MEMETIC ENGINEERING

 

Our postmodern predicament has left us with no alternative but to consciously construct and implement a new global culture for a new global civilization. Cultural construction is similar to genetic engineering, but with memes instead of genes. Confucianism was the first and only attempt at memetic engineering on a cultural scale. Confucius examined the memes available to him, determined which ones to use and spliced them together into an artificial culture. His vector of change was education. It took a while to implement, but Confucian China was a success for over 2,000 years. Memetic engineering has been done in the past, so it can be done again. Confucius showed us how.

The first step in memetic engineering is to examine the memes available starting with the five greater memes: economics (mezzo autopoiesis), politics (mezzo sentience), sociality (mezzo reproduction), knowledge (mezzo evolution), and religion (macro sentience), as well as each of their lesser memes. There have been many cultures throughout human history, so there are a variety of answers to the same basic questions (from what to eat, speak and wear to how to perceive, behave and believe).

Second, the memes need to be sorted. The criteria used must be for the greater good (especially if you want to attract adherents). Since we are tribal primates, the greater good means that the memes used must be beneficial for everyone (the whole human tribe); and since we are living organisms, the greater good means that the memes used must be beneficial for the biosphere (the whole terrestrial life-form tribe). In other words, they must be universal and life-enhancing. Third, we have to collate them into a working whole. And finally, we will have to decide how to implement it.

Inevitably, a new global culture will be engineered, accepted and implemented. It will be a long and arduous process which could take decades (or even centuries) to succeed in becoming the culture of an entire region (let alone the entire world), but that is what is being offered here. The Humans of Terra is a universal, life-enhancing, artificial culture memetically engineered as the alternative to the cultural chaos of the postmodern era.

 

Economics

We must begin with the greater meme of economics because it dominates the postmodern era. Originally, economics took care of the mezzo-level autopoiesis, the accumulation and distribution of the stuff of life (such as food, water and technology), for the tribe. Since the advent of civilization, it has been the target of avarice by warlords, priests and merchants. During modernity (c.1500-1945), the nation-states of Europe conquered the world (otherwise known as imperialism), and forced an economic pyramid over the entire globe (otherwise known as capitalism), in which the distribution favors an elite few who live like gods, while some are kept comfortable, and many others are kept in poverty and, even, destitution.

Imperialist capitalism on a global scale creates a lot of wealth. At first, the elite few were warlords and priests. The bankers and money-lenders lent money to the warlords and priests of the nation-states for wars and colony building. Gradually, the merchants’ influence waxed over the duration of modernity while the warlords’ and priests’ influence waned. After World War I, the merchants attained control over most of the global economy. They finished the grab in 1990 when imperialist capitalism defeated authoritarian communism (ending the Cold War).

In the postmodern era, the imperialists are gone (although their pyramid remains), and the capitalists (the merchants with the capital) are in absolute command of the global economy (they are the gods now). Imperialist capitalism infiltrates every aspect of every culture. Politics and religion have been replaced by corporations and entertainment. Citizens have become consumers. The capitalist virtues of greed and selfishness have replaced cultural and individual moralities worldwide, leaving each of us alone and in competition with one another (which makes us divided and easy to control).

Not only does imperialist capitalism survive on the exploitation of others, but it also survives on the exploitation of the biosphere. The environmental destruction caused by toxic pollutions (from household soap to industrial waste), greenhouse gases, strip mining, deforestation, over-farming, over-fishing, and our own over-population is already akin to an asteroid strike in extinctions. If it is allowed to carry on, the biosphere will collapse (taking our economy, and possibly our species, with it).

Greed for individual wealth is not a virtuous motivation for a healthy society. A culture based on greed will eventually unravel as the cooperation which binds the tribe together is torn asunder. Humans evolved as social primates, and, like Harry Harlow’s rhesus monkeys, we become psychotic when separated from others (yet we are becoming more isolated each day).

