations. Because changes in social relations are as normal as cellular metabolism. Any social or natural relationship is in constant flux. If we want to ROOT, we must ROOT the fundamentals of humanity, identify the principled aspects of the three, and then change them.
Individual and Group#
The most fundamental social relationship of humans is the relationship between individuals and groups. This encompasses morality, law, and various social norms. One of the most important points is the recognition of one's identity as "human." All the social relations we find ourselves in are deeply reflective and self-imposed.
Taking morality as an example, morality is merely a social norm based on a specific group; without the group, morality loses its soil for existence. ROOT is the same; when one departs from the group on a cognitive level, the title of "human" loses its material foundation. At this point, a person has already gained a portion of the new permissions that come from being unbound by the group.
Any norm, whether habit, custom, morality, or law, is backed by the coercive power of a material foundation. If the material foundation for its existence is lost, any norm will revert to nothingness. Law and state cease to exist. Morality, when in a different moral context, ceases to exist. If there are no people, there is no morality; if a person is no longer human and becomes another being, there is also no morality. — See more in Morality and Inner and Outer
If you do not identify as Chinese, you will never be bound by Chinese morals and customs. Similarly, if you do not identify as human, all human morals and standards will not restrict you.
Hatred and Killing#
However, it is precisely because we do not consider ourselves pigs that we feel no burden in eating pork. Some people blinded by patriotism believe that Japanese people are not human, which allows them to act boldly during acts of destruction. The greater the hatred soldiers feel on the battlefield, the less psychological barrier they have to killing.
After assisting my family in slaughtering pigs, sheep, chickens, and fish, I found it hard to remain calm. If taking a life is so easy, how ironic it is for those lofty virtues to be set aside. If we do not see humans as being the same as animals, then what difference is there between humans? This stark contrast is also another boost to ROOT thinking.
After personally killing a life, all human doctrines, values, rules, and morals appear like clowns. This is a virus; the coldness from deep within extinguishes all desire for life. This extremely bloody scene awakens me from the illusion of survival. I awaken from the beautiful dreams woven by society. Elegant ladies turn into piles of bones, mountains of flesh and seas of wine become filled with excrement; whether it is a gentleman or an innocent child, at this moment, all feel emptiness. Only the silence that dares not be confronted and the stupor after the heartbeat remain. — Slaughter
At the same time, people dislike various cat abuse incidents and the consumption of dog meat because they empathize with the identities of cats and dogs. However, relatively few people empathize with pigs.
Self and Cognition#
Those who live in isolation are either beasts or gods. — Aristotle
The reason humans can root is that they are not necessarily human. Humans become human not because they are born human, but because they are socialized into humanity. As the saying goes, "Birds of a feather flock together." In bustling cities filled with lights and wine, some people find themselves in unique circles of social interaction. Others live in remote mountains, high plateaus, and places under white clouds. The worlds of these two types of people are vastly different. This distinction itself is a pre-set self of human nature. Humans differ from objects. The degree of interaction between humans is much higher. Or, when sentient beings are together, they will self-identify as a group.
Initially, I did not believe that those who live in isolation would be beasts. But I discovered that living in isolation is not a physical distance but a spiritual distance. In this sense, human sociality loses its inherent power, and a person transforms from an individual within a group into another being. They may not necessarily be beasts or gods; they are simply beings that are difficult to describe.
ROOT, Dusting Off the Desire#
If shedding the identity of "human" starts from human social relations, then limiting desire begins from human natural relations, or rather, from material relations. The relationship between humans and material, in a natural state, includes both objects and humans. This does not contradict human social relations. In social relations, humans are considered subjects, while in natural relations, there is only one subject, and the rest are objects; humans are also a type of object.
Catholicism speaks of the seven deadly sins. Today, the seven deadly sins generally refer to pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust. Buddhism speaks of the five poisons: greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. Although the two are not the same, the denial of desire is similar. Here, I do not wish to deny desire. Rather, I want to say that the less one is controlled by desire, the more one can enhance their self-control. At this point, one can be said to have reached a degree of ROOT.
