End of an era

[Gerard]

I came across this long statement about how our society really operates:

 

 

"The entire materialistic society to which we belong, is subconsciously suicidal. It does not represent Truth and is therefore not worthy of our lifelong devotion. Suicide in one form or another is the modern trend, and this is also true of almost all of the individuals who compose it. If you are ever in doubt about this, just consider the hopelessness and self-defeatism that is rampant in the public today. The reason for our self destruction is clear. Society is simply dead wrong in its goals and values. The feelings of "wrongness" which we experience at every stage of life in the modern world, are not a measure of our unworthiness or lack of intelligence. They are a measure of the wrongness and lacking of society itself. Social norms have failed to elevate the human condition, and are at this moment in fact, the primary obstacle to further human evolution.

It is common knowledge that humanity long ago, began making wrong and artificial decisions, with regard to the purpose of life. The true purpose of life is spiritual progress, not material acquisition without limits. We all know this at the cellular or "gut" level. The truth of social unnaturalness is felt at the level of the body, in every strained social interaction, and in our very souls. We simply do not have the time left as a species on this living planet, to continue on in a mode of denial, about the destructiveness of our way of living. Lifestyle is the only REAL indication of spiritual practice, as words are indeed cheap. The most impressive sounding speeches or eloquent poems will not save us from our own self-destruction.

 

We are committing suicide because of the pain of wrong living. Our wrong living stems from a basic misconception about what life is really about. It is not about unlimited or random self indulgence at the cost of all else. Life, and the evolutionary processes upon which it is based has its own governing rules, and these are known as natural laws. If we will not follow natural laws then we will all die, to put it bluntly. All the love and light slogans in the world will not change this outcome, if we do not change our values and the lifestyle which reflects them.

 

What is most called for today among all other spiritual qualities, is honesty. Our culture is immersed in a state of media-induced mass denial which borders on hysteria. Many of those involved in spiritual discussions are similarly denying our daily reality. In other words we are collectively denying the insanity of our participation, in a spirit-less materialistic lifestyle. Let's examine some of the beliefs of this consumerism we are immersed in:

 

1) The true purpose of education is not personal empowerment. The true purpose of education for our children, is very simply to program them for efficient workplace functioning. It also exists as a form of social indoctrination, one that directs itself to defeat all rebellion and unprofitable individualism. This programming starts at a very early age, when the 3-5 year old is subjected to "preschool", so as to get ahead. By "getting ahead" we mean of course that we are training our progeny to be ruthless competitors, in a money-grabbing world. We are in essence programming our own children to be the "gladiators of materialism": to fight for their social notoriety in the corporate arena, while a hysterical public cheers on. Education therefore exists for the primary purpose of making more money, not individual enlightenment. It exists to suppress creativity, and to enhance the blind following of senseless rules and regulations without question. Public school curricula work to undermine the natural freedom and intelligence of the human body-mind, so that the hours shown on the face of a clock become more important than the urges of life itself. In such a place joy is stamped out, and play is replaced by painful, meaningless, artificial disciplines. The school system itself also exists for the purpose of babysitting today's youth, which then enables the adult wage slave system to continue without distraction.

 

2) We are impressed by the belief that God will somehow, someday, take care of our problems as encapsulated by the phrase, let go, let God. This belief is taken to an extreme, and used as an excuse to not exercise personal responsibility. The mind is not developed, and is viewed instead as merely a passive vessel, into which "Divine influence" is poured, as defined by mainstream religious doctrines, (which includes New Age beliefs as well). "We must be sheep" we are told, rather than intelligent, autonomous beings. In this line of thinking, it is popular to assume that no matter what happens to ourselves or our world society, It is all part of the Divine Plan. For this reason we are excused from any personal responsibility for personal or world events, since God is assumed to be pulling all the strings of life, and we are merely "His" mindless puppets. The primary error in this belief is that autonomous human intelligence is exactly what is central to this "Divine Plan". It is our natural function to exercise the wisdom and intelligence of right decision-making, in order to learn the needed lessons of existence as souls in bodies. Thus, whether we live or die is a matter of our own self-imposed fitness for survival as a species, and not because of Divine proclamation.

