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EIGHTH WAY OF WISDOM -- B Arthur M. Jackson
Copyright 2001, 2003, 2006
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CAPITALISM AND THE ENLIGHTENED COMMUNITY .What is the best way for an Enlightened Community to structure its economy? How can it most effectively help all members earn a living? Although most persons who have worked to improve human societies have thought some form of socialism must be used, it seems to me that some form of capitalism would be better. When the proper regulatory guidance is given by a society the corporate structure and profit motive provides the flexibility and options necessary for each person to be a productive member of society. The corporation has the capability to utilize many different skills and abilities. It has the potential to be structured so as to work with and help develop Enlightened Persons. It needs a broad range of talents thereby providing opportunities for many different kinds of people during many different stages of development to do the work that fits for them and that they can do best. Or, if this is not possible then to earn sufficient salary so they can put in the least amount of time necessary, allowing a maximum of free time to use as desired.
As indicated elsewhere (Volume II, Chapter 34, “Work and a Science of Ethics”) [9] the foregoing approach conflicts with the paradigm Robert Reich describes as being underway in the U.S. since the 70s and predicts will be adopted by the rest of the world over time. This is due to technology and globalization leading to products and services powered by what he characterizes as “better, faster, cheaper.” The foregoing places the individual into a life that is driven by work, and all other issues – family, friendship, recreation, education, etc. – become valued for their support of that goal.
However, as Reich struggles to point out, concerned persons may want to limit some of the effects of this new paradigm. Economists have long talked about supply and demand, inflation, theory of marginal productivity, free trade, export-import balances, gross national product, using the individual's selfishness and greed to satisfy the needs of others, etc. These economists, however, have treated economics as something it is not -- a system of sufficient validity to replace ethics as the science that governs the way people treat and judge each other. A quotation by George Soule exposes the fallacy of unwarranted faith in economics. He writes, "It is one thing to be able to say, given certain premises, that certain conclusions must follow; quite another to be sure that the chosen premises are typical of the objective world, or that what is excluded from any particular logical process may not be more influential in determining the future than what is included." [10]
The science of economics contains much of value, and has even greater potential for the future when guided by a Science of Ethics. However, while economists may teach that an increase in unemployment will reduce inflation, it is beyond the capacity of economics to decide if this is the best way to reduce inflation. Or, whether reducing inflation is the most important goal. How a society should apply knowledge from economics to achieve societal goals lies outside of economic theory. Economics is only a tool (like the rest of the sciences) for reaching the goals of a Science of Ethics. Ethics comes first and economics afterward. Society first must decide what its goals are and then it can use knowledge of economics to help achieve those goals. The machinery of economics does not operate in a vacuum. People's ideas, emotions, and beliefs influence the way an economy functions and must therefore be influenced by ideas which go beyond the "laws" of economics. See VOLUME II, Chapter 14, "Bionomics -- Economics and the Enlightened Community," [11] where an analysis of Michael Rothschild's BIONOMICS: The Inevitability of Capitalism is presented. It provides a new paradigm re: capitalism and its role in a modern society.
[p. 2]
Must there always be poverty? A person in poverty is apparently not productive enough to share adequately in the wealth of their society. Is the foregoing realistic? Poverty does not seem to be necessary in the modern world. Science and knowledge hold out the potential of unlimited wealth for everyone. It seems to me that all persons could be productive enough to live comfortably if their efforts were properly utilized, if they had the benefit of a Science of Ethics and the structures required to achieve its goals.
In an Enlightened Community all persons must have the opportunity to be productive; the chance to contribute to the economic well being of their society. At the same time they need to be able to maintain themselves at a satisfactory level of income depending on their goals, motivations, productive capacity, level of preparation and training, type of work, amount of time devoted to work, and similar things. To put ideas about income and productivity in an Enlightened Community into the proper perspective, see VOLUME II, Chapter 34, "Work and a Science of Ethics." [9] And, "Other Support Organizations -- Organization for Universal Employment" at the end of this chapter.
