Can we have these conversations with a majority population that “learns” with 15 second sound bites and is increasingly less inclined to engage in anything intellectually rigorous?
Critical thinking gets us to where you’re at. Unlike most issues we’re facing (abortion, gun rights, gender issues), there is no intelligent other side to your arguments where growth continues and the human race keeps expanding. It’s just scientifically and logically impossible.
We cripple ourselves by refusing to think critically and to encourage that same thought process in others, especially the next generations. Real thinking is hard. Education, active learning, critical thought education and not the common “banking” method used in schools throughout the world should be our focus. People want to feel actively engaged in the world. Unless we revamp our educational system to reflect this we’ll continue to preach and some may pretend to listen, but too few will critically engage with us.
Do as your told and accept things the way they are doesn’t make for good revolutionaries.
McGilchrist in his book “The Matter with Things” argues rather intriguingly that consciousness precedes matter—that it did not somehow “wink into being” (as the Atlantic article you linked to posits) at some point in the evolutionary journey of sea creatures onto the land millions of years ago. This goes along with the discovery of an invisible (to us) field of energy, and the so-called “God particle” (Higgs Boson), etc in physics.
Generally speaking, religion is one of the few places where the idea of a singular “creation” exists—a sense of the whole, the totality of life, including animals, stars, etc. While people rightly criticize the failures of religion, at bottom it is a desire to reconnect with a totality beyond us, whether that totality is God, Gaia, Wakan Tanka (the Great Mystery), the goddess Isis, Shiva, or however the concept manifests. Religion, like yoga, is a search to reconnect with the totality of life and unite with it : look at the word itself—re (again) ligare (to bind, join, connect), so “religion” means to reconnect what is separate. Likewise, “yoga” means to connect, as in the related word “yoke.” We search for union with that totality beyond our limited self or selves.
In my opinion, we should stop demonizing religion and rejecting what it has to offer. Buddhism, Native American teachings of Beauty (the Dine), St. Francis, ancient Mystery cult religions, (such as the Eleusinian Mysteries), Shaivism, etc etc—do we really want to throw the baby out with the bath water?
Thanks again, Tony! Very thoughtful and thought-provoking as always! And great photo of the snowy egret!
I was watching a storm last night. Flashing lighting just seconds apart, the rolling thunder never stopped. That smell in the air. The was a full moon so bright only a handful of stars made an appearance. I was barefoot in the "weeds" hoping to miss stepping in dog poop.
I can't see my fellow humans leaving their safe houses and trusted technology to feel nature anymore. We have become as domesticated as the cattle in the CAFO's, who have never tasted grass.
As we grow further from physical reality it becomes harder to touch the awe we felt from living on this planet. The "Awe" that humbles us. The "Awe" that proves the immortallity human supremacy.
Great writing. Conversation that matters. Appreciate the historical reference to Hugh Iltis, “Man First? Man Last? The Paradox of Human Ecology,” Bioscience 1970. First exposure to Hugh's thoughts
Can we have these conversations with a majority population that “learns” with 15 second sound bites and is increasingly less inclined to engage in anything intellectually rigorous?
Critical thinking gets us to where you’re at. Unlike most issues we’re facing (abortion, gun rights, gender issues), there is no intelligent other side to your arguments where growth continues and the human race keeps expanding. It’s just scientifically and logically impossible.
We cripple ourselves by refusing to think critically and to encourage that same thought process in others, especially the next generations. Real thinking is hard. Education, active learning, critical thought education and not the common “banking” method used in schools throughout the world should be our focus. People want to feel actively engaged in the world. Unless we revamp our educational system to reflect this we’ll continue to preach and some may pretend to listen, but too few will critically engage with us.
Do as your told and accept things the way they are doesn’t make for good revolutionaries.
McGilchrist in his book “The Matter with Things” argues rather intriguingly that consciousness precedes matter—that it did not somehow “wink into being” (as the Atlantic article you linked to posits) at some point in the evolutionary journey of sea creatures onto the land millions of years ago. This goes along with the discovery of an invisible (to us) field of energy, and the so-called “God particle” (Higgs Boson), etc in physics.
Generally speaking, religion is one of the few places where the idea of a singular “creation” exists—a sense of the whole, the totality of life, including animals, stars, etc. While people rightly criticize the failures of religion, at bottom it is a desire to reconnect with a totality beyond us, whether that totality is God, Gaia, Wakan Tanka (the Great Mystery), the goddess Isis, Shiva, or however the concept manifests. Religion, like yoga, is a search to reconnect with the totality of life and unite with it : look at the word itself—re (again) ligare (to bind, join, connect), so “religion” means to reconnect what is separate. Likewise, “yoga” means to connect, as in the related word “yoke.” We search for union with that totality beyond our limited self or selves.
In my opinion, we should stop demonizing religion and rejecting what it has to offer. Buddhism, Native American teachings of Beauty (the Dine), St. Francis, ancient Mystery cult religions, (such as the Eleusinian Mysteries), Shaivism, etc etc—do we really want to throw the baby out with the bath water?
Thanks again, Tony! Very thoughtful and thought-provoking as always! And great photo of the snowy egret!
I was watching a storm last night. Flashing lighting just seconds apart, the rolling thunder never stopped. That smell in the air. The was a full moon so bright only a handful of stars made an appearance. I was barefoot in the "weeds" hoping to miss stepping in dog poop.
I can't see my fellow humans leaving their safe houses and trusted technology to feel nature anymore. We have become as domesticated as the cattle in the CAFO's, who have never tasted grass.
As we grow further from physical reality it becomes harder to touch the awe we felt from living on this planet. The "Awe" that humbles us. The "Awe" that proves the immortallity human supremacy.
Well written.
Sadly I can't see much changing too soon. The disconnection is so strong and the indoctrination /education system is stacked against reality.
I think every little bit counts though even if its palliative care at this late stage.
www.pantheistunionfornature.com
"The earth and the web of life come first, man comes second; profits and “progress” come last."
Amen to that!
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
Great writing. Conversation that matters. Appreciate the historical reference to Hugh Iltis, “Man First? Man Last? The Paradox of Human Ecology,” Bioscience 1970. First exposure to Hugh's thoughts