This morning at the pool a man told me that his son was going to Bible College in Colorado to train to be a missionary. Presumably in Africa or other places where there is a shortage of superstition.

Then we have those on this list who rail against capitalism appealing to a failed ideology which has been responsible for millions of corpses and a series of tyrannies.

Then there are those who support cancer economics and see growth and increasing population as healthy and possible without ever reaching a limit.

The search for meaning and purpose in life? Is there any beside the living of life?

We might do well to apply common sense and compassion to the human condition.

My the usual intolerant barbarians are predictably out in force again today.

I found it to an interesting essay with some interesting points.

Her heart is definitely in the right place. And speaking of the feeling Heart and how everything is inter-connected these references affirm what she has to say.

http://www.dabase.org/tfrbkyml.htm
http://www.dabase.org/embrace.htm

These two references point out that Consciousness is our True Nature and Condition

http://www.adidam.org/teaching/aletheon/consciousness-experience.aspx
http://global.adidam.org/books/ancient-teachings.html

As does this reference re the non-humans

http://www.fearnomorezoo.org/literature/observe_learn.php

Pelican writes about the dangers of social engineering.
But social engineering is exactly and precisely what ALL human cultures are about and do.
They are mind created memes, mechanisms or towers of Babel the purpose of which is to relentlessly CLONE all of the human beings that are either born into that culture, or migrate there for whatever reason.
What do you think the REAL purpose of conventional "education" is?

This is also what the culture wars arguments re multi-culturalism are about.

This reference describes the baneful limitations of the now world dominant method of SOCIAL ENGINEERING or mind-and-body control in which we are now ALL trapped - our normal dreadful sanity

http://www.aboutadidam.org/lesser_alternatives/scientific_materialism/index.html

This reference describes how even those that presume to be religious are also trapped in the anti-psychic and anti-Spiritual paradigm/ideology of scientism

http://www.adidam.org/teaching/gnosticon/universal-scientism.aspx

'And speaking of the feeling Heart '

Oh! I get it now. It's like the Care Bears. My 4 year old is really into that!

I find it amazing people can immerse themselves so much in this kind of 'movement' to think it really is happening everywhere.

It reminds me of a Gerard Henderson column describing how people get surprised and confused at election results. Reading the one newspaper, and living in the trendy suburbs, perhaps even calling everyone outside of their little circle 'intolerant barbarians'.

Hmmm.

Still, nothing funnier than watching people think they have found their 42, and then having their spirit crushed by the cold hard realities of life. Or is that just me?

Upsy Daisy!

Upsy Daisy!

I can honestly say I'm not jealous of childhood innocence. Love watching it though!

'we are now ALL trapped - our normal dreadful sanity'

Please yourself, but I reckon everyone chooses 'sanity', or insanity, or their own version thereof. I worry about people who seem to think they have so little choice in their lives. Maybe they're not 'self-actualised'.

Must be a course they can go on for that.

IN the end, I'm not really a believer in new ages. Well maybe just not new ages inspird by books like 'The Secret', Scientology, Secular Huminism, 'New' Hahaha Athiesm.

I think guns are much more effective for that sort of thing.

Still, the chick in the photo must be at least 25, that's old enough to have your own and everyone else's life worked out isn't it?

'The search for meaning and purpose in life? Is there any beside the living of life?'

Nope. Looking for meaning and purpose is a sure sign of Narcissism. I mean, come on, delusions of Grandeur!

We are but mammals, and Happiness is just a chemical. Indulging the senses is all that is required to make bloody good use of this gift of life.

HoHum
To some extent you are right - when 'education' is used to raise awareness about certain issues whether it be about the dangers of smoking or importance of regular pap smears, breast and prostate checks etc it is some form of social engineering. That is a reality.

However, there comes a point where some programs become dogmatic at the expense of giving 'space' (sorry) to other views.

Caryn's heart is in the right place and I get the positive message but..courses in Mindfulness and Consciousness Raising?

If they were being conducted in government departments all the participants would get a half day off and it would have minimal effect. Career procession depends on adherence to the prevailing entrenched culture no matter how many courses you attend to encourage you to be a better person.

Houlley
For some reason I really do enjoy your posts but I have to ask is there anything that you really do believe in other than the futility of man. Mindfulness and consciousness raising is not really new it has just come around again and has a new name.

Thanks for the contribution, Ho Hum.

>>My the usual intolerant barbarians are predictably out in force again today.<<

Perhaps at some point in the future you might give us the benefit of your own thoughts on the topic. Simply cutting and pasting a whole truckload of URLs doesn't give much of a clue, especially as such intervening words as you do grace us with, do not provide any incentive to open up the links.

Incidentally, what would be your description of someone at the opposite end of the scale to an "intolerant barbarian"?

I can manage tolerant for intolerant, of course. But what would you suggest is the opposite of barbarian?

Would "over-evolved" cover it, do you think?

Thank you Caryn. I enjoyed your article. I consult to a variety of different organisations throughout Australia and have noticed a gradual shift in thinking and the way people are doing business. The changes are small and gradual, however, they are there. I have attended a number of conferences recently and a few speakers have had the same message: “People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Recently I heard a presentation by Dr Michael King, Magistrate for the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. He indicated that there has been a significant development in the legal system of Australia towards more complete, inclusive, therapeutic and humane methods of dispute resolution in common law jurisdictions. This, he argued, reflected a broader social trend toward the application of psychological and leadership principles in society generally.

Drug Courts, Community Courts and Indigenous Courts are examples of moves toward therapeutic jurisprudence in Australia. Recent US research indicates that this approach, not only produces better outcomes for clients, but also for the professionals involved. It makes sense.

If it’s happening in the courts, it must be happening outside the courts. The legal profession is often slow to move.

Michael King’s papers can be accessed:

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1498923

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=879284