What Now?
At worst, My dialectic with Antaganus will have provided food for thought; the least of the aims of Diligo Vita, or perhaps even a broad agreement with the main problems that we face today but clearly I have gone further than just being a "dooms-dayist" and have proffered an explanation to our circumstances and with that understanding, a possible solution to our problems, through a principled belief structure.
But out with the dialectic argument with Antaganus what is the substances of my proffered explanation and solution: The Great Reality is a concise explanation.
But out with the dialectic argument with Antaganus what is the substances of my proffered explanation and solution: The Great Reality is a concise explanation.
Introduction
to the great reality
A voice in the wilderness, lost to the wind.
Loneliness and isolation of thought, has at times, left this would-be thingker vulnerable; to be infected by the corrosive meddling of self-doubt, that can erode the zeal of passionate held beliefs. Not so much doubt in beliefs themselves but more that despair and frustration which comes from a lack of affirmation from kindred spirits; from others that on their journey have also seen...those elements deemed “truth” of our situation, truths, realities that beckons with such passion a necessity for change.
Change, what change?
Change in a dynamic world is, by definition a norm. As such there is little surprise or exclusivity in stating there will be or we must have change. Like standing in a forest and exclaiming, “look a tree!” could only been met with apathy or even ridicule, likewise to stand out on a starry night and gaze heavenward and shout “look a star” would be met with the same. But then the context and magnitude of a change can be set by a perspective: to shout "there's a tree" while standing at a forest of samplings or to look at the heavens and exclaim “there's a shooting star” sets a context to a proclamation albeit by a relative comparison.
So it is true of events, that although change is commonplace, some events of change are of greater or even of a huge magnitude. One can imagine the variety of possible changes: the slow almost imperceptible, the catastrophic overnight and then there are changes which by their nature are irreversible. Some can be seen as retrograde others part of a natural progression:
Loneliness and isolation of thought, has at times, left this would-be thingker vulnerable; to be infected by the corrosive meddling of self-doubt, that can erode the zeal of passionate held beliefs. Not so much doubt in beliefs themselves but more that despair and frustration which comes from a lack of affirmation from kindred spirits; from others that on their journey have also seen...those elements deemed “truth” of our situation, truths, realities that beckons with such passion a necessity for change.
Change, what change?
Change in a dynamic world is, by definition a norm. As such there is little surprise or exclusivity in stating there will be or we must have change. Like standing in a forest and exclaiming, “look a tree!” could only been met with apathy or even ridicule, likewise to stand out on a starry night and gaze heavenward and shout “look a star” would be met with the same. But then the context and magnitude of a change can be set by a perspective: to shout "there's a tree" while standing at a forest of samplings or to look at the heavens and exclaim “there's a shooting star” sets a context to a proclamation albeit by a relative comparison.
So it is true of events, that although change is commonplace, some events of change are of greater or even of a huge magnitude. One can imagine the variety of possible changes: the slow almost imperceptible, the catastrophic overnight and then there are changes which by their nature are irreversible. Some can be seen as retrograde others part of a natural progression:
A seed burst under the ground, unseen growth set roots and pushes a shoot to emerge in the light of day,
a simple protracted change, constant slow growth, see that plant come to maturity
and then overnight a culmination: transforms green buds to blooming blossoms of delight.
Change: why am I waxing lyrical about change?
That common place inevitability.
a simple protracted change, constant slow growth, see that plant come to maturity
and then overnight a culmination: transforms green buds to blooming blossoms of delight.
Change: why am I waxing lyrical about change?
That common place inevitability.
A history that proclaims the growth of mankind, that sees the changes of tribal chiefs to kings, of kings to to governments, of theisms to philosophies, from industrial to technological. And yet I see a bud still to bloom, that miraculous change still to happen and I find not the words of sufficient passion and ardour to give this change sufficient heralding and fear without such, my proclamation will go unheard as a voice in a wilderness lost to the wind.
Considered change, that born of intellectual rigor, must be predicated by choice: of embetterment or necessity. The reasoning and corollary of a change must be set by the determination of a reality: an embetterment or an avoidance of catastrophe, the greater or more profound that reality the greater that necessity for change. What great reality spurs my passionate beliefs?
Considered change, that born of intellectual rigor, must be predicated by choice: of embetterment or necessity. The reasoning and corollary of a change must be set by the determination of a reality: an embetterment or an avoidance of catastrophe, the greater or more profound that reality the greater that necessity for change. What great reality spurs my passionate beliefs?
