Part IV: More on News

Part 4 of a free style thought.

So this is just my thinking out loud and following where the previous post takes me.

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Looking back over the past 600 years of western history, it's possible to see the evolution of a society based upon change. From a Taoist perspective those changes are fueled by a population the main stream culture itself pushes into change. The process of change being a direct result of a society that refuses to accept people for themselves.

A simple example : Henry the VIII forming the Church of England when The Catholic Church refused to accept divorce in its doctrine.

Over time the population itself rejects the parent culture to constantly create something new.

We are currently living in a massively large and crazy feedback loop that supports rapid change.

Society as a whole is used to this happening, having evolved in this manner to constantly force the population into change. This is a basic part of the fabric of Western culture now. So much so, that we are blind to this engine of our change.

People might think change is a result of technology driving the way we live. Technology only effects the rate of change, it doesn't impact the reason behind the change. In reality... social change arises out from the differences between mainstream culture and its population.

If we are to look at history, it suggests that modern western society will not directly reform itself to prevent the current consumption problem. Instead we are now watching society push people into creating a new culture, a new solution to humanities problems.

When Modern Society evolves hopefully the power structure will shift into something renewable and sustainable.

The majority of the humanity might think the major problem we face is of renewable energy. And this is half the problem. The other half of the problem is any new solution that arises also needs to be sustainable. If it's not sustainable then western change based culture will just seek another quick fix solution that continues to worsen the problems humanity currently faces.

For example: western society has changed from burning wood to coal to oil... Western society might change its fuel, but the basic problems inside our culture remain the same, causing us to just delay or worsen basic social problems.

We might capture the wind and sun for energy, but that in itself won't be the change which fixes many other problems western culture faces.

What does the overall solution look like?

< insert magic here >

I can wave my hands here, but I am not sure what this would look like in practice

</ insert magic here >

Taoism teaches us... Don't concentrate upon the solution , the destination... Instead be flexible enough to change a little each day, until something evolves that does work.

What can we do?

We can also change the game...

Think about this... Right now.. Seemingly the choice is either change society or have society destroy our very planet...

The current setup and social schema is actually pushing the whole situation to conflict. That within conflict everyone loses (except an elite power structure pushing conflict for personal gain...).

A Taoist knows a third choice always exists. In this case the third choice is to reclaim control of one's life. Yes change will happen... But not in a knee jerk re-action of conflict within the crisis... The Taoist answer to the larger social problems we are now experiencing is to change the overall game...

Be aware, be alive, be yourself: since Taoism in terms of acceptance ends up being the revolution and solution of the next generation. It may not be called Taoism... but acceptance of our life and how we balance it towards the larger world is occurring.

So the real modern issue from a Taoist perspective...

Are you going to be yourself or are you going to just join one of the sides in this current push pull social tug of war being televised as being the only options available?

A Taoist will laugh, step to the side, to be: oneself and in the now live a sustainable renewable lifestyle. In doing so making a larger difference for the better... while also preventing society from controlling personal life in an unreasonable manner. It's not a question of sides, it's about application of personal lifestyle.

300 years ago, the option existed to go to a new world, start a new colony, start a new way far far away. In a sense western culture became a series of disposable societies, where people moved from one culture and onward to the next... It's the way many people want to approach the problems we have now. Whole sale revolution, wholesale start a new community, wholesale ....

The truth becomes.... to re-start a new world: happens in our hearts, in our life, in the way we live.... simply in the now... It doesn't take running across the planet, to a new home to re-start a life... It just takes living to your true ideals in the here and now to restart and kick start everything anew.

A Taoist solution isn't a single new society, it will be within dozens of cultures working together to live in a renewal style of process. It will be based within acceptance of many solutions to tie together a larger world lifestyle. It will take on aspects of all cultures including parts of the current society we may not wish to keep.

This is why it's important to change the game, not to focus on a single new social solution, as the larger solution will become a process of working together... of living together across many communities that actually will make the difference.

Or we can play the game... and continue the cycle of disposable diaper style culture... It's our choice in the end through our actions what we accept and live within...

peace