All persons in an Enlightened Community must be able to develop as individuals. They must be helped to become aware of their capacity and capabilities. The foregoing is important in order that they may achieve the most by finding a creative outlet and doing the necessary work that best expands them as a person. Also, they should be doing work which they enjoy, or if the foregoing is not possible, work which takes as little of their time as possible, but is productive enough to allow them a satisfactory living. For many persons once they obtain a certain minimum amount of material goods their rate of needs would decrease. After fulfilling basic needs, some persons might want to spend only a few hours a week at work they find uninteresting in order to earn the necessities of life. The rest of their time they might spend at the things which would make their life a wonderful and enjoyable experience. The foregoing will not come about automatically, but only with the utmost planning, cooperation, commitment, and effort.
Also, in an Enlightened Community there must be governmental planning. The foregoing would involve the investment of a portion of the national wealth for the achievement of certain long range goals which keep the economy and society progressing -- toward allowing more and more persons to achieve a Sustainable Belief that their Life Has Meaning. Examples might be: better health, cost effective ways to use solar energy, purification of sea water at a cost to make its use practical, harnessing thermonuclear fusion, space travel, farming the oceans and deserts, gathering basic knowledge about all life to maintain robust ecosystems, etc. Investments in government planned projects might -- particularly in times of recession -- make up a significant part of the national budget.
Effort must be directed not just on things that require only a few persons working on a limited budget. Effort should also be focused on projects that may require huge expenditures of wealth (spread over a correspondingly reasonable length of time). But the point is that this knowledge, structure, or capacity is essential in order to achieve and maintain an Enlightened Community. It must have a productive pay-off that contributes useful social resources and/or knowledge and leads to more efficient results. It must not be a black hole (such as a war of aggression) with immoral goals that waste lives, creative energy, and resources. Examples from U.S. history of positive governmental planning includes the construction and development as well as the building of many dams in the 1930s and the road improvement program of the 1950s. This governmental planning of the future might require comparable expenditures of resources before profitable results could be achieved.
[p. 3]
These projects would be like a bank in which worker hours and creativity could be stored, and also tools for future prosperity would be developed. The foregoing would be part of the effort to ensure employment to all workers and make them productive when they might otherwise not be so. Plus this would help harness creative energy and direct it toward improving the quality of life for everyone.
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SHARED AFFECTION Part of understanding how to appreciate other people is discovering the joy of shared affection. Individuals are very limited. They must have friends to rely upon, soul mates to talk to, companions to help them in time of need. Many troubles can befall single individuals, but when they have a community and good friends to stand beside them they can overcome the injustices of these situations. Individuals should have pals and closest of all a mate.
But as Polly Young-Eisendrath warns in "YOU'RE NOT WHAT I EXPECTED: Love After The Romance Has Ended," "But consider the possibility that heterosexual intimacy has never before been tried. Only in the last two decades have married people sought intimacy. Previously they viewed marriage as a contract and the relationship mostly as a form of business. If it was enjoyable, that was lucky, but generally it was not expected to be."[12]
There are few things more psychologically rewarding than the joining together of two individuals in shared love. But, this union of minds and bodies is not the same as the love in fairy tales and "true" romance novels where the characters do not defecate, belch, sweat -- in short live. These are images that come out of our "tribal" propensities. However, like all the rest of human living an affiliative relationship between two adults changes dramatically when it is based on the individual's "wisdom" potential rather than their "tribal" propensities. Up to this point society is still presenting models of relationships coming out of our "tribal" propensities. Therefore, it should be no surprise that most marriages in the U.S. end in divorce and those that continue are rarely very satisfactory to the individuals concerned. But, there is much to learn and be learned about this whole process.
One interesting area of research involving affiliative love is that initiated by John Alan Lee, a sociologist at the University of Toronto, Canada. The core of his approach involves dividing romantic love into different ways of loving. His research has led him to postulate various love styles used by people in different affiliative love relationships. VOLUME II, Chapter 7, "Romantic Love and a Science of Ethics," [13] tackles the area of affiliative love using Lee's ideas and research as a starting point to move this toward congruency with our "wisdom" potential.
