TTMO
I wrote this essay in 2010 (originally), if only to point out that advances in science and technology alone are not enough.
Why?
We have to move on in all aspects of life, i.e. socially, ecologically, physically, mentally, educationally, economically, politically and spiritually, in order to avoid becoming an even more belligerent, rogue planet and to bring about ‘The Transformation’ of the whole of civilisation, especially those parts which have become over-sexualised. (For is it not true that, in our ‘excessive’ pursuit of money, 'sex’ sells?)
Socially
At present, we live in a divided world in which we see ourselves as separate from each other, a planet on which we believe there is not enough of what we need to make ourselves secure and happy with the result that we have to compete with each other in order to get them. This division, perceived scarcity and often ruthless competition is causing all kinds of conflict and environmental harm, at a local, national & global level. (See The Storm Before The Calm, A New Human Manifesto, Hay House, 2011, by Walsch, N. D. - in particular, Chapter 16, pages 103-111.)
These concerns are to be seen all around us: from our own and other people’s direct experience; from reports in the media, e.g. news broadcasts, documentaries and daily, weekly and monthly newspapers/magazines; and from recently published paperbacks (such as: Chomsky, N., Failed States, Penguin Books, 2007; Klein, N., The Shock Doctrine, Penguin Books, 2008; and Pilger, J., The New Rulers Of The World, Verso, 2003.)
But the most serious of these dangers (some say deliberately orchestrated for, in a primitive society, ‘conflict and war are good for business’) concern clashes between opposing ideologies, e.g. ‘Capitalism against Communism’ and ‘Christianity versus Islam’, which, when combined with advances in technology, not least the manufacture of nuclear weapons, threaten us all with widespread destruction, including our own extinction.
(The recently released film ‘Countdown to Zero’ illustrates this point very well, whatever the reasons for its production (which, some say, may be used to scare people and justify the invasion of ‘terrorist states'.) See also article in Guardian Weekly, 31/01/2014, entitled ‘Israel’s not so clandestine nuclear arsenal.’)
Thus, as remarked in ‘CwG’, Book 2, page 277 (see ‘Spiritually’ section below), we have given matches to children, everywhere. The solution, therefore, is simple. Take them away!
But this will never happen in a global system which is organised into hierarchies, ruling elites & remote & distant bureaucracies - and cert-ainly not through the United Nations with its ‘(In)Security Council’, some of the permanent members of which, such as US, China, Britain, France & Russia (New Internationalist, NI 448, December, 2011), rank amongst the biggest arms manufacturers in the world! (For background information on this outdated & often ineffective institution, see: Black, M., No-Nonsense Guide to the United Nations, NI Publications Ltd, 2008.)
Thus, we need to move on socially - before present divisions cause even greater catastrophic disputes - by rearranging pyramids of wealth, power and domination into ‘decentralised, horizontally linked, regional networks of interconnected, Self-Managed, Intentional Communities’!
(For possible guidance on this last subject, see, for example: Joll, J., The Anarchists, Methuen & Co. Ltd., 1969; Marshall, P., Demanding The Impossible, A History of Anarchism, Collins, 1992; Ritter, A., Anarchism, A Theoretical Analysis, Cambridge University Press, 1980; Taylor, M., Community, Anarchy & Liberty, Cambridge University Press, 1982; and, Woodcock, G., Anarchism, History of Libertarian Ideas and Movements, Pelican, 1986.
But please note. The use of the word 'Anarchy' and its derivatives in the above titles refers to its positive meaning, i.e. that more grown up and advanced state of affairs where there are no leaders because they are not necessary. They are not necessary because people have been educated to regulate themselves.)