 

3) That government is now privately owned, and serves special, (money) interests only. If you want to understand the essence behind ANY modern political event, all you need to remember is one single word: MONEY. For this reason government has become wholly corrupt. Democracy is no longer practiced, which implies that there is no such thing as the honestly expressed will of the people. In fact, there is no such thing as the will of the people at all for the most part, in the modern age. The public will is determined by media influence, and this is made possible by the years of childhood conditioning in the so-called educational system. Propaganda has replaced reality as the measure of common sense. This is why public opinion is no longer a trustworthy measure of reality, and neither is the media that controls it.

 

4) It is evident that Orthodox religion has lost its fundamental, spiritual meaning. It has instead become a socio-political vehicle for fear, suppression and mass mind control. Essential spiritual lessons have been dogmatically replaced by a concern for empty ritual, (such as the various Christmas and Easter traditions, whose origins are not even of Christian root). Truth has been lost by an insistence on the blind adherence to formality, social expectation and obligation, as well as hollow speech-making. Modern political and religious speeches bear an uncanny and increasing resemblance to one another.

 

5) That 99% of all social motivations in this culture are based upon money. All the good things in life are assumed to be found on supermarket shelves, and nowhere else. The dollar is God, and God is to be worshiped day and night for the rest of our lives, as the basis for every consideration. Our self worth is defined in the eyes of society in terms of job titles, resumes and income brackets. There is nothing that most people today will not do for money. Any heinous act is committed against nature, the body, the mind, the family and truth, all for the sake of a paycheck. Profit is considered the ideal excuse to commit any atrocity against humanity, including the exploitation of world resources, environmental health, the enslavement of the poor, mass imprisonment of domestic and foreign populations, the destruction of foreign governments and the starvation and induced, mass infection of various populations world-wide. Profits are considered more important than health, happiness, peace, justice, cooperation, wisdom, love, family, truth, clarity, spirit, nature and God.

 

6) That all self-worth and image is based on outward validity. Our training in materialism includes the belief that we should always put up a grand show for onlookers, even when we are alone, because we carry around the thought of what others might think at all times. This belief implies that if we are not approved of by others, than that automatically means we must be wrong, regardless of facts to the contrary. One such belief is that we should believe in our country for instance, regardless of what that country does or really stands for. We are taught that we are always accountable for our actions to the system, but that the system is never truly accountable to us for our blind, unquestioning support. We are raised to believe that the most important thing in life, (past making money) is the acceptance of ourselves by the crowd, (society). It does not matter in the slightest (in this hysterical belief system) what that crowd stands for, this consideration is viewed as irrelevant. What matters in today's world is not sanity but acceptance, not truth but the outward appearance of sincerity. This belief has progressed to such a point, that many people are no longer capable of discernment between what is true and what is false, because their entire lives have been lived to arbitrarily placate the status quo. They have been raised not only to tell lies for the sake of social acceptance, but to tell the very same lies that everyone else considers fashionable. To be politically correct is considered the act of the sane, well adjusted person, regardless of what that political scene may be supporting, including the bombing, poisoning or economic strangulation of other countries, for the sake of personal comfort. To fundamentally question society's basic beliefs however, is considered insane or "ill-adjusted" regardless of the logic, facts or alternatives used. Any life focus which is not about making money or cut-throat competitiveness/selfishness is considered either naive, crazy, irresponsible or simply outright prosecutable.

 

7) The view that social opinion is something we should sacrifice our own views for, regardless of what we have known or experienced. The reality is that the demonstrated precepts of society have nothing in common with so-called "family values" or spirituality of any kind, but only with material greed and egotistical, social approval. This fact is demonstrated by our grotesque degree of consumption at the cost of world resources, the degradation of foreign economies and people, and the poisoning of the environment itself. It is also manifest in the largest expenditure of money in the history of mankind, to support a so-called "defense" military budget, (in the United States). In reality this would be better referred to as an offense budget. This world offensive involves the aggressive political destabilization of all other countries and corporations in the world, and the creation of puppet governments/dictators who will do our regional bidding. This offense budget also exists as a form of threatening intimidation, so as to coerce the peoples of the world to bow to U.S. corporate whims. Such coercion also extends itself to a hugely bloated law enforcement and "legal" system, which jails far more of its own citizens than any other country in the world. We now live in a police-state, whose real purpose is to protect the personal interests of the wealthy, and to intimidate, or beat down by force of arms if necessary, any organized resistance or free will, that is contrary to the established aims of the corporate world.

 

8 ) That image is far more important than reality. We spend more time and money on cosmetic chemicals, make-up and surgery than we do on health foods. We spend far more effort cultivating a public personality than an inner reality and genuineness. It is also common practice to value the packaging of a product more than its real effectiveness or content. Facial expression is more important to us than honesty. Propaganda is more common than actuality. Taste is considered more important than ingredients, (even if these are deadly).

