New Life 1270 – The Collapse Of The Old World
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

The old egoistic social systems are disappearing and, in their place, we are struggling to build one, new system in which everyone is equal, emotionally close, and interconnected with a good attitude. People have lost the taste for the old, luxurious form of life when we were preoccupied with cars and fashion.

Around the globe, we are witnessing social revolutions for solidarity and equality. These revolutions start within a person through changes in intellect, desire, and feeling. Society will subsequently determine laws that support connection between everyone. We need to ask ourselves, how can I do good to others? The coronavirus is helping us to learn to care for each other; we need to focus on not passing the virus to others out of concern for their wellbeing. In the new, good life, we will each understand that we do not exist in and of ourselves, but only as a result of everyone else.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 1270 – The Collapse Of The Old World,” 7/27/20

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Medium published my new article “Relocation: Change Your Place, Change Your Luck”

American society is on the move. More than one in five US adults, 22% of the population, has relocated or knows someone likely to do so as a consequence of Covid-19’s socioeconomic impact, according to a recent study. Silicon Valley companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter and others have sent their employees to work from home, making their physical proximity to the workplace irrelevant. High rents and safety concerns are the main reasons for considering relocation in many communities, marking a trend to abandon the city for rural areas. Does this indicate a step backward? No, simple life is moving forward.

A wonderful unexpected outcome from the pandemic on our way of living will be an open door to a simpler, happier, and more fulfilling life.

Mobility is a US characteristic. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, on average, Americans change their place of residence no less than 11 times during their lives, mainly pursuing better job opportunities. But relocation due to the pandemic has a peculiar characteristic — it is a true move back to basics. Residents in urban areas are increasingly abandoning the stressful and expensive big cities to settle in the quiet and pastoral countryside, a noticeable trend in America and Europe.

Decades ago, people flocked from farms and villages to the big cities expecting to fulfill their dreams of progress and upward mobility. Today, businesses are closing and those still employed are changing their work patterns from activities in the physical workplace to remote engagement. So, what now is the benefit of living in the urban areas? None. The pandemic is transforming our lifestyle for good. We will realize more and more how adapting to a more virtual environment is a positive thing.

When the population is more scattered and evenly dispersed, everyone benefits — the ecology and humans. Conversely, overcrowded, high-density cities add stress to surrounding environments and pose challenges in the efficient use of natural resources such as water, energy, and food. On the personal level, life outside the urban areas is more manageable, affordable, and healthy.

The Babylonian Talmud says meshane makom, meshane mazal, which means that by changing our place we change our destiny, literally. In fact, our external conditions influence our priorities and focus in life. This also refers to an inner transformation that takes place. A shift to a quiet, simple lifestyle will make us feel better, calmer, and more balanced. And because of this, we will get along with each other more easily. Being rooted to the land with plenty of space for a home vegetable garden and a children’s playground will alleviate the stressful burden of the polluted and noisy concrete jungle.

We all feel secure with the familiar, even if it is far from ideal; this is why people resist change. But the pandemic is ushering us swiftly forward to a profound transformation from one reality to another. Little by little, we are realizing that there is no going back, only forward to a more global world where the boundaries between us are vanishing.

We have the whole world at our fingertips. From work to interpersonal communications and purchases, all is within easy reach within a matter of seconds. Someone can call for any service from America and reach a customer care representative in India without the slightest feeling of distance. We have truly become one global village.

Metropolitan areas will remain as centers for entertainment, culture, tourist attractions and more. Large factories that are indispensable for supplying society’s needs will also continue in big cities, but the population will disperse in different directions. A wonderful unexpected outcome from the pandemic on our way of living will be an open door to a simpler, happier, and more fulfilling life.
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New Life 1268 – Concern For Social Issues In Israel
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi

Israel is in an existential crisis, with hungry enemies on every side. Security is top priority and has pushed social issues involving the elderly, the ill, and the poor aside. The coronavirus has put social issues back in the forefront of life so Jews have an opportunity to model the principle “love covers all crimes.” The hatred of the nations of the world is what makes Jews unite since we only have the force of connection when we face war, fear, and threats.