Dr. Young-Eisendrath's book quoted above is another resource that needs careful study. She is a Jungian analyst who does couple therapy in association with her husband to help their clients reach "mature dependence." This is a bond between equals utilizing their close relationship as the ground of the self. "It is a willingness to give as well as take, and to value a friend as much as oneself." It develops when a couple has "survived the breakdown" of their romance and "the disillusionment of seeing each other as disappointments." [14] Through therapeutic understanding of the dynamics that establish false expectations for marriage, and the projections onto the partner of one's own images about the opposite sex the "romantic aura" is replaced by a new pattern never before available in human history, mature dependence. It is very unlikely that any couple can achieve this state without a shared desire to reach it, and possibly only then with therapeutic assistance.
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There are multiple challenges in the area of romantic love. This may be an area where the Knowledge Bank, an improved model of affiliative love, and complete individual records can be beneficial. When the factors are understood which make two people attractive to each other in a sustainable way (congruent with our "wisdom" potential), a computer program might be developed to permit such individuals to obtain information about each other. Thus, a person will not need to search haphazardly throughout life to find a mate, or to marry for the wrong reasons, or not at all. (Also see "Other Support Organizations -- The Computer Connection," at the end of this chapter; and, VOLUME II, Chapter 8, "Finding a Partner to Love.")[15]
Another important area is explored in VOLUME II, Chapter 5.A, "Intimacy and a Science of Ethics," [2] which draws heavily from IN SEARCH OF INTIMACY by Philip Shaver and Carin Rubenstein. Other elements of intimacy, love, and romance are discussed in VOLUME II, Chapters 6, 7, 8, and 9. [3]
One part of the effort to help individuals find love would be to guide them toward understanding what a successful love relationship consists of and how they can achieve what is necessary. The second is to put them in contact with individuals with whom they have the potential to develop a nurturing, satisfying, growing relationship.
As indicated in VOLUME II, Chapter 7 and 8 [3] finding, developing, and sustaining a loving, nurturing relationship and marriage would be enhanced by learning what such a relationship requires. A difficulty exists in doing this because all the ways we learn about love are flawed and depend on our raw "tribal" propensities. These processes prevent developing the "wisdom" potential as it relates to love. If we are looking for a particular thing and what is needed is the opposite, our success is doomed. My guess is that most persons in modern society have all kinds of erroneous ideas about what they actually need in order to have a fulfilling affiliative love relationship and marriage. Fairy tales, romance novels, television, movies, and the current wisdom in general are less than helpful in this regard.
As indicated earlier Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath presents an interesting model that points out where some of the serious problems come from that get in the way of male/female love relationships. And since her goal is exactly the same as mine -- i.e., determining how a man and woman can establish and maintain a marriage relationship based on complete equality between the partners -- her book is examine in depth in VOLUME II, Chapter 9.b, "Analysis of YOU'RE NOT WHAT I EXPECTED."[16]
Once we understand our own needs, shortcomings, possibilities, etc. then it would be useful to have a way to tap into the massive resources of our community and find the ideal mate (our soul mate). For this only the computer with an adequate support network will do the job. The power and potential of computers could, if properly utilized, guide anyone to an enduring and wonderful love. This data can be analyzed by computers to help persons meet others who share the attributes, interests, life-style, etc. necessary to build a loving, supportive relationship. This whole process must continuously be studied, expanded, and changed as experience accumulates and errors and deficiencies in existing ideas are found. Centers for the Practical Application of Wisdom would have a primary responsibility for the foregoing with their "Knowledge Bank" as its central tool.
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Since the sexual drive is such a basic motivationing force -- healthy, important, a potent factor in joyful living -- a few comments about it are in order. It would seem difficult to find any idea held by decent persons more foolish than the one which states that marriage and sexual intimacy can only decently exist together. However, one that might qualify -- at least among religious fundamentalists -- is the idea that masturbation is wrong. The foregoing idea has probably been one of the most erroneous and destructive ideas that has been promoted in any society. The stress accumulated from sexual tension has often provided the final push that has led the vulnerable individual to tragic behavior. As for marriage, it should rest on a firmer foundation that coitus. And sexual intercourse like food is necessary to healthy development. Abstinence as a sexual practice is comparable to abstinence from learning to read with just as self destructive and socially destructive results.
