As I have briefly mentioned before: in studying systems, one will notice one system reflecting another. It is as if the universe has a specific ‘recipe’ in which it designs, builds and runs things; as if to keep things simple. This can be seen in how atom structures reflect solar systems and galaxies. How fractal patterns can be seen from cardiovascular systems to tree branches, river deltas and animal migration patterns on African savannas. They all resemble each other; fractals always at play.
In part II, I likened the human individual to an individual cell, shaping with all the others, the organ called ‘human society’, which is but one of the many systems - or organs if you will – in the biosphere we know as Earth. I also described that; if cells go ‘rogue’ (become cancerous), that they form tumours which has a high consumption rate and toxin output, which in the end destroys the organism. Just so, our current consumerist ‘programming’ is likened to that of cancer cells; organised in massive clusters called cities (tumours) consuming more resources than necessary, releasing toxins and oppressing other healthy systems to the extent of the super organism, Earth, suffering and eventually dying. As in cancer, the problem starts with one cell of which the DNA programming malfunctions (due to many causes). The same applies to humans, where the programming of ‘consumerist egotism’ lies more or less in each and everyone of us. How else? We are born into this malfunctioning society, programming us since birth to act in a certain way: to egotistically consume as much as one can at the expense of anything or anyone else.
Now, some will argue and say that it is natural; that it is an instinct drive to survive. I couldn’t agree more. That is how all other organisms work; they compete until death do part. For them – that is all animal and plant systems – it is perfectly fine. These systems will regulate each other. As systems grow too large - for instance a Kudu-herd in Africa - resources will dwindle, and the fittest will survive, the old and sickly dying in the process. In nature, systems tend to regulate each other with strict competition; animals and plants dogmatically following their instincts. They all have natural inhibitors on the hierarchy of the ‘food chain’.
But the human seems to be different. For some bizarre reason, the Homo sapiens ‘ape’ escaped this natural cascade of events. One day, the human fashioned a weapon from a branch, and stood up to his predator; not blindly accepting his fate. The hunted became the hunter. The hunter became the gatherer. The gatherer started questioning his surroundings and his dreams, talking to his (her) fellow humans about this very notion; drawing images in caves to reflect the inner self. The human ape started escaping the laws of ‘the fittest will survive’, and slowly started on an inward journey to self discovery.
What has happened since we started ‘awakening’ more than forty thousand years ago (if one relates to the earliest cave paintings), is the history we learn today; a slow and painful journey on self discovery in the form of religion, wars and civilization. It is the growing pains of a collective organism called ‘the human race’, trying to escape the bondage of this ‘rat-eat-rat’ existence in the natural world. But unfortunately, we have now entered a phase in which we are stuck somewhere in the middle. Part of us is still the monkey which thinks it has to fight for survival; to compete no matter what, in order to make it ‘out there’ and in the process (not having any natural inhibitors or predators), becoming a completely over populating and consuming monster. The other part, is the urge and dream to escape this very monkey in our veins; the part that wants to love in stead of hate, dream in stead of fear and collaborate with fellow brothers and sisters of all races and species in order to create utopia.
We are like ‘spiritual adolescents’, stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea; our DNA and bodies stuck in the world of ruthless competitive drive and our minds and souls beckoning to release the fear; to let go of that primal instinct to survive no matter what, and to survive naturally by collaborating with fellow spirits.
We can observe the monkey in our veins through our daily actions; the woods’ stench of our primate ancestors merely covered by fashionable embroidery and high street perfume. In the home, in the office, health system and politics; there is always a fight to the death to be found – from nasty remarks and blind ambition to corporate fraud and wars based on an impending energy crisis. We are merely monkeys in suits and designer wear, fighting each other with social criticism, deception and out-right high-tech weapons of war. In stead of using our new found intellect - our inner calling to a connection far beyond the scope of this limited and fragile universe for collaboration and spiritual growth - we use it to compete in more clever ways. In effect just being very clever monkeys. Closely study the typical routine of night-clubbing and you will recognise the mating tactics of all other animals in stealth form – the ladies advertising themselves with the latest fashion trend and body language of ‘I’m available, come and get me’; the men advertising their alpha-male capability by flexing their steroid-muscles under their skin-tight T-shirts, bragging about their money and their cars, and fighting with would be ‘alpha male challengers’. Look at supermarket sales; where people will elbow each other out of the way for that ‘last’ sales item, and you will see the ‘watering hole’.
We need to break free from this primal instinct. We are more than just clever primates. We can express ourselves in the most imaginative ways; creating works of fiction, art and music that stirs the soul. We can keep ourselves from reacting instinctively, and forgive our trespassers. We can show our love with a kind smile, a gentle touch and an enduring kiss. We dream and share these dreams, creating fantasy worlds in our minds and sharing these worlds with others all over the globe; this being the reflection of our yearning to break free from this animal bondage, and explore the other dimensions of inner space and of the collective and subconscious self, intricately connected to the collective mind of the universe.
When we break free from this primal instinct, thus egotistic ambitious drive, which in essence is monkey-mode with a human mask, we can each and everyone of us, become the healthy cell in the organ of society; shaping a healthy society which can break free from the primal need of competition, and collaborate in order to solve this mess we have made so far.
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