 

9) All things natural, including one's own body, are something to do battle with rather than understand. The natural is something to be controlled with an iron fist without end or mercy. Thus we spray pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and other poisons on our food, and everything in nature. The natural is something to be surgically altered, implanted with electronics, irradiated, sterilized, paved over, genetically engineered, cut down and used up, as a resource for human whims of any kind and purpose.

 

10) That symptoms are a more important consideration than cause. The addressing of causes and therefore cures, are deemed unprofitable. This is why cancer, AIDS, and a host of other diseases will never be cured, so long as materialistic values are in place. The result of medical remedies will remain far more horrible than what they are supposedly aiming to alleviate. This is also why our food, water and air will continue to be both inadvertently and intentionally poisoned, so that the public will remain in a perpetual state of disease, discomfort and delusion. Today's health care industry views disease as a given, normal standard, and health as an exception or unknown. Mental health has more to do with popping another Prozac, Valium, Riddelin or other mood altering drug, than with self knowledge and meditation. Physical health means obediently groveling before a doctor who knows less practical information about health, than any forest-dwelling, tribal shaman.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

There is nothing in society worth defending, maintaining or supporting. All areas of social thinking have become deluded, and are a reflection of both mass denial and mass insanity, in the most literal and wide-spread sense of those terms. Given this fact, the only sane course of action remaining is to remove oneself ideologically and socially from the status quo. Self sufficiency in all areas of life must become our real standard of living. It is unwise to believe anything you have been told about reality from the education, media, government, advertising or orthodox religious networks, as these teachings are either naive, delusional or intentionally disempowering.

 

Our society is composed of lies based upon lies, whose basic, fundamental intention originates from a desire for greedy social power, money, artificiality, egotism, control and mass suppression. Those who continue to believe in the suppositions of society, will forever suffer, while bringing ultimate destruction upon themselves and their children. True spiritual practice is not possible while simultaneously believing in, and living out, the lies of the modern age. To survive materialism with both health and sanity, it is necessary to rise above the common falsehoods and corruption which permeate every facet of modern living. For these reasons, we need far more than just love or nice words to lead intelligent, spiritual lives. We need also to exercise uncompromising clarity about how we are living our lives, and what kind of society we are supporting with our every daily decision."

 

Source: http://indiaculture.net/talk/messages/65/1...html?1094086103

 

 

 

 

Very well put.

 

There is no way we can stop this. Work on your own minds. Nirvana is the goal (or a higher and better rebirth for those who cannot attain it).

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbI5K0AzNHI

 

 

 

 

Edited: several typos in the original text.

Edited February 6, 2009 by durkhrod chogori

[NeutralWire]

Hi Durkhrod Choguri:

 

I found this difficult to read, in fact I couldn't. Too judgmental.

 

The entire materialistic society to which we belong, is subconsciously suicidal

 

Oh it's overstating! The vehemence of the young and correct! It is the statement of someone who is angry, who says, it should all be different! A more virulent form of this kind of self-righteousness will land you in jihadland. There's plenty around.

 

To me our society is simply: dying.

 

When something is dying which has done so much, seen so much, yes not always behaved perfectly but certainly done plenty that was interesting and even admirable -- is this the sendoff?

 

Perhaps some Taoists are very hardline and they think anything that dies upon this earth should be more cultivated and not die? So anything that dies is suicidal? I don't think so... I think our society is ill, and it is on its deathbed. That's all. It might go out angry, it's going to fragment, but to die when the time comes is not suicide, it's death.

 

As our technological culture gradually loses its vitality and peters out, for me it is a time to act as we would upon the death of anything we know well. Vicious moods of recrimination could spoil the wake. Its time has come.

 

Kubler-Ross would say you have five stages to get through: anger, denial, bargaining, depression, acceptance. The right-hand end of the list is the only peaceful point on it... angry, argumentative taoists in denial? A sitcom maybe, but not a way forward.

 

"Trying to change it, you damage it" says Lao Tzu.

 

There's much to do in the new world that we're moving into. The dark age will be more spiritual, like all dark ages, and (although very difficult to live through in lots of ways) will have the seeds of the new society in it. And that eventual new society will look very different and have a different philosophy. And it'll tell some interesting stories about us! It will be born, and continue, and in the end die in its turn.

