Why do we fight to change the world?

in #philosophy8 years ago

What are we working toward and why does it matter? How do we get there? Should we give up comforts today in pursuit of an illusive utopia that we hope to bring about? These are the questions that need to be answered and understood at a deep level if we actually want to change the world. Will changing the world actually make our life better? Wouldn’t it simply be easier to just make as much money as we can, have as much fun as possible, and take the easiest road? Why bother with anything that could bring unnecessary pain and suffering with little probability of reward?

My Mission in Life

I have long held that my mission is to find free market solutions for securing life, liberty, and property. This mission is deeply rooted in the belief that initiation of violence is not necessary to live in a well ordered society and that everyone’s life would be better off if it could be achieved. This is a belief I choose because there is insufficient evidence to prove violence is necessary.

Many detractors claim non-violence solutions are not possible, but their arguments ultimately fail due to a fallacy known as argument from ignorance. In effect, they claim that because there is no known non-violent solutions (that they believe will work) that it is impossible. They decide to stop looking and/or working toward non-violent solutions. In other words, they choose to believe violence is necessary. In both cases, an individual’s belief shapes their reality and in both cases it is an article of faith.

My mission is a dangerous mission. If I am successful I will make enemies in the highest places of violent power. My very life is at risk the moment I discover any solution that is perceived as a real threat.

Changing the world is a mission that is bigger than any one person. It requires building a new social structure that binds all of society together in a non-violent way. It requires persuading a sufficiently large minority to organize an effective non-violent resistance to government violence. In short, it requires convincing people to take on some of the same risks I face.

If I am to be successful in convincing others to take these risks, then I must face my own demons and conquer my own fears. I must find and articulate an argument that is powerful enough to bring millions of people into a movement. I would be dishonest if I said I don’t struggle with these things. It is because of my own internal struggles that I sat down to organize my thoughts in this article.

Privatized Costs and Socialized Benefits

The core problem with absolutely every resistance movement is a tragedy of the commons. We all want to be free to live our lives in peace and no one wants to face jail time or death by government. The costs to the individual are immediate and potentially infinite, but the benefits they receive, if any, accrue to the masses of ungrateful strangers way in the future, if ever.

This economic reality means that most resistance movements do not gather supporters until the supporters have nothing left to lose. In other words, until the cost of participation falls below the perceived benefit (almost 0). At some point people are willing to die and at this point they are willing to take extreme risks with low probability of payout.

The economic and political enslavement of mankind will continue until Atlas is unable to carry the world on his shoulders and the whole world suffers an economic collapse. It is from the depth of this collapse that people have nothing left to lose and real change is possible.



The Bank of Evil - Despicable Me

Do we accept reality or resist it?

Those who practice meditation or follow Eckhart Tolle know that all suffering is something we put ourselves through by resisting the world as it is now, this very moment.

“Suffering begins when you mentally label a situation as bad. That causes an emotional contraction. When you let it be, without naming it, enormous power is available to you. The contraction cuts you off from that power, the power of life itself.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

From this perspective paying taxes, complying with regulations, and otherwise accepting our status as slaves makes the most sense. There is no point in getting angry or frustrated at the status quo. Our anger and frustration will only serve to further lower our enjoyment of life and have no impact at all on the quality of life of our slave masters.

“If you are in the habit of creating suffering for yourself, you are probably creating suffering for others too.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

When we approach life with a resistance to what is we are tempted to respond out of anger, frustration, and hate. Our actions in turn result in the suffering of others. Their suffering in turn causes more anger, frustration, and the circle of violence continues. The powers that be divide us by causing conflicts and manipulating our emotional responses.

Why should we label violence as bad and non-violence as good? Aren’t these very labels the source of our suffering? And if we remove these labels, what meaning is there in creating a non-violent society? Why should we suffer to bring it about?

Non-violence isn’t a Technique it is a result of Accepting Reality

What is the purpose of violence? Why do we use it? Violence is a response (resistance) to what is. It is a rejection of reality. Violence is the result of an inability to see the aliveness in others; an inability to feel connected with all of life.

Prejudice of any kind implies that you are identified with the thinking mind. It means you don't see the other human being anymore, but only your own concept of that human being. To reduce the aliveness of another human being to a concept is already a form of violence.

