May 14, 2012
When All Our Problems Disappear
When people think about the future, at least in many of the progressive circles that I move in, do you know what they think about? Gloom and doom. Generally, our collective future is imagined in relationship to many of the truly overwhelming global challenges that we’re facing, like climate change, environmental degradation, overpopulation, the threat of terrorism, and of course, the financial crisis. The question on a lot of people’s minds is, are we going to make it? What will happen to us if the planet really heats up and the polar icecaps melt and the oceans rise? What will happen to the biosphere when our increasing population growth becomes unsustainable? What can we do to prevent radical Islamist terrorists from eventually acquiring nuclear weapons? How will our financial system be able to survive an economic collapse in the Euro zone?
If only we could come together locally and globally to solve these enormous problems, we imagine, the future would appear to be much brighter than it looks right now. But I wonder . . .
Imagine for a moment that in fact we were able to come to terms with and triumph over these global crises. Imagine a world utterly free from these pressing problems. And then imagine your own life and the lives of your extended family, friends, and acquaintances. Would it really be different? Would the deeper existential and spiritual challenges of the human experience be affected? I doubt it. We tend to think that once issues of survival and basic necessity are met, then all will be well. But it’s simply not true.
I just got back from a lecture tour through northern Europe, where I was speaking to some of the luckiest people on the planet today. The standard of living in Sweden, Denmark, and Holland is truly a marvel and testament to human progress and prosperity. The promise of the Western Enlightenment has reached its zenith in these countries where the rights, freedoms, and privileges of the individual are historically unprecedented. Yet in spite of this, in my experience it is clear that in general the most fortunate among us are still quite lost when it comes to knowing what the next step is. In Scandinavia, it seems to me the majority of individuals are living the “good life” with shockingly little sense of their own good fortune. I go there every year and my consistent impression is that most people tend to be very busy with not much more than their personal lives.
As we endeavor to find solutions to the very important issues threatening our collective survival, we also simultaneously need to be concerned about the future of our shared culture. Highly educated, thoughtful, sensitive men and women are gradually becoming more and more aware of the fact nobody seems to know how human life is supposed to be lived in this second decade of the 21st century. That means the very structures that make up our shared culture, like our values, beliefs, customs, and even personal aspirations, seem ever-more-oddly out of step with the reality of the fact that time is moving faster and faster and that we live in an era of exponential change. Indeed, it seems the world we live in is changing more quickly than our outdated worldviews can keep up with. And that is creating cultural stagnation, both seen and unseen.
Most of our shared modern and postmodern values tell us that in spite of our unprecedented prosperity, the human experience is still essentially about competition, survival, and ideally, attaining wealth and comfort. But could that possibly still be true for those of us who’ve rarely missed a meal or seriously worried whether we were going to have a roof over our heads? I think not. And yet, in so many ways, we haven’t caught up with our own good fortune. Most importantly, it hasn’t dawned on us yet that even if the larger global challenges that we’re facing were solved, we would still find ourselves in a cultural cul-de-sac in our personal and social lives.
Of course, it’s critical that we face and respond to the overwhelming and very real challenges that threaten our survival. But to me it’s equally critical that we ask, “Where are we going?” Once all of our survival needs have been met, what’s the purpose, if there is any, of the human experience? In Scandinavia, for example, free time, the greatest gift of modernity, is now readily available to the multitudes. And yet most, it seems, aren’t sure exactly what to do with it. Should I go to the gym, go for a walk in the park, read a book, or go to the pub? Once we’ve acquired enough life experience to understand that romantic love, child-rearing, material abundance, and even creative fulfillment don’t necessarily solve the deepest questions of human meaning, what’s the next step? That’s what I believe more of us need to be concerned about. What’s the next step for you and me at the level of shared meaning and purpose? Who are we, why are we here, and most importantly, how should we make deeper sense out of the experience we’re having right now and will be having five, ten, or twenty years from now?
