Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Is the current economic system inherently corrupt? If so, how do we go about dismantling it?“

We need to reveal the egoism present in each of us as the source of evil, to reach a desire to use everything that we have from nature solely in order to reach a positive state, and to understand that a positive state depends on our society.

Through globalization, we see the vast extent to which we depend on each other. Our global interdependence will become increasingly apparent up to a point where every one of us will feel complete dependence on everyone else, down to the fact that if other people who are not under my control will not want to be benevolent toward me, then I will have no right to exist.

If we will all understand the tightness of our interdependence, then we will want to correct ourselves, i.e. to invert our egoism to altruism. If we will each know that we depend on everyone else, then we will want everyone else to be kind to us. Also, we will know that others will express kindness toward us only on condition that we express kindness toward them.

If we succeed in understanding our mutual dependence, the law of mutual guarantee, then we will be able to arrange our lives such that our economic system will also change and start providing everything for us in the best and most effective way possible. Our interactions, including economic ones, will then change to be for humanity’s benefit.

This change depends on one condition: for us to open our eyes and see that in nature there is a law of equality between everyone. Just like the physical and chemical laws of nature’s still level, or the biological and genetic laws of nature’s animate level, there is also a law of life—the law of altruism—in the nature of humanity. Our body’s cells merit life on condition that every cell rejects any excessive benefit beyond its necessities and lives together with the entire body, providing it with everything necessary. Similarly, like a cell, a person in society must provide everything for society.

Based on a Q&A with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on September 9, 2006. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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