So without labeling violence as good or bad, we can see that its root cause is in lack of awareness. One cannot be connected with all of life and simultaneously advocate violence and destruction. If you have no internal resistance, then what basis is there for violence? Is initiation of violence not sufficient evidence of our own disconnect from our true nature, our own fear, and our own defense of ego?

In what situation can someone simultaneously claim they are at peace in the present moment and feel that initiating violence is necessary? What motive is there for violence that is not rooted in an attachment to outcomes? How much more do we suffer from our resistance and attachment than we do from whatever it is we think violence will solve?

When you find true freedom, you have nothing left to lose.

Once you master living in the moment then all of your self-inflicted emotional suffering ends. There is no more anger and no more attachment to things or outcomes. With this you also free yourself from manipulation by the powers that be.

“True freedom is living as if you had completely chosen whatever you feel or experience in this moment. This inner alignment with the Now is the end of suffering.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

This state of being creates a paradox for those with aims to change the world. If you are at complete peace with the way things are, then what motive is there to change the world? On what basis should you choose to act? This is the very heart of economics, the study of human action. This is the root of my current internal conflict.

Is Economic Thinking a Fallacy for Awakened Individuals?

If we view man as a purely economic creature we assume all actions are in someway tied to profit seeking activities. We assume that profit is the motive force. It might be fair to say that most of economics is based upon the assumption of an unenlightened individual stuck in a capitalist rat race.

All of economic calculation boils down to risk / reward or profit and loss. It is our desire for profit and our fear of loss that drive us to make the best decisions we can. An enlightened individual has no fear of loss nor need for more. Their actions are therefore much harder to predict and most economic models cannot fully account for them.

In awakened doing there is complete internal alignment with the present moment and whatever you are doing right now. The doing is then not primarily a means to an end, but an opening for consciousness to come into this world.

Basis for Acting

If we are not motivated by desire for profits or fear of loss, then how should we decide what actions to take each moment? Eckhart suggests that everything should be done from acceptance (fixing a flat tire in the rain), enjoyment, or enthusiasm (creating something).

You have a goal. You know where you are going. The goal has its importance. But the doing is what is truly fulfilling. Every enthusiastic person has a goal that may be important, but the doing is intensely fulfilling, and it is the essence of enthusiasm. ~ Eckhart Tolle

The Means is Everything - The End doesn’t Matter

All of a sudden we learn something profound. If our goal is a non-violent voluntarist society, then there is no point in using violence now. This moment is all there is and in this moment we can choose to use violence or not use violence. If your aim is to bring non-violence into the world, then it must be done by non violent means.

What I learned writing this Article

When I sat down to write this article I didn’t know what my conclusion would be. I just knew there was an internal, and unresolved conflict within. Now that I am 1700 words into it, I have rediscovered and reconnected with the motivation behind my mission.

Each day I act to bring about a non-violent solutions to world governance because I enjoy the creative problem solving process. I do not act out of resistance to the existing government, but in full acceptance of it. I do not act in fear of the existing government, but with rational self preservation as part of the creation process.

The accumulation of wealth, power, influence are tools, but I must not allow my identity to get caught up in it. The trappings of this world are just that, traps. The moment we are afraid to lose our trappings we become trapped in our own delusional ego.

I have learned that each action I take is more powerful if done in the moment, without resistance, and with full acceptance. I have also learned that for my vision to become a reality, I will need to help awaken others to the present moment.

Any economic system of voluntary rules and incentives I create will struggle to gain traction unless it is used and operated by enlightened individuals. Steem can be an incredibly powerful tool in the hands of aware individuals living in the moment, but it will utterly fail if it is overcome by unaware individuals trapped in their own ego.

Jealously, greed, envy, malice, spitefulness, and vengeance will destroy any community. Enlightened individuals living in the moment without any resistance to what is right now experience none of these things. I will keep this in mind as we work to build and grow Steem.

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This state of being creates a paradox for those with aims to change the world. If you are at complete peace with the way things are, then what motive is there to change the world? On what basis should you choose to act? This is the very heart of economics, the study of human action. This is the root of my current internal conflict.

