We Versus Us

A few people, on reading an earlier draft of this Cosmist Manifesto, remarked that they felt it represented a kind of unrealistic, idealistic, hippy-ish idealism.

"It's all very well to daydream about universal love and everyone becoming happier, healthier and more intelligent and cosmic in a post-Singularity, post-scarcity, post-selfishness cosmos," they said -- to paraphrase into my own words -- "but the reality is, the world is full of people who want to oppress us, bomb us, imprison us, take our goodies and so forth. The real problem is defending our right to a better future against the bad guys and the bad social structures -- not fantasizing about improbably positive futures!"

There is no denying the presence of oppressive, confrontational, dangerous forces in the human world today. And sometimes we must fight against them.

I hope Hugo de Garis's vision of an epic battle of "Terrans versus Cosmists" never comes to pass -- but I can't deny the possibility that some sort of violent conflict could one day erupt out of the dichotomy between
  • growth into the cosmos
  • stricter preservation of the traditional boundaries constituting humanity
This dilemma will almost surely be obsoleted in various ways, as time moves on -- but the path to obsoleting it might not entirely be pretty. Certainly, there are heavy shades of the "growth versus preservation" issue in various violent conflicts on the present geopolitical scene.

But difficult conflicts have been there all through the evolution of life, complexity and mind on Earth. The early mammals surely struggled mightily day by day, even though in the big picture they were obsoleting the old order and laying the basis for the creation of all manner of exciting new life and intelligence.

By focusing on the glorious positive possibilities of the future, one isn't denying the need to pay attention to the sometimes harsh realities of the present. But one is denying the wisdom of becoming overwhelmed and oppressed by present realities. Getting overwhelmed by present realities leads to problems like focusing on building weapons or crafting advertisements, rather than creating longevity therapies, building beneficial AI systems, or educating children.

We live in a region of reality in which the great Cosmist truths are hard to perceive sometimes -- but that doesn't diminish their relevance and importance. The challenge is to keep the deeper picture always in mind while also fully engaging with the (sometimes frustrating, sometimes terrifying, sometimes amazingly wonderful) realities of the corner of the cosmos that presently confines and defines us....

Ultimately, the good and bad aspects of the human reality we live in are different aspects of the same thing -- the same human nature, which is a particular manifestation of universal nature (a particular way of separating the Cosmos from itself!).

So it's never really "Us versus Them", it's always "We versus Us."

(Though it's necessary to quote Gogol Bordello here: "We know there is no us and them; but them they do not think the same.")

Coming to terms with the various conflicts between humans and other humans, is really a part of the process of human nature coming to terms with itself.

Which is part of the process of human nature growing beyond itself -- overcoming its separation from the remainder of the Cosmos that (like everything else) it manifests.

Onward and upward!!!

8 comments:

  1. I just found your blog and want to say thank you ! It is really nice post thanks for sharing and just keep up the good work !

    Stlouisrams | Greenbaypackers | Philadelphiaeagles | Pittsburghsteelers | Newyorkgiants | Chicagobears | Miamidolphins | Baltimoreravens

    ReplyDelete

  2. Class College Education training Beauty teaching university academy lesson teacher master student spa manager skin care learn eyelash extensions tattoo spray

    daythammynet
    daythammynet
    daythammynet
    daythammynet
    daythammynet
    daythammynet
    daythammynet
    daythammynet
    daythammynet

    ReplyDelete
  3. KUBET được cộng đồng cá cược đánh giá là nhà cái số 1 Châu Á trong năm 2019 hiện tại. Với nhiều trò chơi hấp dẫn, tỷ lệ cược cực cao, trải nghiệm mượt mà mang tới cơ hội kiếm tiền cho anh em. KUBET.IO là trang web cung cấp link đăng ký, đăng nhập KU BET - KU CASINO chính thức, hướng dẫn hội viên tham gia các trò cá cược trên nhà cái, cũng như cách nạp tiền, rút tiền.



    Từ khóa: #ku, #kubet, #kucasino, #kubetio, #ku777, #ku888, #ku999, #casino, #thienhabet, #kubetcasino



    Mạng xã hội KUBET chính thức:


    https://infogram.com/dang-ky-kubet-cach-tao-lap-tai-khoan-ku-bet-don-gian-1h8j4xglr0od6mv

    https://trello.com/kubet

    https://block-x.co/dang-ky-kubet/

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyPQbqZIZKV60Q7njSmKe3A


    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S5X7VBD


    Website: Kubet.io







    ReplyDelete
  4. Taxitaithanhhung.vn - công ty cung cấp giải pháp chuyển nhà trọn gói tại Hà Nội. Với mong muốn mang đến cho quý khách hàng dịch vụ vận chuyển nhà tại Hà Nội tốt nhất. Đội ngũ nhân viên chuyển nhà trọn gói Thành Hưng chuyên nghiệp, hệ thống xe tải với số lượng lớn, chúng tôi tự tin cam kết mang đến cho quý khách hàng 1 dịch vụ tốt nhất!

