The Machine Stops - or should it?

Around a century ago 'The Machine Stops' was written by one of our most creative of writers [Forster]. Perhaps one of the finest depictions of what this group is about - albeit also with something about the downside of a less than active society...timely given we are heading toward 50% of us being overweight.


Given that 100 years ago 'screens' were decorative, placed in front of fireplaces or used to help us modestly un/dress, not electronic, and we knew not even of radio or computing, it was indeed visionary writing. Like that writer, this group has in its grasp a solution to the high-time/low carbon needs of humanity's future economy and a picture of a possible end game for health/fitness/wellbeing/environment/progress/creative striving. Professor Ken R might be pleased with this progression in our social/economic revolution.

Science or not?

What is science?


The Science Council's definition of science
Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence.

Sirs/Mesdames,
Whilst warmly applauding your defining science for your users and your definition, I wonder about two points.
Firstly, perhaps natural and social might be too much in need of pre-definition, and, secondly, perhaps evidence might also be so addressed.

I know I shall not be the first to address these points, so perhaps there is a prepared comment. If so it would be helpful to know that I make the first suggestion based on the inevitable position that much of what science investigates and seeks evidence upon is not neither natural nor social if one removes the actions of humans from the equation. This will only be aggravated as we, humans, progress. Perhaps merely removing 'natural and social' from the definition might suffice as a short route.

My second point on evidence concerns the inevitable place of conflicting evidence. Whilst science will always seek to remove conflict through research and proof via further evidence-gathering, it is in the application of science when proof is still partial or ambiguous that poor outcomes occur. A pre-definition of 'application' might need to include one or more of 'current', 'values-based', or even 'best fit' as health-warnings - and all notwithstanding our continuing issues with unhelpful media.
All this said, I do confirm my congratulations.
Yours,
Ian F. Lewis FRSA FInstLM
ian@lifecollege.org

Ianspirational: Consciousness and Human Evolution

Ianspirational: Consciousness and Human Evolution: Consciousness and Human Evolution OK, so we are now using consciousness and mindfulness interchangeably, although many know of a differenc...

Consciousness and Human Evolution

Consciousness and Human Evolution

OK, so we are now using consciousness and mindfulness interchangeably, although many know of a difference and many think there is one. Until this settles down and new meaning is agreed, may I utilise these two words to both indicate that, when a human being is aware both mindfulness and consciousness is present. For this writing both depend on what one is aware of (either mindfully and/or consciously).

Some feel mindful and conscious if awareness of sustainability, equality, authenticity, transparency, etc., are taken into account in communication, decisions, actions, thought. Others are concerned with religion, communities, ethics and others take into account economics, family, nation, spirit and intuition, being-ness and transcendancy. This paper does not seek to look for right and wrong (or up and down!) in any of these areas. It seeks to move the discussion on human evolution forward and in doing so open up all these topics as well as seek a method or route by which humans might regain their ability to evolve through experience, judgement, decision and related action at the individual and community (family, peer, nation, culture and global community levels.

We may, as a first instance, feel that certain behaviours are present but unacceptable or unhelpful to current need. Instances might be anger, aggression and selfishness? Others be not-(sufficiently)-present, such as happiness, joy, wellbeing and fun?

Some behaviours may be emotional, some reflex, some cultural some might be all of these and others might be traits – 'born-with' behaviours. All might be judged as either 'hard-wired' or at least 'firm-wired' – through habit, expectation or acceptability in some form.

What I wish to discuss is the degree to which humanity moves itself to consciously remove the unacceptable from its reportoir of behaviours (communication, decisions, actions, thoughts) due to its being derelict for the purposes of human progress – and maybe even survival....is our future to be bright or dark?

So, are there such derelict and dysfunctional behaviours? What do you consider them to be? How might civilisation move towards their eradication? What role and responsibility does self, family, peer, nation, culture and global community (and maybe other communities) have in such evolution?

Humanity rising - collaboration in glipworld

Know me, know of my passion for collaboration. What it offers this world!

Pure collaboration is pure consciousness - and pure consciousness is pure collaboration. Simplifying language we refer to as 'being in the glip place', 'we are glipping', 'in glipworld' and 'being glip'. So what does it - glipping - mean?

Glip is a word (verb, noun, adjective, pronoun... ) which describes a oneness with all, a place of immediacy and wholeness with vitality and easy action. Created to save a lot of description, discussion and diversion when, within its own definition, it demands movement, creation and action. Long explanations, discussion, discourse would be mutually exclusive and internally inconsistent, dissipating energy gained from connectedness with all and causing the energy to be moribund, stagnant, to have no place to go except to be talked about.

