The global meltdown, the Whale and the need for a new Human paradigm

Hi all,

*MODS: I had absolutely no idea where to pop this thread, so chucked it in here, please move to whichever forum you think best*

So, humanity continues on its ever accelerating spiral into [enter your fave nasty result here]. We have a peak oil situation (where no one is sure when we actually passed the peak), an oil addiction, a lack of possible alternative energy sources (they all require so much oil to get started, that it the energy return just isn't worth it), an elite group of people in charge of society, an economy on the verge of serious collapse, a vast over population problem, an atmosphere that is pretty badly polluted, a sea that actually has a named rubbish dump (Pacific Trash Vortex), social ills including war, terrorism, riots, shootings, mass murders, I could go on. You get the picture. If you require further research or sources for these claims, then please pick a random forum on ATS and you will find plenty The worst of these ills and troubles in society today is, in my opinion, apathy. The fact that as a species we just cannot be arsed. As long as we are comfortable, fed and entertained, we (as a species) are just A-OK.
What I find amazing, is that we also have the arrogance to call ourselves the highest intelligence on the planet. Really? US!? Surely, as the only (to my knowledge) species to have existed on this planet that has driven not only a huge amount of other species to extinction, but also very probably itself, we cannot truly consider ourselves the "highest intelligence" on the planet? How on earth can we quantify this claim? By bits of paper with "Degree" on it? By words and letters in front of our names, such as "Doctor"? By comparing ourselves and our abilities to that of other species and saying "Wow! This chimp can't write a thesis! What a thickie!" (lol, I know, really crap analogy there!). Do we judge our intelligence based on our achievements such as buildings, societal structure, infrastructure, the use of tools and money and.......oh. Those are the things that got us in this fine mess, aren't they? Hmmmm.
OK, OK. Lets not judge intelligence by these factors, after all, it is unfair to judge the intelligence of other species on the same capabilities as ourselves, we evolved a different root. Instead what if we judge intelligence on something that ALL species have to do in order to survive? How about judging intelligence by how we exist in harmony with the planet and resources that we have? An intelligence test based on equilibrium, rather than human ego.

Do we still win? No. Why? Well, probably because we are so intent on winning! Instead I give the award to..... the Whale! The Whale lives in harmony and balance with its environment, it has a social structure, they certainly have intelligence and sentience, proven by their ability to communicate with each other. As far as I know they do not plunder the resources of the planet, nor have wars, don't declare war on their own species. As far as I know, whales have a community, but no economy.

A community. Do we, as a species, truly know what this is anymore? A group of people, who act for the benefit of themselves and their environment in order to live in peace and plenty? This is where the change of human paradigm comes in. I believe, and this is my opinion nothing more, that this is what we, as a species, have to do. We have to rediscover the community. Grow food together, play together, rediscover what it is to truly LIVE in this world again. We cannot do it alone, we certainly cannot do it as part of a politically driven economy. But we can do it together.
Now I realise that, after reading this back, it sounds vaguely communist. I do not believe that communism works, I am thinking of a much smaler scale, smaller communities, who live local, work together, play together etc. Yes, I also know that this is a utopian ideal.

Though the Whales have achieved this. And they aren't as clever as humans. Are they?

A couple of other points, that I would like to drop in here, that are loosly related to this post.

1) The million and one prophecies and predictions, Maya and Hopi etc all point to a change in the human conciousness. Could this lead to my "Utopian ideal"? Do humans, due to our current greedy, egotistical, power hungry nature need an external "event" to achieve it? Or a mystical, quasi-religious change in conciousness? To be honest, I think we probably do. I think that as a species we need something to jolt us out of our rut, and when we consider that the horrors of the early 20th century didn't jolt us, I wonder what it would take..... maybe one of these higher "vibrations" I have seen mooted about. Or alien contact, or a major asteroid, I don't know. But I do believe we need something.

2) If E.T. did come down. Why bother with the idiots screwing the planet over? Speak to the Whale.

I think, on that note, I will call it a day. These are just my opinions that I thought would make a good debate. What do you think?

CC

How come every time I see the word paradigm used, it comes from someone who leans left.

Is paradigm a favorite word of the left?

I usually see this when someone is complaining about the left/right paradigm, and it never fails, the complainer and user of the word leans left.

I couldn't agree more with everything you've said.

Slightly off topic but I've recently enjoyed reading 'Down Deep' by Mike Croft, all about whales... It's fiction but just rings so true for some reason....

Great thread, thanks!

Originally posted by CrazyCloud
Instead I give the award to..... the Whale!

on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much — the wheel, New York, wars and so on — whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man — for precisely the same reasons.
HHGTTG

give the man a star and flag....
nice read, thank you...

kx

reply to post by CrazyCloud


I am totally with you....all the way my friend. Our society is a conditioning one. One that I do not and have not ever embraced. My mom has always told me I do not live in "reality". As I have gotten much older she still says it and I now tell her it is because I do not like our reality. We have been on a road that I do not care for. I was born as an individual with a mind of my own. Why do I need to "follow" anyone's way of life. I want me and my children and everyone else to be on a road of peace...not one of chaos.

We live in chaos and I do not like it, didn't ask for it and would be better off if I moved my family to a remote place and lived off the land. If it only it were that easy for me. My circumstances do not allow for such a dreamy world....yet. I say yet because I am hopeful there will come a day where we do not have so much chaos in the world and so many people willing to follow tptb to a place that will end all species on Earth. This is not light at the end of the tunnel. This is hell!

How do we stop our society when it has been lead on this chaotic road for decades now? I am like you...something external and something BIG would have to cause a shift. I am hopeful this will take place sooner than later and we can have an existence without the chaotic hell but a paradise for living and loving one another. It all starts with a dream.....if only we could make it happen by thinking it to be....if only it were that simple.

I hope peace and happiness is right around the corner otherwise I see nothing in our future but doom.