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History and Evolution:
By William E. Steinman:
Part 2, Why Me?
March 31 2003:
In my last essay, I outlined my goals for these History and Evolution
essays. To reiterate, I hope to produce a series of books to answer
these questions. Where did we come from? Where are we now? What's
wrong? What can we do about it? How can we do it? The answers
to those questions will also reveal our future path. That is,
what is the goal of human evolution? Where are we going?
Even for myself the question nags at the back of my mind, "Who do you think you are?" I can still visualize my mother standing with arms folded across her bosom smiling her disdain down on me. "Mr. Big Shot is going to save the world," she would say, and I would dissolve in shame before that scorn. That was long ago and she is long since deceased. I have had to rise above that feeling of worthlessness many times. Still, I take pause whenever I consider attempting anything extraordinary. Nevertheless, I must. I must rise above that and anything else that would keep me from doing what I must do. Let me borrow some thoughts from my Gaffer's Philosophy series.
If you wish, you may accuse me of megalomania for undertaking such an ambitious project. I can accept that because I believe someone has to do it. It's like the old challenge. If not me, who? If not now, when? So far as I know, this has never been completely done in America. I have seen writings that are issue specific and politic specific, but none that are very comprehensive. Usually, they not very honest either. This is particularly true of the so called political platforms.
I have read numerous works by great thinkers who have investigated human psychology and philosophy. My problem with all of them is they do not relate it to the current human condition. They offer insights, but no solutions or paths for mankind. Now I think it is time to meld the philosophies and psychologies with the current political reality and seek solutions. It is past time because we have gotten way off the track.
We have abandon our sense of community. We have abandon our sense of decency. Our culture is in crisis. Our current path will necessarily lead to disaster. For those who cannot see that I have nothing to say to you. I am addressing thoughtful people who can see through the glitz of our modern society and notice the underlying decay and vulgarity.
A common problem with thoughtful people is they tend to be single minded and focused to the exclusion of everything else. Hence, they miss a great deal. Truly superior people would not miss so much, but there are not many of them. A superior person, if he found something of interest or value in my symbolic attic (website) would be alerted. He would say, "Hey! I found this cool stuff here. I wonder what else is in this old house. Maybe I should wander around." Eventually, he would find my parlor and have a chat with me. Then I would learn from him. Perhaps he would learn from me. Perhaps together we could do something.
It is no longer enough to be a thoughtful intellect. It is necessary to become a superior person, to really open your mind and heart. Focus is fine, but not to the exclusion of the world. With that closed mind kind of focus, we miss finding things that could help us. We must be focused, but we must also keep our eyes and our mind open. We must be open to new thoughts, to new forms, to new directions. It is past time.
Maybe I am crazy, but I'm going to do what I do. No one is going to pooh-pooh me out of this. No one is going to pooh-pooh me and make it stick ever again. I believe in my very being that I know what needs to be done. I'm going to do what I believe. I'm going to follow my own guide. I know someone has to lay it out. I do not see anyone else doing it. I am just one person who is not ignoring or denying the crisis. Perhaps there are others, but I have not noticed their communications. So, why not Me?
When I stop to think about it, I believe I know as much about evolution as anyone else. In fact, I don't think anyone knows anything about the evolution of human consciousness. For sure, Darwin and his naturalists can tell us something about the mechanics of physical evolution. Is that all there is to it? I don'‘t think so. I want to look at the evolution of consciousness right from the very beginning.
I can accept the Naturalist's work. I don't want to address the mechanics of it. I want to look at the evolution of consciousness in man. I want to look at how the unconscious forces work in us. How does our mind work? How did it evolve? Where is it going? I want to look at the emotional development of man. The Darwin theories do not address that. We have never addressed that, although Jung and others have poked all around it. So I must address the evolution of consciousness in man directly.
There is no doubt in my mind that the human animal is the leading edge of evolution, at least on earth, perhaps in the universe. But, what we are now is trivial compared to what we will become provided we do not destroy ourselves in the meantime. This I believe. So I will try to lay out how we can avoid self destruction and move onward.
Much of the groundwork for this has already been done by many different great thinkers. The bits and pieces are all around, but they have never been put together into a really comprehensive theory and philosophy. Much of my task will be collecting and putting them together. I must link the contributions of the great thinkers into a coherent whole.
Under my own name and also under my various pseudonyms I have already produce some of the work necessary. I will integrate all of that into this work wherever it is appropriate. I will also borrow from many of the great thinkers past and present. In my Gaffer's Philosophy series, I have already created a partial bibliography of many of those works. I will add to that as necessary.
What I hope to end up with is a blueprint for political action. I want to map a way out of the quagmire of vulgarity, dishonesty, expediency, and sloth that has overtaken our culture. That is my goal. I say again, why not me. I someone else wants to undertake this task you are welcome, but I will still continue. I will continue my work and my appeal to the superior people wherever they are. Consider the words of Henry Miller.
"Any genuine philosophy leads to action and from action
back again to wonder, to the enduring fact of mystery."
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