I certainly wouldn’t want to find myself in the painfully ironic position of waking up fifty years from now, and finding that as a result of technological innovation, we were on the other side of the biggest threats of the 21st century, and yet had still no idea about what we were supposed to be doing with our lives besides having a pleasant ride.
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This article was originally posted on Andrew Cohen’s BigThink.com blog, “The Evolution of Enlightenment.”
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Andrew Cohen is a spiritual teacher, cultural visionary, founder of EnlightenNext, and the author of 
“What profits a (person) to gain the world and lose (her) soul?” (Bilble) Andrew’s statements above are in line with his premise (in his recent book, Evolutionary Enlightenment) that the the cosmos is working on its interior, on consciousness, through each of us. I wholeheartedly agree that this is the new frontier, and that we are responsible for it. His post is also in line with the book’s premise that the corrective, world-spiritualizing, action is an inside-out job (page 176 of harbound book), although simultaneously assisted by an outside-in view of a larger process (chapter 15). I also agree with both these points.
I fact, as I read Evolutionary Enlightenment I felt like I was reading something I wrote and believed in. Andrew predicted this phenomenon in a later chapter discussing the meeting of minds between those havng discovered their Authentic Self (Selves). Not only in a general sense of resonance and covergence of thought, but in specific ways I noted matches between many of Andrew’s concepts and mine, as written in my own book, Allsville Emerging. His 5 Tenets closely matched the 5 spiritual principles that my fictional characters in my own description of a “space-station” town (to use Andrew’s metaphor from page 201 of his book) consented upon as core beliefs that cut across all religions and spiritual philosophies in “Allsville.”
His Clarity of Intention matched Allsvilles’ Spiritual Principle of Appreciation (related to purpose and transformation and human “gift” recognition and development). His Power of Volition matched Allsville’s spiritual principle of Responsible Creating. His Face Everything and Avoid Nothing matched Allsiville’s spiritual principle of Whole-to-Part (related to “core virtue” of “Awareness”). His The Process Perspective matched Allsville’s spiritual principle of Interconnectedness. His Cosmic Conscience matched Allsville’s spiritual principle of Lightness (non-attachment/non-clinging, “Let Go and Let God”)
But even more surprisizing than the general and specific matches, was my realization, at end of Andrew’s book, that I wrote his next book! The book Allsville Emerging is a detailed account of a likely collective manifestation of cultural emergence on the scale of a villiage or town.
What Evolutionary Enlightenment is to individual development (poised to act collectively), Allsville Emerging (http://sbpra.com/DarrellMoneyhon) is to collective manifestation of the Evolutionary Impulse.
The model community of Allsville is a good educated guess at the following (from Andrew’s book, Evolutionary Enlightenment, pages 201-202): “Endeavoring to stabilize a newly emergent cultural worldspace in this way is like breaking through the atmosphere and then attempting to build a space station – - a huge structure suspended outside of the normal field of gravity. And when the space we are moving into is the outer reaches of our subjective and intersubjective consciousness, the structure we are striving to build is made up of new shared cultural agreements about the meaning and purpose of life. To give rise to the next stage beyond postmodernity, these agreements need to be based upon a deep-time evolutionary worldview, a developmental understanding of human history, and an appreciation of the fact that as the self evolves, culture evolves. ”
Allsville Emerging describes one of the first “space stations.” Also, my effort to do so accomplished another thing that Andrew predicted:
(from page 204 of Evolutionary Enlightenment) “When we’re talking about pushing that edge, there’s always going to be an element of enormous risk. Evolution is a messy process. There are no guarantiees. So anybody who really wants to strive for something new is going to have to be willing to make mistakes, take wrong turns, and even to fail. The simple truth is this: If not failing is more imoportant to you than genuinely succeeding, your’re never going to make it. If you want to succedd, you must have the spiritual self-confidence, heroic will, tenacity, courage, and commitement to fearlessly engage with the evolutionary process until something profound, mysterious, and extraordinary happens tghat cannot be undone. …
After 20 years of obsessing about an optimal community and about creating a culture based (on what Andrew terms) “Authentic Self, I have already jumped in the waters of envisioning what the cultural emergence of the edge (what the space station) might look like. I dared to make mistakes and to publish a book that, so far, few have been willing to read.
