By Cogitator
Autobiographical odyssey
When I experienced my epiphany on February 6, 1982, I was both euphoric and petrified. I felt as though I had fallen into a river of understanding and didn't know how to swim. From that day, I have struggled to find words that can delve deep into consciousness and help others find that same stream of thought. Why? Because it is the "follow your bliss" that Joseph Campbell suggests we should all do. When I connect with others on the path to awakening, it makes all my swimming worth the effort. It is my "Reason for Being."
All of us regard the universe we create from our individual and peculiar point of view. How we describe and explain our perspective to others is based upon language and action. My newly acquired idea was overwhelming. How could I share this view with others? I would have to study and research to create the best possible communication possible. I will spare you the details of the dozens of books and thousands of hours I have dedicated to forging a meaningful message.
My focus turned from WHO I am to WHAT I am. That wasn't hard to do because my epiphany destroyed all egoistic tendencies. (Thank you, Ego, for stepping aside and letting me back into the driver seat.) Ego is meant to be a navigator for our meanderings and could no longer tell me where to go without my permission. My life wasn't all about knee-jerk reactions to stimuli before this, but a large part certainly had been.
I spent much time ruminating about communication and why we do what we do. However, there were still bills to pay and other distractions to tend to. Having been exposed to some twenty years of experience in systems analysis, five or so years selling high-level executives in the Fortune 500, I had enough value to be hired for a two-year stint in Saudi Arabia. Getting away from my comfort zone and submitting myself to another culture shock (my first was coming to the United States when I was ten) would allow me to grow. I also took a 45-day tour of the world that further opened my view. It helped clear my mind and steel my resolve.
When I returned to the US, I again dived into my stream of thought and felt more comfortable swimming in it. At times, I simply floated and contemplated my eventual destination. I did not know where I wanted my river to go yet. I thought about that day in February that had created my epiphany. It was after a class created by Wilson Learning -- Counselor Selling. This was a highly-advanced sales course that went deep into psychology and interaction during the sales cycle. I had noticed that the class did not have an accurate depiction of the process, so I contacted the creator of the course - Larry Wilson. At the time, Larry was attempting to define and create a Corporate Brain. I had a pretty solid idea as to how that could be done. After we spoke on the phone for some minutes, he invited me to his Pecos River Learning Center at his expense.
The Pecos River Learning Center is located about thirty-five miles north of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Larry had acquired about ten thousand acres to create this playground. He had given me a free pass to his "Ropes Course" of three days' duration. Taos and Santa Fe are both artist meccas, primarily because of the incredible pure light that painters love. After New York and Los Angeles, Santa Fe sells the most art. (The town had about seven thousand residents at the time.) When I woke up the first morning on the ranch and walked outside in the brisk, fresh air and looked to the sky, I understood why artists love this place. The clarity of light could never be better defined.
The "Ropes Course" is three days of breaking down the stubborn Ego, aimed primarily at stodgy corporate executives. We were blindfolded and led by the elbow through rocky hills, made to fall backward from a six-foot platform into the arms of our comrades, climb a rock wall that necessitated having to let go of footholds to reach the top, etc. All activities are intended to engender trust in others and remove egotistic behaviors in the process. There were group meetings as well to discuss our feelings and interact about our shared experiences.
It wasn't until the last day that Larry and I got to meet. I presented my case, and he stopped me much before I reached a conclusion to call his entire staff into the meeting room for them to hear what I had to say. That's when I knew my stream was going in the right direction.
I still had not defined as much of the stream to myself as I wanted. I spent three years studying the Rosicrucian "Mastery of Life" course, read more books, and continually forged a better understanding of me. Time, Space, and Knowledge by Tartang Tulku was one influential book that gave me further insight. It led me to studies of the brain and how we build our universe or, at least, our view of that universe. I finally reached the point where I could not see anything "wrong" in my picture, save when my Ego took control of the wheel. I learned how to calmly put it aside and return it to the navigator position. That's when I turned my attention to the current human condition.
We can all gain self-control.
Being human is a fantastic gift. There is no other creature we know of that has the range of capabilities and potential we have (maybe dolphins.) There are many traps humans fall into on the way to enlightenment, though. One of the most dangerous is a habit. Another is action without thought -- (the Pavlov dog response or knee-jerk reaction.) Another is the herd instinct that groups us and insulates us from interacting with other groups or individuals "Birds of a feather..."
Again, there is nothing wrong unless we allow Ego to judge.
My first attempt at understanding was aimed at duality. I knew that wave/particle, yin/yang, frequency/amplitude, one/zero, and many other analogies meant the same thing. No form can be perceived or exist without this duality. Form following function or functions creating discernable forms is the chicken and egg paradox. How does this understanding apply to groups?
We are social animals. We want to feel we "belong." Many of us will do anything to "fit in" the social circle we want to be with, sometimes sacrificing our real purpose. We want to love and be loved from the moment we are born and perhaps before that. In creating these circles, however, we may encounter values and beliefs that exclude others. Many value and belief systems cannot possibly be true, but many people simply "go along with the flow." My stream of thought doesn't flow that way. There are no values nor beliefs in it. I either know or do not know. What I know is founded in truth, and what I don't know, I research until I can incorporate it into my base of understanding. No assumptions of Ego are allowed to wade into my stream.
Social stratification occurs because of levels of understanding. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs depicts these levels (and have been expanded by others.) Truth is, we have no needs other than consciousness - only wants or desires. It is what we want that drives the economic system, not what we need. These unnecessary and egotistical wants are despoiling Mother Earth. As I've written in other essays, we do not need oil -- we need clean water and clean air; we need love and compassion, not atomic weapons; we need to share this planet, not assign ownership of pieces of it to the chosen few. It seems that the chosen few are leading this world into oblivion. We need new leadership for the masses unwilling or incapable of seeing this greater view.
The current lords and masters have many ways to spend money that they can put into their coffers. (A recent study stated that the richest eighty-five people on earth have as much wealth as the bottom 3.2 billion people.) That appears to denote inequality. How do they maintain control over the minds of the unfortunate and the disenfranchised? Why is there no outcry and revolution to depose these people and end this unfair and cruel treatment? The answer is lack of understanding to some degree, but more importantly, it is the inaction of those who could take the reins away from the oligarchs and plutocrats. Oligarchy is government by the few and plutocracy is government by the rich. I have taken it upon myself to coin a new word for the next revised version of the dictionary -- Plutarchy. You saw it here first.
Government means to rule or influence others to perform behaviors according to a set of laws or agreements. Religion is a form of government. The Constitution of the United States is the set of laws and agreements establishing acceptable behaviors in society. The Bible and Koran, etc. do the same thing. One appeals to the material sense while the other affects the spiritual sense. This is how politics and religion govern the masses.
When I first started writing COBOL code, I became enamored with the IF/THEN statement. Simply put, it is the decision point for what the program should process next -- "IF value X is greater than value Y, THEN do this..." One aspect of this powerful decision-making tool is that I could "nest" multiple IF/THENs to make more complex decisions -- "IF this condition AND IF this condition OR IF this condition, THEN, THEN, THEN..." I still use this concept to analyze any new information I receive. This is how I connect my existing base of understanding to new information. It is how I reached my current State of Being. I am an information processor evolving by understanding -- I am a Being in the Process of Becoming a greater Being through understanding. We all are.
I started studying communication, linguistics and semantics to find better ways of stating my view. English is my second language; computer languages follow. Nine months after arriving in the States not speaking a word of English, I came in second in the school spelling bee. I even surprised myself. The significance of this result was not that I did it, but that I learned the language from the dictionary. Having to go through the mental gymnastics from French to English and English to French gleaned much more meaning from words than most native-born people.