Mahayana (Great Vehicle) buddhism may have an answer to that apparent conflict you are experiencing. According to the Mahayana tradition, true enlightenment cannot be reached merely by cultivating inner peace and eliminating delusions and suffering in isolation of other people, because doing so remains a selfish endeavor that implies that one hasn't truly reached the state of selflessness that underlies enlightenment.

Instead, at some point along the path to enlightenment, one realizes that one's true nature is that of being conscious: a pure form of benevolent consciousness without shape and boundaries, and that permeates all that is. At that point, one doesn't seek anymore to deliver from suffering that fictious "ego" entity that has long been identified as a delusion, but instead seeks to deliver all of consciousness from suffering, including all sentient beings. This intrinsic benevolence of consciousness is what we call "compassion", and is the central tenet of Mahayana tradition. It is both the ultimate goal and the mean to reach that goal. By cultivating compassion, one reveals his compassionate nature, and this compassion is what will eventually lead to a contradiction with the ego and materialistic delusions, and their dissolution.

From that perspective, he who seeks enlightenment will first accept reality as it is, and reach what first feels as a form of blissful and permanent internal peace (this is typically what Hinayana / Small Vehicule buddhism think is enlightenment, and this includes some famous western self-help authors), but will soon realize that there is one type of suffering that transcends attachment and the delusion of self and that can't be addressed by meditation and spiritual practice alone but on the contrary become more and more sharp: the suffering of seeing others suffering within this reality. This is because suffering is a noble truth, a truth that can't be denied, ignored or accepted but simply acknowledged as being true. This leads to a paradox where embracing reality leads to embracing a form of suffering that can only be eliminated by altering reality which cannot be achieved if one simply embraces reality. The only solution to this apparent paradox is to realize that reality is impermanent and can be embraced while being altered. It should be accepted in the present so that one may live free from delusions and attachment, and reduce suffering to the prime denominator of the quintessential and universally experienced suffering of being alive, while being actively shaped with all one's will and energy into a future reality where other sentient beings suffer less.

Under the mahayana assumption that consciousness is intrinsically benevolent and unable not to experience compassion as it gets closer to enlightenment, acting with all one's will and energy against the corruption that permeates reality and increases suffering of other sentient beings is not only consistent, but the one and only true way to enlightenment.

Arguably, government is one such big chunk of pervasive corruption that has spread like weed in our consensual reality, and creates an inordinate amount of suffering. From that perspective, being anarchist isn't only a political view, it is a statement of compassion. Ask the Dalai Lama what he thinks about governments...

Well written!

they say people whose name starts with d are special, sensitive and good....that's because those guys don't know me or they would change their minds

"Once you master living in the moment then all of your self-inflicted emotional suffering ends. There is no more anger and no more attachment to things or outcomes. With this you also free yourself from manipulation by the powers that be."

One of the most powerful, clear and true statements I have come across. Thank you! I cannot agree with you more. I also really appreciate your advice on resistance to the status quo...I still to this day find myself getting distracted with fighting for people I see being harmed (even when they don't see it that way and support their oppressor). As I do it I become conscious I do it, but haven't totally understood why? Your words definitely bring some light on the topic for me.

What you resist persists! I've removed "fighting for" or "fighting against" from my vocabulary. I just keep setting intentions for what I do want and following my inspiration to move toward it more and more. If we want change, we really need to stop focusing on what we don't want and move our focus to what we do want to create.

Exactly. Acknowledge the existence of tremendous suffering, but know that is it is not permanent, and cannot be. Therefore the only thing that is logical is acceptance of that which you cannot change, and then changing that which you can.

If one continues to fight this system, they will fail inevitably.
The reason this system (governance) exists is because it is supported. When you retract the support, the system crumbles.

What we need to continue to do as enlightened individuals is create an interconnection of FREEDOM.
Meaning the freedom of moving without constraint or violence consequence.

We have begun the process of creating and using crypto currencies. now we have a decentralized social media platform and alternative media.
What we need to continue to do is to create new systems of living that do not FEED the old system, but are separate from it.

As the coming years unfold, their will be much suffering as the old systems WILL eventually collapse...for they clearly lack the skill to assume formlessness.
But as these systems collapse and the totalitarianism that is government is exposed to the masses to such a degree that they cannot deny it, I believe that those who support these systems now will turn their backs on it and join the cause of HUMANITY.