As an example of its value in shortening discourse consider 'glip' a word which describes, as a state of one's (or one's organisation/community) being in a euphoria of passion in a continuing moment, full of happiness, a joyful, soul-full, brightness, brilliance, fully authentic, open, absolute self-belief, clear direction, inspired visionary-thinking, at one with all, at once with all, awesome in potential, flowing access to this potential, a place and time of extra-ordinary energy, unstoppable genius, vitality, love of life, humanity, purpose, the cosmos, pioneering courage, relentless intention. Glip says all this in four letters.

This moment of being one with all has been known for eons and by many. The moment of transcendence, oneness with all, a life's high in the moment. These are glip moments, yet humanity is ever maturing and now has reached its current zenith where these moments are more than moments: they are extended periods – even existences for the many and especially in collaboration.

Both as individuals and in communities, whether communities united by purpose(the organisation?), geographical location, a belief or other commonality, they have reached a place where there is an awesome inspiring clarity of a collective potential and its realisation towards the purpose. It is interesting that this purpose may only give to the world, never take, damage or inhibit, for this would be neither collaborative nor conscious.

These C21st transcendent people, organisations, communities live transcendent lives, in transcendent locations doing transcendent things towards a transcendent humanity. They have overcome the overspill of C20th greed, selfishness and violence and know and live the future as the abundant, diverse, friendly place it is: dishonesty, violence and greed can have no place, thus some behaviours, even behaviours which have (quite recently) become norms within significant structures (e.g., banking, politics, commerce, agriculture, extraction industries) are so deeply unacceptable and are being rejected. It is a wide chasm and it is futile to attempt to leap this chasm in two bounds.

Fortunately this realisation, this transition, is a single involuntary leap into a new amazingly full life for humanity and the globe: it exists for many now and is available for all as soon as trust in collaboration emerges/is learned in oneself and in one's community/organisation.

Our young people are our key to a great future

Albert Einstein..."No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.".


The deep key to the success of charities such as 'Every Family Matters', 'Choose, Change, Become' and 'International Youth Forum' is that they are run by youth for the world.

Other, lesser keys, include protecting the young people from impositions, traditions and adult mores; supporting resilience, courage, adventuresomeness, creativity; endorsing/supporting character, personality and individuality.

Vital contributive positions/skills of adults are professional mentoring, coaching and facilitation of powerful youth motivators of 'autonomy, challenge, making a difference/contribution' through which real and meaningful life experiences lead to awareness, judgement, skills and confidence - part of what we (whom apply Einstein, as above) call 'GLIP' learning, 'glipping'.

These young people have had great success in attracting resources to their initiatives - people, places, funding, projects. Perhaps this is because they are making a difference as they evolve themselves. I like that they will be responsible for my world later as I'm not proud of what I see we adults have done, but I do like what I see in our young people.

All whom acknowledge/help young people in any way do a fine thing.

GLIP - GLIPPING - A new word for humanity, the world and for ALL...

A new word – and a great new world...“GLIP”

And glip is....verb, adverb, adjective...

“...to be, to do, to know, in the now of deep joy, seeing and knowing the world
and all its peoples in their potential and magnificence”.

To glip one is conscious of all and consciously acts to ensure sustainability,
collaboration, community, possibility, creativity, joy, fun, love, health,
celebration, courage; in this place ethics* take care of themselves.

*truth, honesty, trust, equality, transparency/openness, no harm to living
matter (unless threatened by it) are all taken as fundamental to glipworld
consciousness.

We – 'the glippers' are already many (given future choice, everyone) – and we ask thinkers about the human race to show (a) that such a universally valuable word already exists and (b) that the suggestion of a 'state of being', of this order, will not vastly improve the likelihood of humankind to reach its real potential.

We suggest that all might consider attaining and being 'glip' in all they write,
decree, speak, act and live....no damage, no hurt, all fun, health, honesty,
trust and confidence in open creative possibility....'the unfettered whole self'
for all, everywhere, now and for all time.

*For those concerned with religious, territorial, personal, community or
historical issues, the acceptance, indeed celebration, of others' freedoms is a
fundamental and required part of glipping/being glip. Glippers will always air
to the best for the most, seeking mutual collaborative wins where ever possible.