Methods to Dust Off Desire#
However, not being controlled by desire does not mean controlling desire. Desire is an objective phenomenon, akin to a drug. You cannot and need not struggle against addiction while using drugs in an attempt to conquer desire. In My First Love and Sex Addiction and Castration, I shared various thoughts based on my experiences regarding this. I feel this is similar to a saying by Confucius:
The Master said, "Do not look at what is not right, do not listen to what is not right, do not speak what is not right, do not act on what is not right."
Taking the crime of rape as an example, if a person intends to commit a crime, they must first receive a lot of information. On the streets, in nightclubs, and on phones, there are various men and women. The desire becomes so intense that it leads to criminal intent. After generating criminal intent, they need to find a target and prepare tools for committing the crime, thus carrying out the act. During the execution, they must suppress resistance, touch, penetrate, and engage in a series of actions. If a person is already preparing to commit a crime, it is unrealistic to expect them to stop.
Thus, the best way to counteract desire is to not generate it at all. If a person does not look or listen, they will not be stirred by desire. Of course, people fear that figures like Ji Gong might incite the desires of monks by eating dog meat. Tibetan Buddhism advocates for dual cultivation, but I believe dual cultivation is merely about experiencing the affairs between men and women; I do not believe in continuous dual cultivation. Therefore, both methods have their merits. However, there is no pure land free of weeds, and desire can never be completely eradicated. If you can avoid stirring up dust, do not try to dust it off afterward.
The body is the Bodhi tree; the mind is like a bright mirror stand. Constantly strive to wipe it clean; do not let it gather dust. — Shenxiu
The Bodhi tree has no tree; the bright mirror is not a stand. Originally, there is nothing; where can dust alight? — Huineng
A Pure Relationship with Nature#
If a person can remain ungoverned by desire and only focus on basic material needs, their relationship with nature will become very pure. Just like those who do not wear underwear, many things that ordinary people consider necessary are not essential. When one only chews a bite of pancake, the sweetness of starch can be tasted. When a person reaches a moment of extremely simple material needs, they will break free from the complex relationships of society and nature.
ROOT, Life and Death Governed by Forces#
Humans live within certain social relations and have different roles. When shedding the identity of a person, we become "beasts." When the "beast" breaks free from the shackles of desire, what remains?
Everything in the objective world is merely the rise and fall of matter; what does that have to do with us? If humans are indeed objective beings, then replicants are objectively inevitable. If replicants are inevitable, then all discussions of life and death become irrelevant, as you can be assembled at any time. Thus, from a purely objective perspective, humans are neither born nor die.
Legalists are good at discussing the power of law. "The soaring snake swims in the mist; the flying dragon rides the clouds; when the clouds disperse, the mist clears." Clouds and mist are the forces of dragons and snakes. "Thus, the wise are subdued by the unworthy; the power is light."
In Life and Death Governed by Forces, the so-called force is a pure comparison of objective power. I have always been distinguishing between the internal and external. Xunzi said, "The noble person is not different; they make good use of things." The body exists in the objective realm, but it is also an external object. As the saying goes, "The King of Hell calls for your death at three in the morning; you cannot live past five." Death is an objective matter, and birth is also an objective matter; everything exists within forces, and everything is in the comparison of objective powers.
Our parents give us life, and we should be grateful for their nurturing, but birth is not something we choose. Similarly, is death something we choose? In the objective realm, death is also an objective conclusion. Therefore, no one experiences their own death; your life is not your concern; your death is not your concern.
Thus, I enjoy thinking, for thinking is happiness. Because apart from thinking, I do not know what belongs to me. Thinking itself may not be mine, but it is indeed a trace of my existence.
Conclusion#
ROOTing human thought is essentially about understanding humanity, and then naturally finding methods to ROOT. After ROOTing thought, people can choose to commit crimes or do good, choose evil or choose divinity. Because all your shackles can be broken. But because you are an appendage of the objective world, anything you do to break free from those shackles requires something objective. ROOT is merely a possibility, a method, but not everyone will attempt it.
Just as I would not root that TV even if I could.
Many people say that pursuing the so-called afterlife or transcendence is meaningless and self-deceptive. Is pursuing the present not self-deceptive?
I have always thought that writing articles is akin to programming. I do not understand computer languages, but I understand Chinese. All language users create stories and worlds through their words. Articles, like programs, achieve automatic operation. The thought that serves as the source of the article operates according to its own principles. This is the origin of all ROOT.
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