Since the advent of civilization, we are more reliant on others than ever. None of us could survive for very long without other humans. Making clothes, building and repairing machines, as well as food collection would leave little time for anything else. We need each other. We are all in this together. We must come together to create a more egalitarian distribution of the stuff of life for everyone to share in the bounty.

Egalitarian socialism is offered as the alternative to imperialist capitalism. Wealth and motivation must be separated for there to be any peace in the world. Doing something for the greater good of our two tribes is a healthier motivation than greed. Doing something for the common good can only be accomplished if all the participants have a stake in the outcome. Egalitarian socialism would treat all humans as economic equals (or a worldwide economic fellowship).

Every human adult would be paid the same wage regardless of gender, race, age, geography, social position or vocation. There is no way to justify any other system. No human is worth more than another. A world bank would be founded which would pay everyone periodically by adding a common wage into their accounts. Cards would be utilized for purchases as well as for obtaining hard currency. It is egalitarian by giving everyone an equal share, and socialist by freeing everyone from the burden of self-reliance.

Egalitarian socialism also allows the good aspects of laissez-faire capitalism to work.  Currency and free markets are ways in which we all decide what to do with our share. It gives us the freedom to choose from a number of products which must compete with each other. The difference is that this system does not allow any individual to profit monetarily from a group effort. Profits would be collected in a world bank and distributed equally throughout the world. The excess profits would be distributed to the various levels of governance throughout the world to be spent as that group sees fit. This does not mean that we would be working for the state, because we would eliminate the state.

 

Politics

Politics deals with mezzo-level sentience, which is how we think as a tribe. Originally, the greater meme of politics was dominated by sociality (mostly clan and family relations); then came civilization, which was dominated by warlords for over 5000 years. Modernity saw the rise of the democratic republics of the nation-states of Europe. In the postmodern era, the world is a collection of nation-states based on European colonial boundaries (some are democratic republics, some are still ruled by warlords, while the others are run by gangsters).

The republic is the form of government which employs representatives to make decisions for the group. The representatives are usually chosen from the ruling elite (who mostly seem to want to maintain the status quo). They need a lot of money to get elected, and with debt comes influence. Also, the nation-states are still borrowing money from the banks and money-lenders, which grants the capitalists great influence over the decision-making process (thus our politics is being controlled by our economics).

The democratic aspect of the modern republic is the free and open elections which decide representation. In a true democracy, there would be free and open elections to make all of the decisions for the group, or governing without a government (anarchy). It was next to impossible to implement an anarchy until the advent of the computer. Representatives are now obsolete, as everyone has the ability to stay in touch with local, regional and world affairs. Information is easily accessed and our votes would be cast via the internet. In a democratic anarchy, every human would be able to vote on every issue.

A global culture requires a singular worldwide government. The world is too small for there to be any nation-states, whose borders are obsolete in the globalizing postmodern world. The political goal of democratic anarchy is that the species be united under the Confederation of Terra, which would be comprised of semi-autonomous cantons (or counties), like Switzerland. The Swiss Confederation is made up of four languages and three religions, yet the Swiss have lived together in peace for 500 years with their canton system. Boundaries should be based on geography, ethnicity and language. Each canton would be responsible for governing its own affairs. There would also be a regional level to help decide disputes between cantons, as well as a world level.

The world level would be responsible for a common defense of the planet, a common currency, the World Bank and the World Court. The world capitol should be located somewhere neutral and not a burden on the environment. At first, Bern would be the best as the nation-states break themselves into cantons and request to join the Swiss Confederation. Eventually, a wondrous new capitol city (New Atlantis) will be built for the Confederation of Terra.

Hierarchical leadership seems to be a human need and it is also quite efficient, so even in anarchy there would be a need for officials; but in democratic anarchy, they would no longer be elected by popular vote. Instead, they would be selected by lottery. A lottery would ensure there are no professional politicians, who seem to lose touch with their roots after spending too much time vying for power and seeking higher office. The lottery would also ensure that all people would be able to assume the role of an official if selected. Natural leaders would be able to lead without official power.