We receive all communication through our five physical senses. The communication is felt through vibrations that carry both frequency and amplitude. The vibrations created by these words are felt by your eyes and interpreted as the image I want you to contemplate. Your brain has two hemispheres. The left interprets frequency of vibrations and the right, dimension of amplitude. If I have verbally painted the image I have in my mind properly, you will build that image in yours. We will have successfully communicated.
The communication systems in place today can be the salvation of the species, if used properly. The coming essays will make some suggestions as to how this can be accomplished. I end this introduction with a final thought that needs airing.
Love and compassion are created in the right hemisphere of our brain, not the heart. The heart is just another organ for the brain to monitor. That hemisphere is the door that religion enters to govern the believers. The left hemisphere processes the values of material society, primarily defined by politics. We need to know who is gaining entry to our mind and why. At least I do.
In 1995, I met Paul at some function in Chicago. We began talking about our experiences and he found out how long I had been selling software. Our conversation led to his request for me to accompany him to a presentation he had scheduled with Purdue University. He was trying to get a consulting gig there and wanted me to critique his presentation. I agreed.
He created software that he called "Slice and Dice," and his presentation of this software's capabilities could not possibly be understood by the average person. When he was describing how it worked, I saw the potential. On the drive back to Chicago, we discussed his presentation.
"Paul, you have created an artificial ego!"
"What do you mean, John?"
"Slice and Dice works exactly as the human decision process works, Paul."
We spent the next six or seven hours exchanging views and understanding until we decided to establish Cognitor, Inc. and rename the software "Cogitator" -- ergo, my screen name. It means thinker, and that is what the software does. The company name was chosen because it is my Rosicrucian name. "Cognitor" was found in the OED. It means defender or advocate. We were way ahead of our time.
In 2007, I self-published "The Mind -- User Manual" with Author House to revive Cognitor. More frustration with my poor authorship. I hope I can communicate better today.....John
| Author Notes | This is it. |
By Cogitator
Imagining Utopia
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." Albert Einstein.
Every action we take is to achieve some goal. That goal must first be imagined before we can bring it to fruition. Whether it is to take our morning shower, go on a vacation, walk the dog or any number of other objectives, we must first envision them. The important part to realize of this process is that it is the result we must describe first, not the actions we take to get it. There is a myriad of methods to achieve any goal. Goal achievement is a three-part system that resembles a recipe. To create a delicious meal, we have to imagine the finished product, gather the ingredients and put them through a sequential process. So it is with imagining Utopia.
We prioritize our goals by their value, or meaning, to our lives at this time, at this place, under the current circumstances. Goals are actually prioritized as their value MINUS the effort required to achieve them. Every life form is busy in every moment activating itself on its number one priority as dictated by the individual's value system. There are no exceptions to this rule. Everyone reading these words is spending time on their number one priority at this time, at this place, under these circumstances. If your tea kettle calls you or your smoke alarm goes off, you will be distracted and address your new number one priority. Most people seldom address their goal valuation but it will eventually be essential to do so in order to create a sane and safe Utopia. What would a Utopian society mean to humanity?
Utopia is a kind and gentle place. There are no homeless people in it. It is an egalitarian society where no individual is ignored. There are many examples of imagined Utopias in history from Plato, Thomas More and others. The Hippie movement in the 1960s created a number of establishments intended to provide solace to the weary by ridding themselves of decadent objectives. There is one major difference between those ideals and the one we are able to create today - Technology. In Utopia, technology is the slave of humanity, rather than the other way around as it is today. To achieve that reversal, the existing ruling class must move aside.
Everything humans believe and value is based upon agreements among themselves. They form groups that communicate and bolster beliefs and values they desire to hold as true, or real, and live their life according to the mandates of the group(s) to which they want to belong. This is the basic herding instinct of social animals - which we are. In Utopia, there is only one group and it is all-inclusive.
Splinter groups are created by "Group-Think," or Collective Consciousness of their members. They separate themselves by agreeing to trains of thought that differentiate them from other groups. Their behavior is governed by the indoctrination of dogma into their group-think. This dogma is also called a tenet - French for "to hold," or ism. Today's society has too many isms to mention that create separation instead of unification.
Anarchism is the political belief that there should be little or no formal or official organization to society but that people should work freely together. Communism is the elimination of political states and personal profit. In Utopia, competition is replaced by communication, collaboration and cooperation for the benefit and progress of the whole. There is no room for individual ownership, power or greed. The prevalent isms of a sane, safe and healthy society are anarchism and communism working in concert.
After the basic needs of human existence are satisfied, most people desire freedom and love. Freedom of expression, freedom from fear, freedom of movement, understanding and growth underpin Utopian society. Children are regarded as seeds destined to blossom into their purpose for being rather than be trained to become wage slaves. Traditions, superstitions, false beliefs and values are replaced with the understanding that we are all threads in the fabric of Universal Consciousness. Development of the arts and sciences in young minds is the objective of education. To "educe" means to develop or make something appear. To access the power we all possess when connecting with the Universal Consciousness is the goal of Utopian education.
Utopians know that Mother Earth is the provider of our sustenance. Respect for our mother is a primary concern for all her inhabitants. These is no waste nor pollution in Utopia. There is no usage of her resources for the purpose of destruction, decadence and frivolity. The quality of life has nothing to do with material things or toys to occupy idle minds. There are no polluted streams or poisoned atmosphere in Utopia. Cities which have become like skin cancer upon her face are replaced with common sense, self-sustaining communities that harmonize with her Nature. These communities would be connected by technology that is available today.
Utopia is achievable without violence or coercion. It can be attained by the removal of false ideas and false isms. It will sprout when those who support the ruling class turn their attention to those being ruled. After all, the only reason the ruling class has power is because we allow them to take ours.
Music has the ability to bring people and their thoughts together. The anthem of Utopia is John Lennon's song "Imagine." The message of the lyrics imply that the way to "live as one" is to eliminate organized religion, politics and money. It may be that Yoko's influence, probably based upon Eastern philosophy, had an impact on John. Buddhism is not a religion, but rather a way of living. The Tao is the path to enlightenment and that is analogous to the road to Utopia. Its message is Oneness.
By Cogitator
Most people do not like change but in the next decade humanity is going to experience a rapid change unlike any ever seen before. We are in a transformative period. We have just started a new millennium. During this time during the last millennium, we were in the dark ages.
There are three forces at work which will completely change humanity.
First there is a flow to global. We are now in the nation-state period. All that is left is the planet-state. Everything is going to become global. As younger generations come to power, they are not going to have the same loyalties and ties to nation and corporation that their parents and grandparents had.
Second, everything is flowing to the individual. This is because we are being given more and more choices in every single part of our life. This causes power to flow from the producer to the consumer and from the institution to the individual. Just 30 or 40 years ago we had access to just two newspapers or three television stations for our information. Now with the internet we have access to unlimited information and therefore unlimited choice.
Third, all of humanity is being connected electronically. This is empowering the individual. This is giving leverage to third world countries. They can connect and compete just as any other nation. There are over 5 billion cell phone subscribers. There is no time or distance limiting human communication. Place has been eliminated in human connection. It does not matter where you are. This will cause upheavals in dictatorships. The people can see and connect past the rule and propaganda of the dictator.
We are moving from structure to nets. We don't need to work in a big high rise corporate building. We can work anywhere we have a computer. We can connect to anyone from almost anywhere in the world.
This gives us two realities. We have our physical reality and now we have a screen reality. The screen reality is just as important as the physical reality. Power is no longer in the hands of institutions who advertise to tell you what to buy, what to do, and how to be. Power is now in the individual. You influence those you are connected to on the web.
