Our Common Mind III
rather than die
a cell divides
during the process of division
two specific life forms
depend utterly on each other
-the genetic foundation
for the biological fact
or our social relationship-
cells that divide and are separate organisms
yet remain attached after division is complete
form multicellular organisms
the well being of the whole organism
becomes the function of each individual cell
the organization of cells
evolves an ever increasing ability
to cooperate and survive
the nature of life
to cooperate and depend
is as real and as significant
as the very tissue that forms the physical body
The tendency towards cooperation is the polar extreme of the tendency towards ruthless selfishness and is the more powerful, otherwise life would not have evolved. The driving force of survival - the fear of death - ruthless selfishness - by itself, is ultimately a dead end. The individual striving is the impetus of evolution, but it is the group that is the milieu which allows evolution to occur. Without the group, the individual withers away.
The most fundamental,
the most significant,
the most intimate,
the most powerful
form of human relationship -
originating in the replication of matter at the dawn of time
- physical, chemical, genetic, biological, psychological, and social -
is parent-child.
iteration
Until the human being evolved, the mechanisms of survival were determined by genetically programmed response. The explosive growth of the human brain superseded the strictly glandular mechanisms and our survival is now determined by thought.
Consciousness is one dimension greater than replication, two dimensions greater than the matter/energy interaction in space/time.
the physical material of the universe created by the big bang
life on Earth engineered by replicators
the society of man determined by thought
The survival needs of human life are built into the organism and the mechanism for meeting those needs is culture - the function of our common mind. The evolution of the universe from lower and simpler to ever higher forms, has evolved from physical reaction to chemical reaction to biological reaction and now resides in psychological reaction. Human evolution -cultural transmission - occurs not only over generations, but in the life of each individual.
Replication II
the reproductive act
the foundation for family
the fundamental unit of society
the inexatricable bonding of individuals
conception and fetal development
absolute dependency
birth
and the biological drive for security
75% of the growth of the human brain occurs after birth. The structure of the brain cells neural firing patterns are determined by childhood experience. The most rapid and radical changes a person experiences are during her first two years of life.
We are genetically determined to seek security and it is mother to whom we look first. An infant is acutely sensitive to her environment, even to the extent of sensing the emotional climate around her. Infants seek experience and strive to understand and control their world, to solve problems and derive satisfaction from suuccess.
The infant-mother relationship is the most significant determinant of the psychological and social development of the baby human. Food and physical maintenance are not enough to sustain human life.
The baby requires a sense of profound security through intimate, emotionally positive communication and concerned, caring physical contact - or more precisely - love. Without that a baby will sicken and die or at best develop into an anti-social person who will require a hospital or prison.
Of course the mother-infant relationship is not the whole of human development, but its influence is such that only extraordinary circumstances may outweigh it.
The family is the basis of the tribe and the tribe is the basis of the nation. The same criteria for healthy growth applies - love.
Human society, now, is diseased.
The Division of People
-glorified as tribe-
whether national, political, racial, religious,
economic, corporate, or geographic
Is the Foundation of War.
The parent programs the child with what the world, the physical, psychological, and cultural environment programmed the parent. This is the creation of man and society. The fresh human brain is geared to mimic, the infant human is engineered to simulate the behaviors of the parent. The infant brain is a sponge absorbing whole the human experience to which it is exposed. Whether kind or crul, secure or fearful, the child is subject, in every way (physically, psychologically, and socially) to the parent's authority.
By the time the child is 5 years old she will have been formed more by the physical contact, facial expressions, voice tones, body language, and general demeanors and attitudes of the parent than by any overt demands, commands, or expectations of whatever expanded social structures she grows into. The early influences are life long determinates - she will fit right into society because society grows out ot the same family/tribal phenomena.
The parent sets the stage, creates the skeletal structure of the individual's persona, based upon the tradition that programs the parent - the acceptance of authority and prejudice towards those outside the tribe, propelling forward the contradictory nature of competition and compassion that chacterizes humanity.
The paradox is realised as the glorification of the tribe into nations, religions, and corporations where the individual gives over her life's energy to the tribe and the tribe competes ruthlessly for resources.
Interlude II
the spirit of god
universal intelligence
pulls the human being forward
manifesting semi-consciousness
evidenced by the evolution
of our aesthetic sense
into high technology
and the awareness of right and wrong
(tribal only - not yet absolute - ergo: only semi-conscious)
The height of moral authority was achieved in prehistory and codified by moses as the ten commandments - when we are able to live that law individually and collectively, we will be fully conscious.
The primal physical being we are - animal - tribal and prejudicial - is tugging us down to the ground - planet Earth - threatening to swallow us up, consciousness and all.
The emotional elements of existence, love and fear (the matters of life and death), are two aspects of one whole - you can't create god without the devil.
