Toward a Species Consciousness

March 24, 2010 Evolution No comments

While in college in the mid 1970’s I read the book Star Maker by Olaf Stapleton. Written in 1937 as the forces that caused World War II were already brewing, Stapleton described a mind-only astral trip through the space-time of the universe. Along the way he encountered numerous highly evolved, highly self-aware species with a level of consciousness and technology analogous to our own.

I have always remembered the main point: the planetary civilizations that survived all evolved a collective “species consciousness” (my term) at a point when they were in a global crisis. A powerful meme of recognition took the form of “a widespread passion for a new social order which should be just and should embrace the whole planet.”1

“Tribal prestige, individual dominance, military glory, industrial triumphs lost their obsessive glamour, and instead the happy creatures delighted in civilized social intercourse, in cultural activities, and in the common enterprise of world-building.”2 In the book, civilizations that continued on this path eventually developed a “psychically unified community.”3

Flash forward to today where a new meme is beginning to propagate. This meme begins with a belief that through meditation we can still the machinery of the individual mind long enough to make contact with the universal mind—the vast void of infinite consciousness that animates our true, authentic selves and all life in the cosmos. The meme continues with the thought that this universal mind is the force that is driving evolution in the direction of higher and higher consciousness (i.e. single-celled organism to human).

Finally, the meme concludes with this thought expressed by Andrew Cohen, evolutionary scholar and editor of the magazine EnlightenNext: “The next evolutionary leap, as I see it, is the leap from the individual to higher collective, a ‘higher we.’”4

In other words, humans will not only begin to see themselves as one, they will literally be one through a common sense of immersion and experience of the cosmic mind. Who is to say if this is true? But it feels true. And it feels necessary if we are to avoid a future of planetary suffering, strife and death.

1-3 from Chapter 9, Part 1 of Star Maker by Olaf Stapleton, Busy Utopias.

4 from page 32 of EnlightenNext, Issue 46, Spring/Summer 2010.

We Are All the Same

March 22, 2010 Evolution No comments

In the beginning there was the big bang. Thirteen and half billion years later the universe becomes aware of itself through the emergence of human beings on planet earth.

Some believe that human consciousness is the result of an astoundingly lucky chemical reaction that has been running on autopilot for millions of years. This life-creating reaction required heavy elements that could only have been produced in the cores stars. Flung billions of miles through space, they landed on a planet orbiting in the warm energy of a second generation star.

Others believe that humans are the creation of a divine all-powerful entity.

Which is the bigger miracle? It doesn’t really matter. Our miraculous existence shows that evolution is about producing higher levels of consciousness and awareness. This consciousness is unique and almost impossibly rare in the universe. And though it has manifest itself on different parts of our planet using different languages, ways of dressing, social hierarchies and religions, all human beings are the same species.

We are all the same in much more fundamental ways than we are different. And yet most of us seem to believe that the social, governmental, or religions belief systems into which we were born makes us superior and gives us the right to kill and enslave other humans.

If these notions of superiority and urge for power over others once served a valuable survival function they no longer do. They are causing needless suffering and hardship. Our adherence to primitive and outmoded ways of thinking is literally killing millions of humans. Unless we change how we conceive of ourselves, we will cause our own destruction.

What’s required is a new species consciousness—a clear, innate, unambiguous belief that all humans are exactly as valuable and worthy as I am. This begins by stating and accepting this simple affirmation: I am a human being on planet earth. This is an undeniably true statement for all 6.8 billion people on this planet. If this becomes everyone’s core identity it reinforces the fact that we are all fundamentally the same.

Evolutionary Afflatus

January 27, 2010 Consciousness, Evolution, Uncategorized No comments

Afflatus means, roughly, divine inspiration. Evolution is the divine purpose of the universe. And humans are the best the universe has done so far in terms of being conscious of itself—at least the most conscious that living things on this planet are ever likely to become aware of.