We are moving from physical to non-physical. Just consider money. Money is now mostly just a figure on a computer screen. Institutions are going to have to change their form if they want to stay current and compete financially. If they don't they will not survive. Most people are still stuck in twentieth century thinking and are not able to see the change coming. This is why so many things especially with our government are not working.
Everything changes. Just look back on your life and see how much the world has changed already. Within the next 10 years it is highly likely our entire world will be under one government. So many things are pointing in that direction.
The other choice is to create Utopia. This is an incredible time to be alive. How did we get to this point?
Virtually everyone on the planet uses technology or is subjugated by it. The seeds of today's technological capabilities were sown a few hundred years ago. Blaise Pascal was a forerunner of computerization when he developed a method to help his father do his accounting work faster, thereby allowing them to spend more time together. Many were based on Isaac Newton's work. (Along with Leibnitz, he is credited with creating Calculus and wrote Principia and Opticks.) These are probably the major building blocks for supporting the technological revolution. Albert Einstein certainly gave Newton credit as the driving force for his Special Theory of Relativity.
The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were times of fantastic scientific discoveries and enlightened thinking. Many attempts to automate human functions occurred in history, but the first truly significant advances were made by Charles Babbage, George Boole and Ada Lovelace in the mid-1800s. Babbage was commissioned by the British government to create the Analytical Engine that arguably would have become the first computer, had it been finished. Ada Lovelace is considered by many to be the first programmer. George Boole contributed Boolean Logic that is contained in all software today. His "Laws of Thought" and "Calculus of Logic" are the foundation of modern computing. It wasn't until Alan Turing came into the picture in late 1930s and early 1940s that computers began using binary as the base for programming. The Z3, created by Konrad Zuse in 1941, started the revolution of computer evolution.
One of the greatest geniuses ever born was Nikola Tesla. His insight of how the universe functions is at the core of today's technology. His hundreds of patents were ignored and violated by Thomas Edison, Samuel Morse and others but Tesla never took offense or indicated resentment. Edison was an opportunistic marketer more than an inventor. There is no cell phone, television or computer that does not use Tesla's discoveries. They are all based upon his: "If you want to understand the universe, think in terms of Energy, Vibration and Frequency." That statement is the source of the digital age and virtual reality. Virtual reality is an artificial computer mind that can communicate with the human mind.
All containers of intelligence use an Operating System to do their magic. In simplistic terms, this system must be capable of communicating in whatever environment the container exists. It is patterned after our own innate operating system and resides in all manifestations of FORM. Every object we perceive is in-FORM-ation and contains the intelligence to be what it is -- including us. Another fact is that ALL forms are interdependent and interconnected to create one Universe. There is no "outside." What we envision as human beings is what our human ego is willing to understand and can only be "seen" in our own mind.
Our innate operating system "knows" how to maintain homeostasis in our body. Even while we sleep, it pumps blood through our circulatory system, exchanges carbon dioxide for oxygen, wakes us when we need to go to the bathroom, etc. When we feel the need to purge, we activate an application to swing our legs off the bed, walk to the bathroom, purge and return to bed - we execute the "go to the bathroom" app. Everything we do in our waking state is an execution of one app or another. So it is with all containers of intelligence, whether they be kangaroos, giraffes, etc. -- or computers. Our operating system is instinctual and natural while our human apps are learned and arbitrary.
Every system is identical in the way it works and all systems are interconnected. There is no possibility of an "independent" system, including the human system. Only the human ego attempts to separate and differentiate itself from its universe.
All systems use INPUT to produce OUTPUT with a PROCESS. We eat various foods (input) to produce energy, body building blocks and waste (output) and assign that process to our digestive system. We intake air (input) so that oxygen can cause carbon molecules to "burn" and provide energy (output) to move our carcass while expelling carbon dioxide (output) to feed the trees using the process of our respiratory system. Each system we use for bodily survival has an engine we call "organ" and the sum total of these systems represent the human organ-ism.
The five physical senses of the human body have been replicated in computers. This has given rise to the proliferation of surveillance systems and the birth of the Big Brother concept depicted in George Orwell's "1984." Privacy is a word in its final death throes. There are sensors to mimic a digital overseer for virtually every human activity. Automated speeding tickets and red light violations are common. Taking a picture of your check and sending the image to the bank's computer allows for instant deposit into your account, etc. Some electronic eyes can actually "remember" faces in a crowd. In fact, sensors have been developed that far exceed the capability of the human senses. Space probes billions of miles away provide information for scientists to examine, for example.
Communication systems have benefited tremendously by computerization. To be able to speak to someone across the world on a smart phone and even see their faces through Skype is nothing short of miraculous. Take a bow, Tesla. To have access to knowledge by simply saying "OK, Google" is a fantastic capability. That is the power all Utopians have. When everyone has access to the same knowledge base, we can "live as one."
It is remarkable that all these fantastic capabilities are created from sensing if a bit in a machine is on or off. How is this possible? The binary numbering system is the answer. All the wonders of electronic technology owe their existence to the understanding of how to use this knowledge. For this revelation, we thank George Boole. Boolean logic, "Laws of Thought" and Binary were the bases for Grace Hopper to develop COBOL (COmmon Business-Oriented Language). This was the first attempt to communicate with computers using human language as a programming tool. Amazing Grace, as she was called, also had to develop a compiler to take human language and convert it to the zeroes and ones the computer could use. A compiler is a translator.
The significance of zero and one is mind-blowing. It is the ONLY TRUE numbering system. Other numbering systems like octal (base 8), Decimal (Base 10), Duodecimal (base 12) and hexadecimal (Base 16) are simply derivations of this underlying truth. To understand this significance, we return to Nikola Tesla. If, as he suggests, energy, frequency and vibration comprise our universe, what can zeros and ones contribute to this understanding?
Vibrations are replicated in a computer using strings of zeros and ones. When we use voice recognition in calling the local Utility company, its computer is receiving our words in patterns of zeros and ones that enable it to compare our voice to its inbuilt dictionary. Then, it will consult its vocabulary and grammar to attempt avoiding human intervention in handling our request. It becomes a translator of vibrations between man and machine.
If Einstein's revelation that energy is the only element that creates forms and Newton's Law that no energy is lost in the universe is true, we can begin visualizing a holistic and totally connected universe in a state of constant change and transformation. What separates the various manifestations we are able to observe in our human form is based upon the frequencies of their vibrations. In the "Mastery of Life" course offered by the Rosicrucians, the frequencies for each of our physical senses are outlined in detail. Is technology the tool we can use to transform this universe? Indeed it is.
After Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity came Quantum Physics and Quantum Mechanics. This led to the scientists' discovery of the dual nature of the wave/particle. One startling discovery was that, while observing the behavior of the wave/particle, it would act according to what the experimenter was thinking - mind over matter, if you will.
The wave/particle is analogous to zero and one. Just as the wave/particle duality is the source of our consciousness, the zero/one is the source of computer consciousness. This fact is what will allow Utopians to tame technology and make it our slave.
By Cogitator
"Hey, Adam, how are you doing today?"
"Great, Eve. I hope you are ready for a long ride."
"Whoa! Where is this Shangri-la?"
"Just let Siri show you the way. It's going to take a while."
"Why do you want to go there?"
"I'm tired of the system that has resulted in the pain that most people, including myself, feel today. The way society has manipulated ignorant people into serving them without consideration for those who serve has soured me. Shangri-la has no pretense, no demands, and no worries. The residents live the way we human beings were intended to live. They are called Utopians."
"That's a pretty deep statement. What makes you think you know how people are supposed to live?"
"Everyone knows what makes them joyful. To love, to be loved, to be free from fear, to not be wanting in the basic needs of living, to be able to express themselves without judgment, etc."
