Some Practical Effects of Being Self-Directed, and Change in the World

THESIS:

Let's take an issue commonly discussed and see how Self-Directedness might have some effects.  We live in a world, currently, where everything has a political slant.  We are shifting from an authoritarian perspective to a self-directed perspective.  Most of us are still relying on government to fulfill some parts of our everyday desires.  Politics is a belief system that we use to decide who gets what from the limited supply that government can provide.  In that, politics becomes a duel between the advocates of different political viewpoints over who has control of the output into the media and other objective mass information systems, e.g. Is global warming man made from our technology, or is it a cyclical function of the Earth and our Sun? The viewers are seen to have no choice at all. No thought by the viewer is sought, nor deemed necessary. It's just a numbers game.

Well, I can tell you, gradually, this isn't going to work anymore. The internet is one reason. And another is that we ALWAYS make choices, subconsciously or consciously. Our subconscious is much more connected via our inner senses to other individuals than our conscious. And further, our subconscious is not so easily subvertable. Our conscious can be numbed, and can manifest in automatic responses. Our subconscious WILL not be. It may put up with the conscious robot, but it may not. I'm thinking that the mass subconscious composed of all the individual subconsciouses communicating together, will not put up with this much longer. We are getting bored with the same old dramas.

QUESTION:

"From a purely personal perspective, I agree completely. Unfortunately, I don't see a lot of outward evidence of this - at least not yet. There are a few folks out there not "putting up with it", but for the most part it just seems we live in a world of zombies & sheeple -now more than ever. So... I'd be curious to know when you think this change will come, and how. It's one of those things I truly want-to-believe, but every day I am disappointed."

RESPONSE:

Maybe you and I are seeing the same things, but interpreting and perceiving them differently. Nothing right or wrong with that. *smiles*

When it "will" happen is now, from two different perspectives. The first is from the "ever-present-now", where everything is happening at once. That's too flippant to be useful in they way I'm understanding your question. The second is it is happening now, the "now" being the present date, and linear time extending back a few decades and extending into the most likely future.

Most of what I'm seeing in relation to tiring of their beliefs is manifested in my perception as many, many people acting out their beliefs (social, political, religious, scientific, sexual and relationships, to name a few) to their logical ends. For example, Islamo-fascism is one example, a very easy one. This religion is very stark, very black and white, and its metaphors are meant to be taken very literally. The logical conclusion of which the total absolutism--God is great. There is no God but Allah. If there is anyone that doesn't agree, conquer him, convert him, and if he doesn't convert, enslave him, tax him, or kill him. No grey areas there. People are killing each other, infidel and fellow muslims, for no other reason than they celebrate or don't celebrate the right holidays. Many thousands of people are disengaging (dying), because this is something of which they will not put, and they don't see they have any other choice in fulfilling their values. Without value fulfillment, humans shall disengage, and experience somewhere else.

In the West, we are carrying our beliefs out their extremes, too. It started with the extreme individualism of the '60's, when people challenged and attempted to eliminate the beliefs they'd grown up with, that had served their fathers' fathers for generations. What they found, the Timothy Learies, the McKennas, the Castanedas, was that physical existence of the individual and the mass in the physical, and the environments we create, are wholly dependent upon our beliefs. Without any beliefs about our perceptions whatsoever, we burn from the fire within and go experience elsewhere, like Don Juan and his party. Nothing wrong with that, either.

Today, we are realizing that we won't be eliminating beliefs, because that's not possible if we are to continue creating and experiencing this physical dimension. We are instead experimenting with them. It's kind of like Dexter's sister's constant question, "OOOOO! What does this button do?" Button meaning belief. (Dexter's Laboratory is a kids cartoon my kids and I watch. It's very fruitful for deep discussions, believe it or not. LOL) Every time she presses a button, something explodes. We are doing this constantly. It's in every news cast: Take for example, smoking--Some mayor says we're gonna ban it from every restaurant. "No" cry the smokers and the people who say they are for choice. "What about my choice not to be around smoke or pay for the physical effects?" cry the puritans and the social welfarists.

Let's parse the belief systems in that one action and debate, and you may see what I mean:

"Some mayor (politics) says we're gonna ban (law) it from every restaurant (food/health/medicine, economics). "No" cry the smokers (health/medicine, science) and the people who say they are for choice (beliefs that distort what free will really is). "What about my choice (ditto) not to be around (relationships) smoke (health/medicine) or pay for the physical effects(science, economics, politics, and victimhood)?" cry the puritans (religion) and the social welfarists (politics, economics, religion)." And every belief in that scenario implies the judgment of right and wrong, the belief system of "duplicity".

People get polarized in their positions, manufacture absolutes in their perceptions, and create conflict. Conflict brings our beliefs into relief. I can guarantee you that in every conflict there is at least one person that has made one or more beliefs into absolutes. In relief, things are more visible. Change the light, and different details are observed. That's the whole point of this exercise in our present now. The "game" we live in is being raised to light and examined in detail, replayed in slow motion, from different angles, with color commentary in our dreams, individually and en masse. Those that are aware of this will teach the rest. All in this present now are participating in some form and to some extent. If not so choosing, they'll disengage.

Why on earth are we doing this? And, what's the result that may occur? Why is because, as I said earlier, we are tired of batting these same dead mice around, but we can't seem to stop. Insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results. So, we are examining what we are doing. In this, we are bringing to light all our beliefs, creating absolutes out of them, seeing how each one works, when, and for what, and how they don't work, in all their aspects. How shall we change the results if we don't know what we are doing?

If we are successful at discovering what we are doing, and have examined most of our beliefs and most of their many aspects, perhaps we'll learn where the power of beliefs really lies--within us. The power lies within us, not the dead mouse. Having already learned that without beliefs we won't have our attentions in this physical dimension, thanks to the pioneers before us, and having learned how to use the tools in the beliefs toolbox, maybe, perhaps, we'll accept them. Which means, we'll use them without judgment of right or wrong; they are just things to choose from.

For heaven's sake, and hell no we won't have a utopia. What fun is there in that? LOL! Consciousness thrives on drama. Drama is one of the ways consciousness explores itself. It's just that our games will be played with conscious intent. We'll be able to sit on the bench for a minute and watch the game, at any time. Sure there will be cheaters, and stupid refs, and morons in the cheap seats throwing batteries and insults. That's all part of the game, too. *smiles*

I have trust and hope because I've dreamed with people from one of our possible futures where/when beliefs are accepted. Yes, we have alternate futures. Nothing is set in stone, because we have free will. But, in at least one of them, we have learned to accept our beliefs and use them intentionally. Disappointments are sure to happen. We have expectations, and disappointments are frustrated expectations. Nothing wrong with that. Now if the same expectations are getting frustrated, maybe we could examine them and figure out where they are coming from. If we are so choosing.