Ecologically
The list is familiar - soil erosion, deforestation, water shortages, pollution of land, sea and air, the careless production of GM food, resource depletion (including Peak Oil), and, of course, climate change, information about each of which is readily available on the internet, as well as in recently published books, such as: Hartman, T., Last Days of Ancient Sunlight, Mythical Books, 1998; Kovel, J., The Enemy of Nature - The End of Capitalism or The End of The World?, Zed Books, 2007; Ponting, C., A New Green History of The World, Vintage Books, 2007; and on film/DVDs, such as: ‘The Age of Stupid’ and ‘The Story of Stuff’.
Meanwhile, in this country, newspapers and magazines, including ‘The Guardian Weekly’ and ‘New Internationalist’, regularly contain articles on the way in which we are pillaging and ravishing the planet. Indeed, the latter monthly publication frequently devotes a whole issue to one of the above areas of concern and the brave campaigns often being undertaken by indigenous people and activists to counter the damage being done to the environment (both immediate and further afield) by multinationals, without much benefit to the local population, and the oppression being metered out to them by these organisations, often with the backing of their own governments.
But, despite these constant reports and warnings, the ruthless exploitation of the natural world continues in the pursuit of increasing growth, a physical impossibility within a finite system, and for the sake of making a profit. (But where is the profit in spoiling and tearing apart our own home, the Earth, upon which we depend for our existence in the material realm?)
We need to move on ecologically - before we do irreparable damage to our surroundings and endanger our continued existence on this planet - by becoming better stewards of our world, all of its resources and everything that lives here!
(For background information on these possibilities, see, for example: Philpott, C., Green Spirituality: one answer to global environmental problems and world poverty, AuthorHouse, 2011 (featured recently at some length in the Green Party’s magazine, ‘Green World’, GW72, Autumn 2011.); Braungart, M., McDonough, W., ‘Cradle to Cradle - Remaking The Way We Make Things’, Vantage Books, 2009; Leonard, A., The Story of Stuff, Constable & Robinson Ltd, 2010 (also on video); and, for alternatives which are already taking place, so far on the margins of existing society, Hopkin, R., The Transition Handbook – From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience, Green Books, 2008.)
Physically/Mentally
Similarly, we are putting our own health at risk by being careless about what we put into our bodies and minds. Thus, much of the food we eat is full of chemicals, the air we breathe is polluted and the water we drink is not pure. Also some of us regularly abuse our bodies with drugs and alcohol, substances for which they were never designed to ingest and which would not be required in a happier, more enlightened world. (For example, on food additives, see: ‘10 Things the Food Industry Doesn't Want You to Know’ on the US News, Health, Diet and Fitness website’.)
Meanwhile, many of us, especially in the West, do not take enough exercise. Hence, an obesity problem has arisen affecting large parts of the population (ironically, while people in the majority world starve) and this is placing an enormous strain on our ‘health care systems’ because this condition is accompanied by many of the modern illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and lack of well being.
(According to Zoe Harcome, in her book ‘The Obesity Epidemic: What Caused It? How Can We Stop It?’, Columbus Publishing Ltd, 2010, obesity in the UK increased almost 10 fold between the 1970s and 1999 from 2.7% to 25%. Also worth a look is the work in this area of Professor Susan Bardocz, PhD, and her championing of the production of organic food in ways that are kind to us and the environment. See her DVD, ‘Don’t put it in, if you don’t know how to take it out’, in which she points out that ‘fat people are starving’, i.e. from lack of vitamins, proteins, etc., in their diets.)
Then, add to this the coming into existence of viruses, such as some strains of TB and gonorrhoea, that have become resistant to all known antibiotics and we are inviting the outbreak of all kinds of plagues and epidemics. (See, for example, ’Drug-resistant super TB cases double in a decade and experts believe many more are not reported’, described on MailOnLine Health website, dated 14/9/11, and ‘Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhoea (ARG)’ on The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention website, under STDs.)
Our mental health is not much better. A report in The Daily Telegraph, dated 5/9/11, says that, “Europeans are plagued by mental and neurological illnesses, with almost 165 million people or 38% of the population suffering each year from a brain disorder such as depression, anxiety, insomnia or dementia, according to a large new study.”