Fool or Pioneer, my Authentic Self wrote Andrew’s Authentic Self’s next book. That’s okay, in Evolutionary Enlightenment, he wrote the the prequel to Allsville Emerging. I never read any of his books before, and he never read my one (and, so far, only) book, but somehow or another we seem to be working together.
Thanks Andrew for working with me and with all other Authentic Selves.
And I will strive to follow your lead in writing more clearly and succinctly. Even though I wrote your next book, I’m sure I did not write it as well as you could have. That’s something I have to Face and Not Avoid (Tenet #3).
Darrell
Could the questions of what’s the next step ? and why are we here? ever be answered positively in terms of a idealistic ,utopian or wished structures ?
Could any structure be able to contain the innomable and the uncontainable ? Could the uneneding movement be curved and stupefied in a structure however innovative it is ? Could it be that there is only the first step to be made , which is absolute Freedom ?
What would not be no more between you and me if there is such Freedom Without any motive ?
True to a degree. But culture does help shape mind. And mind, in turn, helps shape culture. Isn’t it time we take responsibility for collectively shaping a culture that will help us grow spiritually (in a transfaith, not merely “religious,” way)?
Is it time to use the Evolutionary Enlightenment Tenet of The Power of Volition?
I propose that our best shot at doing so is on the small scale of a town or a villiage. I did my best to blueprint one such town/village. I call it Allsville. Described in book, Allsville Emerging (http://sbpra.com/DarrellMoneyhon).
Hope to have site “Allsville Online” up and running before too long. Those who are interested in using the Power of Volition together to plan an optimal community, and to rehearse an online version of it, are invited to participate in Allsville Online. I’ll keep folks posted about the progress of the project.
Darrell
hello Darrell,
You say “culture does help shape mind” makes me wonder : Is there any Freedom per se ?
Or are humans beings condemned for eons of time to set again an again ever-blueprints for coexistence ?
Is culture , a reality apart from you ? or are you it ? If you are it , the responsibility is for you to put order in your house first and foremost .
Action that spontaneously follows, would then not be a means of escape or a means of coercition over others in terms of a collective or personal blueprint, stating culture which will be different according to the people who “lead” and their followers ?
Any culture cannot regenerate itself without those true individuals who are seeking truth and therefore are free of all societies and cultures.
Qhoa, I agree that culture and each of us are not isolated events, and that each of us helps shape culture. I also agree that the best way to shape a healthy culture would be when there is critical mass of individual enlightenment.
In the book, I descibe a “Regulation Matrix” (could also be called “Four Gears For Governing”) that helps the fictional citizens of Allsville make meta-decisions about how to govern. While “gear four” (govern-by-enlightenment”) is where the community wants to evolve to, the fictional characters of Allsville, decided that they would govern-by-culture, because it was the next best evolutionary step available and practical. The main society has not yet learned to democratically govern-by-culture. Culture has been left up to a few influential persons to (as you say) “lead.” The rest of us tend to generally go along with cultural world views and practices. We tend to lack awareness/consciousness/and intentionality while we conform to culture, rather than making sure we do our best to shape culture in a way that will be the healthiest and most conducive of postive growth and evolution. While you are right that our decisions to go along with culture is actually a form of each of us shaping it (and it is a projection of all our minds), we do so while sleep walking, without full awareness of our impacts on the culture, and without taking responsibility for the characteristics of our culture.
I imagined that a group of people who would form an optimal community would want to democratically (with deliberation and open discussion, consensus-making, and an overall awareness of the power/significance of culture) shape culture in (what they agreed to be) a positive direction which could eventually cultivate governing by enlightenment (fourth gear).
Law and order is first gear. Govern by individual discipline (internalized law and order) is second gear. Govern by inspiring culture is third gear. And govern by enlightenment is the fourth gear.
