From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/22/20

People’s pockets already face the impact of the biggest economic shake-up since the Great Depression. The distress is real and tangible and has brought about attempts for a speedy return to routine, back to what we have all known from the recent past: full employment, a culture of consumption and shopping spree, and of-course, rapid economic growth. But the financial system crumbled very easily. We should now aim at building a more sustainable and solid economic model.

By mid-March, around 39 million people in America had already lost their jobs. The crisis has stretched beyond the capacity of both governments and central banks to aid businesses, employees, employers, the self-employed, everyone. US Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell notes the unparalleled response to the equally unmatched challenge of recovery, “there is no precedent in post-World War II American history that’s even close to what Congress has done. They have passed $3 trillion in stimulus… It is vastly larger than anything they’ve ever done.”

Getting the economy back on track is the hope of everyone, from economists and policy-makers to the common worker. I fully understand them and share their sorrow, but we have to recognize what is happening around us so we know how to face it properly. Otherwise, what we are witnessing today, the confusion and failures in dealing with people and the market, will only increase when further blows from nature appear on the horizon, and they certainly will—as science warns— because there is a corrective purpose behind them.

Building on Solid Ground

The pillars upon which the present economic system is based have been shaky for some time. The future of the welfare state and the safety net of Social Security are foggy. The spending patterns of the younger generation are not living up to the expectations of economists as they refuse to accept the equation of a baseless American dream, and rightly so. The COVID-19 crisis has greatly accelerated such disillusionment, and for good reason.

The present crisis constitutes an opportunity to implement a change in the developmental trajectory, as proposed by the World Economic Forum in a recent essay, “Building Back Better”: It suggests the creation of a more sustainable economic structure. However, in order to generate a solid and real change, we need to consider the underlying goal of a new economic system which must serve man instead of man serving the system.

Even before the epidemic, many were conscious of the defects of the present economy which is based on cruel competition, where one man’s gain is another’s loss. The outworn economic model brought about unprecedented inequalities between people and caused great damage to man, society, and the planet. But this realization was not sufficient to redirect the wheels of change.

Today we can see clearly how, over the last decades, the state of the world has degenerated. The situation of man has changed, but the economy has remained stagnant and out of sync with the world, which has become globalized and connected, a world where each person is dependent on the others in everything. We can already understand that there is no other field in man’s life and society more crucial than the economy but the current model has become anachronistic and remains on life-support by the establishment.

In order to better understand our situation, imagine two people who strive to succeed in their business through merciless competition with each other. Suddenly, a woman shows up and says, “You are unaware of it but you are both my sons; you are brothers!” Clearly, the brothers would immediately change their behavior and attitude towards each other. This is exactly what is happening in the world today—nature has appeared and knocks on the doors of our world saying, “You didn’t understand it before, but you are all one family.” This change in the perception of mankind and his relations with others must be the basis for a new economic system.

Therefore, we can clearly understand that our economy, which is built on exploitation, and lack of consideration for others, must change. We have to construct a new economy founded on a more socially constructive and humane model. The problem is that we do not know how to accomplish that task, which theory to follow. Ruthless capitalism has failed and so has socialism, because every past economic model was built on coercion, corruption, and false promises. Thus, we have to reconstruct it ourselves on a firm foundation of correct relations among us, relations of mutual support and responsibility.

The global integral world demands a new economy based on the premise that we are not separate from one another. If one of us is hurt, it hurts all. When we understand the reciprocal system that exists between us and nature, the correct answers will come from within.

The Change Is UP to Us

Our new attitude will teach us how to behave and produce only those things that are necessary and beneficial for all. And at times of economic distress, the nation will be able to provide every person with a package of services and vital products that will enable him or her to maintain an acceptable standard of living. This will weave an advanced social safety net that is destined to focus on the development of man as the ultimate goal, and will liberate the individual from the yoke of the present egotistical economic system.

People understand and feel the overwhelming pain caused by the present economic framework and the advantages of a new type of economy. If we take the correct attitude upon ourselves, we will discover that COVID-19 is not a blow, but rather a push forward. And finally, the positive change will arrive.

Our new era of meaningful development must take place in our time. In all the previous generations there has never been such a significant need for change, and we are fortunate now to live and participate in an era of worldwide economic and social transformation.