 

Something like this:

 

Our society is composed of lies based upon lies, whose basic, fundamental intention originates from a desire for greedy social power, money, artificiality, egotism, control and mass suppression

 

... is in need of some sound belly thinking in reply to the hotheadedness. Our society is still composed of people and ideas and energy and stuff moving around, most could be wiser, but black pots shouldn't throw the first stone. How much easier and more productive to start improvising one's own new way forward, to live as co-operatively as possible with all around, and to begin the process of seeing what will work for the generations ahead.

 

I recommend these links:

 

http://www.transitiontowns.org/

 

http://www.thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com

 

All best wishes,

 

~NeutralWire~

[i_am_sam]

 

Very well put.

 

There is no way we can stop this. Work on your own minds.

 

amen

we must become the change we want to see

[doc benway]

 

Work on your own minds.

 

 

 

we must become the change we want to see

I will also say amen.

[Sloppy Zhang]

Interesting thoughts.

 

I don't know if we can say that the way society is is suicidal...... instead I think that society as many people view it, that life how many people want to live it, is not sustainable or practical in most ways of looking at it.

 

I was in a philosophical discussion the other day about the pursuit of happiness, and that the pursuit of happiness, as a pursuit, is never going to ever bring you happiness because.... you are always pursuing it. Man's reach is beyond his grasp, or something like that. We always look to the NEXT thing, once we get to that thing, we don't even see it because we are constantly looking at the NEXT thing, and on and on and on until.... until you really can't take it anymore, and most people think it's something wrong with them or that they aren't good enough or they look around and think about how they "should" be living and all that and.... it's just a mess.

 

Anyway, just some thoughts I guess, it's interesting to think about. But I do think more and more people are evaluating things differently at a younger and younger age. What's REALLY important? Especially in the current economic environment, you know, what do you really have, what can you really do, what's REALLY worth it? All things people are starting to think about differently.

[Snowdoggie]

I keep hearing in the media about economic destruction and the end to our way of life. But for every big Car Dealer that goes down the tubes because people are no longer buying a new car every three years, there is a backroad auto mechanic who is getting a whole new set of customers because people are no longer buying a new car every three years.

 

There is creation after destruction.

Edited February 5, 2009 by Snowdoggie

[hyok]

the author is good at discerning what is, but the heavy sophmoric undercurrent really projects an unbridled angst. "Nothing worth saving", 'lies lies lies", is what a person who's been just unplugged from the matrix says.

 

What we're exposed to in text or media is a far cry from what actually occurs in the non-static reality of living, and living in it, I'm coming to recognize the slow slope as it unwinds.

[lino]

Sorry but all that you have been talking about has been going on since the beginning of time and the birth of "civilization".

 

Why do you think that Daoists and Buddhists have always taken refuge AWAY from society and in the mountains. They showed more wisdom than we did...hell, even an ameoba has more common sense than we do in that it moves away from bad stimuli.

 

To assume that any human society has ever had the Mandate of Heaven is pure lunacy.

Edited February 6, 2009 by lino

[Gerard]

Sorry but all that you have been talking about has been going on since the beginning of time and the birth of "civilization".

 

Why do you think that Daoists and Buddhists have always taken refuge AWAY from society and in the mountains. They showed more wisdom than we did...hell, even an ameoba has more common sense than we do in that it moves away from bad stimuli.

 

To assume that any human society has ever had the Mandate of Heaven is pure lunacy.

 

 

 

 

 

Once in time humans were hunters, they just caught what they needed for survival and the balance on the natural environment was always kept. Then they became gatherers and greed was born... I don't think I should finish the story.

 

http://math.berkeley.edu/~galen/popclk.html

 

The new cycle will start again once the clock stops. Then humans will evolve into something more in tune with the Universe, from that moment the clock will start counting again. This is a never ending process, like Samsara itself infinite and self-contained.

 

 

After I pay off all my debts I am off to the mountains as well, lol.

[lino]

Once in time humans were hunters, they just caught what they needed for survival and the balance on the natural environment was always kept. Then they became gatherers and greed was born... I don't think I should finish the story.

 

http://math.berkeley.edu/~galen/popclk.html

 

The new cycle will start again once the clock stops. Then humans will evolve into something more in tune with the Universe, from that moment the clock will start counting again. This is a never ending process, like Samsara itself infinite and self-contained.

 

 

After I pay off all my debts I am off to the mountains as well, lol.