Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Science, Religion and Sacred Space
by Mike Van Dam
Religion is a social organization and scientific organizations are the same. The struggle between the two is between social organizations. Spirituality on the other hand is the science of consciousness. The legitimate struggle of science is for truth and facts. The struggle for the thoughts of others may be politics, business, entertainment, religion, or any social enterprize. Pure science weather it is physical, mental or spiritual, is the process of understanding, critical analysis, verification of data, and observation. This may involve communication for the sake of fellow truth seekers. The transition to persuasion, however, takes us out of the realm of science and into the social. Social activity while indispensible, need not confuse itself with science. Leave to Ceasar what is Ceasar's. When these distinctions are clear, the various sciences whether physical or spiritual and the social organizations whether religious or secular will have more respect for one another and can be mutually supportive. The blurring of these bounderies leads to struggle for control. With respect for the activities and needs of both social and scientific endeavors we can foster an environment of understanding and opportunity for the benifit of all. The seeking of truth needs to have a sacred space in our culture that is seperate from the social organizations that surround it. In this way the sacred space becomes a source of inspiration and harmony in the culture. Indeed is indespensable to the flowering of any vibrate culture. Here again it must be remembered that the sacred space of seeking truth must not be confussed with any culture, however wonderful it may appear. When this identification takes place the social rigidities begin and soon the deterioration. Maintaining the sacred space as seperate from whatever social or cultural forms may take shape around it, provides the source of vitality, opportunity, understanding, toleration, respect, law, order, ethics, and a fluid and evolving educational environment. The sacred space of seekers for truth and freedom of it's endeavor along with an active and respectful culture, and common sense social organiztions will give us the best of both worlds.
Religion is a social organization and scientific organizations are the same. The struggle between the two is between social organizations. Spirituality on the other hand is the science of consciousness. The legitimate struggle of science is for truth and facts. The struggle for the thoughts of others may be politics, business, entertainment, religion, or any social enterprize. Pure science weather it is physical, mental or spiritual, is the process of understanding, critical analysis, verification of data, and observation. This may involve communication for the sake of fellow truth seekers. The transition to persuasion, however, takes us out of the realm of science and into the social. Social activity while indispensible, need not confuse itself with science. Leave to Ceasar what is Ceasar's. When these distinctions are clear, the various sciences whether physical or spiritual and the social organizations whether religious or secular will have more respect for one another and can be mutually supportive. The blurring of these bounderies leads to struggle for control. With respect for the activities and needs of both social and scientific endeavors we can foster an environment of understanding and opportunity for the benifit of all. The seeking of truth needs to have a sacred space in our culture that is seperate from the social organizations that surround it. In this way the sacred space becomes a source of inspiration and harmony in the culture. Indeed is indespensable to the flowering of any vibrate culture. Here again it must be remembered that the sacred space of seeking truth must not be confussed with any culture, however wonderful it may appear. When this identification takes place the social rigidities begin and soon the deterioration. Maintaining the sacred space as seperate from whatever social or cultural forms may take shape around it, provides the source of vitality, opportunity, understanding, toleration, respect, law, order, ethics, and a fluid and evolving educational environment. The sacred space of seekers for truth and freedom of it's endeavor along with an active and respectful culture, and common sense social organiztions will give us the best of both worlds.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Freedom From Mind
by Mike Van Dam
Free from the hungry quest for safety
Free from the wild pursuit of selfish gain
Free from the unquenchable thirst for the love of others
Liberated form the habitual harvest of human attention.
Done with bleeding happiness to gather the crumbs of positive regard.
Done with hounding down the trail of more and more and more,
Quit the endless flight from the wolves of insufficiency.
Freedom from Mind,
the only Real peace!
Through endless ages
Chasing, escaping, protecting, building,
Exhaustion now, compels Abandonment
Of the happy and sad,
And suddenly dawns a great rest
In the astonishing Joy
Of Freedom from Mind.
Free from the hungry quest for safety
Free from the wild pursuit of selfish gain
Free from the unquenchable thirst for the love of others
Liberated form the habitual harvest of human attention.
