Revolution of the mind?

[Hiphop4love]

Hey all,
This is my first post. Hope you're all doing well.

What are your ideas of how a global paradigm shift can occur? What can spark a huge shift of thinking in all? I believe that a revolution of the mind is imperative in order to move forward into the future for humans. My view of a good world would be one in which everyone lives in harmony, has equal opportunities, keeps each other in balance, and loves all regardless of beliefs, skin color, religion, etc. This kind treatment of others and equal work opportunities where everyone has the essentials to survive, could put out the fires that cause problems such as crime, etc.

I think it is possible. But the chains of the system keep many down. What, in your opinion, are the keys to unchain our minds?

[Damon]

This is also my first post (aside from my introduction post).

When I was coming up in the world of idealism I was taught early on that the manner in which we conduct ourselves determines two things: 1) the types of people you attract, and 2) the types of people you repel.

This sort of perspective leads one to understand that before we can change the world, we need to become the change we wish to see in others. This logic may be old news, but it is eternally relative.

But, for the time being, the masses enjoy being indifferent and even apathetic. They enjoy tuning out the ills of the world by tuning into their TV's, video games, facebook pages, even into alcohol and prescription drugs.

People have to want to change before there can actually be any change; and right now the majority of people don't want to accept that change is absolutely necessary for human progress.

[Hiphop4love]

Great answer, man. Thanks. I totally agree with what you wrote. Division through Political strategy keeps us held back, in my opinion. So many distractions that hinder us from moving forward.

[OGirly]

Education is key, and education reform only comes when parents are informed. Problem being parents usually don't change their views, and therefor don't fight to change the views of the education system raising their children. Therefore their children do not develop the new views.

Now children usually play a large role in changing the views of their parents, or can at least help in this by supplying their parents with new views on the world.

It's really early and I'm having trouble putting this into words. Pretty much parents views must change to change their children's views which much change to change their parents views...if that makes sense. It's that dialectic relationship so common to Marx's arguments. It is all interrelated. All must change simultaneously. There is no single place we can start (beyond the general starting point of education) that can be changed to bring about the change. It's why social change of any significant magnitude happens very slowly over the course of many years while views of parents change, sometimes views of children change...but finally enough change together that changes in the education system happen as well as the consciousness of the parents changes simultaneously.

Hope that makes sense. Just my 2 cents as to why I don't feel change is coming any time soon...but is indeed coming.

[ckaihatsu]

This is also my first post (aside from my introduction post).


Hi and welcome, Damon.





When I was coming up in the world of idealism I was taught early on that the manner in which we conduct ourselves determines two things: 1) the types of people you attract, and 2) the types of people you repel.

This sort of perspective leads one to understand that before we can change the world, we need to become the change we wish to see in others. This logic may be old news, but it is eternally relative.


If you'll excuse my impertinence here, I'd be interested to know where your *critique* of idealism may be. 'Idealism' has two meanings -- as a *detached*, wholly-subjective, wishful-thinking approach to the world (like 'dualism'), and the meaning of 'idealistic', or 'motivated by laudable ideals'.

I *think* you mean the *latter* meaning, but what you're describing is also compatible with the *philosophical* definition of 'idealism', which is non-materialist / non-Marxist.





The Secret is a best-selling 2006 self-help book written by Rhonda Byrne, based on the earlier film of the same name. It is based on the law of attraction and claims that positive thinking can create life-changing results such as increased wealth, health, and happiness. The book has sold more than 19 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 46 languages,[1] but has nevertheless attracted a great deal of controversy, as well as being parodied in several TV programs.




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_(book)


Marxism argues that we are *social* beings and that we're the result of *social* processes and dynamics. I don't think this position *annihilates* personal agency and self-determination, but it does *mitigate* such, since we can't escape the world's overall social environment and state of being.

(The way things are, I don't think *anyone* can say that their lives are entirely self-determined, or that they are 100% 'self-made' individuals.)





But, for the time being, the masses enjoy being indifferent and even apathetic. They enjoy tuning out the ills of the world by tuning into their TV's, video games, facebook pages, even into alcohol and prescription drugs.