"Are you saying that those in Shangri-la are able to live like that?"
"Yup. This is a one way trip for me. I will no longer serve the slave masters."
"Who are these slave masters you refer to?"
"Well, this is a long story, but we're in for a long ride if you're up to listening."
"Try me."
"What has prompted my decision to leave the world of slave masters is the current administration of this country. The lack of compassion, kindness and inclusivity is glaringly obvious to me. The disregard of the ideals of the United States Constitution as written is a warning of vanishing freedom and democracy. The events that have taken place in the last half-century indicate a conspiracy by a small group to effect world domination, enslaving the population in the process. Although the plan was probably hatched decades prior, the active execution of that plan starts to take shape sometime after World War Two."
"How did you come to that time frame?"
"When Eisenhower gave his exit speech in 1960, he warned us of the unusual circumstances this country was facing. The creation of an arms industry without control was his primary concern. His words in that speech reflect the qualities of a caring leader. Having been the general in charge of the European Theater of Operations, he knew the topic of war quite well. He was probably the last truly Republican president."
"What about the Republicans that followed him?"
"For me, they were a mixture of Fascism and puppets of the military/Industrial complex. Nixon, Reagan, Ford and the Bushes all displayed the qualities of an exclusive club, ignoring the requirements of a true democracy. On the Democratic side, Kennedy, Johnson, Carter and at the beginning of Bill Clinton's administration, inclusive ideals were sought but were eventually squelched. Now, both sides of the congressional aisle are tools of the oligarchy to be bought and sold. Corruption, greed and the quest for power is leaving the majority of the population in a state of need and chaos -- not to mention panic and fear."
"So, you're running away?"
"In this day and age, there is nowhere to run. I am taking a stand and removing my support from the current system. I will no longer serve those who seek global domination. I do not need government if I am responsible in tending to my own needs and the needs of my family and neighbors. Above all, to tend to the needs of our mother -- Earth, for she is the one that creates and sustains us all. Utopians all adhere to this philosophy."
"It's going to take a huge number of Utopians to erase the current oligarchy, don't you think?"
"Definitely. However, the change will not be created by the lower levels of society. The current social stratification is normally perceived as structured by financial status. There are levels of control underneath the oligarchy that serve to keep it in power using money, perks and privileges. The more value you have in serving the oligarchy, the bigger perks and privileges you get. This is much like the military chain of command and pervades all corporations in the same way. The oligarchy fears Utopians for a simple reason. Utopians have eliminated the need for money, thereby creating an egalitarian system of cooperation, collaboration and mutual support. Each Utopian has the same opportunity and freedom as all others. The oligarchy fights very hard to prevent unity in the masses."
"Sounds like Utopia is a bit like Communism."
"It's not just a bit like Communism, it IS Communism. Most people don't know the meaning of the word and will instantly react negatively when it is mentioned. The Communist Manifesto defines the elimination of the State, not the elimination of freedom. In a true commune, it is not that no one owns anything, it is that everyone shares everything. Stalin, Castro, Putin, Hitler and Mussolini are good examples of Fascist tyranny and oppression, not Communism. Stalin killed over twenty-five million people, mostly targeting intelligentsia and dissenters to prevent true Communism from developing in Russia. The idea of equality does not sit well in the atmosphere of Fascist decadence, exclusivity and privilege."
"How is this Utopia going to blossom?"
"We sing. We awaken. We act."
"What!!!"
"We sing. We awaken. We act."
"Sing what? Awaken what? Do what?"
"Music is a universal language that everyone relates to intrinsically. The anthem Utopians have chosen to sing as they progress through each day is John Lennon's 'Imagine'. Are you familiar with it?"
"Not so much, really. I like the sound of it, but I never focused on the lyrics much."
"I know it by heart, as all Utopians do. Let me sing it to you:
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world...
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
"There are many people who relate to these words and repeating these words can lead to the awakening of those saying them. Just like you, though, most listeners miss the holistic message it contains. The reason most, if not all, Christian radio stations removed this song from their playlist is fearing the loss of their adherents. The reason Fascists fear this song is because it has the potential of unifying the masses. The reason Capitalists fear it is because Utopia doesn't use money."
"It's obvious you are one of the dreamers, but what needs to be done for more people to jump onto the dreamer bandwagon?"
"They have to want to live in peace and harmony in the truest sense. They must awaken to the fact that the only caretaker and caregiver there is exist within themselves. They must commit to finding the truth within themselves before the bandwagon leaves. For example, most people believe in the idea of good and evil. The real battle is waged between truth and untruth. Lennon's first line is the first step to removing untruth. Do you believe in heaven?"
"Kinda."
"What does it mean to you?"
"It's an eternal place of bliss I can reach by being good, I think."
"Where is it?"
"Up there, I guess."
"That's the first untruth we can tackle then. There is no up or down in the Universe, only in the perspective we adopt as humans. 'Up there,' to Australians is the opposite direction of the one from the northern hemisphere. That being the case, Mother Earth is already in the heaven you believe in. It can be an eternal place of bliss and probably would be if humans didn't screw it up. Where and when did you first conceive of your heaven?"
"I haven't given it much thought actually. I suppose it was from my parents. They were Christians and were pretty dedicated to Bible study and religious activity."
"That is pretty much how untruths continue to live on. They are passed on from generation to generation simply because no logical thought is applied to why we believe what we believe. The family that prays together brainwashes the children. The Bible, Koran and Torah are all versions of folklore and fantasy that appeal to the emotional center of social animals like us. Those books create obedient slaves for the oligarchy to exploit by creating the idea of good and evil. All children are born with the knowledge of what is 'right' and what is 'wrong'. Religion is only a societal control system."
"If you think that people will relinquish their untruths to move to Utopia, you are in for a huge disappointment."
"Whether or not people will adopt truth and awaken is not my choice. Stress is created by fighting truth, not from doing work. Regardless of my (or anyone else's) point of view, truth will always triumph over untruth and no one's point of view will ever change what the view actually is. The only thing we can do as humans is strive to understand more of what that view is. That is done by sincere communication among ourselves to build a more accurate vision of what our life on earth is supposed to be. As Bucky Fuller said: 'We should stop kidding ourselves. It's always better with the truth'."
"So, you're saying we should eliminate religion?"
"Organized religion yes, Spirituality, no. All humans feel the need to connect their consciousness to the Universal Consciousness which religions would call God. For the most part, the God believers envision is an anthropomorphic projection of their own nature. They see Him as external to themselves and apply human traits to the image. This scenario cannot be true. Challenging believers is useless because debates need to be based on facts, not beliefs. Beliefs are mere assumptions and are never founded in truth or fact. We are all born with a natural connection to Universal Consciousness that can be expanded and understood if we communicate honestly. To quote Fuller again: 'We are all born geniuses, but society de-geniuses us."
"How do I get to this kind of Spirituality?"
"Making it your most important goal and committing to its achievement. You already have it in you but it is buried under indoctrination, propaganda, false values, false beliefs as well as real and imagined obstacles. Think of yourself as an onion. Your spirit is at the core of the onion and you have layers of untruths covering it. You will find your connection after you have removed the veneers of untruths."
"Can you teach me how to do this?"
"Not really, but I can relate an experience that may give you some idea about how to do it for yourself. As a young programmer, I was often called upon by my programmer mates to help identify a bug in a program they were trying to finish. Regardless of who asked, I would always proceed the same way. I would sit next to them and first ask what the goal of the program was and they would communicate that to me. Next, I would ask them what input they were using to create the finished product and they would convey that. I then asked them to describe the thought process they were going through to make the result happen. Invariably, within a minute or two, they said something like: 'O hell, thanks and goodbye.' I cannot teach anyone what to think or how to think. I can only encourage others to think."