Each community, canton and region would have a nine member council of elders. Each member would have to be over the age of 52 and selected by lottery. They could serve for one year at the community level, two years at the canton level, and four years at the regional level. The world government would have a similar council of elders, but there would also be a chief of state, the steward. All ten would be selected by lottery and serve for life. Each council of elders will be responsible for the implementation of the voter’s decisions, as well as adjudicate civil problems. The steward is to be our conscience, as well as our advocate, guide and protector of all life.

The major political paradigm of war has changed from primitive cultures fighting among themselves for bragging rights, petty theft and sometimes bloodshed, to primitive civilizations genociding other primitive civilizations (taking their land, cities and possessions). Civilized societies would wipe out their opponent’s armies and then impose their cultural reality by terror and force. Modern society conquered the world with its military power, and then imposed itself through economic pressure.

In the postmodern era, warfare has become so ghastly (with its automatic rifles, cannons, tanks, bombers, grenades, land mines, rape camps, death camps, nerve gas and nuclear bombs) that it is strictly forbidden amongst the nation-states. The remaining warlords must find enemies within their borders, usually the poor and defenseless, who the warlords hound, torture and murder. Slowly, we have been learning how to control our violence by continually restricting warfare and competing, instead, through sports.

The Confederation of Terra should not need a professional soldiery, but the warlord mentality will not just fade away. Sigmund Freud’s thannatos can be controlled through the discipline offered by the martial arts along with a regimented code of conduct based on honor, justice and caring. The Mystic Warriors would be a global organization of martial arts instructors living in their respective communities, and summoned when needed.  They would compete with each other as individuals and in groups. Their hierarchical rank system should be based on ability (combat, strategy, fitness and experience); and they could only be summoned by the world-level council of elders, and led by the steward.

In the Confederation of Terra, there will be no need to steal or accumulate wealth immorally, but that will not curb human depravity. Criminals should be held and tried at the community level. Prisons do not deter crime. Small crimes should be handled with shaming or shuning. Medium crimes can be dealt with by community service or banishing. Large crimes, such as murder and rape, could be handled with execution and castration. The council of elders may wish to review criminal cases as well as civil cases or they can use the judge and jury system, whichever the locals decide for themselves.

Law enforcement is an extension of the warlord mentality, but there is a need for a local official who will take command when things go wrong. Each community should have a sheriff, who would act as a local steward. They would be responsible for making sure the community stays safe. Like the steward, they should be chosen by lottery. They should also to be the community’s conscience, advocate and protector. Unlike the steward, there may be a limit on their time in office (as set by the community). It is hoped that the sheriff’s job will be very boring, since a healthy morality begins with a healthy sociality.

 

Sociality

Sociality deals with mezzo-level reproduction. Originally, the greater meme of sociality dominated the culture through the use of clans. Since civilization, it has been the target of manipulations by those in power in order to stay in power through the use of castes. In the postmodern era, our sense of tribe has grown in scope to include everyone. The Olympics, World Cup, multi-culturalism, political correctness, international organizations, environmental organizations, multi-national corporations, the internet and the United Nations are all examples of how our scope is changing to include everyone. We are gradually becoming one tribe, one culture, one civilization. Evolution shows us to be one species; we may as well start acting like one. Egalitarian socialism and democratic anarchy will go a long way towards that goal, but sociality will need to be reconstructed after the devastation caused by extreme individualism.

Individuality and individualism are different. Individuality is a product of the random mixing of our genes, memes and personal experiences, which combine to make each human different and unique. Conformity to the group is expected to some degree through our genes and memes, but the needs of the individual and the needs of the society should be in balance. Individuality should be encouraged because our growth as a culture (and as a species) relies on mutants and misfits.

Individualism is an extension of individuality which revels in the uniqueness to the exclusion of others. If individualism is carried to the extreme, it leaves us alone with a scope of one, where the needs of the society are trivial, and the needs of the individual are paramount.  You become the axis mundi (or that which all revolves around). It is narcissism and narcism. Extreme individualism is an epidemic in the postmodern era as merchants, priests, politicians, celebrities, athletes, parents, spouses, and even shoppers and drivers are following the morality of greed and selfishness.