Many reasons are given why sexual intercourse without marriage should be avoided. These almost always go back to a culture's concepts of morality. In some cultures this is supported by the threat of death for transgressors. In other cultures it boils down to more pragmatic arguments often with a moral basis (soiled merchandise, virginity is a virtue, there is only one true love, etc.). But usually the argument includes issues of practical concern (pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease, exploitation, etc.) the cause of which could be overcome with proper effort. The current moral arguments can probably only be discarded as the Judeo-Christian-Islamic traditions which foster them are replaced. The practical issues require a more focused effort by society to solve.
Certainly, a more realistic attitude concerning the sexual aspect of a human being's life is necessary. Sexual intercourse should not be seen as an ominous, all consuming, degrading thing that some folk religions make it out to be. Nor should it be seen as Freud interpreted it, as the most basic and intense drive for the individual. As pointed out elsewhere the drive for social bonding is humanity's most basic drive. Rather, sexual activities should be recognized as a vital, healthy, important part of a caring, romantic relationship in marriage or -- as indicated below -- without marriage. "...[T]he following advantages have been claimed for.... [pre-marital coitus]"[17]
1. It may satisfy a physiologic need for sexual outlet[p. 6]
2. It may become a source of immediate physical and psychological satisfaction
3. If there is no guilt, it may increase one's ability to function more effectively in other, non-sexual fields
4. It is more valuable than solitary sexual activity for developing one's capacity to make emotional adjustments with other persons
5. It may develop one's capacity to make the particular sorts of emotional adjustments which are needed in marital relationships
6. It may provide training in the sorts of physical techniques that may be involved in marital coitus
7. It may test the capacities of two persons to make satisfactory sexual adjustments after marriage
8. It is easier to learn to make emotional and physical adjustments at an earlier age; they are learned with greater difficulty after marriage
9. Failure in a pre-marital relationship is socially less disastrous than failure after marriage
10. Heterosexual experience may prevent the development of a homosexual pattern of behavior
11. Pre-marital coitus may lead to marriage
12. In at least some social groups, an individual may acquire status by fitting into the group pattern of behavior"
Regardless of the validity of any or all of the above benefits, a relationship between persons either married or unmarried must be a sharing process if the couple desire to achieve a Sustainable Belief that their Life Has Meaning. And, it must be mutually beneficial, fulfilling, and satisfactory for the same reason. It must not be a bullying, threatening, scheming, lying kind of relationship or it cannot be mutually satisfactory, at least for Enlightened Persons. The foregoing things make it unsatisfactory for both parties in different ways, and unworthy of an individual. To achieve the goals of this Way of Wisdom any relationship whether viewed as a lifetime union or not, must contain the key factor of a lifelong relationship; i.e., the model that it is a relationship between equals and all feelings and behaviors come out of this recognition -- trust, confidence, mutual satisfaction, etc.
In addition one might seriously consider the ideas of Terrence Deacon[18] that marriage is a deeply symbolic act that involves not only the individual, but their community and may even have been the practice that started our species on its journey toward symbolic language. If this is the case its roots are very deep and may influence us in ways not always obvious.
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RECEIVING VS. GIVING .One of the prime ideas that gets in the way of helping others is the idea of exploitation. I define exploitation as taking advantage of another; unfair exchange; taking without giving comparable value. Western culture teaches that human beings have a natural bias to exploit other people. The claim is made that this desire to exploit others is always lurking in any interaction. The individual can fight it sometimes. But one must always guard oneself against it and one must always expect it in others.
At a certain level the foregoing is true. Because of the raw "tribal" propensities, particularly the "us" vs. "them" and dominance/submission drives, some individuals have a strong propensity to dominate and treat others without fellow feelings. When an individual has not been sufficiently socialized this may lead to behavior where they take advantage of; i.e., exploit others. U.S. cultural values have supported these propensities particularly as part of the "business ethic." As a result this component of learned behavior encourages exploiting others. These propensities must be re-focused for any who desire to become an Enlightened Person and help create an Enlightened Community.
In U.S. society individuals are taught by parents and other family members to be dominant or submissive. Based on their own personal drives they respond to these teachings either positively or negatively, or in varying degrees. However, this dominance/submissive behavior is not congruent with becoming an Enlightened Person and building an Enlightened Community. An Enlightened Person must be aware of and fully develop their own personal power. They must develop the capabilities made available with the evolution of symbolic communication if they are to achieve a Sustainable Belief that their Life Has Meaning. Since in an Enlightened Community the individual person is considered to be the only worthy focus of ultimate concern, developing Enlightened Persons is critical.