The Great Reality
* * *
So what now? Just to remind us, the following is the last two paragraphs where we left Antaganus at the end of his three questions:
Antaganus: NO. Really, Sisideas, I get it. I can see the logic of what you're saying. My problem is one of credibility. Before we got diverted to "Can we change" which was relevant, my original question was "How do you hope to achieve this better world"? I can see that if you get people to understand that all of us being in the same boat, should adopt a survival stratagem based on a proactive belief structured of love rather than a selfish reactive instinctual one, then the hippy dream might be credible; but how are you going to start getting there?
Yes Antaganus you are quite right. Let me first say, reiterating the first paragraph, that what i am proposing is so enormous that I do not see mankind actually living this new way of life for several generations to come. But what we can do is to sow seeds of logic that for the next generation will seem that bit more normal and, hopefully, by the time 3 or 4 generations have been living with these ideas we will be on the way to living our idyll; our goal. Yes 75 to a 100 years. But how do we start? With ourselves as individuals. To honestly look and understand that which we can see as logical and true about ourselves with gentle compassion. It is a long journey and it starts with you... on a journey of self discovery.
We left Antaganus conceding that "the hippy dream might be credible", albeit in principle and in answer to his question "how are we going to get there" I claimed that because I was proposing such a fundamental change in attitude any "beginning" should be with us at a individual, personal level: by loving ourselves. So in terms of "what now" I see a number of directions: Firstly, having branded about the notion of Love as being the central tenet of a new belief structure I need to expand my explanation and be specific as to what the belief is in the form of a Credo. this is the following item on this page Next: In essence what Antagaunus conceded to was what I have called "The Duality". Although I have given a brief explanation of this term there is, here in this section,"What Now" a more expansive explanation. "What Now" will also include a number of essays on a variety of topics that although these elements are as a consolidation to Antaganus's three questions; continuing an understanding of mankind's situation but in broad, general philosophical terms.
At the end of the dialectic quote: "It is a long journey and it starts with you... on a journey of self discovery",. this topic will be addressed in the next navigational section:
"A personal Journey of discovery"
As I have stated before the enormity of the change I am proposing to our attitudinal thinking must start with ourselves emphasising at a personal, individual level; What we think, and more importantly why, we think what we think, is the stuff of honest self awareness. The answer to these question lies in an an appraisal of what goes on in our informative yeas and the influences that mold us into our adult persona. "A personal journey of discover"
is that appraisal. This section has two distinct elements: Observational comments that relate to the growing up of younger people (teenagers ish)
Secondly "A manual" to being a human being : a series of progressive self exploratory worksheets.
* * *
Antaganus: NO. Really, Sisideas, I get it. I can see the logic of what you're saying. My problem is one of credibility. Before we got diverted to "Can we change" which was relevant, my original question was "How do you hope to achieve this better world"? I can see that if you get people to understand that all of us being in the same boat, should adopt a survival stratagem based on a proactive belief structured of love rather than a selfish reactive instinctual one, then the hippy dream might be credible; but how are you going to start getting there?
Yes Antaganus you are quite right. Let me first say, reiterating the first paragraph, that what i am proposing is so enormous that I do not see mankind actually living this new way of life for several generations to come. But what we can do is to sow seeds of logic that for the next generation will seem that bit more normal and, hopefully, by the time 3 or 4 generations have been living with these ideas we will be on the way to living our idyll; our goal. Yes 75 to a 100 years. But how do we start? With ourselves as individuals. To honestly look and understand that which we can see as logical and true about ourselves with gentle compassion. It is a long journey and it starts with you... on a journey of self discovery.
We left Antaganus conceding that "the hippy dream might be credible", albeit in principle and in answer to his question "how are we going to get there" I claimed that because I was proposing such a fundamental change in attitude any "beginning" should be with us at a individual, personal level: by loving ourselves. So in terms of "what now" I see a number of directions: Firstly, having branded about the notion of Love as being the central tenet of a new belief structure I need to expand my explanation and be specific as to what the belief is in the form of a Credo. this is the following item on this page Next: In essence what Antagaunus conceded to was what I have called "The Duality". Although I have given a brief explanation of this term there is, here in this section,"What Now" a more expansive explanation. "What Now" will also include a number of essays on a variety of topics that although these elements are as a consolidation to Antaganus's three questions; continuing an understanding of mankind's situation but in broad, general philosophical terms.