Many books on this subject abound, such as those written by clinical psychologist and broadcaster, Oliver James, including: They F*** You Up, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC; 2006; The Selfish Capitalist, Vermilion, 2008; Contented Dementia, Vermilion, 2009; and, Britain on the Couch, Vermilion, 2010. The titles speak for themselves (even if there is some disagreement about the analysis.)
Worse still, these trends are spreading to the rich sections of 'the developing world. On 23/11/10, The Guardian, under the headline ‘Obesity: India's affluent affliction’ reported that ‘one in every three schoolchildren in a Delhi private school is obese. Private schools in Mumbai are marginally less plump. Kids are consuming four times the recommended quantity of food.’
Thus, our physical and mental health care systems (which should really be called ‘disease and illness management services’ because 90% of their budgets are spent on treating symptoms and only 10% on prevention) are under increasing pressure with the result that they can only survive by being part/wholly privatised and the principle ‘can’t pay, don’t get’ will apply with even greater intensity. And, the term ‘the haves and the have-nots’ will be extended into ‘the lives and the live-nots’! (For total government spending on disease and illness management, see the UK Public Spending website.)
We need to move on physically and mentally - before we debilitate ourselves further and have to devote even greater resources to ‘patching ourselves up’ - by adopting a healthier diet, drastically changing our life styles and becoming better Stewards of our own and each other’s bodies and minds!
(We are not short of advice and information in this field. The Amazon website currently lists approximately 7 000 books under the heading ‘Diet and Exercise’ and approximately 37 000 under ‘Mental Health’!)
Educationally
The way we treat our offspring at school, in the home and outside in the wider world is horrible. For example, we teach them in classes, especially at the Infant stage, which are too large (mainly in the State sector); we contain and regiment them for long periods of the day, thereby depriving them of adequate opportunities for expressing themselves and gaining self-control; and we are always telling them what to do. Thus, in these ‘places of learning’, we provide them with an incomplete, harmful and/or repressive experience, let alone a suitable preparation for a life of ‘responsible freedom’!
But we already knew this. For, as well as the direct evidence of our own eyes, in particular, of those who work at ‘the chalk face’, there was a rash of books, in the 1970s, with titles such as: The Underachieving School (Holt, J.), Pelican Books, 1972; Deschooling Society (Illich, I.), Penguin Books, 1973; and, School Is Dead (Reimer, I.), Penguin Books, 1971.
However, we ignored these gut feelings and insightful observations which these publications were promulgating and allowed government after government, at enormous expense to pupils’ all-round healthy growth and development (and the public purse), to introduce a more and more authoritarian system in order to serve the economy (a model, incidentally, that was imported, by example, in the late '80s/early'90s from South Korea, a military dictatorship at that time but whose own economy was expanding rapidly.)
Meanwhile things at home and beyond are not much better. During out-of-school hours and the long holidays many children and young people are left to their own devices without adequate support in ‘the community’; we literally screen them out of our lives for long periods of the day by allowing them to sit in front of televisions, computers and electronic games which bombard them with harmful, confusing images and discourage them from leading healthy active lives; and we leave families, often composed of parents who are little more than children themselves, to fend for themselves with the result that many become broken and dysfunctional.
And so, we end up with a book being published, a few years ago, called ‘Toxic Childhood - how the modern world is damaging our children’, Orion, 2007, by Sue Palmer, in which she makes a scathing attack on our competitive, consumer-driven, screen-based lifestyles and the effect this having on our offspring.
We need to move on educationally - before we damage and distort our children’s growth and development even further and prevent them from ever questioning and thinking for themselves - by devoting much more time and energy to this vital task and introducing a more complete and appropriate, non-authoritarian, self-regulatory system of education!