Done with bleeding happiness to gather the crumbs of positive regard.
Done with hounding down the trail of more and more and more,
Quit the endless flight from the wolves of insufficiency.
Freedom from Mind,
the only Real peace!
Through endless ages
Chasing, escaping, protecting, building,
Exhaustion now, compels Abandonment
Of the happy and sad,
And suddenly dawns a great rest
In the astonishing Joy
Of Freedom from Mind.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Sunday, November 05, 2006
And they called it Liberty
by Mike Van Dam
Of all the societies to evolve from greater Europe since the dark ages, America would seem to some to represent the greatest evolution of prosperity, government, liberty and freedom. The country while formed on high ideals never the less took its' beginning in the dark days of slavery, and was able to do nothing materially towards its end. The seeds had been planted however, and some states were abolitionist. And while Great Britain the hated oppressor, outlawed slavery entirely by 1804, and the Royal Navy seized numerous American Slave ships, it took this country another 50 years, 75 years from it founding as well as a bloody civil war involving catastrophic loss of life to abolish the practice. Massive discrimination persisted for over 100 years after that. In the meantime tribe upon tribe of Indians were exterminated outright, starved or relocated, as the white man took position of the land. The history of our country is full of massive exception to the creed with liberty and justice for all. The millions today who work for 1to 5 dollars a day to fill our stores with cheap goods are another modern day case in point.
The point of the forgoing illustration is to show that this country is a work in progress and that the values of liberty, justice and freedom should in no way be taken for granted. For history shows us that they have often come only with strong desire and committed effort. Indeed in our present time we find again we are faced with the challenge to ask ourselves do we really want liberty and justice for all and are we willing to make the effort to secure it.
Compounding our problem in the current time is the general lack of awareness of the precarious state of our democracy. This is due to a great breach of trust with the American People. The trust is built on the idea of Honesty and is generally considered to be an American value. However we find today a deafening silence from the mainstream media on numerous issues. True investigative reporting is at an all time low and there seems to be a tacit agreement not to go into too much depth in certain areas. These are areas of vital importance to our Democracy. These include government cover-ups, corporate scandals involving government officials, political and private conflicts of interest that affect the public welfare, and one of the worst conflicts of interest is the network of corporate ownership of major media. What they don’t own outright they influence with advertising dollars. For example when Forbes did an unfavorable article on the then CEO of IBM, he forbade IBM or any of its subsidiaries to advertise with Forbes. Ouch! So how is NBC going to do an investigative report or scoop on GE, which own them? Right. And these are just the obvious conflicts.
Another conflict of interest for companies that purport to deliver news is the very fact of the for profit corporation that by law must serve the interests of their shareholders. This is a direct conflict of interest to the clients or people of this country who need information to make informed decisions about where to spend their money and who to vote for.
Stepping back a little on the ownership issue we need to consider the concentration of wealth. In America we find that about 90% of the wealth is owned by or in the control of 1% of the population. So we can effectively reason that 1% of the population is influencing a 90% control of the news and media, certainly to further their financial and political interests and certainly not to the detriment of the ingrained conflicts of interests that weave their way through industry, academia, government and the media.
This is the world as we know it, not that its all bad but you certainly have to dig for the truth. Just like they had to drill for oil. Now, that oil money has covered all the world with heat, pollution, ownership and controlling interests that seek maintain a leading position in an evolving world that desperately needs to wean itself from the hydrocarbon economy. The transition unfortunately is overdue and we’ve suckled on the fount of oil energy into crisis. To the point of wars for strategic control over oil reserves, massive public deception about the facts, horrendous public manipulation to hide the motives behind military and industrial activity, changing of the global climate with the now very real possibility of melting ice sheets that will change the world as we know it.
The same ratio of influence can be seen in the federal government. Here the dollar is king, as far as getting elected. And as far as getting any thing done, requires working with the many interests pursuing government action most of which are involved in making money in one way or another. Other parties are interested in government policy but the big players here are funded by the foundations and trusts of our 1% group or conceivable 10% of the 1%. If this leadership was enlightened that would be one thing. However they have driven the world right into the teeth of a Global Warming catastrophe, the oceans are now fished out and polluted, useless wars rage, public education and health stagnate, and democracy has become a sham with and uneducated, uninformed and corrupted and apathetic public that has certainly been cultivated by those wishing a more governable population.