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/22/20

What haven’t we tried? We’ve had emperors, czars, and kings galore. We’ve had despotism, communism, capitalism, Nazism, socialism, and liberalism. We’ve had monarchy, theocracy, autocracy, and democracy. We’ve had psychiatry, psychology, meditation, and Buddhism. And what did we get out of all our efforts? A crazed planet whose most developed creatures exert frantically to destroy each other, all of life, and the planet itself. And worst of all, even though they know for certain that their destructiveness will lead to their own death, they cannot stop.

We have lost control of our lives because we have lost control of our raging egos. For all our efforts, we cannot simply choose to stop destroying everyone and everything. Why are we like that? Because we’re making all our efforts using our inbuilt engine: egoism. When you use your ego to curb your ego, it doesn’t work. In this, we have no free will.

But we do have free will. Just as there is ego, there is goodness in nature, a positive force. It is in nature, not in us. This is why nature thrives when there are no humans. We can tap into this force by building social systems that use this force as their foundation.

At the moment, we build societies in our own (selfish) image. But if we build a society in the image of the (unselfish) surrounding nature, the environment we live in will change us by itself.

But such a society will not form by itself. We must choose to establish it. Here is where our free will lies—in choosing to build a society based not on our egos, but on the surrounding nature’s positive force. This is the only way we will ever be able to make a free choice, not governed by our inherent selfishness.

[Photo by Sanjeevan SatheesKumar on Unsplash]

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/21/20

Kabbalists divide generations according to the appearance of aspirations for the purpose of creation. In that sense, a new generation began when Abraham the patriarch appeared in ancient Babylon. He made a spiritual revolution and called on his countryfolk to unite and love their neighbors as themselves. Although most of the Babylonians did not follow him, Abraham’s efforts nonetheless created a new nation that was based on that principle and was tasked with continuing his legacy and passing on to the world the principle of love of others.

The next generation begins with the exodus from Egypt. It is a generation of intense recognition of our egoistic nature and a heroic effort of Abraham’s descendants to rise above their egos and unite. In that generation, the principle of mutual responsibility was established in order to solidify the unity among the members of the nation.

In this way, generations continue through the milestones of humanity’s development, but the final development of humanity is only just beginning. COVID-19 is a vivid mark that from now on, every plight humanity will go through, it will go through it together. This means that it is time for all of humanity to rise to the level of love of others. It is a sign that we have become not only connected, but dependent on every single person in the world, even with our very lives. From now on, if we do not establish positive connections, we will feel the ill effects of our negative connections throughout the world, and the demonstration that the coronavirus is giving us is but the prelude, a sample of things to come.

This is called the “last generation,” when every person in the world eventually—not right away—rises to the level of love of others. It is a long process, and its happy end is certain. Nevertheless, the road toward it can be arduous and painful, depending on our willing participation. The more willingly we participate in ushering it in, the sooner it will come, and the better we will feel throughout the transition.

Indeed, the last generation is the first generation of love of others, from which there will be no regression.

[Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash]

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/16/20

From the very first particles that connected into the first atoms, evolution was about growing connectedness. Compounds that could maintain their connections survived, and those that could not stick together disintegrated and vanished. On the physical level, nature has created a balanced and harmonious world whose beauty is beyond belief.

On the spiritual level, it left evolution in our hands, and we messed it all up. We failed to understand what evolution means. We thought it meant technological development, modes of governance, even athletic achievements. We tried to develop everything except the one thing we needed to: our connections. We evolved in the opposite direction from nature.

This is the reason we are suffering—because we have evolved into selfish beings that see nothing but their own interest, the exact opposite from the way every element in creation operates. Look at our own bodies: We want our organs to cooperate so we can stay healthy, but we ourselves do not want to cooperate in order to keep society healthy. It is no wonder that society is sick!

We are on the cusp of a huge transition. Those who will evolve into connected people will thrive. Those who will not realize that evolution means connection will suffer and ultimately vanish. It is an accelerating process that will put tremendous pressure on everyone to transform themselves. The sooner we adapt, the better for all of us.

[Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash]

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/14/20

There is no question that entertainment suffered a major blow as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Many people in the industry have left it, and many more will have to leave it. I would not pay it particular attention among the rest of the dying crafts were it not for its prominence in our lives, especially among young people.

The entertainment industry not only reflects the spirit of the time; in many ways, it creates it. New times will require new entertainment, and the sooner we will realize it, the better for all of us. Social media stars, for instance, will lose their popularity, not because they have done something wrong, but because people will be less attracted to social media accounts that revolve around looks and extravagance. They will start looking for meaning and social value in people’s words and actions.

Culture is a dynamic field, and no one can say for certain what form culture will dominate in the emerging era. But I have no doubt that the pre-coronavirus era will not return; this has left for good.

In all likelihood, the idols of the future will cater more to values such as solidarity and unity in the community. They will not only promote social cohesion, but will set an example through their own actions.

Stage artists, too, will adapt their music and shows to the emerging spirit: Their songs, plays, and movies will champion warm and mutual human connection, and their art will reflect their visions. Perhaps they will make less money, but they will be far richer in friends, real friends.

Perhaps today this vision seems bleak to those who aspire for fame and fortune, but tomorrow they will feel it is the most natural way to live. They will not understand how they could have thought otherwise, or what they ever found in having tons of money and no one to share it with.

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/14/20

Quite probably, no danger has been downplayed more than the coronavirus. Since case 1, the virus has been described as a type of flu, a negligible threat to health, and basically, a non-issue. Yet, we can already see that this bug has a huge impact on human society. Covertly, COVID-19 has smashed the foundations of human civilization. Within two months, humanity has capitulated to an enemy it cannot see, hear, smell, taste, or touch, and whose noxiousness is questionable.

Flu or no flu, one by one, governments revoked all public activities, religious and political congregations, professional conventions, sports and entertainment, shopping centers, factories, hi-tech companies, transportation, and recreation. Despite the unimaginable cost, heads of state succumbed in droves to the bug and stopped their nations in their tracks.

Even more extraordinary, now, as governments are trying to restart their countries, people aren’t excited to partake. It’s not only that they’ve had no income during the lockdown, though this is true as well. It is deeper than that: Humanity is losing interest in a civilization that hails people according to their wallets.

Though policy makers and tycoons are urging people to pick up where they left off two months ago, as they stand to gain the most from the recovery, at our expense(s), this will not happen, not this time. People have changed.

Not only tycoons and policy makers have been given a humbling lesson by the virus, we all have. We’ve all learned how vulnerable we are, how dependent we are on each other for our most basic needs, from health and food to human compassion. We have learned that what really makes us happy is warm families and good friendships, not hot trends and smirking colleagues.

We are learning to be equal. We are realizing that it is more rewarding to complete than to compete, that it is so rewarding to share, to care, and to be free at last from our egoistic selves. By submitting our egos, COVID-19 has given us life.

And as every toddler does, we are taking baby-steps. At times we will stumble, at times we will fall, but our goal must be clear all along: We are learning to unite. If we strive to live in unity, life itself will teach us what we must keep from the past, and what we must cast away. We need not make decisions in advance, just try to bond with one another and see what kind of society emerges, how it caters to its members, rewards its champions, and reproaches its foes.

As our values change, so will our causes for joy and for sorrow. Our aspirations will effortlessly adjust themselves to the new environment, and we will thrive when everyone around us thrives.

Since human bonding will be the ultimate goal of society, we will not be afraid for ourselves, for our children, or for others in our care. We will not need to worry about food, housing, health care, education, friends for our children or friends for ourselves. Simply, we will not need to worry. And the only demand of us will be to do the same good for others as they do for us.

We should fear the virus and tend to our health, but we should also be thankful that it came to our aid. It saved us from killing each other and destroying our planet; it gave us a chance to start over. So in all honesty, I am grateful for the lesson in humility that COVID-19 has given us all.

[Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash]

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/14/20

Often, when I say that COVID-19 is educating humanity, people wince a little, as if I said something inappropriate. People don’t like to be educated; they like to be on top, and education means absorbing knowledge from someone else, which puts the educator above and the student below. But what if you knew that the teacher wanted nothing but what’s best for you? What if you knew that the teacher loved you and wanted you to succeed and have the best life you can have? Wouldn’t you learn gladly?