(And for some background reading on what this might entail, see, for example: Smith, M. P., The Libertarians And Education, Unwin Education Books, 1983; and, Spring, J., A Primer of Libertarian Education, Black Rose Books, 1975.)
Economically
The present economic system is not working. Convoluted and complex (by design?), it involves a banking system, allied to casino stock exchanges, that is seemingly beyond control. Frequently it requires huge borrowing from governments in order to keep its making-money-from-money machinery and devices afloat as, driven by greed and irresponsible investments, it goes from one boom to another with bigger and bigger busts in between.
Consequently, during these recessions, when the money supply has dried up and loans are no longer available, firms, businesses and industries are forced to shut down, mortgages are foreclosed and people are thrown out of work and their home. (For a short but comprehensive overview of this system see, for example: Stalker, P., Global Finance, No-Nonsense Guide, The New Internationalist Publications, 2009.)
Austerity measures then have to be introduced in order to recoup the money lent to the banks by government in order to bail them out which result in even greater loss of jobs, cuts to services and decreases in personal income for those on the lower rungs of the pyramids of wealth and power, while big bonuses and salaries continue to be paid to those at the top. (For the negative social and personal effects of the widening gap between rich and poor, see, for example; Wilkinson, R., and Pickett, K., The Spirit Level - Why equality is better for everyone, Penguin Books, 2010.)
Thus, great hardship, resentment and anger are caused, giving rise to demonstrations and social unrest. (According to the MeetUp website, as of 4/11/11, ‘the occupy movement’ which is directed at social and economic inequality, with its main target being the unaccountable and rapacious behaviour of the banks, is taking place in 2568 towns and cities worldwide.)
But what are we - through our governments and the taxes we pay to them - trying to preserve here? An economic system which holds enormous numbers of people in a state of wage-slavery and indebtedness, which in turn makes them easier to control, and employs thousands in non-prod-uctive work who could be better occupied in more worthwhile activities elsewhere; a system which, while often turning people against one another, operates on the principles of ‘winner takes all’, ‘production for profit, not need’ and ‘if you can’t pay, you don’t get’, and, hence, the obscenity of children and adults starving to death in countries where piles of food exist only a few miles away, as now, for example, in the Horn of Africa.
[For an incisive attack on this primitive, ruthless and cruel system, there is no better place to visit than ‘The Socialist Standard’, a magazine published every month by the Socialist Party of Great Britain (SPGB). Thus, for example, on the question of how much time and energy our primitive society devotes to operating the money system, see Issue 1283, Volume 107, dated July 2011, and, in particular, the article entitled ‘Money: a waste of resources.’ But please note: ‘world socialism’ per se, for obvious reasons (see ‘Spiritually’ section), is not the answer being put forward here, although it has informed some of its thinking.]
We need to move on economically - before this system collapses completely and we all end up in an even bigger hole with more and more people out on the street protesting, rebelling and causing mayhem – by introducing everywhere ‘Self-Managed, Intentional Communities, i.e. ‘SMICs’! (See: www.spanglefish.com/glocalowtparties )
(For information on the possible creation of ‘a world of free access’, see, for example: Mullins, D., The Failing Logic of Money - The Transition to a World Free from Suffering, O Books, 2011.)
Politically
Our present form of democracy, i.e. representative, admittedly a slight advance on feudalism and all forms of dictatorship, is only a step on the way to full maturity. Far from giving us control over our lives, surround-ings & destiny, it takes it away and hands it over to ruling elites in return for the right to vote once every four, five or six years, for a new set of masters, all of whom, no matter which party they belong to, are increasingly beginning to look all the same. Janet Biehl, a colleague of Murray Bookchin, in her book ‘The Politics of Social Ecology’, Black Rose Books, 1997, pages 4-5, quite rightly calls this system ‘Statecraft’.