Allsville is imagined to be a place that helps the world shift from second gear (and frequent down-shifts to imposed law enforcement), to third gear. But the goal is to move toward riding along in fourth gear eventually.
In fourth gear, the culture will naturally, effortlessly, and spontaneously be shaped in a healthy and optimal way, according to the correct, enlightened, understanding of each person.
You seemed to be looking at the picture from the perspective of fourth gear. When we can govern that way, it would, in fact, be the most effective means of governing.
But we need to help grow folks up to that point by shaping an intentional culture that helps teach and show and inspire them to (as Thomas Aquinas said) “Love God with all your heart, and then do whatever you want to.”
The problem with waiting for fourth gear to happen, is that it will take much longer than it would if people tried to do better. I am of the camp that believes that, to a certain extent, we can purposely, intentionally, accelerate the evolution of humankind. If we love one another, we are not willing to wait by and by for an age of enlightenment. We want to make a nurturing nest of culture, so our loved-ones (all of us) can be whole and fully aware.
Waiting around for that magic moment of a critical mass of enlightenment or higher consciousness, is too irresponsible because it would (and does) allow the suffering (from lack of awareness) to continue longer than need be the case.
And, personally, I think it is a cleverly disguised rationalization of why we don’t need to roll up our sleeves and work on making the world a better place. Those who have comfortable means are generally more content to wait around for the age of enlightenment. Our motivation to change the social structure (the “game”) is not really there (although we may give lip service to improving the world) because the individualisitc/competitive game gives us plenty of perks, and we don’t want to lose those perks.
The status quo-maintaining habit of thinking that people cannot be taught or learn to achieve enlightenment sooner, instead of later, becomes a way to justify not trying to teach or cultivate that awareness/enlightenment/higher-consciousness. We avoid shifting to the third gear of governing if second gear seems to be doing okay by us personally. Increased “heat” (pain and strain) may help nudge us out of that comfort zone (once the middle class shrinks enough), but why would we want to let more people suffer than necessary? If a more effective way can be utilized. Governing by culture is a less intrusive and less painful way to move forward.
I am talking of course about of a highly democratic, collaborative, form of mutual culture shaping. Not just another round of an overly dominant leader and overly passive followers.
Thanks for your insightful comments about the interrelatedness of culture and individual mind. I agree about that particular point, and it underscores the importance of us all taking responsibility for the “state of the culture.”
Darrell
Darrell, I have made a mistake and want to be sure you get my reply so I post it once again here. Sorry Andrew for the mess
Dear Darrell,
) . At first sight , I agree with the first 3 gears play an important role in allowing more and more people access to maybe the fourth gear . But as we can see from humanity past and present stories, those steps have been taken by many groups , leaders and now we are still in much a mess socially, ecomonically and also psychologically and spiritually .
I really appreciate your explanations of the four gears and the clarity and wisdom of your tone ( I am being personal
Two questions arise for me about those 3 first gears.
First. I was spontaneously always on the go for rolling up my sleeves. What I have discovered by coming in contact with those so-called activist organizations for the “welfare of humanity “ , is that most of them ( let not say all of them) are in no way ready for any open discussions which could i question their supramcy (let alone dictatorship!) . “My way is the only way” is their collective adage. Funny thing is the followers tend to be more fanatical than their leaders, as if their own existence is threatened by those who question their commitment. They behave as their leader’s watchdogs. Either you roll your sleeves for them and them alone , or please consider yourself as an ever outsider. So I come to question this whole notion of “action” , of ‘rolling your sleeves” that can be used as a manipulative psychological means to victimize those who question. Is Love a matter of following a guideline of action , behavior? Is Love a matter of will ? of wanting to change others for their own sake?
What is Action ? or maybe better asked “Who is the doer? What are his conscious but foremost uncosncious and hidden motives for ‘rolling his sleeves ‘ ? Security? Search for gratification in the name of his view of the world? Fear of his own nothingness? Disguised tribal consciousness? … One has to answer for oneself those first and foremost .Otherwise any action at the three first gears are NO proof of the integrity of the so-called activists. Worse they cause further confusion and suffering in others and consciousness itself, because of their partiality, corrupted and deceptive masks.
