This essay is amazing Gregg. I just had a thought that might be relevant:

I've argued earlier that cultural evolution proceeds directionally towards
pragmatic "truth", and much of those ideas are based in Gregg's TOK system.

I recently heard an interesting claim, in more esoteric philosophy, that
the soul's primary desire is to express itself. And as I'm always trying to
relate the subjective to the cultural and intersubjective, the following
dawned on me:

As culture and tech evolve towards "truth", the soul's truth is set free to
be expressed by the broadening of possibilities towards the infinite as the
physical world grows increasingly complex, and as our mental models grow
more complex, as transistors shrink, and the web grows, as roads are built,
etc.etc.

Evolution, biological and cultural, and every soul's journey, can thus be
seen as a thawing of limitations, a liberation of possibilities towards the
infinite, an ongoing revelation of what is within all of us and what is
truly within the world itself, happening at every moment, right now, in
relation to ourselves, like a blooming flower in the case of enlightenment.

Related to my own spiritual struggle I had a thought: to beware the
darkness within, or hidden self within, as it all will come to light, and
every interlocutor is a reflection of you, and thus potentially the face of
God.

Who a person is at any given moment, relating to the world at that moment,
also exists in potential with all other situations, and how that person
relates to all possibilities seems to be the measure of the person. A fully
developed (enlightened) person hits the mark in all situations.

A person might seem an innocent victim in THAT situation, but as I thought
about myself and friends (wondering how they'd be if they were rich or
powerful, and thinking that their situation is clearly the result of their
character) I noticed that everything is always in its right place and there
must exist a perfect moral order. Indeed, I think anyone who honestly
considers it must find it unbearable to think the world is truly unjust.

My hyper-intellectualism / imagination has made it difficult for me to have
faith in myself, and I've built up a huge, fear-based intellectual grip on
myself that I'm now trying to dissolve or let go of. Putting on a show for
too long outside domain of genuine love can perhaps allow... problematic
things to grow inside, only to bloom later unless you do something about
it. It has instilled a fear of God, in particular of humiliation.

Jamie



On Mon, Jul 29, 2019, 11:18 AM Henriques, Gregg - henriqgx <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> Hi All,
>
>
>
>   Please see the following “open letter” essay on the state of humanity in
> the 21st Century.
>
>
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.gregghenriques.com_uploads_2_4_3_6_24368778_elephant-5Fsun-5Fgod-2Dopen-5Fletter.pdf&d=DwIFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=KA2LYLquo-bYStG_Sw-jbrc9VjNmUAXSKIBZCoe-zgQ&s=vrnZtR8bwsfCv9NyH551oEJSco1A_ycJMtAQSmeyae4&e=
>
>
>
> I will be putting this up on my Psychology Today Blog soon, but figured I
> would share first on the list serves I am on. If you find it to be
> valuable, please share liberally with others.
>
>
>
> Best,
> Gregg
>
>
>
> ___________________________________________
>
> Gregg Henriques, Ph.D.
> Professor
> Department of Graduate Psychology
> 216 Johnston Hall
> MSC 7401
> James Madison University
> Harrisonburg, VA 22807
> (540) 568-7857 (phone)
> (540) 568-4747 (fax)
>
>
> *Be that which enhances dignity and well-being with integrity.*
>
> Check out my Theory of Knowledge blog at Psychology Today at:
>
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.psychologytoday.com_blog_theory-2Dknowledge&d=DwIFaQ&c=eLbWYnpnzycBCgmb7vCI4uqNEB9RSjOdn_5nBEmmeq0&r=HPo1IXYDhKClogP-UOpybo6Cfxxz-jIYBgjO2gOz4-A&m=KA2LYLquo-bYStG_Sw-jbrc9VjNmUAXSKIBZCoe-zgQ&s=2cdZn9qZxGymTe1jm4S0Fo-Vw8j337GRCGT05EjwYN4&e=
>
>
>
> Check out my webpage at:
>
> www.gregghenriques.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
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