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Forum Post: 2012 Enlightenment Theory: While You Were Protesting We Were Working

Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 14, 2011, 6:13 p.m. EST by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

The title of my articles might be a bit "New Age," but the point of "2012 Enlightenment Theory" is that there are a huge amount of efforts going on around the world to lift humanity out of the burdens of hierarchical society. The point of my writings is to share my observations that the world is changing. Society is moving forward. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people around the world working at building a better tomorrow. They are not pointing fingers. They are not blaming others. They are not saying, "Someone should do something about this." We are doing something about it.

http://freeindependentsun.com/zen/2012-enlightenment-theory-a-world-of-abundance-and-self-governance/

http://freeindependentsun.com/zen/2012-enlightenment-theory-part-2-2020-vision-and-focus/

http://freeindependentsun.com/zen/2012-enlightenment-theory-part-3-3013-to-infinity-and-beyond/

http://freeindependentsun.com/zen/2012-enlightenment-theory-appendix/

It is not society that needs to change. It is not the world that needs to change. It is not other people that need to change.

If you look out to the world and only see the bad stuff that is happening, then it is you that needs to change.

There is a lot of good in the world. There are a lot of solutions being worked on. And none of them involved sitting around a park and blaming other people.

32 Comments

32 Comments


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[-] 2 points by riethc (1149) 12 years ago

Wow, a compilation of TED talks, Zeitgeist videos, quotes from Hollywood movies, etc.: Genius!

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

So you didn't read anything I wrote then...went straight to the videos, links and quotes and made up your mind...

I blame MTV.

[-] 1 points by riethc (1149) 12 years ago

I read your jibberish too. lol

I blame the "Enlightenment" period for that kind of utopianism.

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

What is gibberish about it? Please quote so I know what isn't getting through to people.

Was my contribution to the concepts not easy to pick out? That by having all of these projects going on at the same time, that every aspect of society which we rely on hierarchy to take care of for us, will be able to be taken care of at an individual and community level?

[-] 2 points by johnliming (10) 12 years ago

Change has always begun with protest and gatherings of people expressing their issues. If it were not so, the Civil Rights Movement would have completely stalled out. But it didn't, did it? Neither will this one. http://thelimingview.blogspot.com/

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

The thing is the changes I write about started before the protests. In fact, a lot of people started working on them after the protests of the 70s. I started working on it after the Iraq Protests solved nothing. Protesting can bring awareness to a problem (no offense but we were all aware of this problem before OWS), but if it doesn't as well bring awareness to solutions than it is simply a distraction.

The Civil Right movement offered a solution, the Civil Rights Bill. There are a lot of people who have gotten involved in OWS to offer solutions, and have been inspired by it to take action. However, the concept of protest in general shows a lack of confidence of those involved to implement solutions. Either they are unaware of solutions, or have refused to work on them.

I think the OWS, in general, is more concerned with pointing fingers than working on solutions. I've attended a few, talked to a lot of people, and solutions are typically not well received. They are nit-picked and dismissed.

If you can't get through an article on how cooking and freezing portions of your own food saves you money (this could have been a great article!) without bringing how conservatives are evil I don't know how you are going to reach people (isn't saving money being conservative?)

"Now look here folks, I have written this article on how to save a few bucks because I know that not everybody might be a high and mighty, nose-in-the-air conservative with money to burn.

A lot of folks might be humble little "Godless" Liberals with no Moral Values like myself and might have to cut a few corners now and then to keep the rich guys rich."

So bitter...

[-] 2 points by yasminec001 (584) 12 years ago

Earth Charter

http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/

I thought you might like to be aware of that.

In regards to your post, I very much appreciate that you are making others aware that there are good things being set into motion as well. In my opinion, I think the people of Occupy are protesting in this manner in order to attract attention, and raise awareness everywhere they can. The first step is to become aware that there is a problem. I think we've accomplished this, though I also think the awakening has only begun. As a species, we are not yet developed in the sense that our actions reflect our apparent choices.