In a talk this weekend (01/24/10), Andrew Cohen, spiritual teacher and founder of the outstanding magazine EnlightenNext, explained his belief that whatever divinity decided to suddenly create something out of an eternity of nothing 14 billion years ago when the big bang occurred is the still the conscious driving force of the cosmos.

What the hell am I talking about? Well, think about it. In the vast expanse of time since the known universe was created, humans beings are the most conscious forms of life that exist. We are aware of ourselves and the universe we live in. We are aware of being aware.

Even if the whole shebang is the result of random interactions of organic chemicals taking their own course, and consciousness arises out of the complexity of the human brain, we still possess the highest form of consciousness that has yet emerged. It’s as if the point of the entire 14 billion years of development was to produce human beings.

How can I conclude this? It is simply true that we are more aware than any other living beings on the planet, (assuming that all of the other creatures aren’t in some sort of telepathic communication ala Avatar).

So, given that humans are the only creatures that can be said to have a drive to create something new, to add to the collective conscious and deliberately create progress, it makes perfect sense that that drive is an evolutionary impulse that started at the big bang. And the more that we awaken to the fact that our purpose on this planet, in addition to procreating, is to create something new that contributes to the cosmic awareness, the more authentic and fulfilled our lives will become.

I find it downright inspiring to think that the creative flame I feel is the afflatus of evolution. It’s those who are most tuned in to this afflatus that drive progress, that advance mankind, that raise human consciousness to ever greater heights.

A sixties saying, if I remember correctly, used to be “Turn on, tune in, drop out.” An-o-tens saying should be “Tune in, turn on, blast off.”

Values that Bind Humans Together

January 17, 2010 Values No comments

HumansTogether is about finding the values that can move us to a planetary “species consciousness.” Haiti is a good example, both of the things that bind us together as humans and of the lack of global coordination that is required to face these large disasters.

We don’t ask what religion these people are or what their political party is before we bring aid. The whole world unites to bring aid.

But soon the politics will begin. Those who are expending resources will begin arguing over control. The right wing in this country will start to object to the amount of money being “wasted.” Such is human nature.

We will face such disasters again. Will we learn how to coordinate relief globally? Or more importantly, will we be able to rise above what divides us and help all people on the planet live together, instead of competing for resources?

HumansTogether believes that if we are to cope with the changes that are coming in climate, water and population we need a common set of beliefs and values.

To us, most religions suffer from anti-rational magical thinking and a dogmatic, closed-mindedness to other belief systems. Yet at the root of most religions is a philosophy that encourages compassion and caring for your fellow man. It’s those common values that are important.

The values that we need most are a recognition of our common humanity and an open mindedness. In other words, a respect for others and a recognition that we don’t know everything. It would also be helpful if humans were more interested in being helpful and supportive than in being right. More on values as we go along.

America the Dysfuntional

January 12, 2010 Politics No comments

I found this article in the Nation to be particularly on target. It rings true, but brings no joy.  http://www.thenation.com/article/melting-america

Obama at One

January 11, 2010 Politics No comments

President Obama, or just Obama, has been the most powerful man on the planet for about a year now and it seems like he’s not really as powerful or as visionary as I might have hoped. I am disappointed by just how pragmatic and centrist he seems to be. But I am truly appalled by the both the Republicans and the media that allows them to get away with saying whatever bullshit they want.

Cheney, who I think should be in jail as a war profiteer, continues to spout off with statements about Obama that are simply untrue. The non-fact based world of Republicans has gotten even more non-fact based, more divorced from reality, meaner, stupider, and uglier.

Don’t people remember how systematically they ran this country into the ground and how incompetently and corruptly they governed? Apparently not. Apparently most people think the fact that Obama could not snap his fingers and make it all better within a year makes it OK to vote for Republicans who will go back to the aggressively stupid policies that caused the debacle in the first place.

Look, I like a thoughtful, intellectual president. I recognize that there are some sincere Republicans and that some conservative values do promote the greater good. But good lord, isn’t there anybody but Rachel Maddow and Keith Obermann who can muster the proper sense of anger and disbelief at the Republican strategy of simply vilifying virtual anything Obama says that isn’t about more military spending? Sheesh.