Humans are divided in many ways: families, clans, communities, nations, ethnic groups, race, gender and social class. They are only now being recognized as somewhat fuzzy. Dividing humanity up into smaller and smaller groups makes us easier to control (divide and conquer), so extreme individualism has made us like sheep ready to be sheared. It leaves us isolated, alone and detached from the suffering of others (which helps perpetuate the status quo). We need to start thinking like a single tribe. The best way to think as one is to talk as one. A universal language is needed, but which one?

Mandarin Chinese, Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Arabic, French, Russian and English have been used in this capacity before, but they each carry their cultural memes with them. What is needed is an artificially created common language which would be able to unite our species in scope. There are many linguistic hurdles, but it should be possible to incorporate most of the human language variations as well as most of the vernacular nuances (especially when faced with so many linguistic extinctions in the continuing globalization).

Over the last century, there have been a myriad of artificial languages. Esperanto was created by L.L. Zamenhof for the sole purpose of uniting a world culture, but it is eurocentric in origin and in use. Of the artificial languages, none has shown the potential of what can be accomplished like Klingon (which was created by Marc Okrand specifically for a fictional, violent, alien race in Star Trek). Surely, we can create a majestic and eloquent language for ourselves.

This new common language would have an alphabet as well as corresponding pictographs, spoken words and hand signs. The alphabet (for the left side of the brain) should be as elaborate as European runes, Tibetan, Sanskrit and Hebrew. The pictographs (for the right side of the brain) should be as beautiful as Chinese, Egyptian and Mayan ideograms. The spoken words should be as musical as Arabic and French. The signs should be as creative as Nicaraguan Sign, and compatible with human gesticulations. Common would also incorporate the metric system and Arabic numerals, since they are universal already.

Common should be the epitome of human linguistic skill: beautiful, absorbent, profound, genteel and galactic in scope. There seems to be some connection between the language and the way in which the individual thinks. By using the combination of alphabet, pictographs and sign, the Common language should give its practitioners an expanded base on which to build their knowledge and self.

Common would be taught initially as a second language. It will then be able to absorb the local language’s uniqueness, so as to add to Common’s richness and diversity. It is the only way to ensure that these cultural concepts are not lost during globalization. There will have to be a High Common, like High German, so the various dialects will be able to communicate effectively. Over the next millennium, Common would eventually replace all other languages, but not without absorbing many of their idiosyncrasies.

The major memes of familial relationships, social relationships, organizations, sexuality and morality are interrelated. They are all concerned with our relationships to others, and each one of them is unraveling in the postmodern era. Extreme individualism has wreaked havoc within sociality. The family went from an extended family, to a nuclear family, to partial families of  divorced parents. The individual is left with too many families to be separated from, with twice and thrice divorced parents.

Adding to the isolation, the community has also disappeared. Neighbors have become estranged and social relationships are then formed with co-workers, but jobs are moved around so often that one never seems to get a chance to stay friends with anyone for long.

Extreme individualism needs to be replaced quickly. This is where Confucius needs to be mentioned again. He was witness to the breakup of the Chinese culture of his time. His solution was to reconstruct the entire culture around a dominant sociality. He started off by transforming individuals into chun-tzus (or ideal humans). It was his belief that a society full of ideal humans would be the ideal society.

The first step in becoming an ideal human is to embody the five virtues: benevolence (love and caring), righteousness (justice and faith), propriety (showing respect for yourself and others), sincerity (truthfulness), and wisdom (prudence). Since morality is a learned behavior, these virtues are instilled into our children by their older siblings, parents, teachers, bosses, priests, merchants and politicians. If the leaders of the society are virtuous, the people will be also. If the leaders are not virtuous, it will be evident in the society. Everyone should strive to radiate the five virtues in their daily lives.

The next step in becoming an ideal human is a well-rounded education, which involves all disciplines. Education not only imparts knowledge to the young scholars, but also enculturates them into the society. Schools do not have to be like modern factories or postmodern businesses. They should be like hands-on museums (a place of muses), in which everyone has access to the great wealth of human knowledge. Children should not have to go to school; they should want to go.