As a society, we choose to have respect for all kinds of life, and to bring peace and stability into the lives of the individuals of these societies. We have also chosen to bring about 'healthy competition' in order to make life a constant 'game', as well as learning from an early age to earn everything. However, do we really need to do this? Have our actions reflected our choices? Have we actually brought peace into the lives of Americans, have we been absolutely truthful in all our conducts and affairs, and do we truly have respect for all species of life? Have we acted responsibly with our power?

The people in power of this world need to be dragged, kicking and screaming, in order to do something towards the greatest good of all. Let us not forget how easily mankind can turn to 'darkness', manipulation, and fear. It is not always a conscious thing, but something learned very young.

I believe if one is in power, and is responsible for a great amount of lives, then the first question he or she should consider before making any kind of decision is "Will this benefit all species of life, some, or none?" Chances are, if it only benefits some and/or none, it will become faulty and have its consequences.

[-] 2 points by jph (2652) 12 years ago

Yes, many people are working to bring good things into existence. (Permaculture, Relocalize, SlowMoney, etc.) However, no amount of wishful thinking is going to remove some of the evil destructive corporate/banker structures erected over the last 50 years.

Have you seen the US military lately, or the new private mercenary-for-hire armies? Have you noticed that the monetary system is a pyramid scam based on skimming 40-50 percent form every dollar spent, interest on debt, interest to create money, goes directly to private for-profit banksters. These power hungry people will not just relinquish this power, I must be taken from them. As well, many people are still sleeping, and just barely opening their eyes to these issues, massive public actions are needed to alert people to some of the most egregious crimes, and to physically stop others. Direct action is not just "sitting around a park and blaming other people" and stating that exposes your utter lack of understanding.

[-] -1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

Look at the rise of Ron Lawl in the political arena. He can very well win it. That'll take care of a few of your concerns would it not?

Again, I'm not suggesting wishful thinking. I'm suggesting work. I'm suggesting that if you see the problem start working on the solution or you will be dominated by the problem.

[-] 3 points by jph (2652) 12 years ago

No that republican is a crack-pot. His positions would create a corporate dream world. Zero regulations on banksters or corporate activity at all is just stupid. He is only right on a couple issues (ending military empire building) and completely nuts on the majority of his platform. And in reality he has zero odds of winning.

The system is rigged, the game is fixed. The only way forward is to remove the broken structures. Real democracy is possible now.

[-] -2 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

Not a crack-pot. If his policies were going to lead to a corporate dream world wouldn't he be getting a lot of corporate backing? Why is Herman Cain the Koch Candidate and not Paul? Paul opposes the Federal Reserve which empowers the banks. He opposed the Bank Bailouts. He opposed corporate welfare. He'd make corporations earn their money. If you are on the Internet you have had to use the services of a corporation or two.

He can win. He just passed Romney and Gingrich in Iowa and is "tied" for first. He polls from third-fifth in national polls (as did Carter, Clinton and Kerry before winning their nominations). He has polled as high as even with Obama in a one-on-one match up. He has the funding and the grassroots organization.

As far as removing broken structures, the broken structure is hierarchy itself. Real democracy is mob rule. Occupy Yourself. Be your own %.

A Republic is all about Minority Rights. Democracy dismisses minority rights and eventually leads to Empire (see Rome, Germany, USSR).

[-] 1 points by jph (2652) 12 years ago

No, he could never win. The republicans, the great war makers, will never put forward an anti-war candidate. And the bankers will not allow an "end the fed" position in either.

He is also for NO regulations, NO corporate regulations, NO environmental regulations NO banking regulations, and that is a corporate wet dream! A republic does not lead to empire? Why do we have one now?

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

All of the examples I gave you were Republics before turning into Democracies. I agree, Republic isn't the end all be all. But Democracy isn't the solution. We need to change the way we think about who runs our lives. Government or ourselves?

That is exactly what the articles I linked above (and what this post is about) talk about. The practices that will move us forward beyond markets, economies, governments and corporations. However, while we have a government, a Republic is what we should attempt to maintain until we are free from the reliance on hierarchy altogether.

I can't have a productive conversation with someone who says flat it, "It'll never happen because so-and-so won't let it." Why protest at all then? Why do you think these super masters you refer to will let any of the demands of the people to ever come about.

I always say, "If elections weren't legit they wouldn't have to steal them." There is no grand conspiracy, there are just people trying to hold onto power. If they just held this power with some magic possession they wouldn't have to do all the shady and corrupt things to maintain it.