People have to want to change before there can actually be any change; and right now the majority of people don't want to accept that change is absolutely necessary for human progress.


While I agree that the self-conscious 'subjective factor' is important for revolutionary consciousness and revolution, it could be argued that class contradictions have not become severe enough for revolution to occur -- (because once that has happened the world's situation will necessarily become *fertile* for revolution and social change, thus changing people's consciousness in the same stroke).

[Decolonize The Left]

Hey all,
This is my first post. Hope you're all doing well.

What are your ideas of how a global paradigm shift can occur? What can spark a huge shift of thinking in all? I believe that a revolution of the mind is imperative in order to move forward into the future for humans. My view of a good world would be one in which everyone lives in harmony, has equal opportunities, keeps each other in balance, and loves all regardless of beliefs, skin color, religion, etc. This kind treatment of others and equal work opportunities where everyone has the essentials to survive, could put out the fires that cause problems such as crime, etc.

I think it is possible. But the chains of the system keep many down. What, in your opinion, are the keys to unchain our minds?

Welcome to the forum.

I think that it's important to remember how human beings are animals which are conditioned by our material world to think the way we do. So, in order for a paradigm shift to occur, some sort of material shift must precede it in order to provide the groundwork (so to speak) for the mental understanding.

By this I mean that the material reality of capitalism will be the best weapon against capitalism and the state. We have been taught to believe that capitalism brings prosperity and, in some ways, it does. But it also brings massive social inequality, widespread destruction of natural environments, and immense poverty. These facts will burn through propaganda over time and will 'unchain our minds', to use your terms.

A better question might be: are we prepared for this outcome? Are leftists prepared to confront this material reality and aid in our collective movement to better our class?

Keep posting.

[Decolonize The Left]

This is also my first post (aside from my introduction post).

When I was coming up in the world of idealism I was taught early on that the manner in which we conduct ourselves determines two things: 1) the types of people you attract, and 2) the types of people you repel.

This sort of perspective leads one to understand that before we can change the world, we need to become the change we wish to see in others. This logic may be old news, but it is eternally relative.

But, for the time being, the masses enjoy being indifferent and even apathetic. They enjoy tuning out the ills of the world by tuning into their TV's, video games, facebook pages, even into alcohol and prescription drugs.

People have to want to change before there can actually be any change; and right now the majority of people don't want to accept that change is absolutely necessary for human progress.

People will want change when change appears to be the only viable option for them. Right now we may be poor and destitute, but we still can get a credit card and eat at McDonald's with our friends, etc... We (generally speaking for the working class) still have faith in the capitalist system and that this system will bring us prosperity in the future. Our parents did it, why can't we? Or so the thinking goes...

When that thinking isn't viable anymore, when there is no hope or faith in the system, change will be seen on larger levels. Remember that change is constant; we merely don't see much of what is changing as it is small and ongoing. Change is a fact of life. The question is how big and when. The question is how we can appropriate change for our needs and interests and what is the best strategy for doing so.

[The Idler]

Not worsening conditions, that won't suffice.
What is needed is patient persuasion and honesty. Not many leftists are interested in clear socialist consciousness, despite the rhetoric about class consciousness.

[Hiphop4love]

Great, thoughtful answers. Thank you all!

[ckaihatsu]

Also:


Worldview Diagram

http://s6.postimage.org/axvyymiy5/120824_Worldview_Diagram.jpg (http://postimage.org/image/axvyymiy5/)

[Artemis666]

I also think that psychedelic drugs(LSD,Shrooms, DMT, Ayahuasca,etc) should be taken into consideration when regarding the revolution of the mind.

They are possibly the most efficient when it comes to the altercation of one's consciousness, in the shortness period of time, no matter how brain washed someone is, or how much they see the world and reality through stubborn tunnel vision.

Please take 11 min of your time to check the video "Psychedelics And Consciousness [Jason Silva, Terence McKenna, Graham Hancock, Joe Rogan]" on youtube.

It won't be a waste of your time, especially since you seem to be genuinely intrigued by the matter of the revolution of the mind...:)