What is being invited here however is chaos. Without an educated, informed and civic-minded populace a democracy will not function. The only way to keep control of this is stronger central control, which is what we are seeing, both behind the scenes and in our face. This however is definitely Un-American as well as the ideas of control and domination, which are based on fear and will most likely come to a fearful end.
We are now seeing in the states an effort to undermine one of our society's most basic tenants, which is to have Free and Fair elections. The state of the electronic voting machines is a national scandel. While the lethargy of Congress, the FEC, state Secrataries of State and the Media boggles the mind. Then afer the election we find the exact same interests influence both sides of the political isle. We are kept entertained by issues like abortion, gay marriage, gun control, anything polarizing to stir up the emotions. This keeps our attention off the deeper issues and policies and the very structure of relationships in government, banking, industry, academia, and the media that have a profound effect on our society. The focus on partian politics while important misses many of the more profound policy trends. Add to that the limitless resources of corporations and various foudations, and the amount of money that is required to win an election and ask yourself. Is this Democracy led by statesmanship?
If we claim to be a Free People who stand for the values of Liberty, Justice and Democracy, then the question is weather we will allow ourselves to see the Plutocracy that we have evolved into and the many accomplices that it has co-opted; for many people love inclusion in the ruling crowd and the position, power and success that comes with it. These things are generally held in much higher esteem than liberty, truth, justice, which indeed may involve solitude and sacrifice in their pursuit. However, if we look to one of the founding creeds of our nation “The land of the Free and the Home of the Brave,” this is not a call to popularity, or a life of comfort, neither is it a certificate of inclusion or an award of position. No it is a lonely Declaration of Independence of those who love Freedom for Freedoms sake alone and refuse to live otherwise. The question is weather we will remain accomplices, drugged by the many entertainments and comforts we have embraced or will we wake up and Declare our Everlasting right to Freedom and get busy contributing to a culture that values and nourishes Freedom, Liberty and Justice for All!
Of all the societies to evolve from greater Europe since the dark ages, America would seem to some to represent the greatest evolution of prosperity, government, liberty and freedom. The country while formed on high ideals never the less took its' beginning in the dark days of slavery, and was able to do nothing materially towards its end. The seeds had been planted however, and some states were abolitionist. And while Great Britain the hated oppressor, outlawed slavery entirely by 1804, and the Royal Navy seized numerous American Slave ships, it took this country another 50 years, 75 years from it founding as well as a bloody civil war involving catastrophic loss of life to abolish the practice. Massive discrimination persisted for over 100 years after that. In the meantime tribe upon tribe of Indians were exterminated outright, starved or relocated, as the white man took position of the land. The history of our country is full of massive exception to the creed with liberty and justice for all. The millions today who work for 1to 5 dollars a day to fill our stores with cheap goods are another modern day case in point.
The point of the forgoing illustration is to show that this country is a work in progress and that the values of liberty, justice and freedom should in no way be taken for granted. For history shows us that they have often come only with strong desire and committed effort. Indeed in our present time we find again we are faced with the challenge to ask ourselves do we really want liberty and justice for all and are we willing to make the effort to secure it.
Compounding our problem in the current time is the general lack of awareness of the precarious state of our democracy. This is due to a great breach of trust with the American People. The trust is built on the idea of Honesty and is generally considered to be an American value. However we find today a deafening silence from the mainstream media on numerous issues. True investigative reporting is at an all time low and there seems to be a tacit agreement not to go into too much depth in certain areas. These are areas of vital importance to our Democracy. These include government cover-ups, corporate scandals involving government officials, political and private conflicts of interest that affect the public welfare, and one of the worst conflicts of interest is the network of corporate ownership of major media. What they don’t own outright they influence with advertising dollars. For example when Forbes did an unfavorable article on the then CEO of IBM, he forbade IBM or any of its subsidiaries to advertise with Forbes. Ouch! So how is NBC going to do an investigative report or scoop on GE, which own them? Right. And these are just the obvious conflicts.