After an extensive school career, the ideal humans will then take their place in society.  This is where roles come in. Roles are extremely important in Confucianism. We must play each of our changing roles well as we age. Our first role is a child, when we become a part of the family, learning from the example of our parents and being proper (or virtuous) sons and daughters. Next, we become students, learning from the example of our teachers and being proper young scholars. Once married, we must assume the role of a proper partner. If we have a child, we must become proper parents, and then proper grandparents. As workers, we must assume the role as a part of the society. All of us cannot be physicians or athletes; we must perform our vocation as if it is as valuable as the others (and under egalitarian socialism, it will be).

The word ‘proper’ may scare some of those who know something about Confucianism. Propriety meant subservience to superiors, women had few choices in life, and everyone lived under a rigid hierarchy. Whereas Confucius did not have the luxury of many alternatives, we in the postmodern era are cursed with too many. The sociality greater meme offered here is Alto-Confucianism, not only because of the Confucian emphasis on sociality, but also because virtue, the ideal human, and education as a vector of change are still radical ideas in this era. Alto-Confucianism keeps these ennobling ideas at its core, as well as its constructivism, but it also accepts that times have changed by embracing feminism, globalism, evolution, complexity and environmentalism, as well as socialism and democracy as a part of the natural maturation process of the human species.

Sexuality is a repressed major meme within sociality. Sex is the act of reproduction. It is purposely pleasurable to ensure reproduction. Humans are intelligent enough to be able to enjoy the pleasure without reproducing, but we must be responsible. Sexuality needs to come out in the open, which is why Common should be a sexually explicit language, since there are little or no verbs for the great variety of sex acts. Sex in the postmodern culture, with its multi-divorced parents, child molestations, rapes, tortures, dowries, clitorectomies, infanticide, use of titillation by the media, sexual slavery and selfishness, is not healthy. Healthy sexuality is the act of selflessly giving and receiving pleasure, and sharing in our birthright as humans.

The major meme of marriage combines sexuality with family relationships. It has evolved as a way of claiming exclusive rights to your sexual partner. This exclusion halts the friction caused by the id and allows the couple to settle down and begin a family. Monogamy is recommended, and it must be mastered first before attempting polygamy or open marriages. Divorce should be discouraged with a waiting period, and harmful relationships need to become extinct. Homosexual marriages should also be accepted soon, as it is folly to prohibit something which is naturally occurring. As long as all of the people involved are consenting adults, sexual relationships are ultimately the responsibility of the individuals involved.

The over-population of the planet by the human species is one of the greatest disasters faced by the biosphere. There are simply too many people. The best form of birth control is better economic conditions. Egalitarian socialism provides that support, but it will then be up to the families to control their size. One child is recommended, but none would be best until conditions warrant change. Eventually, the human population should level off as we become more harmonious with our planet’s environment.

Artists will do whatever they feel like doing. Since art reflects, and even foretells, the condition of a culture, the hope is that Alto-Confucianism and the entire Terran culture offered here will spark something great out of the artists, as it did in the Age of Wonder, and the sublime Age of Unity will come into being. This change will begin with the acceptance of our new living narrative.

 

Religion

The greater meme of religion deals with macro-level sentience. Religion is made up of a living narrative and the rituals and ceremonies which go along with it. The living narrative is the story of the tribe. As an adherent of a culture, each individual joins that story already in progress, from the creation through history to the here-and-now (and into the future). The living narrative is the foundation of the culture, which makes it the foundation of our self and our virtual reality. You are what you believe you are because the religious memes of your culture have replaced the genetically programmed collective unconscious. Thus, humans do not act like humans; we act like our tribe acts, and the tribe is acting out its living narrative.