"But I'm not a programmer!"
"Yes, you are. We are all programmed, including myself. The difference between me and most others is that I have learned to debug my programs. Every action we execute is aimed at achieving some goal, so, if you want to begin debugging yourself, you have to describe what goal you are trying to achieve. Once you've done that to your satisfaction, you would examine the input you will use to produce the result, normally your talents, skills, knowledge and experience to activate your body appropriately towards the goal. It is then up to you to examine the thought process you will create for eventual achievement. Unfortunately, most goals people aspire to have nothing to do with spirituality or self-development. To reach spiritual transcendence, we need to rid ourselves of the goals imposed on us by others, including the slave masters."
"My head hurts and I'm hungry. Shall we stop for lunch?"
"Good idea. We can continue this discussion afterwards, if you like."
"I like."
| Author Notes | Trying to find a better way to communicate with readers. If this format appeals please let me know. Thanks. |
By Cogitator
Lunch Time
"Wow, Adam, you sure gave me a lot to think about. What you say makes a lot of sense, but is not easy to digest. I hope my hamburger is easier."
"I know, Eve. It's very easy to regress soon after new information is received. Memory for most humans is short and self-serving. Unless they can perceive or receive some immediate benefit from a new point of view, it usually dissipates rapidly and they return to their previous world view. If they retain even ten percent, it is remarkable."
"How long have you been considering becoming a Utopian?"
"More years than I want to recall. I suppose I have had the seed inside me since my youth. I grew up outside of a small town in Central France. Our house had no electricity and no indoor plumbing, therefore, no radio, TV, telephone, etc. We had little money, so we never got any toys, but we three brothers created our own games and activities. Everything we ate came from the ground, trees, river and the chickens and rabbits we raised. For a child growing up, it was a state of bliss. That state of bliss is available to all Utopians and I want to get another taste of it before it's too late."
"Listen! The restaurant audio is playing "Imagine!"
"Serendipity at work. It's a sign. It means I am doing what I should be doing."
"Here comes our lunch!"
"I never saw a box of food or a can of food until we moved to Chicago. I cringe at times when I observe what some parents are feeding their kids today. Consumerism is an excellent choice of words for most American families. Forget about the contents of your food, just fill your belly. Did you know that much processed food in the United States contains at least thirteen chemicals that Europe has banned from their food supply? Europeans are also very conscientious about enforcing the rules. They are even fining grocers up to eighty thousand dollars for discarding anything edible. They must find a way to get that food to those who need it or pay the penalty -- every day."
"I'm almost finished with my hamburger. Can you hold off on more food facts until I get the remainder in my stomach?"
"Ha, ha. Done."
"All right, then. Enough with my lousy diet for now. I'd like to hear more about your interpretation of John Lennon's song."
"OK. There are three significant messages beyond what we have already discussed. Those are the elimination of countries and possessions and living for today. Which of those interests you first?"
"Living for today sounds good and safe. Let's get another cup of coffee and explore that."
"Great. I think I know what Lennon meant with that phrase. He understood that the concept of time relating to past and future were projections of the human mind from a point we call Now. There truly is no such thing as past and future in reality, only in the imagination of the human mind. Our concept of time is created from our brain's ability to interpret the waves of energy that bombard our body in terms of frequency. The brain has the ability to visualize time 'frames' and use those to navigate from one now to the next now. However, the Now is a moving target and can never be nailed down, save in the human capability to 'stop a thought.' Living for today, for me anyway, means to live in that thought until it has been fulfilled. If I set a goal for myself and intend to achieve it, I will address it NOW until it is achieved or I get distracted enough to be interrupted by a greater goal need -- like realizing that a tornado is a few blocks away -- or stopping for lunch because my body needs nourishment."
Today is a string of time frames that can be filled with goals to be accomplished. Most people will be resurrected after sleeping 'yesterday' away and their mind will attempt to orient itself with thoughts of what goals they want to work on in their waking hours. They project the 'future' of this day by sequencing the activity required to fulfill their 'To Do List.' For example, if they are headed for their place of employment, they may activate the processes of making coffee, taking a shower, getting dressed, getting in their vehicle and driving to work. If all intermediary steps to the reaching their place of work are completed successfully, their first major goal of Today has been achieved. If they get stuck in a traffic jam or get a flat tire, adjustments will have to be made to their goal list.
Every waking day, in every moment of Now, people activate themselves on the most important goal that can be worked on - at this time, in this space, under these circumstances. There is no exception to this truth. In this moment, you and I both have the same goal in mind - to get to Shangri-la. The subsidiary goal of sharing this information was created by our circumstances.
"I thought that this topic would be easier to understand. Foolish me. How on earth did you manage to get all this information?"
"As far as my concept of time is concerned, it all started with reading Tartang Tulku's 'Time, Space and Knowledge' in 1989. Castaneda added more insight and Eckhart Tolle's 'the Power of Now' brought me closer. I had already completed three years of study of the Rosicrucians' 'Mastery of Life' course and, after many headaches and meditations, reached a satisfactory level of understanding for myself. What Tulku taught me is there are three, and only three, elements to our human consciousness but I call them Time, Space and Understanding. Our human universe is defined by what we understand. The moving moment of Now is paired with the point of view we call Here as described by Einstein's Time/Space continuum and the truth is that we can only be conscious Here and Now. We will forever exist in the Here and Now of Universal Consciousness. All Utopians know this. John Lennon knew this, along with Gauthama Siddartha, (the first Buddha) Jesus of Nazareth, Leonardo da Vinci, Carl Jung and many others. From the infinite Here and the eternal Now, we use our understanding to project the universe we seek to occupy. It's much like vivid dreaming."
"I am not going to do any fact-checking on you. What you say makes sense, but I would have a hard time explaining it to others."
"Try this. Visualize yourself as a radar antenna positioned in the Here and Now. Send out waves of energy created from your understanding into your universe and, when you get the echo, analyze it to see if your universe has changed. Anything in that echo that 'doesn't make sense' needs to be defined accurately or discarded from your thoughts. That is when you will have learned how to create a better universe for yourself. When Leonardo da Vinci said 'Learn to see, everything is connected,' he intended to help us acquire a better understanding and when the first Buddha was describing Oneness, he was doing the same. Carl Jung describes this well in a more modern method."
"Why aren't these things being taught to our children?"
"Excellent question. When we continue our ride, we can delve into that."
"Check, please!"
By Cogitator
After a refreshing pause and filling their stomachs, Joy and Adam leave the diner and head for their vehicle.
"Hey, Joy, is it OK for me to sit in front with you?"
"Of course. I'd like that better, as well."
"We left off with your question about why we don't teach Utopian ideals to our children, right?"
"Right. Let's get into it. You surely have earned my undivided attention."
"It's interesting you should say that because 'undivided attention' is sorely lacking in society today."
"Boy, isn't that the truth!"
"Again, there are some basic concepts and definitions we must agree on to develop a better understanding of our school systems. I want to start by quoting the Cambridge Dictionary definition of 'educe' - to develop something or make it appear. The dictionary uses the sentence: Experience empowers students by educing the power that they already possess. That's the usage example in the dictionary. 'Educe' is the root word of education. That is what education is intended to achieve -- having children realize the power we are all born with and developing it to its maximum potential. That is not what is happening in our school systems. You probably already know this from your our teaching experience."
"I sure do. The curricula school administrations hand out these days have fewer and fewer courses related to the arts. Many have already stopped teaching cursive writing and even art classes."
"Most schools today are training grounds geared to create wage slaves. Our children are trained and programmed to perform functions that will serve the slave masters. They will be groomed to become Permanently Obedient Wage Slaves to the system -- POWS is an apt acronym for them. That's the primary reason schooling is mandatory, not because there are any benevolent leaders caring about our kids. The brainwashing starts early in young lives."