In the meantime, what is important is the creation of sovereign, tight knit communities all over the world that are completely off the grid...and this can be done legally.
One such legality is "squatting communities".

The main factor is that people need to stop joining the military industrial complex, police, and other violent institutions and the ones already in servitude to those systems need to wake up and bite the strings of their puppet masters.

At the end of the day its all about patience, resilience, and faith.

Gosh. How beautifully said. I love everything you said. It holds high energy.

Thank you...you seem a bright star yourself :)
The evil that plauges our world goes deeper than most realize.
But that is okay. People choose their path.

hey dan , please if u read this comment i have a problem with my reputation score , it used to be (5) before the reputation update feature , i have no downvote on any of my posts or comments it suppose to be above (50) , i tried steemit chat but no response! im very disappointed .thanks

You are not alone. @crezylisa had 6 several hours ago, and is now at -2, we checked steemd, and there were no downvotes on the first page. Here is her help request.

I feel a little lost too. I can't seem to get any traction on my posts and I'm not sure why that is? Is there something I'm missing? Please share any tips you may have, I'd be so grateful.

Your blog posts look well put together. Keep posting consistently with a focus on gaining followers rather than focusing on earning money. You will begin to see some success eventually.

I appreciate this post very much~
There are many reasons for this and though it may require a lot of words, NOW IS the time, obviously!
I appreciate this post because beyond right and wrong, or enlightened or not, it is a post that provides opportunity for self/inner reflection. To me this is the most valuable use of our NOW for conscious evolution.
Regardless of if everyone who reads this likes it or doesn't like it, agrees or does not agree, there is opportunity to re consider life, purpose and the experience of our existence. Ideally despite agreement or not everyone feels MORE clear about their relationship with life as a whole. This is ultimately the greatest gift~

What is really interesting though, is the paradox. Obviously anyone reading and writing here on Steemit is experiencing some kind of resistance/duality, time, have to, supposed to, judgement, disagreement etc etc...If people were truly present in the NOW, moment after moment, there would be no need or even desire for the internet as a whole, let alone Steemit. Yet we are all here playing a game!
The game--whatever that may be-only exists because of the "rules"; it is rules that dictate the game.
If we were existing without any resistance in pure now, we would not ever downvote or even need a downvote button. Yet we are, and so we do. There would also be no need for disagreement or even conversation because we are fully present, in the ALLNESS of NOW~;~
This is not right or wrong, good or bad, it just is what it is. We are living with rules, and it is the rules that dictate the game. We are all here playing the game.
One of the ULTIMATE games that many play is "changing the world". I can honestly say that this is a game I play often--purposefully doing things that I feel improve or help people and the world as a WHOLE~
This game would not be possible if it were not for something that I "Believed" to need improving or what I would call a "problem"
So this "problem" is not actually a problem. It just is what it is. It is only a problem to ME and even though there may be BILLIONS of people SUFFERING from a problem I don't have to experience or even see the problem. I am only seeing it so that I can play the game.
This is why despite the fact I feed over 40,000 free meals a year, run a community with a negative zero carbon footprint and every day of the week fund humanitarian projects, there are still people that don't like me or disagree with me or even hate/judge me.
I am wise enough to not take it personally, to not get to caught up in it, to continue living by the standards I feel best about fulfilling the greatest purpose I can imagine.
Yet it is still a game. I am aware enough to know it is a game yet I am playing it. I am playing it because it is fun. To have "fun" or "progress" or "change the world" there has to be contrast. Contrast is what makes the game!
So ultimately what really matters is not total oneness or presence of now-- because everything is nothing--
What really matters is our experience. Are we happy or unhappy.
Now happiness is relative, as is beauty. Yet I have found traveling the world that what most people actually experience the most enjoyment out of are love, health, freedom, creativity, honest expression, intimate communion...
What I can also say is that often it is not people with money who are the happiest, but people who don't. This is NOT because money is bad, which is like a gun--an inanimate object that results in how it is used. Yet it is common that people who make choices based on making money are not actually that happy. It is the people who make choices on love, health, freedom, truth, values, that are happy. Or as you put it people who have little resistance to life and embrace the NOW.
Even happiness is a game, it is an experience that REQUIRES contrast. Happiness does NOT EXIST without UNHAPPINESS!
Now that's a mind fuck! That is why we have the word 'paradox"
I don't disagree with anything you wrote here. In truth I find MUCH wisdom and power, perspective of benefit. Yet there is always more. That which is more is significant and insignificant at the same time.
Thank you for proving the opportunity for me to share and also for the many others to self reflect.
I love Steemit, I believe it is revolutionary and I am aware it is a game, yet it is a game that is based on many ideals/rules that I believe in. I am with you and grateful to be so!
Best Wishes~*~