Originally, our living narrative (like our culture) was determined by the circumstances of our birth. We had no choice about the living narrative we lived through. We did not even know we had a choice. Each individual lived the reality of their culture, and shared their stories. Since the Enlightenment granted us the freedom of religion, we have been able to choose whichever religion fits our beliefs about the true living narrative. This choice was unprecedented in human history, as religions competed amongst each other like in a marketplace, but none have become dominant because each is too culturally specific (due to the interconnectedness of the living narrative to their other cultural memes).

In postmodernity, Christianity has the most advocates, mostly because of its connection to European imperialism, but it is splintered into many various sects and denominations. Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and the Chinese religions are other religion greater paradigms which fit into different cultures for different reasons, and they are just as splintered; then there are the pagan, Sikh, Jain, Mormon, Baha’i and Zoroastrian minorities. One can even choose not to choose (agnosticism) or choose nothing (atheism).

In many ways, religions have been replaced by secular humanism, because it allows the secular rituals and ceremonies to continue without a common living narrative by using European history as the narrative (which they mistakenly call ‘humanism’). Humanists are agnostics who are able to suspend the necessity of a living narrative in order for modern science to explore and investigate the world without bias. Although secular humanism has been able to hold us together with a vacant living narrative, it is no longer necessary, because all of the competing living narratives (and anti-living narratives) have been supplanted, but no one seems to have noticed that we have a new story.

Our true story is written into the fabric of the material world. Modern science has been investigating and exploring our world for the last 500 years, and they have found that the universe came into being with a Big Bang, and is expanding and accelerating; we inhabit the third planet (Terra) from our star (Sol), which is in the Milky Way galaxy; life appeared here early on and has been evolving ever since; and that humans evolved from hominid primate, mammal tetrapod, vertebrate animal, terrestrial life-forms.

We did not know our plight before these discoveries were made because none of the existing living narratives predicted the circumstances of our existence a priori. They were all wrong (in fact, they were not even close). Neither prophet nor deity foresaw that we are oxygen breathing, sentient animals inhabiting an evolving world of mortal combat (which is the story written in our genes, our bodies and the fossil record).

It would seem that we had too many living narratives to choose from in modernity, and then none in postmodernity, but the evidence used to discredit the existing living narratives has become the living narrative by default. Modern science has been extremely thorough with all of the incredible data it has gathered, and any interpretation of that data becomes a living narrative (or a scientism).

A scientism is a story which ties together clues found in the available knowledge. It is not presented as infallible because it will change as we learn more about ourselves and our world in our continuing exploration and investigation. Ecological scientism is presented here as our living narrative. It includes the Big Bang, the expansion and acceleration of the cosmos, the evolution of life, and the evolution of our species because that is our plight. That is our story.

 

Exodus Didn't Happen

 

Along with the living narrative, religion is also comprised of rituals and ceremonies. Confucius maintained that they are of great importance. Humans are primates and need to commune with their family and tribe. Rituals and ceremonies bond the community, as well as heal it when catastrophe occurs. Secular gnosticism, offered here as the Terran religion meme, combines the neutral rituals and ceremonies of secularism with the knowledge of gnosis (as well as including ecological scientism as its living narrative).

Terran communities will be organized into nodes, which are the equivalent to a community, diocese or neighborhood. They are named purposely to give them a sense of spiritual connection to the greater whole. This connection is to be maintained through the Celebrations of Life and the Calendar Festivals. Each node is free to develop its own style and to utilize the talents of the nodal community to its fullest. They are expected to evolve differently with all of the diversity of requisite variety.

The Celebrations of Life are based on the stages of life common to all cultures. They are very important to the individual because of their changing role in the society. They should be celebrated by the family and the whole community. Birth is an introduction of the newest member of the community to the community. Scholarship introduces the young scholars to the vast array of human knowledge. Coming of age introduces the adolescent to their sexual responsibilities. Graduation grants the individual full membership in the world community. Marriage seals the bond between two people and their families. Pregnancy is a special time for new parents, who will need the wisdom of the community. After a long life, renunciation allows the individual to separate from the world and meditate. And, a funeral is the way in which humans deal with the death of one of their own. Secondary celebrations are more personal like birthdays and anniversaries.