No Free Market

July 29, 2009 Politics One comment

I have a niece who is a junior at college. She’s very bright and articulate and politically engaged. However, she seems to be a libertarian. So I sent her The Shock Doctrine, by Naomi Klein to start a discussion with her. That was in April. Here’s the follow up email.

I have been delinquent in engaging in the discussion I intended to start with you about politics via The Shock Doctrine. I understand that you became disillusioned with it after a while and decided it wasn’t worth the time. No matter. The point is that the last time we spoke, you seemed to have some libertarian-like ideas that gave me the impression you believed in free market capitalism. I wanted to engage you on this point because there is no such thing as free market capitalism, unless you mean that those with the capital are free to call the shots and everyone else should believe in the myth that they too can become rich and keep their mouths shut.

The Shock Doctrine shows that many of the dictators in the recent past, such as Pinochet, who used torture and murder to maintain power, was secretly backed by the free-market capitalists of the University of Chicago and the IMF. This capitalism, in essence, delivered state assets and the country’s natural resources into private hands at the point of a gun. Free market capitalism equaled brutal dictatorship. The brutality—the shock—was a necessary accompaniment because without it, in a democratic system, the populace would never have allowed such pillaging of the common national resources.

The official story in the US media was that we were of course against this brutality, as most human beings are. However, when you dig down, as the author did, you find that all of the financial institutions of the capitalist world—IMF, banks, and others—were supporting the brutality for economic gain.

The point being that free market capitalism is not free, not virtuous, and not in the best interests of most humans in most countries. Capitalism that is properly managed by governments elected by the will of the people, as we have in this country, is superior to free market capitalism because it brings other important values into the equation.

When capitalism is not regulated aggressively enough, it runs amuck. That’s why we’re in the economic mess we’re in now. And yet, we remain committed to a system where less than a year after they were allowed to drive the economy of the world into the ground, the capitalist demigods of Wall Street are once again reaping bonuses that total more that what most people make in ten years.

I suggest that this money has nothing to do with the value these demigods delivered to society. Which is OK. Neither do the salaries paid to sports stars or entertainers. It is natural to want to be a demigod. But we should not be confused that the type of capitalism being practiced in this country, and indeed since kings and noble people controlled all wealth, is the best way to organize societies concerned with things like social justice and ending human suffering. There needs to be a careful nurturing of the instinct that allows people to transform themselves into demigods along with the authority to keep these demigods from controlling the system solely for their own benefit. For that is the natural course of free market capitalism.

Rigid Ideology Is Oppressive

June 22, 2009 Politics One comment

In Iran we are witnessing the latest conflict between two constantly battling world views: the idea is that there is one correct set of beliefs and behaviors that human beings should follow and the idea that humans should be at least somewhat free to believe and behave as they desire. It’s a battle between the open and closed minded—the very religious vs. the less dogmatic.

It shows once again that religion is often a surrogate for earthly wealth and power—in this case a particularly virulent form of power.

In this country it’s the Republicans that I identify with the type of closed minded power that seeks to tell everybody else how to live. The fact that they want to loudly declare the righteousness of the protester’s cause in Iran is exactly the opposite of what they would do if we had mass demonstration in the streets against some future unpopular right wing war or a more disastrous economic collapse that represented “letting the market work.”

If you look at the battle in Iran as being between the proponents of change and the keepers of the faith, it’s the Republicans who are most similar to the hard-line Islamists.

Witnessing a Century of Change in Personal Communications

June 14, 2009 Communication No comments

My mother, Adina Ferri, who passed away on May 28, 2009, was an exemplary person who lived her life demonstrating a high standard of personal values, traditions, and decency.

Her 80-year life journey began as a young girl in Canosa Sannita, a small town in Italy; matured as a teenager who spent 18 months in a concentration camp during World War II in Northern Italy; and culminated with her life as a proud, naturalized American citizen.