The Republicans will nominate whoever the majority of Republicans vote for within the framework of their Primary system. They will try to control and corrupt it, but that is the key word, "Try." It is up to us if they succeed or not. What they would love most is if we give up without even trying under some fear that their power is that overwhelming.

The only power the devil has is to convince you he has power. His only power is to get you to act in his favor. For, the devil is not even real, nor is this "looming conspiracy." It's just people, no different then us. They might have more guns and money, but even OWS should recognize how a small group of people can defeat the corporate empire (see: Che).

[-] 1 points by jph (2652) 12 years ago

I don't think of government in the broken and corrupted form it is in now. But more a functioning democracy, the people coming together to make decisions on how we want to deal with common issues, is what "government" needs to be again. RonnyP proposes no regulations on corporations, no environmental regulations, no regulations on banks, etc. This is a bad idea and leads only to corporate feudalism as we are seeing today. We the people need to come together and decide what limits to have on actions of individuals and businesses. Unregulated dumping of toxic sludge into the water supply, because it is profitable, is not good enough. This is what his no regulations policies will bring.

Remember a conspiracy takes only a few individuals. The war machine (military industrial complex) will never let a guy, even into the final vote, that advocates dismantling their bread and butter of foreign-war-making-for-profit. They would kill him first.

So, no I do not support any politician in a corrupted system. Period.

Why protest? To get people together to remove this corrupt machine and build a real future.

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

"Why protest? To get people together to remove this corrupt machine and build a real future."

How do we do that? What are the habits and practices that we need to begin doing to build that "real future"?

Is that exactly what my articles talk about? Is not Ron Lawl/Green Party the way to deal with the ballot you have access to in conjunction with all the practices that remove the corrupt machine and build a real future?

Voting only takes a short amount of time. I'm not saying hedge all your bets on it. Exactly the opposite. If you read what I'm saying, is that you must perform non-political action in order for the political action to have any meaning, and to not have power over you.

I think we agree. I just figure you might as well vote and follow up on it. I am not completely defeated in that sense. We both agree on what else to do; right?

[-] 2 points by Spengbab (5) 12 years ago

Ron Lawl is never going to be president and you're delusional if you think so.

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-15/romney-two-way-race-is-now-four-way-republican-dead-heat-in-iowa-caucuses.html

Please refrain from person attacks, names do not an argument make.

What is your theory as to why RonPaul will never be President?

[-] 1 points by beamerbikeclub (414) 12 years ago

I take your point and agree. I noted a similar idea at the Occupy Paris Protest since it is camped just outside the ministries of Ecology and Sustainable Development. People IN the system doing (presumably) good work and well-intentioned. http://beamerbikeclub.blogspot.com/

But I still think the battle for the streets... for the actual public space, is worth fighting. Why CAN'T they camp?? "Natural law" would seem to suggest that life is permitted to flourish where it can, no?

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

Natural law takes into consideration the natural reactions from power. Did you expect to be able to camp? What life "should" be able to do has nothing to do with what it can. Political structure is part of the environment, to ignore that is to be unaware of your surroundings.

This is a great quote: "But it's going to require that the 1% (of protestors) engage (and not alienate) the 99% of the population that are-- presumably-- living their lives quite comfortably."

Every effort has it's place. Even the corruption of the corporations. We have been pushed to form a new approach to life and society. I hope the protestors can start to see that those trying to show them all the amazing and productive things they could be doing were once protestors themselves and realized that protesting doesn't change anything.

When you become frustrated with corruption of the system you start to protest. When you become frustration with the ineffectiveness of protesting, you start to work.

[-] 1 points by caterpillar (6) from New York, NY 12 years ago

By Instituting human law, we have supplanted natural law. Under natural law, it would be perfectly permissible for you to camp wherever you like. It would also be ok for me to kill your family and take you bike if it made my life better. Kindly refrain from suggesting that natural law is better... The jungle is a violent place...