Conventional politicians have become professional managers of a country, as if it were a business. They often pretend to be doing things for us, the electors, taxpayers and consumers, and, in order to get elected make all sorts of promises that this is what they are doing, when, in reality, as members/supporters of 'the ruling class' ('The Establishment'), they are doing things for themselves and the cronies in big business who support them with huge funds during their election campaigns and then put them under pressure, as lobbyists, to do their bidding, once they are elected.
Thus, while it has become generally recognised that our present form of politics involves the art of deception, apathy, disillusionment, poor turnout at the polls and loss of faith in the system has been the result. (See Weekly Guardian 6/7/12)
And, while some people are drawn to direct action by going on marches, demonstrations and occupations for this or that cause but which, so far, have done nothing to tackle the root cause of all of our problems, i.e. the existence of hierarchies and domination, itself the product of our erroneous belief that we are separate from each other (see Spirituality section below), the majority, having given away their power to ruling elites and minorities, composed of ‘bosses, priests and politicians’, are simply left with no option but to complain amongst themselves, when their elected leaders abuse it and things go wrong, as they inevitably will in this primitive, divided and dysfunctional society!
We need to move on politically - before all nation states become even more authoritarian, as they (and the vested interests behind them who pull their strings) try to deal with an ever growing list of intractable national and international problems and are eventually tempted to form a ‘Totalitarian, Big Brother, World Government’ in order to ‘solve them’, as was brilliantly portrayed in George Orwell’s ‘1984’ (Penguin Classics, 2004), and is what these puppeteers wanted all along - by introducing throughout the land a more advanced form of democracy, i.e. one which is direct, participative and based on the ‘Re-Creation of The Community’! (See www.spanglefish.com/glocalowtperties )
For further information on this topic, see, for example, as already mentioned, Biehl, J., Politics of Social Ecology, Black Rose Books, 1997, in particular, page 140, concerning the need for ‘the reconstruction of society’.
Spiritually
Our religions are out of date. Many are thousands of years old and their teachings are no longer relevant to the modern world, if indeed they ever were in previous eras. Yes, religions are and have been a source of support to individuals and their families, especially in times of need, but they have done very little during the course of history to bring peace to the world. On the contrary, they have been the cause of much conflict, bloodshed and indoctrination. (See, for example, Dawkins, R., The God Delusion, Black Swan, 2007; and Freke, T., and Gandy, P., The Jesus Mysteries, Was The Original Jesus A Pagan God?, Element, 2000.)
But we do not have to throw the baby out with the bath water (and the bath!) We simply have to bring these belief systems up to date by analysing their content, keeping what is valuable and discarding that which no longer serves us - in an ethos of honesty, openness and enlightenment - and thus, in the process, draw all religions together into a new universal spiritual awareness, involving all of humanity in a higher state of consciousness, with the result that all religions will eventually fade away! (See, on this point, for example, Smith, A. B., God, Energy and The Field, O Books, 2008 - in particular, page 112.)
One of the ways in which this could be done is by taking a good look at the revised definition of the word ‘God’ that is emerging from the ‘New Spirituality Movement’ and which is saying, in essence, that ‘God’ is not some almighty, supernatural being out there (a ‘God’ made in man’s image, only much, much larger), but that ‘God’ is ‘All-That-Is’ (a worldview also known as ‘Panentheism’.)
[For background reading in this burgeoning area, see, for example: Walsch, N. D., Conversations with God (CwG), Books 1-3, Hodder & Stoughton, 1995-8; Friendship with God, Hodder & Stoughton, 1999; Communion with God, Hodder & Stoughton, 2000; Conversations with God for Teens, Hampton Roads Publishing, 2001; The New Revelations, Hodder & Stoughton, 2002; Tomorrow’s God, Hodder & Stoughton, 2004; What God Wants, Hodder & Stoughton, 2005; At Home With God, Hodder & Stoughton, 2006; Happier than God, Emnin Books, 2008; and, The Storm Before The Calm – A New Human Manifesto, Hay House UK Ltd, 2011. As well as, Waters, O., The Shift, Infinite Being Publishing LLC, 2006; and, Hubbard, B., Conscious Evolution, New World Library, 1998. Also worth looking up in this context is the CANA, Christians Awakening to a New Awareness, website.]