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Current research makes clear that this dominance drive can be encouraged or discouraged depending on how a society treats it; i.e., depending on the culture's memes. "In egalitarian societies, men intent on commanding others are systematically thwarted in their attempts. The weapons used by their supposed inferiors are ridicule, manipulation of public opinion, and disobedience.... the would-be chief who tries to order others around is openly told how amusing his pretensions are. The power of leaders is thus delineated by an alliance from below."[19] Hopefully, in an Enlightened Community effort to redirect dominance drives would be carried out in a more integrative manner that would help such persons channel their drives so as to be productive for them and for the Community.
It is my contention that no one can ever better themself by exploiting another person. No goal or benefit directed toward gaining a Sustainable Belief that one's Life Has Meaning can be achieved by taking advantage of someone else. I believe that the situation is just the opposite.
Any act, knowingly done to exploit another, must erect a barrier in the path leading toward a Sustainable Belief that one's Life Has Meaning. Any act unknowingly done will normally have the same effect. It indicates a lack of knowledge, sensitivity, and support. These deficiencies will prevent the person from advancing in the right direction until changes are made.
Persons will not have achieved a sustainable belief that their life has meaning before they discover the greatest pleasure of all which is loving other people with complete devotion and doing all things to help everyone become an Enlightened Person. (Also see VOLUME II, Chapter 6, "Love and a Science of Ethics.")[20] "There comes a time in the development of ourselves when receiving from others, which is the essence of selfishness, gives way to the irresistible urge to give to others -- to grow beyond the limits of one's own skin, whether in the creation of a family or the building of a good society."[21]
This love of other human beings must not be what psychiatrists call "reaction formation"[22] but an honest, healthy love. Otherwise, it will be deficient. For example, it may be superficial and stereotyped. Or, it may be devious -- "The reason I must burn you at the stake and watch your pain as the flames slowly roast you alive is because I love you and this is the only way you can be cleansed of your sins." (Rationalization of the Holy Inquisition.)
Helping other people because of love must always be more than heaping acts of kindness upon them regardless of their level of development. The person who has not yet achieved a Sustainable Belief that their Life Has Meaning may not be able to appreciate or benefit from some acts of kindness. Persons must be helped to develop their higher self, their "wisdom" potential, and not be diverted into their raw "tribal" propensities. Human life can be filled with happiness and joy when people live within the context of a Science of Ethics. A way must be found to clarify how all persons can experience love of others. If suffering is only lessened, additional change is needed. People must be helped with their material and emotional needs. Also, they need help to satisfy their intellectual requirements and yearning to be creative. The foregoing, plus whatever else is necessary must be done to help each person achieve a Sustainable Belief that their Life Has Meaning.
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One cannot obtain lasting satisfaction except by doing those things for others that can help them move toward a Sustainable Belief that their Life Has Meaning. The foregoing does not mean that a person should not be concerned with themselves, just the opposite. Love of others is in fact the highest form of self love. That which is truly best for others is also what is best for us. Of course until we live in an Enlightened Community we cannot always provide others what they truly need. In these cases we just have to do the best that circumstances allow. And to act so that we continue on our path toward a Sustainable Belief that our Life Has Meaning.
When individuals achieve a Sustainable Belief that their Life Has Meaning, they are as rich as a person can be. They have all their core needs fulfilled and are focusing their life energy in ways that are vitally important. The foregoing will continue to be true not only throughout their life, but throughout the life of our species. Persons must give and do for the sheer pleasure involved. When individuals are found who want only to take, an Enlightened Community must try to help them to achieve a higher sphere of existence. "...[P]eople who want always to receive and never to give are cases of arrested development. They are to be pitied and helped to develop..."[23] Helped not by speeches and chastisement, but by effective, appropriate aid. They must be helped to attain the physical necessities of life and more important helped to attain the values of the mind. Anyone will be stopped from movement toward a Sustainable Belief that their Life Has Meaning until they understand the truth in the statement, The most enduring satisfaction comes from loving and helping others.
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