It seems for me that the fourth gear is the first and last step, as it is a fact that the end can only be the reflection of the means.
Therefore ,being aware that the word is not the thing and word can be very deceptive. The second point for me is questions :“is transformation a matter of time? An end point of a horizontal line of different actions ? is an individualistic person apart from the word? Is there an individual consciousness apart from consciousness ? Is world consciousness apart from consciousness per se ? is consciousness the end of the story or is there something beyond consciousness itself? Consciousness seems to evolve through time , ever- expanding, so it calls for us to “rolle our sleeves” to move . But is there anything beyond the order of consciousness which has its own sacred action? What will look like the essence of cooperation without the ones who will to cooperate?
In the end , I love your suggestion of coming together as a highly democratic, collaborative, form of mutual culture shaping not a as an ideal but as a fact . Does it need for that enlightenment as a flash of lightning to occur. Does it need all their fanatical watchdogs organizations and their imposed rules and guidelines and discipline , or does it only need the soil of complete honesty in self-discovery which maybe Love and Freedom?
Qhoa
If the universe is created by chance then it’s difficult to understand the reason behind the creation and the fate of those living and multiplying in this world When the philosopher asked GOD why this death and destruction in the world where man asserts supremacy over other creatures left in Noah’s boat after the last final destruction of prevalent evil, it’s said that God said that he had no remembrance of such a world because such a world He fashioned not . In the huge swing of up and down man ultimately is the loser and zenith of achievement and glory is lost for being made a stepping stone for higher comforts and attainment in times to come.Einstein said that the fourth world war will be fought with sticks and stones
Andrew,
“Where are we going?” “What is the purpose, if there is any, of the human experience?” Who are we, why are we here?” How should we make deeper sense out of the experience we’re having right now?”
You’ve raised absolutely critical questions for which there are no absolutely certain answers. So, “what is the next step?” We have choices. In our miniscule finitude, we can succumb to despair about the future which, I confess, I’ve done from time to time. We can have a “pleasant ride” but still come up spiritually empty. Or, recognizing the fallibility of all human systems, we can open ourselves to the spiritual dimension of all existence and thereby act creatively and bring some love and compassion into the day-to-day events and challenges of our individual lives. There are no guarantees that our efforts will bear fruit, but this path is preferable to despair or to living “pleasantly.”
Richard, I agree that we need to adopt the kind of positive attitude that you mention. It will help create a postive self-fulfilling prophesy. And it is very important to bring that non-dual Authentic Self into small everyday events/situations.
But I also believe we can go ahead and make new systems designed to meet our spiritual needs/longings. I believe that the Authentic Self calls us to begin creating systemic changes, including new experimental systems such as model optimal communities.
First, I quote you:
“Or, recognizing the fallibility of all human systems, we can open ourselves to the spiritual dimension of all existence and thereby act creatively and bring some love and compassion into the day-to-day events and challenges of our individual lives. ”
Now I’d like to add another “or”:
Or get busy and carefully propose new, spiritualizing, systems such as optimal model commuities. My blueprint of a spiritually-principled model community is provided in my book Allsville Emerging (http://sbpra.com/DarrellMoneyhon).
What Andrew was vaguely alluded to (in Evolutionary Enlightenment) as a later step of cultural emergence, I have already taken a heartfelt and head-filled stab at. I have been brave enough to risk being wrong, but at least I tried to plan a spirit-friendly system, and will continue to do so.
While my book is by no means an easy read, its ideas are too valuable to overlook. Talk about “spiritual confidence” (that Andrew mentions in Evolutionary Enlightenment)!
Perhaps our systems don’t have to be as “fallable” as they currently are.
I hope to have Allsville Online up and going in the near future. It will be a place where we can plan together for such systemic changes, and can support each other for our day to day lives in the current system. You are cordially invited to be a citizen of Allsville Online. I’ll be glad to keep you posted on the progress of this project.
