In The Grip Of The Common Interconnection

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe evolution of humanity and its advancement was always happening on the basis of the development of our desires. New desires were constantly appearing in us: We wanted to develop technologies, agriculture, science, and culture; we discovered new lands, and so on. Overall, it’s as if man wanted to “consume” this entire world, and he has almost succeeded. As a result, he has basically mutilated nature, quite possibly irrevocably.

Now, however, a completely different action is taking place in nature. New desires no longer develop in us, and all the desires, qualities, and relationships that develop are beginning to take a completely different qualitative form.

We are no longer connected between us in a simple egoistic manner where we can regulate our relationships with legal, practical, and social laws, which somehow give us the ability to exist without “consuming” one another. Today we are beginning to feel like we exist beyond the laws accepted in human society. We are beginning to feel that we are connected with one another against our will and this is what is bad. I don’t want to be connected with anyone, I just cannot!

We left the caves, built huge cities, separated ourselves from the ground, and formed a human society where everything is so intermixed and interconnected that I am unable to exist without thousands of other people. And today I cannot exist without the entire world. I depend on different countries: One product is made in China, another in Japan, something else in the US. My car is from Japan, my television is from Germany, and so on. In general, none of my things are mine; they come from who knows where.

It is in this way that I am involved with the entire world through reception and bestowal since I also must give. This is with regard to the economic, financial, and trade connections.

What if we take into consideration everything else: health and safety (medications, materials), education, rearing, not to mention books and mass media? Today nothing can exist in a separate country. The world has become so interconnected that we all are obliged to one another.

And here a problem arises: Our egoism wishes to remain individualistic. “I don’t care about anyone else, leave me alone! Who cares about you and why do you care about me?” But this is no longer possible—I depend on everyone. Everyone demands something from me, and I must also receive something from them whether I want to or not.

And now this connection contradicts our egoism. I am ready to use everyone in the world, but what about giving? Sure, I am ready to buy-give. That is not it! A completely different connection is being revealed here: We affect one another with our thoughts, qualities, and feelings. Everything is passed from one person to another; the entire world seems to have become common.

I arrive in another country, and I don’t feel like I am in another country: It has the same hamburgers, the same pizza, the same soft drink, everything is the same. When you know the language (today English is becoming the international language), there is no difference at all where you live. You go to a supermarket or other stores, and there are the same things everywhere: goods, brands, and cars. In other words, the world has become one.

I am so involved in the entire world that I suddenly feel like I owe something to the rest. And this is a bad thing for me. My egoism does not tolerate this!

It turns out that the system we have created (the financial, trade, and world systems) does not take into consideration this type of interconnection, which is called mutual guarantee and is based on a normal, good attitude towards one another. This is not taken into consideration in the treaties. A situation arises when a certain willful, sensitive, and moral interaction with others is required of me. And I don’t want it! But the world, the entire system, is obligating me. This is where the crisis is.
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From the Talk on Mutual Guarantee 9/25/2011

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