Israel is unique in that its destiny is to provide an example of unity and concern for others to the whole world. Unity is the law of nature and Jews determine the relations within the single system between the still, vegetative, and animate levels of reality. We must show the world how to rise above the force of separation with the force of connection into a state of “one man with one heart.”
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From KabTV’s “New Life 1268 – Concern For Social Issues In Israel,” 7/20/20

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Coronavirus: Pluses and Minuses

Remark: Everyone today is looking for where the coronavirus came from. Whether it is biological, artificial, or allegedly launched by the Chinese.

Answer: What is the difference? It does not matter; it already exists.

Question: Is there a need to look for what is behind this virus?

Answer: Yes. To investigate what nature wants to tell us by it.

Question: Do we have any research tools for this?

Answer: Let’s see where this leads us. Let’s write down the positive and negative consequences of the coronavirus’ impact on human society and decide.

I think that it has many more beneficial consequences than harmful ones. Then maybe we should not fight against it but agree with it in some ways.

Remark: Most people do not believe that nature has a plan. I have never heard anyone talk about it.

Answer: We have no other way of knowing anything about it at all if we do not investigate nature in this way. Otherwise, we will begin to study some random effects on ourselves.

I see that this virus has brought many beneficial things to humanity. It saved us from unnecessary work, from misusing natural resources. The sky and water are clean. People stopped twitching, flying around the globe, and pointing their fingers at various tourist sights like monkeys. They stay at home more and pay attention to their families.

A lot of beneficial things happened. Let’s write this down and see that there have been so many positive changes for which we should thank the virus.

On the other hand, what harm is it doing to us? Ah, we get infected from each other by some unknown, incomprehensible phenomenon. We should be more distanced from each other. So, let’s distance ourselves, let’s make our lives more peaceful, let’s not jostle in the subway, on buses, and in crowded offices.

We can make our life completely different. We do not need the old life. We ourselves were cursing it. Six months ago, I read a lot of articles about how our world is coming to an end, that we will eventually just bring it to the edge by air pollution, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, the threat of war, or anything else.

We made the world such that this virus just stops us and says: “Take a step back and see how to arrange yourself better, more kindly, calmly. Otherwise, your place will be taken by those wild animals that started to come out of the woods.”

Question: Will the very process of studying and analyzing the cause of what is happening relieve a person from stress?

Answer: Of course. We will draw the correct conclusions and this will help us.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 6/25/20

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Question: According to Maslow’s pyramid, 90% of society’s members are at the level of development of basic desires: family, sex, security. When a consumer society dictates such values to them, then naturally, it falls onto fertile soil.

If this is created by nature, how can we change it? A person wants nothing but to satisfy himself or herself with the simplest natural pleasures. How does one instill new values in society?

Answer: A person with this level of desire can also direct himself or herself toward the same goal as the surrounding society, but his or her direction and progress towards it will be somewhat passive relative to others.

There are different types of people among us: choleric, sanguine, melancholic, and phlegmatic. You can’t change that. If a person is of this nature, given to him by nature, then he or she can hardly change themselves.

Comment: But you say that it is necessary to raise a person to the level of “human,” that we must take care of society and do everything for its good.

My Response: He or she will do it, only at their own pace, within the framework of their desires. Gradually, under the influence of society, these desires will change. But the pace with which it begins to move relative to the whole society toward the same goal as society will depend on the character of the person.
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From KabTV’s “The Post-Coronavirus Era” 5/7/20

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Question: Do you think that ideally people who are at the level of the upper should become the heads of state? After all, today the lower levels control the sages, and this destroys everything.

Answer: I do not think that the sages are able to control a country because controlling a country is a completely different science. This requires completely different qualities and capabilities of a person. However, it should be controlled by people who would listen to and implement the thoughts of the sages.

Comment: It is apparent even from history, that every ruler always had a sage who gave him advice.

My Response: Quite true. For example, Napoleon took a large group of scientists with him and during battles he always gave orders for them to be protected.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 6/25/20

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On August 22, humanity will have exhausted a year’s supply of natural #resources for the year 2020 that the Earth is capable of regenerating within one year. This year the date comes 23 days later due to the pandemic. We consume as though we’re living on 1.6 planets. By the year 2050, humanity will require the resources of 2 planets!