At the end of the dialectic quote: "It is a long journey and it starts with you... on a journey of self discovery",. this topic will be addressed in the next navigational section:
"A personal Journey of discovery"
As I have stated before the enormity of the change I am proposing to our attitudinal thinking must start with ourselves emphasising at a personal, individual level; What we think, and more importantly why, we think what we think, is the stuff of honest self awareness. The answer to these question lies in an an appraisal of what goes on in our informative yeas and the influences that mold us into our adult persona. "A personal journey of discover"
is that appraisal. This section has two distinct elements: Observational comments that relate to the growing up of younger people (teenagers ish)
Secondly "A manual" to being a human being : a series of progressive self exploratory worksheets.
* * *
A Credo
Credo: "I Believe". Conscious and unconscious belief: we all, or most of us, live our lives, to an unconscious belief and that this perception of reality we live to is the "truth". But as the Sceptics inform us we live in a reality supplied by what we believe and give little or no conscious consideration to it. In questioning the nature of our existence, (as in The Duality) and seeing the mechanisms of its working we burst the bubble of our unconscious belief "being" This now lost, child-like unconscious belief leaves a vacuum that should be filled by a conscious, considered belief structure, an adult principled "credo" befitting a new found understanding of our realty.
One might expect that in writing down a “credo”(latin: “I believe”) ; a belief system, that the contents would be made up of a series of precise prescriptions of dos and don'ts. But that expectation would be misplaced in the case of Omnia in Uno. It is a belief set in an attitude of mind and not a prescriptive legalistic dictate. Seeing it as a set of rules would be to fail to understand the nature of the notion of love as I mean it. Love in this context is an attitude of mind towards life in all its aspects; towards ourselves; towards others; and towards the concept of life as a whole. This Credo - Omnia in Uno - has but one tenet: Love (as an attitude of mind). As such the Credo is made up of a progressive meditation that is designed to direct our thinking into that attitude.
One might expect that in writing down a “credo”(latin: “I believe”) ; a belief system, that the contents would be made up of a series of precise prescriptions of dos and don'ts. But that expectation would be misplaced in the case of Omnia in Uno. It is a belief set in an attitude of mind and not a prescriptive legalistic dictate. Seeing it as a set of rules would be to fail to understand the nature of the notion of love as I mean it. Love in this context is an attitude of mind towards life in all its aspects; towards ourselves; towards others; and towards the concept of life as a whole. This Credo - Omnia in Uno - has but one tenet: Love (as an attitude of mind). As such the Credo is made up of a progressive meditation that is designed to direct our thinking into that attitude.
Notes
Note 1: Forgiveness (what we do with our past)
The consequences of man's transition from a purely animal state to “human animal” is lost to our conscious minds. Other mammals (for the most part) do no not have a conscious consideration of their existence: they can only “Be” in the animal instincts that motivate them. Man's self-awareness allows him to consciously understand his existence from within the context of the corollary of the laws of nature. This ability has robbed him of this animal innocence: he can no longer just “Be”. Two aspects that have resulted from this self-aware state are: expectations and disappointments. Our knowledge of science has allowed us to have a modicum of control over our existence: from the growing of crops to flying to the moon we can have goals born of imagined expectations. Such ability allows our existence to no longer just be in the “here and now”, like the “Being” of other animals. We can “live” in the future, not just with positive expectations but also by moving the fear of a moment that is now, to the possibility of a fearful future. Similarly we can look back to our past and analyse the the events of both joy and sadness, perhaps quantifying with regret a remembered emotion, caused by an action we might consider we had control over. Fear, hope, guilt and shame are the price we have paid for our self-awareness. These are the elements that can cripple us as individuals. We MUST find an answer as to what we should do with the emotions which arise from past events. We MUST forgive ourselves for not having been able to live up to our expectations: recognise that as humans we can conceive of a perfection that our human nature will not allow us to live up to: recognise our selfish instincts will lead us either through malice or ignorance to hurt others as they, through their selfish instincts, may well hurt us.
The consequences of man's transition from a purely animal state to “human animal” is lost to our conscious minds. Other mammals (for the most part) do no not have a conscious consideration of their existence: they can only “Be” in the animal instincts that motivate them. Man's self-awareness allows him to consciously understand his existence from within the context of the corollary of the laws of nature. This ability has robbed him of this animal innocence: he can no longer just “Be”. Two aspects that have resulted from this self-aware state are: expectations and disappointments. Our knowledge of science has allowed us to have a modicum of control over our existence: from the growing of crops to flying to the moon we can have goals born of imagined expectations. Such ability allows our existence to no longer just be in the “here and now”, like the “Being” of other animals. We can “live” in the future, not just with positive expectations but also by moving the fear of a moment that is now, to the possibility of a fearful future. Similarly we can look back to our past and analyse the the events of both joy and sadness, perhaps quantifying with regret a remembered emotion, caused by an action we might consider we had control over. Fear, hope, guilt and shame are the price we have paid for our self-awareness. These are the elements that can cripple us as individuals. We MUST find an answer as to what we should do with the emotions which arise from past events. We MUST forgive ourselves for not having been able to live up to our expectations: recognise that as humans we can conceive of a perfection that our human nature will not allow us to live up to: recognise our selfish instincts will lead us either through malice or ignorance to hurt others as they, through their selfish instincts, may well hurt us.