Short self reflection after reading Dan's post and your comment:

Should decisions taken naturally, instinctual, by an individual be considered rules?

Obviously a set of individuals that naturally think the same don't regard them as rules. The hope is that each of us finds that group of individuals, in a community, that helps us fulfill and enrich our lives through a social aspect.
Specifically to Steemit, I believe the Feed we personally choose to make, formed by the people we follow should meet this expectation.

Does the effect of information lay with the receiver and not with the creator? Is the outcome of that information decided by an individual's reaction?

Asking it in a more realistic scenario: Does a bully act according to the response received on his actions? If there is no response, will the bullying stop?

#steemon

Thank you for your comment :)
I guess everything is a game?

Yes~
Everything is a game. To exist in total oneness, total peace, total presence is "beating the game" yet in total oneness there is NOTHING. Thus the game begins again if there is to be an experience of life it self~*~

@quinneaker, this is so poetic and beautifully written!

I'm attaching a post #thegame @thegame, and what is interesting to me is how everything is coming together. It's pretty awesome. Also, after reading @dantheman's post here and then some of these comments about self reflection it's inspiring me to do some self reflection -
Awesome Sauce! ~

peace and love, is there ever such a thing as too much love?
The answer seems to always be more love. I've found that this is perhaps one of the most challenging things in my own life. To extend truly unconditional love for everything, towards myself, towards others, towards all. To love the unlovable, yes! Because there is no such thing as unlovable. It's very challenging to love always, everyone, everything, at all times, or atleast sometimes this is how it can 'feel' at times. Does anyone else have anything to say about this stuff?

Ohh, all I want to do is just sing and dance and share links of songs I'm thinking of right now with you all because they are just beautiful and full of love. Perhaps, I'm going to have to start a post about music sometime. Ohh, there is just so much to be grateful for in life and it seems there is never enough time to express it (hence, the future is fast. I may be @fast2future, but right now, I'm choosing to live "IN THE MOMENT"!)
Awesome Sauce again! lol

peace everyone!

https://steemit.com/steemit/@thegame/welcome-to-the-game-come-play-and-make-the-rules-and-prizes-on-offline-1-to-start

Everything = nothing

@quinneaker , don't you guys all realize what is happening here!? Right in front of our eyes! This truly is a beautiful thing. Thank you so much for sharing!!!

Stay cool!

Looking Forward to our future!

You are already there, looking back at yourself ;)

My intention when I first join steemit was to improve my way of life financially and while getting along with the flow of the community, it turns out that I will not only be changing my financial status but myself as a whole as well. I am learning a lot of things in steemit, first I have problem with writing but it turns out that I have so much to write.

Even though I am not gaining rewards like many are getting in the community, but Im learning a lot in expressing myself in writing.

I know my life will change here, so I need to hold on and keep on writing what I have in mind, share the experiences I had and will have.

@dantheman, thank you for creating this great community.

YES!
A multifaceted beneficial arrangement!
Many people including my self would say that there are many benefits to this platform. I love it so much and feel it is truly revolutionary. Yet there are many improvements that can be made and I hope we as a community will be able to fine tune so as to really create a platform that can create a whole new world~*~

Yep, There are always improvements to be made in life. AND Yeppers, we WILL create a whole new world ~we are doing it everyday, moment by moment~

I'm really digging this "living in the moment stuff", man, @dantheman, you really are "theman"

Keep it coming!

@juvyjabian, let us know how we can help you improve your financial life. I'm sure that there are many people that would love to help you. Keep writing!!! Your writing is not only going to continue to change your life, but you will be the catalyst of change to helping so many others change their lives to by reading what you have wrote.