Thus, this new information, which is arising from this source (and is beginning to be supported by the latest scientific findings, e.g. in the area of ‘quantum theory’), is telling us that we and everything around us are all made of the same stuff, i.e. energy vibrating at different frequencies, and that this energy came from - at the time of the Big Bang - The Prime Source, First Cause, The Creator, which some people still call ‘God’!
(On the emerging physical evidence on this subject, see, for example: Bolte Taylor, J., My Stroke of Insight, Hodder Paperbacks, 2009; Braden, G., The God Code, Hay House UK; 2005; The Divine Matrix, Hay House UK; 2007; McTaggart, L., The Field, Element, 2003; and, as already mentioned above, Smith, A. B., God, Energy and The Field, O Books, 2008. My Stroke of Insight is also on video on the internet.)
Hence, this more complete worldview is re-minding us that Life, i.e. all the galaxies, stars, planets and everything which resides on them and which lies in between, is God physicalised. Thus, the conclusion must be, we are not apart from ‘God’ but we are a part of ‘God’; and, since we are not separate from each other, our surroundings or from ‘G.O.D.’, an acronym standing for that ‘Glorious Originating Dimension’, We Are All One!
This is an exciting and powerful message for, once this ‘Notion of Unity’, this re-cognition that every thing and every body is interconnected, interrelated and interdependent, starts entering the ‘Collective Consciousness’, i.e. the hearts and minds of all people everywhere, no matter what position they may currently occupy within the pyramids of wealth and power, it cannot but have a profound and far reaching effect on every aspect of Life on this planet, especially the way in which Nations relate to each other and the way in which human affairs are organised.
Thus, to begin with, we will probably wish to bring all 192 nations of the Earth together and create a ‘United World’ by introducing, for example, as already mentioned, a temporary, democratically constituted, One World Transition, Global Parliament; the establishment of an international court of law whose decisions are binding; the dismantling of all national armies and their weapons of war, etc., etc... (See ‘Little White Book, Part B’ and/or visit: www.spanglefish.com/glocalowtparties )
But, more than this, we will be able to introduce ‘A More Advanced Society.’ For, re-cognising (knowing again) that ‘We Are All One’ and that, therefore, there is only one of us here, i.e. ‘One Self’, all people everywhere will begin to realise that ‘Self Government’, the organisation of our own affairs by and for ourselves without recourse to hierarchy, domination or ruling elites, supported and reflected by a very different, libertarian system of education for all, must be the next step forward in our evolution!
For, in a world that is rapidly moving away from all forms of separation & division, how can there be those who boss and those who are bossed, those who preach & those who are preached, those who rule and those who are ruled? How can there be 'us-&-them', when 'We Are All One'?
Thus we need to move on spiritually – before our current erroneous and incomplete beliefs lead us into even darker days - by encouraging all people everywhere to start ‘re-membering’ who they are & why they are here and, in the process, increasing their level of consciousness, a nece-ssary prerequisite before any of the amendments to the parlous conditions referred to in all of the above sections can be achieved!
(See, for example: Keyes, K., Handbook to Higher Consciousness, Love Line Books, 1985, and all of the books by Neale Donald Walsch’s but, especially, The Storm Before The Calm – A New Human Manifesto, Hay House UK Ltd, 2011.)
Other Areas
Please note. Technology has not been included in this essay because this aspect is probably already advanced enough - to the point where we are not yet sufficiently mature to handle all of its ramifications?
And a discussion of personal/sexual relationships and death/dying are probably best left to the arrival of a more complete understanding of Life on this planet, as explained by the new and rediscovered information now emerging from within the fields of both Science and Spirituality.