The Calendar Festivals are based on a new calendar, which is needed because of the plethora of calendars in use. It should incorporate both the modern and the Mayan calendars since both are based on celestial mechanics. The new calendar should also anticipate Unification Day (which is the day the whole species will be united in the Confederation of Terra). All of the years before unification will be known as ‘BU’ (Before Unification) and the age of the Confederation of Terra will be known as ‘AU’ (After Unification). The first day of the new calendar will be the first day of the global confederation, so choose it wisely.

The nodes will gather together for weekly festivals. Humans seem to enjoy the weekly gatherings of the community for camaraderie and celebrating being alive. They should be fun, entertaining and inspirational. The nodes should include all of their talents (such as music, theatre, arts, cooking, debate, games and magick). The weekly festivals should be held at the node’s nexus. The nexus is a place where the community gathers for the festivals and celebrations. They are sacred space where the life-force is just right: temples, gardens, groves, etc. The weekly festivals should be held on the sabbath day of their host nation, not to offend anyone (and the first day of the week after Unification).

The freeday is a product of the Western culture. It is an extension of the value placed on the individual. The modern idea of creating a day of rest away from religion and work just for individual enjoyments is a spectacular development in human maturation. Family and individuals should balance this time spent together and independently on the freeday (and every day). The freeday should be the last day of the week after Unification. The two days together create a weekend (which is another wonderful invention of Western culture).

The canton’s festivals are based on the celestial events of the equinoxes, solstices and the middle days between them. These eight days have been globally celebrated for millennia. Like the weekly nodal festivals, they are to be wonderful celebrations of being alive. They should be held at the canton’s nexus. There are many themes to choose from: harvest, lights, carnival, ancestor memorial, and a myriad of other reasons to commune.

Unification Day is to be celebrated at the regional level. The theme should be unification.  It should last for at least a week and have a fair-like atmosphere. It will be held on the host nation’s New Year’s Day in anticipation of the unification of the world and the Confederation of Terra. It will be New Year’s Day with the new calendar.

The whole world should come together every four years for Leap Year’s Day. There should be at least two weeks of celebration on a global scale centered at Nexus Prime in New Atlantis. It should combine the Mardi Gras, the World’s Fair and the Olympiad. Everyone should make the pilgrimage to this worldwide festival at least once in their lives.

Like in Confucianism, the priest caste has been replaced by an entire religion of priests. Each member of the Terran community is an independent priest of secular gnosticism, although there are four types of priests based on the four yogas of Hinduism. Their western names are minister, magician, monk and mystic. Each performs a different function within the society, but all are of equal value. The individual shows tendencies for all four of them, but one does dominate.

The minister is based on karma yoga, or the way of deeds. They are all who perform services for others in their daily lives. Physicians, farmers, bureaucrats, servers, street sweepers, shop keepers, artists, reporters and lawyers are ministers. Everyone is a minister. The magician is based on bhakti yoga, or the way of ritual. They are the leaders of the celebrations and festivals. Magicians are practitioners of the external gnosis of magick, as well as theatre, music and counseling. The monk is based on raja yoga, or the way of direct experience. They are those rare individuals who renounce this world in order to go inside. Monks are the masters of internal gnosis. Mystics are based on jnana yoga, or the way of knowledge. They are scientists, philosophers, gnostics and technologists.

 

Knowledge

Knowledge deals with mezzo-level evolution or the combined experience of the tribe during its survival in the cultural environment. In the postmodern era, technology and capitalism have given those in the West the best standard of living ever (with plumbing, heating, electricity and the automobile). Unfortunately, too many live in slums, and the environment is slowly dying. Technology is being fueled by modern science, which is still accumulating data, so the suspended belief of modernism is still in place as we await the outcome of the scientific inquiry. Along with science, philosophy is suspended as well. Gnosis has been suppressed, but never extinguished.