Note 2: So what is Love?
Everyone has an opinion as to the meaning of the word Love but I suspect that if we were to sit down and shared our thoughts we would expose a lot of both confusion and disparity on the subject. From the romantic to the emotional; from the care of a mother for a child to the love of a country. Perhaps our classical forbears had it right: the Romans and Greeks having five words for the different aspects of Love.
In the Credo it is important to see Love in the context of the Duality (the recognition that man is motivated by his instinctual nature: his drive to survive by selfish competition; but that, through his intellect he can see the failure of this motivation and as an alternative, surviving through belief concept of loving (non selfish non competitive).
In many belief structures, what becomes the focus of attention is the prohibition of certain actions with less concentration on affirmation and the positive. In Omnia in Uno Love is foremost a proactive attitude, where to not be actively promoting it in every opportunity is as remiss as doing a particular negative activity.
Having said that the Love in our Credo concentrates on the proactive, there are some guide-line “don'ts”. Love is not conditional, only to be applied to friends, family or “tribe” but is an attitude to all things. It is not conditional by virtue of meritocratic behaviour, only for the deserving. It cannot be used to justify behaviour which, otherwise, we would see as not loving because it achieves a “good” result: the end does not justify the means.
So what is it to love? As a rule of thumb one can read love as “that which is good for” (me/others). There are specific traits that clearly reflect the notion of love: patience, kindness, charity of thought, understanding, tolerance and many more; but following these otherwise laudable qualities as a prescribed set of rules outwith the context of the attitude that produces them is not the Love of Omnia in Uno. Love is an emotion: we need this emotional aspect as a motivator. Although Omnia in Uno is derived from an intellectual understanding it must transcend the academic to the emotional. For us to acquire that motivational drive we MUST start with Loving ourselves. It is from this personal, emotional connection, that we can, through our empathic understanding, connect the intellectual to an emotional force of true passionate belief.
Everyone has an opinion as to the meaning of the word Love but I suspect that if we were to sit down and shared our thoughts we would expose a lot of both confusion and disparity on the subject. From the romantic to the emotional; from the care of a mother for a child to the love of a country. Perhaps our classical forbears had it right: the Romans and Greeks having five words for the different aspects of Love.
In the Credo it is important to see Love in the context of the Duality (the recognition that man is motivated by his instinctual nature: his drive to survive by selfish competition; but that, through his intellect he can see the failure of this motivation and as an alternative, surviving through belief concept of loving (non selfish non competitive).
In many belief structures, what becomes the focus of attention is the prohibition of certain actions with less concentration on affirmation and the positive. In Omnia in Uno Love is foremost a proactive attitude, where to not be actively promoting it in every opportunity is as remiss as doing a particular negative activity.
Having said that the Love in our Credo concentrates on the proactive, there are some guide-line “don'ts”. Love is not conditional, only to be applied to friends, family or “tribe” but is an attitude to all things. It is not conditional by virtue of meritocratic behaviour, only for the deserving. It cannot be used to justify behaviour which, otherwise, we would see as not loving because it achieves a “good” result: the end does not justify the means.
So what is it to love? As a rule of thumb one can read love as “that which is good for” (me/others). There are specific traits that clearly reflect the notion of love: patience, kindness, charity of thought, understanding, tolerance and many more; but following these otherwise laudable qualities as a prescribed set of rules outwith the context of the attitude that produces them is not the Love of Omnia in Uno. Love is an emotion: we need this emotional aspect as a motivator. Although Omnia in Uno is derived from an intellectual understanding it must transcend the academic to the emotional. For us to acquire that motivational drive we MUST start with Loving ourselves. It is from this personal, emotional connection, that we can, through our empathic understanding, connect the intellectual to an emotional force of true passionate belief.
You can not be alone: Join a tribe
Having made it very clear that one must start with oneself in terms of loving, that in no manner means we do it alone. We need each other: one of the greatest scourges of our current societies is isolation and loneliness that appears to be a product of greater affluentce. In having a new belief, it is vitally important to find other people with which to share and be encouraged by.