As a young girl, she and her family lived off the land in what we now consider a very organic, holistic, largely plant-based culture in harmony with nature.  They cultivated linen from seed, worked it into thread, and used it to embroider fabrics.  Their wheat crop was milled into flour for breads and pasta.  And their harvest of beans, grapes, olives, and fruits fed a large family and enabled them to buy salt, sugar, and other commodities they couldn’t grow.

In her small, Adriatic coastal town, my mother was part of a very strong community where neighbors went in and out of each other’s houses as if they were family.  They borrowed each other’s pots and pans, and shared charcoal, cooking oil, and baked goods.   Everyone looked out for everyone else, and unfortunately gossiped about everyone else—but the communication was all face-to-face and word-of-mouth.

When bombs were falling on their small town during World War II, they didn’t have the AP or CNN to tell her how the war was going.  They saw German soldiers running roughshod through their town, and later watched them run away in fear as American tanks bearing Red Cross banners rolled along, signaling the end of the War.

In her lifetime, my mother developed strong interpersonal skills in dealing with people, and upheld her generation’s affinity for visiting with relatives and friends.  If she didn’t hear from someone in awhile, she wouldn’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call them.  Because she valued people and personal relationships, she cautioned me not to carry grudges, judge people’s motives, or burn bridges.

In the years before she died, the world had changed dramatically.  She could watch RAI, Italian public TV, 24 hours a day on cable; and a world of news, communications, and services were also readily available on her daughter’s PC and BlackBerry.  She relished telling everyone she knew how she found great recipes or shopped with incredible convenience on “The Internet.”  She didn’t understand what the Internet was, but fell in love with what it could do.

In stark contrast to her background, her grandchildren’s interpersonal relationships were not fueled by Afternoon Coffees, but rather by texting, Tweeting, and “friending” people on Face Book.   In their online world, news is instantaneous, multifaceted, and emanates from different sources worldwide.

While their way of communicating isn’t face to face as it was in my mother’s day, they’re able to rapidly blast their thoughts to everyone and anyone in the world.  But in this electronic world, their generation is losing the interpersonal skills and energy exchange my mother’s generation derived from being part of a close-knit community.

Proposed Rules for Global Harmony

June 14, 2009 Politics, Values No comments

I just read an article in the May issue of Wired about the Georgia Guidestones, aka the American Stonehenge. The Guidestones are a huge granite monument built in 1980 by a mysterious man who called himself R. C. Christian. I was very intrigued. The main point of interest is that the message is pretty much in agreement with the philosophy of HumansTogether. The possible exceptions are the limit to the population and the bit about reproduction “fitness.” (Although one can imagine a value system that favored these limitations in order to produce a less competitive and more abundant, healthy species.)

The premise of the Guidestones seems to be that earth has had a global catastrophe and needs some guidelines in creating civilization 2.0. So the apocalyptic vision is something we want to avoid, but in general, the global approach is something that we can get behind. Here’s what is written on the slabs in 8 languages:

MAINTAIN HUMANITY UNDER 500,000,000
IN PERPETUAL BALANCE WITH NATURE

GUIDE REPRODUCTION WISELY —
IMPROVING FITNESS AND DIVERSITY

UNITE HUMANITY WITH A LIVING
NEW LANGUAGE

RULE PASSION — FAITH — TRADITION
AND ALL THINGS
WITH TEMPERED REASON

PROTECT PEOPLE AND NATIONS
WITH FAIR LAWS AND JUST COURTS

LET ALL NATIONS RULE INTERNALLY
RESOLVING EXTERNAL DISPUTES
IN A WORLD COURT

AVOID PETTY LAWS AND USELESS
OFFICIALS

BALANCE PERSONAL RIGHTS WITH
SOCIAL DUTIES.

PRIZE TRUTH — BEAUTY — LOVE —
SEEKING HARMONY WITH THE
INFINITE

BE NOT A CANCER ON THE EARTH —
LEAVE ROOM FOR NATURE —
LEAVE ROOM FOR NATURE

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