Another conflict of interest for companies that purport to deliver news is the very fact of the for profit corporation that by law must serve the interests of their shareholders. This is a direct conflict of interest to the clients or people of this country who need information to make informed decisions about where to spend their money and who to vote for.
Stepping back a little on the ownership issue we need to consider the concentration of wealth. In America we find that about 90% of the wealth is owned by or in the control of 1% of the population. So we can effectively reason that 1% of the population is influencing a 90% control of the news and media, certainly to further their financial and political interests and certainly not to the detriment of the ingrained conflicts of interests that weave their way through industry, academia, government and the media.
This is the world as we know it, not that its all bad but you certainly have to dig for the truth. Just like they had to drill for oil. Now, that oil money has covered all the world with heat, pollution, ownership and controlling interests that seek maintain a leading position in an evolving world that desperately needs to wean itself from the hydrocarbon economy. The transition unfortunately is overdue and we’ve suckled on the fount of oil energy into crisis. To the point of wars for strategic control over oil reserves, massive public deception about the facts, horrendous public manipulation to hide the motives behind military and industrial activity, changing of the global climate with the now very real possibility of melting ice sheets that will change the world as we know it.
The same ratio of influence can be seen in the federal government. Here the dollar is king, as far as getting elected. And as far as getting any thing done, requires working with the many interests pursuing government action most of which are involved in making money in one way or another. Other parties are interested in government policy but the big players here are funded by the foundations and trusts of our 1% group or conceivable 10% of the 1%. If this leadership was enlightened that would be one thing. However they have driven the world right into the teeth of a Global Warming catastrophe, the oceans are now fished out and polluted, useless wars rage, public education and health stagnate, and democracy has become a sham with and uneducated, uninformed and corrupted and apathetic public that has certainly been cultivated by those wishing a more governable population.
What is being invited here however is chaos. Without an educated, informed and civic-minded populace a democracy will not function. The only way to keep control of this is stronger central control, which is what we are seeing, both behind the scenes and in our face. This however is definitely Un-American as well as the ideas of control and domination, which are based on fear and will most likely come to a fearful end.
We are now seeing in the states an effort to undermine one of our society's most basic tenants, which is to have Free and Fair elections. The state of the electronic voting machines is a national scandel. While the lethargy of Congress, the FEC, state Secrataries of State and the Media boggles the mind. Then afer the election we find the exact same interests influence both sides of the political isle. We are kept entertained by issues like abortion, gay marriage, gun control, anything polarizing to stir up the emotions. This keeps our attention off the deeper issues and policies and the very structure of relationships in government, banking, industry, academia, and the media that have a profound effect on our society. The focus on partian politics while important misses many of the more profound policy trends. Add to that the limitless resources of corporations and various foudations, and the amount of money that is required to win an election and ask yourself. Is this Democracy led by statesmanship?
If we claim to be a Free People who stand for the values of Liberty, Justice and Democracy, then the question is weather we will allow ourselves to see the Plutocracy that we have evolved into and the many accomplices that it has co-opted; for many people love inclusion in the ruling crowd and the position, power and success that comes with it. These things are generally held in much higher esteem than liberty, truth, justice, which indeed may involve solitude and sacrifice in their pursuit. However, if we look to one of the founding creeds of our nation “The land of the Free and the Home of the Brave,” this is not a call to popularity, or a life of comfort, neither is it a certificate of inclusion or an award of position. No it is a lonely Declaration of Independence of those who love Freedom for Freedoms sake alone and refuse to live otherwise. The question is weather we will remain accomplices, drugged by the many entertainments and comforts we have embraced or will we wake up and Declare our Everlasting right to Freedom and get busy contributing to a culture that values and nourishes Freedom, Liberty and Justice for All!