Finding Peace
I have to confess that as this philosopher: a person that by my own idiosyncratic damage is driven to constantly looking for answers in the annals of the intellectual mind, I must be the very worst person to give advice on the subject of peace. Nonetheless It is true, I believe, that an intellectual understanding of one's situation is helpful: self-awareness can bring a degree of enlightenment that dispels the depressing morass of confusing emotions but beyond that too much self introversion can lead to a constantly searching mind that can make it difficulty to find a quietened peaceful mind.
In terms of the Credo, Omnia in Uno, the emphasis is on a directed meditation for the specific purpose of helping one's thoughts focus on what one believes, as such the meditation has limitations. I therefore suggest that the meditation should be a lot more than the just notes suggest, particularly in regard to establishing a peaceful resolution to the elements that are involved in the section "I am Human".
Although there are clearly elements in the meditation that focus on the here and now, in the manner that "Mindfulness meditation" dose, there are also elements that can be detracting from that, for instance in looking at the past and in the pathos of our existence. The direction notes in Omnia in Uno should be seen as a starting point that can and should be expanded upon and adapted to suit an individual's thoughts and feelings.
Sisideas.
In terms of the Credo, Omnia in Uno, the emphasis is on a directed meditation for the specific purpose of helping one's thoughts focus on what one believes, as such the meditation has limitations. I therefore suggest that the meditation should be a lot more than the just notes suggest, particularly in regard to establishing a peaceful resolution to the elements that are involved in the section "I am Human".
Although there are clearly elements in the meditation that focus on the here and now, in the manner that "Mindfulness meditation" dose, there are also elements that can be detracting from that, for instance in looking at the past and in the pathos of our existence. The direction notes in Omnia in Uno should be seen as a starting point that can and should be expanded upon and adapted to suit an individual's thoughts and feelings.
Sisideas.
* * *
What Now
Additional Writing
As I stated earlier, I have a number of essays, on a variety of philosophical topics that deal with relevant practical aspects of today. The following is a list with an introductory note on each and a link to the the pages. more to follow
The Duality <Go to link
The concept of my "Duality" is not as they say "rocket science" it is a relatively simple concept; almost self explanatory and is, for all intents and purpose, laid out in the first paragraph of this essay. However the thinking behind the obvious, is of great importance, both in terms of fully understanding it and in seeing the connections it has with other elements of philosophical thinking.
I said "my" Duality as opposed to and not confused with the traditional philosophical;
Dualism / duality. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dualism_(philosophy_of_mind)
I said "my" Duality as opposed to and not confused with the traditional philosophical;
Dualism / duality. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dualism_(philosophy_of_mind)
Civilised by Choice and Decision
Introduction to a new topic
Man sees the future in a different way from other animals. He has an understanding of time itself, as a concept: as the "container" to an endless stream of consequential events; from the activities of subatomic particles to the birth and death of galaxies. To see time in this manner requires a mind capable of sophisticated abstract thought. What is, to other animals just the consequentiality of day following night, the future for man, can be perceived as a void of empty time stretching before him. This void can be filled with creations from his imagination He can plan and map out a future, or can he? The evidence for such an assertion lies in this piece of writing. The answer to the question "Can we Change" is in fact, emphatically yes, without doubt; evident from our passage through time; our history. We are not the men of yesteryear; a Viking a Roman, a medieval knight, yes we are the same specie but the mind, our thinking has evolved and with that, a perceptible change can be seen in our behaviour. The question in the next piece of writing: Civilised by Choice and Decisions? looks at our history to determine how, what we call civilised, came about.
Man sees the future in a different way from other animals. He has an understanding of time itself, as a concept: as the "container" to an endless stream of consequential events; from the activities of subatomic particles to the birth and death of galaxies. To see time in this manner requires a mind capable of sophisticated abstract thought. What is, to other animals just the consequentiality of day following night, the future for man, can be perceived as a void of empty time stretching before him. This void can be filled with creations from his imagination He can plan and map out a future, or can he? The evidence for such an assertion lies in this piece of writing. The answer to the question "Can we Change" is in fact, emphatically yes, without doubt; evident from our passage through time; our history. We are not the men of yesteryear; a Viking a Roman, a medieval knight, yes we are the same specie but the mind, our thinking has evolved and with that, a perceptible change can be seen in our behaviour. The question in the next piece of writing: Civilised by Choice and Decisions? looks at our history to determine how, what we call civilised, came about.
The Human Condition
coming soon