The postmodern high-technology has begun to stagger the imagination. There seems to be no limits to the possibilities of future advances. The problem with our technology is that it is under the control of the merchants of imperialist capitalism. Like all postmodern culture, technological advances are driven by profit (with a total disregard of any other factor). While we ponder the dilemmas of our technology (such as pollution, genetic engineering and geriatrics), the merchants are making all the actual decisions based on greed as the motive (which is unhealthy for us all); and we consume their products like gluttons in the West or slave to make them elsewhere. The life-enhancing mature technology will continue the advancement, but will be motivated by responsibility and posterity (and available to all under egalitarian socialism).

Modern science has failed to reach its goal of finding the answer through investigation and exploration because it has reached certain limits within the material world (as the material world is only one dimension of the cosmos). The data gathered by modern science will always be valuable. Only its reign of dominance is over, and a time of a unified mature knowledge is about to begin.

The task of mature science will be to continue the investigation and exploration of the universe, because there is still so much to learn, as we are just now starting to understand our place in the cosmos, our tiny planet, the complexity of life, and our amazing species. Unfortunately, modern science has given us so much data that it is difficult to put all of the varied disciplines together. It will take time for us to absorb it all.

Most important, modern science has given us an unexpected living narrative. One which contradicts the living narratives of our past (the same living narratives which social science has shown to be relative and reified). What we have learned from science about ourselves and our world is both awesome and awful, as our delusions have been stripped from us, and we are left alone in an absurd universe with no alternative but to bring our reality more in tune with our new knowledge (which we will do through philosophy).

Philosophy entered three societies differently. The logic and reason of philosophy allowed Confucius to order the Chinese culture; it allowed Buddha to order the internal gnosis of India; and it allowed the Greek philosophers to order the thinking process. Once entered into knowledge, philosophy becomes the hub, because it allows us to order our minds and our reality for a clear mind-to-mind conversation. Philosophy is not like the other branches. The history of philosophy is not of resolution, but of continuous debate. Philosophy is the arena of ideas.

The postmodern existentialist philosophy is a result of having to deal with relative reality and the scientific evidence. Our world is absurd. There is no reason for it to be here, but here we are none-the-less. In a world full of competing realities, each individual must choose their own meaning for their existence. In this way, existentialism is another form of extreme individualism.

Consequently, we must also choose what the meaning of existence as a species is. Our postmodern predicament is to decide what it means to be human. We need a consciously constructed mature culture for the whole species in order to replace modernity and the languid traditional cultures. This new cultural reconstruction will occur in the arena of philosophy. The alternative culture we choose will ultimately be decided by the whole species.

Once an alternative culture becomes the new global culture, postmodern reconstructivism will turn into mature philosophy, which will have to deal with the knowledge that the chosen reality is not the Truth, but the best we could do at this stage of our evolution. It will also have the difficult task of expanding the chosen reality with the understanding that someday it will be replaced.

Gnosis is either internal or external. Internal gnosis deals with our mental and spiritual capabilities. External gnosis deals with the life-force, magick and spirit beings. Gnosis was begun by the shaman, but their knowledge was lost when the priests yoked it to religion and turned it into smoke and mirrors. It has survived, and is in a renaissance. Unfortunately, postmodern gnosis has succumbed to the charlatans of the New Age movement (where there is some actual gnosis, but it gets lost in all of the capitalism). Mature gnosis will have to first relearn what was lost in both internal and external gnosis, and then take it further.

 

Life-Force

 

The Humans of Terra is the memetically engineered alternative culture offered here to replace our suspended state of reality in the globalizing and constructivist postmodern world. It includes egalitarian socialism, the democratic anarchy of the Confederation of Terra, Alto-Confucianism, secular gnosticism and ecological scientism, as well as mature knowledge as its greater memes. The Humans of Terra is based on universal and life-enhancing memes in order to usher in a new age of cooperation. It will probably not take the world by storm. Even if it was to become the global culture, it would not happen overnight. The birthing process is long and painful. Confucianism did finally succeed in changing China, but only after the Period of Warring States. The question then becomes how to implement the new culture so it has the best chance of success.

 

Next Chapter: Cultural Reconstruction