Our whole problem is that we think we are at war with nature, so we’re trying to dominate it. But nature created us; we can’t be above it or win against it, however hard we try. Moreover, nature has no desire to harm us. It is harmonious, and maintains all its components in harmony with one another. Humans are the only element in nature that resists this harmony and wants to be on top.

By impelling us to quarantine ourselves, nature showed us its beauty, brought itself to our doorsteps (often quite literally), cleaned the air and the water, and educated us about the harm we have been causing to ourselves and our surroundings all along.

Now that we are coming out of lockdowns, we can choose to maintain harmony with nature, or dump it and resume our self-indulging festivities. If we choose the former, nature will reward us tenfold. We will be far healthier, safer, and happier than ever. If we choose self-indulgence, nature, like a vigilant teacher, will punish again, but more severely, since we wouldn’t learn the first time. The choice, as always, is ours.

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/12/20

The world has changed; we don’t know what to do. We’re unsure about the future, if we’ll have jobs tomorrow, or if there will be any jobs tomorrow? What will become of us, of humanity?

In the wisdom of Kabbalah, the highest quality is called Keter [crown]. This is the quality of giving. This quality created the world and has sustained it ever since. It keeps everything in healthy balance and allows all things to flourish.

Human society is the only element in reality that is built on selfishness and inequality, where the strong take not all that they need, but all that they can. As a result, imbalance is ingrained in human society, and now it is collapsing.

Symbolically or not, Corona Virus (the crown virus) is the harbinger of the crown age in humanity. Now the quality of giving, Keter, is emerging. We are insecure because within us, there is a battle between egoism and giving, and the world is teetering between the two. In the end, Keter will win, but until then, we will afraid and insecure.

Yet, there is a lot we can do to end the insecurity. We can embrace the quality of giving and practice it among us. Clearly, it will not be real giving since there is no real love between us. Nevertheless, it will advance our acclimation to the new reality of Keter. Just as lion cubs play hunters because the games develop their hunting skills, we must play givers to develop our giving skills.

The Crown Age is here. The economy that was based on self-centered products has been shut down and will not return. An economy of giving will emerge instead, which will allow us to befriend each other, trust each other, and stop exploiting ourselves and our planet. The sooner we embrace it, the better.

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/9/20

The coronavirus will impel us to reevaluate everything. First, it demonstrated how much we really need each other—by denying us physical contact and sending us to stay home. Next, it highlighted the imperfections of the economy—how unfit it is to sustain the people it is meant to sustain, how the top financial tier profiteer on the backs of everyone else, and how vital food products are thrown to the trash to keep their prices high, while more than 20 percent of American households are going hungry.

The social crisis that will unquestionably ensue will make us rethink everything. We will reevaluate relationships, work, and social values. If, until recently, we regarded ostentatious rich people as successful, we will begin to appreciate people who contribute to society. The daily applaud to health care workers on the frontline of the battle against COVID-19 is an example of this trend. The more we understand that our happiness does not depend on emulating people who boast in their self-centeredness, but on people who work hard to contribute to society, the more we will want to be like them.

It may be a hard and painful lesson to learn, but the coronavirus is gradually teaching us how to be more caring, compassionate, and, eventually, happy. COVID-19 is making us redefine our selves.

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/6/20

We often state that the human ego causes all the problems and without it everything would be great in the world. But there’s a very good reason for the existence of the enormous human ego.

The ego is what separates us from the rest of the animals. It is the engine behind every human invention since prehistoric times. As harmful as it is, the ego is what has made us the apex of creation. The problem with the ego begins when we misuse it. When used correctly, the more we use of it, the better.

To use the ego correctly, we need to see the truth: Reality is one complete system whose components are interdependent. Then, just as a mother uses her ego for the sake of her entire family, we will use our egos for the sake of the entire planet—humanity, animals, plants, and minerals alike.

Our innate perception is that only we matter. Therefore, education must begin with changing our perception to a more integral one, which encompasses everything around us. This is called “Integral Education,” and today we must all be somewhat “educated” in that direction. This is the key to building a world that does not exploit people and nature, and does not produce pandemics like COVID-19. Integral Education is the real vaccine against any virus.

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