"Boy, that's a harsh realization! What can we do?"
"Utopians have no need for wage slaves and focus on actually educating their children. And not only their children. Utopians are encouraged to challenge their potential for their entire lives. There is no limit on what we can learn and understand. The slave masters will continue to make bogus laws to serve their own interests until they come to realize people are waking up."
"But, there are many schools like Montessori that educate children properly, aren't there?"
"Surely, but not nearly enough. Those children and their parents are ideal candidates for becoming Utopians and, in fact, many have already left cities to live in harmony with Mother Earth. When the slave masters start feeling the pressure of having the truth exposed, it will be interesting to see how they will react."
"Look up ahead! There an animal on the shoulder trying to get up."
"Oh, my gosh, it must have been hit by some vehicle. I'll pull over in front of it. Let's see if we can help."
Joy and Adam both jump from the car and run towards the wounded animal struggling to get up and whimpering in pain. They see he has a laceration on his left shoulder bleeding slightly. Joy returns to her car and opens the trunk, fetching a blanket. They gently slide the dog onto the blanket and transport it to the back seat.
"My parents presented me with a chocolate lab when I was four years old, Joy. It was their way of teaching me what unconditional love means. I was devastated when I lost him and never wanted another dog. This one seems to be in good condition except for his injury. We have to find a veterinarian."
"We're pretty deep into farm country, so there probably is one in the upcoming town. It's only a few miles ahead."
The drive had been calm and leisurely up to now, but Joy changed her attitude. The six miles to the next town were negotiated in record pace. She pulled into the first gas station she saw and went inside to ask for help. The attendant was standing behind the counter.
"Hi, lady! What's up?"
"We have an injured dog we picked up a few miles from here. We need to get him to a vet. Is there one nearby?"
"Yeah, Doc Cameron is down the road a bit. Stay on it until you see a bridge and his house is a few hundred yards from there. There's a willow tree on the riverbank that is behind his property. It's the only willow tree for miles, so you won't miss it."
"Thanks."
Within a few minutes, Joy and Adam cross the bridge noting the willow tree and pull up to the house. Before they can even open the doors, a tall man is exiting the house and approaching the car. Joy, upon opening the car door yells:
"We have an injured dog in the back seat. He was by the side of the road a few miles back."
"Let me look. Oh, that's Coco. He lives on the Williamses farm. I just gave him his immunization boosters a few weeks ago. He must have wandered off the farm. Let's carry him into the examining room."
Gently transporting Coco into the house with the blanket, Adam and the veterinarian place him onto the gurney in the exam room. Noting the wound on Coco's shoulder, the vet cleanses it and applies an antiseptic salve before calling his assistant.
"Beatrice, please come here and wheel Coco to the x-ray machine. Thanks. Now for introductions. I'm Jim Cameron. Who are you, good Samaritans?"
"I'm Joy and this is Adam. We're on our way to the Indian reservation a couple of hours ahead. Adam has left Chicago for good and wants to live there."
"Really? The talk around here is that they are doing some great things on that reservation. I may take some time myself to check it out. I lived in the Chicago area for many years, too. City living doesn't appeal to me anymore. This town is where I was born and it is where I will die."
"Do you have family here?" asks Adam.
"No. Grace and I wanted to start a family, but she died before we could make that happen. She was my soul mate and I could never love anyone as much as I loved her. I can still picture her face the day we met."
"How did you meet?"
"I was jogging along the lakefront near the Waveland golf course on a beautiful summer afternoon. My mind was occupied with thoughts of leaving the city. I didn't notice an errant golf ball on the path and stepped on it. It threw me off balance and I crashed in a heap. Grace was jogging from the opposite direction and immediately rushed to my side.
I looked up at her face and felt a surge of electric energy through my body. I'm not sure if I believed in love at first sight prior to that moment, but I surely do now. She asked if I needed help getting up and, although I didn't, I said yes. Nothing can compare to the feeling I got from her touch. We began a conversation that lasted many years.
Before meeting her, I was doing the same things many young men do -- partying with friends, going to sports events, sowing wild oats and generally letting life pass by. That lifestyle was becoming palled and unrewarding for me. Although I was a popular bedmate for many women, sex became more like mutual masturbation than love. Grace taught me the meaning of 'making love.'
She was a pediatric nurse and adored children. She definitely wanted children of her own, but we were still young and we decided to explore the world a bit before starting a family. I began my veterinarian practice in Arlington Heights and we bought a modest home together near it. She was also from a rural area, albeit in Kansas, and loved the countryside as much as I did. Each year, we would plan for an exploratory tour in some exotic country like Madagascar, the Galapagos, Indonesia and other such destinations. Regardless of what else we planned, these vacations were priority one. My memories of walking hand in hand with her on beautiful beaches are permanently etched in my mind."
"How did she die?" Joy asks.
"She died from a gunshot. We had just left a concert and were walking towards the Metra station. Because the sidewalk was crowded, we turned into an alley to save time and make our scheduled train. About halfway through the alley, a young man jumped from behind a dumpster and pointed a gun at us, asking for money and any other valuables we may have. I stepped in front of Grace to shield her as the mugger came closer. When he came close, Grace jumped forward and grabbed the arm of the perpetrator. In the struggle for the gun, it went off and shot Grace through the heart. She died in my arms. When the ambulance finally showed up, I couldn't even speak. The shock of losing her made me virtually incoherent. The days following were the saddest days of my life.
She had wanted to be cremated. I took her ashes to Kansas to have a service with her family and then started making plans to come back to my home town. I intentionally wanted to get this house because of its proximity to the river. Grace loved willow trees, so I placed a starter twig in her ashes and buried the urn on the riverbank. The willow tree by the bridge is Grace. I go lean against her often and speak to her as I had when she was alive. I swear I can her respond whenever the wind rustles her leaves."
"Was the killer apprehended?"
"Yes. He was from the Austin neighborhood and a member of a gang. He was on heroin and in need of a fix when the killing happened. He was tried and sent to the penitentiary for thirty years. During the trial, he was pretty much devastated about what happened and upon sentencing, he turned towards me in tears and asked for my forgiveness."
"Have you forgiven him?"
"Of course. It wasn't his fault."
"What do you mean?"
"Society creates its criminals, not the other way around. When the public defender was pleading the judge for leniency, he outlined the conditions many of the Austin residents live under. Most of them have never experienced what love is, except from some caring grandmother, perhaps. That's not enough. The reason many of them join gangs is because of the human needs to belong, to participate and to be productive. They have been disenfranchised from the general population because of racial bias, intolerance and lack of support in developing a meaningful life. Rather than attacking the real problem, Society sweeps its dirt under the rug.
There are millions of people in jails all over the country. It's doubtful many of them were rich when they were sent up. Bernie Madoff is an exception, but if he had bilked poor people instead of the wealthy, he probably would never have seen a jail cell. We do not have a justice system in this country, only a punishment system. At the courthouse I attended, most of the people facing the judges were elderly, poor or a combination of both. Many of the attorneys offering their services acted like hyenas fighting over a zebra carcass."
The door to the room swings open and Beatrice steps in.
"There aren't any broken bones, Jim, but it looks like Coco's shoulder is dislocated."
"That's fixable easily enough. Glad to hear no bones were broken. Folks, I have to end this chat and take care of Coco. If you want to get on your way, I can take it from here."
"Thank you, Jim. It was a pleasure meeting you. Do you mind if we say goodbye to Grace before we go?"