    Từ khóa chuyển nhà Hà Nội - công ty cung cấp dịch vụ chuyển nhà Thành Hưng:

    #chuyennhahanoi #chuyennhataihanoi #dichvuchuyennhahanoi #dichvuchuyennhataihanoi #dichvuchuyennhathanhhung #chuyennhatrongoithanhhung #chuyennhatrongoihanoi #chuyennhatrongoitaihanoi #donnhathanhhung #donnhatrongoihanoi #chuyennhagiarehanoi #dichvuchuyennhagiarehanoi

    https://ok.ru/profile/579838551277

    https://flipboard.com/@chuyennhahanoi2

    https://enetget.com/chuyennhathanhhung

    https://www.plurk.com/chuyennhathanhhung

    https://imgur.com/user/chuyennhatrongoithanhhung

    ReplyDelete
  5. KUBET - KU CASINO - Nhà cái hàng đầu khu vực châu Á. Cá cược Casino Online, lô đề, xóc đĩa, bóng đá, thể thao, game 3D. Nhận ngay ưu đãi lên tơi 558K khi đăng ký tài khoản KUCASINO, nạp tiền lần đầu.


    Xem thêm: #ku, #kubet, #kucasino, #kubetcasino, #soicaumb, #dande, #dudoanxsmb, #dudoanxsmn, #xsmb, #xsmn, #xsmt, #soicaumt, #soicaumn, #ku777, #ku888, #ku999, #thienhabet

    WEBSITE KUBET CHÍNH THỨC: kubet-kucasino.webflow.io

    Các chuyên mục chính tại KUBET

    KU CASINO

    Dàn đề

    Dự đoán XSMB

    Dự đoán XSMT

    Dự đoán XSMN

    ReplyDelete
  6. hietkenhadepmoi.vn - công ty thiết kế nhà đẹp uy tín. Thiết kế nhà - thiết kế nhà đẹp mới - thiết kế thi công nhà đẹp - thiết kế xây dựng nhà đẹp - mẫu nhà đẹp mới. Tổng hợp các mẫu nhà mái thái đẹp - mẫu nhà phố đẹp - mẫu biệt thự đẹp sang trọng.
    Liên hệ ngay với công ty Thiết kế nhà đẹp mới để được tư vấn và báo giá miễn phí!

    Từ khóa thiết kế nhà đẹp mới :
    #thietkenhadepmoi #thietkenhadepmoivn #thietkennha #thietkennhadep #maunhadepmoi #thietkennhadepmoi #thietkennhauytin #maubietthudep #maunhamaithaidep #mauthietkenhadep #thietkexaydungnhadep #maunhaphodep #congtythietkenhadep #thietkethicongnhadep #thietkexaydungnhadep #maunhadepmoi #maunhamoi #xaydungnhadep #congtynhadep

    https://www.flickr.com/people/188536077@N07/
    https://trello.com/thietkenhadepmoivn
    http://www.folkd.com/user/Thiekenhadepmoivn
    https://www.diigo.com/profile/thietkenha1
    https://www.instapaper.com/p/Thiekenhamoivn

    Website: Thietkenhadepmoi.vn

    ReplyDelete
  7. Englishtivi.com is a free website for English learners. You can improve your English story, vocabulary words, grammar, sentences, speaking, writing, idioms …. Thousands of English videos and lessons are waiting for you.
    That's why, this website was founded with a simple vision: To become your go-to resource to Improve Your English Skills | Help You Change Your Life!
    Official website: englishtivi.com
    http://englishtivi.blogspot.com/
    https://englishtivi.tumblr.com/
    #Englishtivi
    #Englishtv
    #englishtiviyoutube
    #englishtivionline
    #englishtivilevel3
    #englishtivilevel1
    #learnenglishthroughstory
    #learnenglishthroughstories
    #englishwords
    #englishgrammar

    ReplyDelete
  8. https://dang-ky-khuyen-mai-kubet.jimdosite.com/
    https://kubetno1.net/

    ReplyDelete