Thanks for your centering words of wisdom.
Darrell
Dear Darrell,
) . At first sight , I agree with the first 3 gears play an important role in allowing more and more people access to maybe the fourth gear . But as we can see from humanity past and present stories, those steps have been taken by many groups , leaders and now we are still in much a mess socially, ecomonically and also psychologically and spiritually .
I really appreciate your explanations of the four gears and the clarity and wisdom of your tone ( I am being personal
Two questions arise for me about those 3 first gears.
First. I was spontaneously always on the go for rolling up my sleeves. What I have discovered by coming in contact with those so-called activist organizations for the “welfare of humanity “ , is that most of them ( let not say all of them) are in no way ready for any open discussions which could i question their supramcy (let alone dictatorship!) . “My way is the only way” is their collective adage. Funny thing is the followers tend to be more fanatical than their leaders, as if their own existence is threatened by those who question their commitment. They behave as their leader’s watchdogs. Either you roll your sleeves for them and them alone , or please consider yourself as an ever outsider. So I come to question this whole notion of “action” , of ‘rolling your sleeves” that can be used as a manipulative psychological means to victimize those who question. Is Love a matter of following a guideline of action , behavior? Is Love a matter of will ? of wanting to change others for their own sake?
What is Action ? or maybe better asked “Who is the doer? What are his conscious but foremost uncosncious and hidden motives for ‘rolling his sleeves ‘ ? Security? Search for gratification in the name of his view of the world? Fear of his own nothingness? Disguised tribal consciousness? … One has to answer for oneself those first and foremost .Otherwise any action at the three first gears are NO proof of the integrity of the so-called activists. Worse they cause further confusion and suffering in others and consciousness itself, because of their partiality, corrupted and deceptive masks.
It seems for me that the fourth gear is the first and last step, as it is a fact that the end can only be the reflection of the means.
Therefore ,being aware that the word is not the thing and word can be very deceptive. The second point for me is questions :“is transformation a matter of time? An end point of a horizontal line of different actions ? is an individualistic person apart from the word? Is there an individual consciousness apart from consciousness ? Is world consciousness apart from consciousness per se ? is consciousness the end of the story or is there something beyond consciousness itself? Consciousness seems to evolve through time , ever- expanding, so it calls for us to “rolle our sleeves” to move . But is there anything beyond the order of consciousness which has its own sacred action? What will look like the essence of cooperation without the ones who will to cooperate?
In the end , I love your suggestion of coming together as a highly democratic, collaborative, form of mutual culture shaping not a as an ideal but as a fact . Does it need for that enlightenment as a flash of lightning to occur. Does it need all their fanatical watchdogs organizations and their imposed rules and guidelines and discipline , or does it only need the soil of complete honesty in self-discovery which maybe Love and Freedom?
Qhoa
Qhoa, Some very good points there. You convince me of the need to base collective action on a commitment to gear four. I still think the commitment — the will — can be instilled by a spiritually oriented culture. The culture doesn’t have to have evolved all the way up to what might be called “enlightenment” to strive toward enlightenment or Godliness. The culture does need to have a focus on spirituality, but the governing is done by the quest instead of by the attainment of the highest levels of spirituality. Governing by gear four would be auto pilot. We arent ready for auto pilot yet. But culture could orient enough individual minds to seek the God-guided auto pilot “Way” that is best for group governance on down the road, once enough socio/cultural evolution has taken place.
I agree with you emphasis on spirituality as a base of human operation. And I think you and I agree that we mean an honest striving for spiritual growth when we use a term like “spirituality,” instead of regurgitation of religious dogma and surface tradition. A culture that tells us (inspires us, sells us on) its cool to grow spiritually is needed if the community is to be “optimal.”
The proposed bridge (in the book Allsville Emerging) between gear 3 and gear 4 is the group’s consenting upon 5 “Spiritual Principles.” They pledge to practice and use these to grow spiritually and to help maintain sustainable social cohesion. The principles are transmitted culturally in hopes that each citizen can and will internalize them. The 5 principles might be called “cultural cognitions.” They are thoughts shared in the culture, but those thoughts might help shape the mind of the citizen in a spiritual growth direction.