Write on!

Right on, right on :)

I echo what @quinneaker said, "YES!"

Thank you, Dan. I've been here about two months and this is one of my favorite posts so far. One of my first posts ever was on non-violent communication, and you up voted it. That's when I knew this would be a place for me. I've since commented and posted almost 2,000 times. I've built a following who appreciate my ideas. I've come to call this my home on the Internet. In short, I believe in your vision of a non-violent world obtained through the process of connection and awareness.

You've tackled a very tough question here. How can a determinist "choose" to impact the world to improve it? How is that contradiction resolved? I don't have the perfect answer, but focusing on the moment and the process is certainly part of it. The best I've been able to do is encourage myself and others to go about building a world we all want to live in.

Thanks for being a great example of that through your work.

"While there’s no virtue in suffering itself, certain kinds of suffering are unavoidable if we want to change the world. (That is, to really change the world, not just to jabber about it.)

If you run away from suffering, anyone with a pin and a threat owns you.

Let’s be clear on this: Wanting to live in a new way opens you up to suffering. If you hope to avoid it and still attain liberty, you’re kidding yourself. It won’t happen. And to make this point very clearly, I’ll restate it:

Suffering is required; if you can’t hack that, stay home."

THE SPECTER OF SUFFERING
http://www.freemansperspective.com/the-specter-of-suffering/

hmmm, this is very interesting @onceuponatime -

"to achieve things that most people may only dream of, you may have to suffer in ways that you only wish that most people never will"

-thanks for sharing @onceuponatime (when, I first saw your handle @onceuponatime, for some reason my brain registered it a porcupine, lol -)
I hope you understand that I'm not making light of anything that is being said here. This is very serious and very real stuff that you/we all are talking about here. Make no mistake. My joking and laughter is meant to be contagious, so hopefully, you all will begin to live, laugh, and love more with me too :)

@onceuponatime, You said it best "(That is, to really change the world, not just to jabber about it.)"

Let's go change the world!

nice you are well intentioned

I also have this question because I see lot of these things happen in my country. Why need violence? Other said, violence is required to be heard and to point out a view. Is it really necessary? For some, they say it is but for me, I'm against violence.

I don't like people hurting other people just to show their eagerness of one thing. What is that, is that what they learn from their parents, I wonder why.

There is always a better way to resolve factions, and violence is not one of them.

Ultimately anyone can choose to never engage violence. OBVIOUSLY there is no NEED for violence. Logically in a perfect world it would all work out just fine with many solutions besides violence.
Yet the other part is that violence is real, in truth is is PREDOMINANT in the world we live in.
The problem comes when people or groups have ideals of non violence yet violence is used against them. What then? The problem is that there will always be those who USE violence as a way to get what they want. If there was no one else that used it likely that person could take almost whatever they want quite easily.
Can success be had with the principles of "Non Violence", YES of course!
Yet look at someone like Ghandi who is one of the best examples of such success. He spent HALF his life in JAIL. Violence was used against him despite his non violence. Also the violence he apposed despite his success is still alive and well today. He did not abolish anything.

there will always be those who USE violence as a way to get what they want

Not necessarily...but its hard to explain why.
It all has to do with energetics...
Vibrations and collective consciousness.

Technically if our consciousnesses is raised to a certain level, there couldn't exist any reflections of fear...because everything is a reflection.

The law of attraction is a basic scientific law of the universe.

Yes~
Anything is possible and yes it ALL has to do with energetics.
It is great to see someone post about energetics as it is the way I view reality, yet we don't see much of that kind of consciousness here on Steemit.
So yes everything is a reflection, bust just the fact that any of us want to change the world or don't like the way government works proves we have resistance and thus will continue to experience various degrees of "violence"

hey @coloured-content and @quinneaker and @everyone, would you mind elaborating on "energetics"?
I'm very interested to hear and I think it may be helpful to others as well to hear your understanding of this. Sounds cool.

Also, @quinneaker, you mentioned that "yet we don't see much of that kind of consciousness here on Steemit." - Why might you suppose?

energetics

We mean the basic principles of laws of energy, which everything consists of.

It is written into their psyche

The Power of Now!

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