Friday, November 03, 2006
Bill of Rights, Quaint History or the Foundation of Society
by Mike Van Dam
I think the Republicans, rank and file, at least don’t really know what is going on. They trust their leadership and march in step. If a Democratic president tried to pass the legislation they have passed they would be up in Arms. I believe they are being deceived and led down the primrose path in the name of Homeland Security under the most expoited terrorist threat; they have been blinded by the Red White and Blue.
The Republicans will be horrified to learn how many rights they have lost. If the Executive, particularly under a democratic president, starts to attack their second amendment rights under the guise of domestic terrorism, with the massive power they have invested in the Executive Branch they have set themselves up for their worse nightmare.
This Administration makes a mockery of the Constitution; they have gutted the 4th, 5th, and 6th amendments to detain anyone, anytime, no questions asked. They have also shown direct disdain for the 8th amendment in the claim of the necessity for cruel and unusual tactics, in dealing with terrorists. No its not punishment but it is cruel and unusual, in a prison cell and clearly not in the spirit of the constitution. They have attacked the press, 1st amendment, demanding reporters’ sources. How is it we got through the entire cold war with massive espionage and information wars, and reports were encouraged to use discrimination while coercion wasn’t necessary.
This however is only superficial to the fact that the corporate media is already greatly sanitized and either co-opted or cowed, which while we still have free speech technically, the spirit of the amendment has been broken. And with the battle over language in H.R. 5122, The Armed Forces Appropriations Bill of 2007 this year we saw the expressed desire for the authority to use the Armed Forces domestically anytime, anywhere for purposes of keeping the peace. In this way the 2nd and 3rd amendments could come under attack in short order.
In this case we have a Bill of Rights in name, but it doesn’t apply to the Executive branch of the Federal Government, for which it was specifically written to protect us from. Are we in a war on Terrorism? Indeed I think we are! We are under siege from the very source the founders of our Republic were the most concerned about. I believe we need as many Americans as possible that can be awakened from the trance of blind patriotism. And as many Americans as possible to awaken to an appreciation of the so-called Free Land we are living in.
The hard liners will try to make it a left right issue, while it is really our Bill of Rights that is at stake. Congressman Ron Paul, R Texas did not vote for the Patriot Act and I believe there are a growing number disillusioned by this administration. I think the framers of the constitution knew that someone or group would try to do this someday and they tried to defend against it. Never the less it seems that their work is now under attack. The Republicans are so hungry for power and willing to be led by fear they have cut themselves loose from the very framework that insures security for us all.
I think the Republicans, rank and file, at least don’t really know what is going on. They trust their leadership and march in step. If a Democratic president tried to pass the legislation they have passed they would be up in Arms. I believe they are being deceived and led down the primrose path in the name of Homeland Security under the most expoited terrorist threat; they have been blinded by the Red White and Blue.
The Republicans will be horrified to learn how many rights they have lost. If the Executive, particularly under a democratic president, starts to attack their second amendment rights under the guise of domestic terrorism, with the massive power they have invested in the Executive Branch they have set themselves up for their worse nightmare.
This Administration makes a mockery of the Constitution; they have gutted the 4th, 5th, and 6th amendments to detain anyone, anytime, no questions asked. They have also shown direct disdain for the 8th amendment in the claim of the necessity for cruel and unusual tactics, in dealing with terrorists. No its not punishment but it is cruel and unusual, in a prison cell and clearly not in the spirit of the constitution. They have attacked the press, 1st amendment, demanding reporters’ sources. How is it we got through the entire cold war with massive espionage and information wars, and reports were encouraged to use discrimination while coercion wasn’t necessary.
This however is only superficial to the fact that the corporate media is already greatly sanitized and either co-opted or cowed, which while we still have free speech technically, the spirit of the amendment has been broken. And with the battle over language in H.R. 5122, The Armed Forces Appropriations Bill of 2007 this year we saw the expressed desire for the authority to use the Armed Forces domestically anytime, anywhere for purposes of keeping the peace. In this way the 2nd and 3rd amendments could come under attack in short order.
In this case we have a Bill of Rights in name, but it doesn’t apply to the Executive branch of the Federal Government, for which it was specifically written to protect us from. Are we in a war on Terrorism? Indeed I think we are! We are under siege from the very source the founders of our Republic were the most concerned about. I believe we need as many Americans as possible that can be awakened from the trance of blind patriotism. And as many Americans as possible to awaken to an appreciation of the so-called Free Land we are living in.
