A radical inner transformation and rise to a new level of consciousness might be the only real hope we have in the current global crisis brought on by the dominance of the Western mechanistic paradigm.
Stanislav Grof
I deliberately changed the title of this post from shifts in consciousness to shifts in cautiousness for a good reason. During the last few years I have seen read some incredibly optimistic and potentially life changing stuff about the end of paradigms and the consciousness shift that is occurring all over the globe. There are now hundreds if not thousands of community food growing and skills share groups popping up all over the show, this is something that we have never seen before. It is a massive and growing community response towards creating resilient localized resource bases. At the same time I believe that we have to exercise some caution as we move forward and bring about the changes needed for a world based on people’s well being, needs and a sound ecology.
The state of play
But we have to keep things real if we are to generate a future of sound ecology and equality. I believe that we should not jump the gun too soon in terms of how much we are winning the fight. Although there are thousands of people out there severing their dependency from a corrupt, immoral and ecologically damaging economic model. This has little in the way of consideration to the planet and everything that lives upon it. This Neoliberal economic model is spreading like a virus throughout our global political systems. As a result of this spread we are seeing Bankers elected to run governments in Italy and Greece, and the UK’s David Cameron comes from a long line of bankers. What we are effectively seeing under Neoliberalism is a complete and utter disregard for all living things. Only profit and continued accumulation of profit lies at the heart of Neoliberalism. If you think consumer capitalism was bad during its embryonic beginnings from the Thatcher and Reagan era onwards, it will get much worse under Neoliberalism.
The old paradigm is still very much with us
The old Paradigm has not ended. We have the ideas and thinking to deal with that lies beyond the old paradigm and these ideas are spreading rapidly as I have mentioned in the first paragraphs. The old paradigm is still very much here with us, and is actually growing. The polluters and money men that run the old paradigm, are now running our Governments. The depletion of resources and destruction of nature will be ramped up to fever pitch by this economic model that simply doesn’t know how to say ‘enough is enough’. The logic of Neoliberal capitalism is infinite growth and they are still very much pushing and spreading this absurd idea around the world as I type this post. The skin of the earth is being ripped and scooped up all over the world. Be it in the form of tar sands, shale oil and gas, and gas and oil fracking. These newer practices of extraction are primitive and without any concern for the future of the planet and the living entities that live upon it. These methods are anti-life, anti well-being and are in our back yards now.
Creating a permanent culture and bringing about an end to the old paradigm
We are all out there learning permaculture, growing our own food and doing our bit in not needlessly wasting precious resources. Just as important in this whole equation is the fact that we are forming communities and alliances on the way, and it is this community building that really lies at the heart of ending the old paradigm. Strong communities are a huge problem for Neoliberalism which likes to control and milk everything it touches. The myths and lies generated about individualism are being forcibly put on a pedestal above community. This has caused significant damage to our communities over the last four decades. Destroying communities that do not have a strong thread of unity and collective consciousness running through it. The only visibly strong communities nowadays are religious communities. The communities that were once part of through the Labour movement died a death when people bought into the ‘I’m alright Jack’ of individualism. As simple as it sounds, I believe that we need to build communities with a long lasting political consensus based on community needs. This might come in the form of some sort of broad left consensus. Or, it might come in another more pragmatic and diverse form which takes its inspiration from what has worked will for people over time. Whatever way it comes, it needs to come. If it does not happen then it really is highly likely that it is the end of the road for for creating a just and ecologically sound world where living entities are put before the accumulation of paper money and materialism.
Steve