[-] 1 points by beamerbikeclub (414) 12 years ago

Didn't mean to suggest I was in favor of ditching "human" law. I like the Law. Is it true there is a court order from a judge saying the OWS can return to the park WITH their tents? (fact check please). In any case we have plenty of jurisprudence (if that's the right word) in American society and a damn good Constitution. The problem seems to be that our institutions have been corrupted while we all became disengaged (and then disenfranchised and disempowered). OWS is the desire to re-engage, re-empower. Go forward!

[-] 1 points by PartyX (202) 12 years ago

"Quite a few observers... have been stunned and frustrated at the refusal to investigate what was almost certain accounting fraud at Lehman. ....The unraveling isn’t merely implicating Fuld (Lehman’s CEO) and his recent succession of CFOs, or its accounting firm, Ernst & Young, as might be expected. It also emerges that the NY Fed, and thus Timothy Geithner, were at a minimum massively derelict in the performance of their duties, and may well be culpable in aiding and abettingLehman in accounting fraud and Sarbox violations..

[-] 1 points by secretfreq23 (5) 12 years ago

I sort of agree. 7 Billion is not getting by on Permaculture and fighting that human urge to take one more crumb than the next guy isnt going to ever ever be universally practiced evenly, especially with a crunch on resources. I know I dont want to be one of the guys going over the side of Malthus' boat - or anyone in my family for that matter.

[-] 1 points by shadz66 (19985) 12 years ago

Consider : It's because those souls are sitting in Occupation Everywhere [ http://www.occupytogether.org/actions/ ] that inter alia, you have the chance to make your post here ...

Om Mane Padme Hmmm ;-)

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

I post on a lot of forums. Don't get to proud that being able to post here was some great opportunity unless the people that read it start taking action based on it.

I plant a lot of seeds because they all don't grow. Whether or not this seed grows will depend upon whether OWS is fertile soil or dead dirt. I took a chance...

"There is no fate but what we make." - Terminator 2: Judgment Day

"If you are listening to this, you are the resistance." - Terminator: Salvation

[-] 1 points by shadz66 (19985) 12 years ago

As you can easily discern from the mark down and disappearance of our posts, the anti-progress forces of Right-Wing Rabid Reaction are overdosing on schadenfreude at the moment.

WE are here in SOLIDARITY & UNITY but that does NOT mean that we are naive or spineless !

Justice and REVOLUJAH will need A Cadre Of The Committed & Clued Up. Just 'Kumbaya' Won't Cut It With The 1%er PSYCHOPATHS & LOOTERS !!

iViva Los Indignados!

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

Wow. Every comment on here has been marked down. You'd think the popular sentiment would have promoted either a pro or con on this topic.

We have had a conversation unpopular to an active portion of this forum. Let's figure out why. Is it or process of conversation (are we all being b!tches), or is it the topic of the conversation itself? Is there a suppression of productive anti-status-quo conversation going on in this movement? Is that why it shows up: Ron Lawl?

[-] 0 points by MVSN (768) from Stockton, CA 12 years ago

Where are all these people around the world that are working to make it better?

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

Here are a lot of practitioners of Permaculture: http://permacultureglobal.com/

The people who built that do a lot of work in third world nations.

Charity:Water is a solid non-profit: http://www.charitywater.org/

Check out the Urban Farming Guys: http://theurbanfarmingguys.com/

They are working in the poorest Zip Code in the U.S., helping build farms, create after school projects, and reduce crime in the area.

There is everyone who is working on the Ron Lawl campaign as grassroots organizers. That is a positive contribution in my opinion.

There is Open Source Ecology: http://opensourceecology.org/

The are in Montana trying to help share do-it-yourself plans to lift communities out of poverty.

The Amazon Herb Company is working at saving the Rainforest: http://seraf.amazonherb.net

Read my articles, it is all in there. Check out the other articles on my site, I document a lot of stuff. I should start highlighting individuals more often perhaps, that is a good idea!

[-] 0 points by MVSN (768) from Stockton, CA 12 years ago

That is not around the world. You can't build a New World Order only in the U.S.

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

Watch this before you throw around the "New World Order" term: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO24XmP1c5E

[-] 1 points by jaktober (286) from Sonoma, CA 12 years ago

The Rainforest, Central Africa (charity:water), and the Jordan (Permaculture Research Institute) are all outside of the U.S. and things I mentioned in the above post...

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