The hard liners will try to make it a left right issue, while it is really our Bill of Rights that is at stake. Congressman Ron Paul, R Texas did not vote for the Patriot Act and I believe there are a growing number disillusioned by this administration. I think the framers of the constitution knew that someone or group would try to do this someday and they tried to defend against it. Never the less it seems that their work is now under attack. The Republicans are so hungry for power and willing to be led by fear they have cut themselves loose from the very framework that insures security for us all.
The Individual and the Collective
by Mike Van Dam
In the individual we find the reference point of all experience. Any event in history far or near involving one or many people is experienced directly by ourselves or reported to us by another individual. Any group, tribe, collective, race, or nation is composed of individuals. The qualities and characteristics of any group will be displayed in the behavior and makeup of the individuals in the group. Therefore it is in the individual that the code or patterns that characterize any group are carried. Weather it be DNA, language, attitudes, values, traditions, collective memory, all the manifold, mental even spiritual traits of a culture are carried and passed on from individual to individual.
Lets consider for a moment group mind. People will instinctively adopt as normal, behaviors and attitudes that are an average of the group that they identify with. In this context the group seems to have much more influence on the individual than the individual has on the group. Also consider often times we see a general evolution in the thought, awareness, and attitudes of a group of people. At some point one or a few individuals will articulate, inspire and challenge the people to embrace an emerging more enlightened set of values or to the adherence to fundamental values in light of growing decay.
In the latter case it can be seen that the trend in thought and feeling is already taking place in society at large and it is the role of the leader to focus that awareness of the group mind on its higher values. It is the role of the false leader to focus awareness on fears and selfish instincts. Selfishness in this case will be the well fair of the perceived group to the exclusion of others. In the former case where the group mind is of omnipotence it will be seen that this group thought is qualified and validated in the individual only. Also individuals accept or reject the general trend to widely varying degrees, with some people taking the group thought almost wholly, unconsciously and consciously as their framework of reality. While others consciously reject vast aspects of cultural attitudes and assumptions.
In either case it is the individual that looks to varying degrees either wholly or in part to the people around him or herself for a sense of identity and validation, as well as for an understanding of the world in which one lives. This is the process of learning or learned behavior, including attitudes, beliefs, traditions, and assumptions. Much of it is unconscious and non-verbal. In this process the individual takes, as one's own the language, attitudes, assumptions, beliefs, and traditions of the family and varying degrees of community. Again while it is the group thought that has overwhelming influence on the education of the individual, it is the individual in which these conventions are imbued, there only connection point with the objective world. In as much as individuals within a group are dependant on group identity the matter of indoctrination of the young takes on greater importance to sustain and reinforce the group identity, and therefore the identity of the dependent individuals.
It can be seen from the foregoing discussion that it is the individual's desire for identity and the thought and feeling about oneself and others that give life to any form of group identity. Therefore it can be seen that the driving force behind individual as well as any kind of group identity is "Individual Desire".
Therefore if individual desire is the driving force in society and as we have demonstrated society has an overwhelming influence on the individual. Then for the benefit of the individual and the society would be the acknowledgement of individual desire as well as it protection and nourishment. Desire by its very definition to be exercised and fulfilled requires freedom of choice. In this sense freedom of choice can be seen to be the greatest gift a family or society can give to the individual and in fact is much more. This gift represents the respect and appreciation for the very life of the individual and the society in which she lives. A healthy society requires a healthy individual and a healthy individual requires the utmost freedom of choice.
This is what the framers of the American Constitution meant with the words "We hold certain rights inalienable, that all men are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In addition to this core understanding we have the teachings of wisdom. These include ethics, morals, values, and spiritual teachings that show the benefit and folly of different paths of desire. We also have a body of Law, which is meant to protect and define basic rights and protect against the disrespect of those rights. A person who disrespects the rights of another has often learned this by having their own rights disrespected. Disrespect breeds disrespect and as well Respect breeds Respect.