"Not at all. Tell her I'll be with her a little later."
| Author Notes | If you haven't read previous chapters, this one may be foggy. |
By Cogitator
Last leg
Joy and Adam stopped stroking Grace's trunk and running their fingers through her foliage and returned to the car and the main road. There followed a few minutes of silence as they replayed Doc Cameron's story through their minds.
"Adam, what do you think caused the slave masters to become so dispassionate?"
"Good question. I started wondering years ago about why they were playing this world domination game of theirs and what type of nefarious cabal would enslave people and despoil the planet in the process. I found a number of sources that indicate the existence of an 'invisible government' that began to develop their mind control capabilities around the same time the Industrial Revolution got underway.
During the mid-1800s, there was an explosion of enlightened thinking, much of it brought about by the understanding of the power of the mind. Mary Baker Eddy wrote 'Science and Health' to establish Christian Science. She had been deathly ill and was cured by Dr. Parkhurst Quimby in a few days by the power of her mind. Thousands of churches were eventually opened to exercise what could be called faith healing. The establishment set about squelching these thoughts and did everything they could to discredit this capability. The current status of Christian Science is 'Endangered Species.'
Some of the scientific discoveries following the mid-1800s were astounding. The birth of computerization by Boole, Babbage and Lovelace, Fulton's steam powered engine, the Tesla coil and many, many other discoveries. One indication of a shady operation was the suppression of Tesla's findings to provide endless free energy to the population. Edison preferred to make money from most of Tesla's ideas and took credit for many of them. When Einstein was asked to compare himself to Tesla, he acknowledged that he stood in his shadow and gave Tesla proper credit.
When Thomas Jefferson and his entourage created the Constitution, they made it clear that citizens should be informed of governing bodies and their decisions. The purpose of establishing the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of government was to prevent any one element from gaining too much power over another. What has actually developed in the last sixty years or so is the transformation of the former Republican Party to Fascist rule. Fascism is defined as any movement, ideology, or attitude that favors dictatorial government, centralized control of private enterprise, repression of all opposition, and extreme nationalism. That is the definition of today's Republican Party. Vice President Henry Wallace said it best. He was quoted as saying: 'American Fascists claim to be super-patriots, but they would destroy every liberty guaranteed by the Constitution. They demand free enterprise, but are the spokesmen for monopoly and vested interest. Their final objective toward which all their deceit is directed is to capture all political power, so that, using the power of the state and the power of the market simultaneously, they may keep the common man in eternal subjection' and 'They are patriotic in time of war because it is to their interest to be so, but in time of peace they follow power and the dollar wherever they may lead.'
"Can this be reversed?"
"Only when enough people wake up to the truth and seek to become Utopians. The movement is underway, but it has become a race between insanity and peace of mind. It must eventually happen or Mother Earth will rid herself of humanity. She is sending strong signals in her efforts to wake us all."
"Are you referring to global warming?"
"Of course. Regardless of all the denying by the greedy Fascists, it simply does not make sense to despoil Mother Earth when any number of safe and sustainable alternatives are available. If they could tax sunbeams, all the energy we use would stem from solar power."
"Wouldn't it be to their benefit, as well as the general population, to start healing the damage we've done to the planet?"
"Of course. Their problem is they would have to expose themselves as the cause of the havoc in the process. When people learn of their greed and irresponsibility, they would unify to take away their power. Uninformed citizens are the sole source of that power. The Permanently Obedient Wage Slaves (POWS) could no longer be obedient once they learn the truth. It is in the Fascists' best interest to keep people confused, befuddled and scared."
"Adam! Look up ahead. There's a huge field covered with cars and other vehicles. We must be coming close to the reservation."
"You're right. There's a sign up ahead with what looks like an entry gate. Let's see what it says."
Joy and Adam pull up to the sign and vacate the car. It informs them to leave any gasoline-powered vehicle in the adjoining field, place the keys on the driver seat and proceed to the greeting station a few hundred yards from the sign. Although Joy has some reluctance to leave her keys, she moves the car to the field, rejoins Adam, and they start walking to the greeting station.
It's a beautiful sunny afternoon and the peaceful stillness during their stroll is palpable. As they round a small rise, they see what appears to be a double-wide trailer with a large sign on its side:
"Welcome to Utopia, where the power of love has overcome the love of power."
After a few more steps, the silence is broken by the sound of a helicopter heading their way. It stations itself above the trailer and hovers.
"Joy, that's a military helicopter. I think it's an Apache attack helicopter. It looks as though it is fully armed."
"Adam, I'm scared."
"Let's go into the trailer. We can ask what is going on."
Joy and Adam step into the trailer and enter a rather barren space with a sofa and several chairs. A middle-aged man with Native American features is seated on the sofa next to an end table. The table has a lamp and a glowing cube on it. A poster on one wall contains the lyrics to John Lennon's "Imagine." The floor is bare, save for a hand-woven rug in front of the sofa. Light is coming from a large picture window opposite the entry door.
"Welcome folks. What brings you here?"
"Good afternoon. I'm Adam and this is Joy. She drove me here from Chicago. I wish to join the community."
"What about you, young lady?"
"I'm not sure yet. Adam certainly has me interested, but I don't know much about what is here."
"We can fix that. It would be rather late when you get back home if you leave now. The orientation tour is done in the morning and we have accommodations for visitors and guests. Will you spend the night?"
Short pause. (I can still be at work on Monday morning) - "Done!"
"All right, then. Joy, Adam, step closer to the end table and speak in a clear voice, stating only your name, one at a time."
Joy and Adam step closer and speak their name. After each speaks, a disembodied voice comes from the glowing cube and repeats their names, adding: 'Welcome to Utopia,' you have been registered."
"From now on, you both have access to the community knowledge base by simply speaking. Residents are issued a wrist communicator to access our system from anywhere on the community grounds. Voice recognition identifies who and where you are. If you have any questions or are in need of help, all you have to do is speak. You will get more details during orientation. Let me show you where you will spend the night."
The threesome exit the greeting room and begin walking towards a row of stately oak trees a couple of hundred yards behind the trailer.
"What is your name, sir?" Joy asks.
"I am Running Bear, great-great-great grandson of Chief Seattle."
"Running Bear, Joy and I were curious about that Apache helicopter we saw when we arrived. What is that all about?"
"They send it about once a month for observation reasons. Normally, they just send drones to take pictures of our development. They hate not having a surveillance system on the premises."
"Who are THEY?"
"That's something else we'll save for tomorrow."
After they pass through the trees, a vista of a large, flat plain opens with structures of the community in the near distance. Just up ahead is a row of prefab structures resembling an old-style motel on Route 66. Further off into the distance, a dozen or more wind turbines spin slowly in the gentle evening breeze.
"If you had come earlier in the day, Mom would have found room for you with the residents, but you will find these units to be supplied with all your toiletry needs and fresh underwear. Unit 1 is a big closet with clothing you may want to change into. It has a connecting door to Unit 2 which has showers and relief stations with a privacy divider. Sleeping arrangements are available in the next ten units. You will also find your wrist communicators on the night stand by your bed."
"Who's Mom?"
"That's what we call our computer system. It watches over our-well-being just like a mother would, so we call her Mom. While you're getting comfortable, I'll have Mom send you a nice vegetarian dinner. When you get up in the morning, ask Mom for directions to the community kitchen. Again, welcome and sleep tight."
"Thank you Running Bear." In unison.
After Joy and Adam refresh themselves and are preparing for bed, Mom's voice comes from the communicators: "Dinner is here." They open the door for a young man carrying a tray with two plates of food, along with two glasses of water. He wordlessly hands the tray to Adam and walks back towards the community. Joy and Adam look at each other quizzically and proceed to silently consume turns out to be a remarkably delicious vegetarian meal.