The head of the #WHO says that the pandemic will end in 2 years. But I wouldn’t rush to declare when it’s going to end. Until we come to a state of good connections, nature will keep compelling us toward it, and with increasingly greater pressure. That is what the @WHO should be thinking about!

The point is growth is the point of rising above the ego that fills man. And though he cannot rid himself of the ego, if he wants to do it, he can draw a force from the outside that, despite man’s efforts to remain in his ego, will pull him out.

@WHO: #COVID19 cases among people aged 20-40 is the new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nature’s program is to pull us out of the egoistic state, and it won’t let up until then. As it is said in Kabbalah, we have entered a period of global correction of the entire humanity and its ascent to the Creator’s level.

Across the globe, people are leaving big cities, hotbeds of terror, offices are closing down wherever jobs can be done remotely or are being lost altogether. Soon this will impact all children’s establishments aside from extra-curriculars and sports. Great social changes loom ahead. But people aren’t yet ready for them! If we feel darkness gathering around us, it means the light has come and this is exactly why we see the darkness.

The global crisis brought on by the #coronavirus is inducing #depression, panic, suicidal thoughts, #mentalhealth issues due to growing unemployment, financial instability, quarantine restrictions, fear for health. 50% are suffering from panic attacks and depressions and this is especially prevalent among the young…

We have lived to see the fulfillment of the Biblical prophecy of the people returning to their land “Shuvu Banim,” except not by realization, but driven by the “Path of Suffering” instead of being drawn by the “Path of Light.” This exodus from the modern Egypt, America, is leading us and everyone toward universal unification and the light.

The economic crisis brought on by the coronavirus has resulted in the decline in the economic situation of women. After all, the service industry has been hit the hardest with the closures of schools and kindergartens. If we drew closer together, we could have prevented the crisis and all its ramifications instead of waiting for nature to start activating the path of suffering!

Nationalism is a variation of egoism, humanity’s only evil, which has brought us to the #coronavirus and is also preventing us from quickly producing a safe #vaccine. The lack of trust among countries and the desire to defeat others instead of the disease is going to lead to “complications!”
From Twitter, 8/22/20

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Change Your Attitude Toward Life

Question: Modern medicine does not cure, but prolongs the ability to lead a wrong lifestyle. Classically, people believe the state should take care of them. A person pays taxes, so he wants to receive reciprocal care from medicine. Is this approach correct from your point of view?

Answer: No, this is wrong. Our life, medicine, and the state are built on a very false basis of ignorance of who we are and in what volume of nature we are. Therefore, our attitude to nature, society, and man is wrong. Not to mention medicine, science, and everything else that we do. This must be radically changed.

We need to change the basis of our attitude to life. After all, it is selfish, distorted, and we do nothing about it. And a person needs to be corrected. Then his attitude toward himself, toward the world, toward life will become different. He will make society and himself different.

A person will work where needed and how much is needed, nothing more. He will relate to nature only to the extent that he can take what he needs for existence, without robbing and destroying the environment. Thus, he will live in a huge, good, kind volume of nature, and will not pour oil into the ocean and burn forests. All of this must change quickly. Otherwise, we will not have this earth.

Question: Is your approach complex and not point-by-point?

Answer: An integrated approach boils down to human education.
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From KabTV’s “The Post-Coronavirus Era” 5/14/20

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Question: Can we say that love is a feeling that is a consequence of the right relationships between people?

Answer: I would describe it differently. To love means to feel other people and try to do everything to fulfill their desires.

Question: Do you think that this is the basic law of human society and that we must reveal it in the same way we revealed all physical laws?

Answer: We must not only reveal it, but also constantly implement it. This law should become our credo in life.

Question: And then all the other laws of ethics and countries will also exist, but will take different forms?

Answer: Naturally. They will all proceed from this law: the constant rapprochement of all parts of creation with each other, the constant rise above egoism, and the approach to an absolute, perfect state.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 5/7/20

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The state of the last generation is a shift to a new form of social organization, where we gradually learn how to work correctly with our ego and come to sensing an integral connection between us.

Today, we are in a transition phase that lets us realize the corruptness of our attitudes toward our social and natural environments and start rebuilding ourselves to fit the whole, complete, and caring structure of nature.

Therefore, the main value of tomorrow is our ability to mutually support and take care of each other.

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