Since it is desire and the freedom of choice that is life itself, disrespect for this will breed destruction and disintegration, to the individuals and the society in which they live. Therefore a great society requires great freedom and great freedom will be in need of great wisdom. The universal experience of desire is at its core the universal experience of Love, which can only express itself in Freedom.
In the individual we find the reference point of all experience. Any event in history far or near involving one or many people is experienced directly by ourselves or reported to us by another individual. Any group, tribe, collective, race, or nation is composed of individuals. The qualities and characteristics of any group will be displayed in the behavior and makeup of the individuals in the group. Therefore it is in the individual that the code or patterns that characterize any group are carried. Weather it be DNA, language, attitudes, values, traditions, collective memory, all the manifold, mental even spiritual traits of a culture are carried and passed on from individual to individual.
Lets consider for a moment group mind. People will instinctively adopt as normal, behaviors and attitudes that are an average of the group that they identify with. In this context the group seems to have much more influence on the individual than the individual has on the group. Also consider often times we see a general evolution in the thought, awareness, and attitudes of a group of people. At some point one or a few individuals will articulate, inspire and challenge the people to embrace an emerging more enlightened set of values or to the adherence to fundamental values in light of growing decay.
In the latter case it can be seen that the trend in thought and feeling is already taking place in society at large and it is the role of the leader to focus that awareness of the group mind on its higher values. It is the role of the false leader to focus awareness on fears and selfish instincts. Selfishness in this case will be the well fair of the perceived group to the exclusion of others. In the former case where the group mind is of omnipotence it will be seen that this group thought is qualified and validated in the individual only. Also individuals accept or reject the general trend to widely varying degrees, with some people taking the group thought almost wholly, unconsciously and consciously as their framework of reality. While others consciously reject vast aspects of cultural attitudes and assumptions.
In either case it is the individual that looks to varying degrees either wholly or in part to the people around him or herself for a sense of identity and validation, as well as for an understanding of the world in which one lives. This is the process of learning or learned behavior, including attitudes, beliefs, traditions, and assumptions. Much of it is unconscious and non-verbal. In this process the individual takes, as one's own the language, attitudes, assumptions, beliefs, and traditions of the family and varying degrees of community. Again while it is the group thought that has overwhelming influence on the education of the individual, it is the individual in which these conventions are imbued, there only connection point with the objective world. In as much as individuals within a group are dependant on group identity the matter of indoctrination of the young takes on greater importance to sustain and reinforce the group identity, and therefore the identity of the dependent individuals.
It can be seen from the foregoing discussion that it is the individual's desire for identity and the thought and feeling about oneself and others that give life to any form of group identity. Therefore it can be seen that the driving force behind individual as well as any kind of group identity is "Individual Desire".
Therefore if individual desire is the driving force in society and as we have demonstrated society has an overwhelming influence on the individual. Then for the benefit of the individual and the society would be the acknowledgement of individual desire as well as it protection and nourishment. Desire by its very definition to be exercised and fulfilled requires freedom of choice. In this sense freedom of choice can be seen to be the greatest gift a family or society can give to the individual and in fact is much more. This gift represents the respect and appreciation for the very life of the individual and the society in which she lives. A healthy society requires a healthy individual and a healthy individual requires the utmost freedom of choice.
This is what the framers of the American Constitution meant with the words "We hold certain rights inalienable, that all men are created equal and have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In addition to this core understanding we have the teachings of wisdom. These include ethics, morals, values, and spiritual teachings that show the benefit and folly of different paths of desire. We also have a body of Law, which is meant to protect and define basic rights and protect against the disrespect of those rights. A person who disrespects the rights of another has often learned this by having their own rights disrespected. Disrespect breeds disrespect and as well Respect breeds Respect.
Since it is desire and the freedom of choice that is life itself, disrespect for this will breed destruction and disintegration, to the individuals and the society in which they live. Therefore a great society requires great freedom and great freedom will be in need of great wisdom. The universal experience of desire is at its core the universal experience of Love, which can only express itself in Freedom.