So, as I see it anyway, the five agreed-upon spiritual principles (which, by the way, happen to match Cohen’s 5 Tenets of Evolutionary Enlightenment pretty well) are culture’s bow to gear 4. Gear 3 serves gear 4, even though governance isn’t yet run by gear 4. Gear 3 has a teleological pull by gear 4 though. Enlightenment is calling the group-shaping of culture. And the participants of that culture will feel “called” to try to become enlightened, or to grow spiritually.
I just can’t see us getting anywhere if we wait for enlightenment to come. I believe we are co-creators who can help speed up enlightenment. Not that God’s timing or will can be completely overidden, but that God will answer our prayers to grow sooner instead of later and after more than necessary hardship due to our protracted “lostness.”
God or Authentic Self will help us become found sooner if we use gear 3 (religion, education, personal sharings, personal modeling, group messaging, etc.) to kind of “pray” for stage-advance (to a stage where gear 4 can be used most or all the time, in an auto pilot sort of way).
Darrell
The infinity of the Divine cannot be undertood within the structure of the mind of any person or a set of persons…But certainly one could feel the Presence of the Divine …….When we are about to go to sleep we forego any thought or speculation regarding the “Whys’ and “Hows” of existence, God and human beings’ existence….When we meditate and go inside we are in a strange way ” in a let go “stage and fall into the infinite grasp of the unknown…It’s an individual affair, though more and more individuals are falling itno this undescribable spiritual experience….Like a mute person unable to explain the taste of icecream or say candy.
“I certainly wouldn’t want to find myself in the painfully ironic position of waking up fifty years from now, and finding that as a result of technological innovation, we were on the other side of the biggest threats of the 21st century, and yet had still no idea about what we were supposed to be doing with our lives besides having a pleasant ride.”
Andrew, concretely, what do you suggest ? time to make concrete proposals for the next step, no ? or you are not serious at all, man. Being Inspired will not be enough, “ putting the world on fire” will not be enough… unless we share freedom and communion, and creativity to feed our Souls really. How does one do this ? Hey, Man, hey…………………….
where is the food for Souls, where do we find it ? how do we create it ? how do we share it ? are people happier around us ? are we creating a turmoil of joy and creativity around us ? is a joyful and playful hierarchy energy ? are we burning of joy when we meet someone higher than us or is it still the old jealousy, hatred and fear ? are we profoundly, inwardly happy to meet greatness in this world? do we cherish it? do we love it passionately in others even more than in ourselves ?
Look man, in this post I disagree with only one sentence ( good improvement !) which is when you say that creativity itself is not enough. This is not true, do not anyone believe Andrew here….Andrew is clearly wrong wrong wrong here…. ! Creativity is enough, it is certainly enough, is has always been, and always will be. Universal creativity, in all human endeavors, from the most humble to the most noble, is enough. Creativity is the sacred food of evolution. Without creativity humans will not be able to feed their Soul. Greatness , creativity, recognition of greatness and creativity in all its forms , universally, always and everywhere, is what I personally is yearning for. A passionate modernity, a modernity which didn’t loose its soul, modernity which is not afraid by the contents, by what things really mean, a modernity which is not afraid by the clarity and brightness, by the fire of what ones love, a modernity which recognizes hierarchy not only in money and power, but in every human being, even the humblest, in every human endeavor. Hierarchy is sacred food for Soul, hierarchy shall be recognized everywhere, in every human endeavor. Hence creativity is crucial, any kind of it is a pearl which shall be treasured. To me it is more than ever the door to salvation. A man who is destroying the human potential t be creative is creating more karma at this time of evolution than ever before. Creativity is sacred, sacred….
If they (overwhelming golbal challenges) don’t kill us (collectively); they’ll make us stronger.. And hopefully Life has too much invested in us to let us off that easy