"I can hardly wait for morning." Says Adam. "I hope I get some sleep."
"Me too."
| Author Notes | Final destination |
By Cogitator
For the first time in her life, Joy is awakened by the sound of a rooster crowing the arrival of a new dawn. As the rooster repeats its joyous greeting of sunlight, she giggles as she thinks about having no snooze button on this alarm. She prepares herself for the day and walks outside her unit. It's a gorgeous sunny morning with only a few puffy, cotton-ball clouds in a perfectly blue sky. She sighs and takes a deep breath of fresh air just as Adam exits from his quarters.
"Adam, good morning. Did you sleep well?"
"I was too excited to have a solid sleep, but I'm rested enough. Did you hear the rooster?"
"Yeah, what a wonderful way to wake up. Adam, stop and take a deep breath. I think I just experienced what clean air smells like."
"Even breathing is a joy here. There's no street noises, no airplanes above, no hustle-bustle of rush hour and no skyscrapers. Let's get to the community kitchen. Mom, show us the way to the kitchen, please."
Adam looks down at his wrist communicator and sees an arrowhead appear on the small screen, pointing towards the community and slightly to the right from the couple's position. They follow the arrow's direction and enter a large door marked 'Mess Hall' and immediately experience the aroma of eggs frying. They scan the room and see Running Bear already seated at a table near a large picture window.
"Joy, Adam, come and sit with us. I want to introduce you to your guide for the day."
They cross the room and sit down opposite the two men. Their guide appears to be about the same age as Adam and has the look of a seasoned, mature man. If Michelangelo were to carve the facial wrinkles of wisdom, he probably would have chosen this man as his model.
"Good morning Joy and Adam. I'm Walter. Are you hungry?"
"Yes! And Yes!"
"The most-ordered breakfast here is Mrs. Jones' spinach and cheese omelet and fresh hash browns. How does that sound?"
"Great!"
Walter raises his wrist to his lips: "Four Jones Special to table 6, please, with orange juice and water."
Running Bear: "Walter has been here for nearly four years now. He probably knows more than any of us about the total community, except for Mom. Mom may know more about the operation and how to keep it in balance, but our children still rely on getting wisdom from experienced elders. Walter is a respected elder and a true Utopian."
Within minutes, two teenagers bring the order to the table and the quartet begins to eat their breakfast. The freshness of the food is apparent and the taste is divine. No Michelin restaurant could do better. The meal soon disappears from their plates and, within seconds, the teenagers return to clear the table. Walter speaks:
"There are some basic rules all Utopians are expected to follow. To live in an egalitarian society, we have to realize that no one person is better than, nor worse than, any other member. We are all born with talents and abilities that will differ, but that with proper communication, cooperation and collaboration, we can achieve any goal as a group.
"The community provides food, shelter and clothing to all its inhabitants. In return, each member is expected to participate in the maintenance of the community grounds, the caring for those who need help, the preservation of Mother Earth's beauty and the development of human potential. Beyond the physical needs of our animal body is the need to love and be loved, to express ourselves without fear of persecution or judgment, and to appreciate our spiritual connection to a greater power. Those running the show outside this community have tremendous power of a physical nature, but that will never vanquish the spiritual power that exists in all life on this earth. The spirit is founded in truth and truth is not subject to evaluation. It simply is what it is."
"Walter, how does one know he is a Utopian?" asks Joy.
"Primarily self-control and self-government, Joy. People are afraid, very much afraid of those who know themselves. Utopians have a certain power, a certain aura and a certain magnetism, a charisma that can rescue alive, young people from traditional mind imprisonment.
"The Utopian cannot be enslaved - that is the difficulty for the slave masters to overcome - and he cannot be imprisoned. Every genius who has known something of the inner light of consciousness is bound to be a little difficult to be absorbed; he is going to be an upsetting force. The masses don't want to be disturbed, even though they may be in misery. They are in misery, but they are accustomed to the misery and anyone who is not as miserable as they are looks like a stranger.
"The Utopian is the greatest danger to the world's Fascist system; he does not seem to belong to anybody. No organization confines him, no community, no society nor nation. All true Utopians communicate with each other's unifying and kindred spirit. They see themselves in everyone else. Whereas the establishment rules the masses by using a 'divide and conquer' methodology, Utopians focus on unity.
"Whether he is wealthy or poor, the Utopian is captain of his ship and master of his fate because he has broken the chains of society's repressive conditioning and opinions. He has formed himself by embracing all the colors of the rainbow, emerging from the dark and formless roots of his unconscious past and growing wings to fly into the sky. His very way of being is rebellious - not because he is fighting against anybody or anything, but because he has discovered his own true nature and is determined to live in accordance with it. The eagle is his spirit animal, a messenger between earth and sky.
"The Utopian challenges all people to be courageous enough to take responsibility for who and what we are and to live according to truth and truth alone."
"That's not what is being taught in public schools," offers Adam.
"Nor in the average home," adds Joy.
Walter: "There is nothing we behold that exists anywhere but in our own mind. Our physical sensations are interpreted by the brain as images that call for our attention. There is no "Out There." What we "see" is the reflection of what we can understand while in our human form. We are always looking at a mirror.
"That mirror also contains the Collective Consciousness that is created by various groups. If we do not seek to find more meaning in that consciousness, we will remain ignorant. It is our responsibility to grow our understanding. No one else can do it for us; no one else can judge us; no one else is responsible for what we do.
"In that Collective Consciousness, there are many other thoughts than the ones we create. Some are true, some are partially true, and others are downright lies. If we want to clear our mind to "see" more truth, we must take responsibility to remove lies and clarify partial truths. Truth doesn't care whether or not we humans can recognize it. It just is. Each one of us is responsible for the amount of truth we can perceive.
"Much of that Collective Consciousness contains traditions, superstitions, and thoughts that may have served a purpose in the past but no longer apply to a literate society. When we shun responsibility and hand our freedom to politicians, corporations or religions, we should admit we are relinquishing our own consciousness and critical thinking capability. The slave masters are more than willing to use us to create a better life for themselves. It is only by waking up and paying attention to the contents of our mirror that we can be free again.
"Where globalization means, as it so often does, that the rich and powerful now have new means to further enrich and empower themselves at the cost of the poorer and weaker, we have a responsibility to protest in the name of universal freedom. That's why Utopia is so necessary. Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.
"In truth, nothing is unnatural. The Supernatural, miracles, fantasies and the like do not exist in truth. The events that we assign to those categories are simply misunderstood or not understood at all. They may be fun to watch on television and the movie houses, but they only represent mental pap and useless escapism.
"We teach our children to become what they were born to be. We tell them that wherever they are, be there totally. If they find their here and now intolerable and it makes them unhappy, they have three options: remove themselves from the situation, change it, or accept it totally. If they want to take responsibility for their life, they must choose one of those three options, and they must choose now. Then accept the consequences. The only bad decision is indecision."
"That's fabulous," say Adam.
"Are you ready to stroll the grounds?"
"Absolutely," Joy answers, "I'm enjoying this so much, I have no idea what time it is; do you, Walter?"
"We actually took John Lennon's "live for today" literally. There are no clocks or calendars in Utopia. We let Mom assign tasks as needed and we all stay happy living in the moment. There is no greater feeling for some of our new arrivals than experiencing life without time pressure."
"How do you get along without calendars?"
"Calendars are great for accountants and creating holidays that enrich corporate pockets. Every day here is special and contains all holidays within it. No punch clocks, no taxes, no bills and no government. If that's not a great reason for having a perpetual holiday spirit, I wouldn't know what is. We let Mother Earth dictate our circadian rhythms and harmonize our actions to adapt to her changing seasons, just like all her existing life forms already do. Let me show you some of our facilities."
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