Entries in the 'Crisis' Category

Food Without Thought

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations): “The waste of a staggering 1.3 billion tonnes of food per year is not only causing major economic losses but also wreaking significant harm on the natural resources that humanity relies upon to feed itself, says a new FAO report. …

“Among its key findings: Each year, food that is produced but not eaten guzzles up a volume of water equivalent to the annual flow of Russia’s Volga River and is responsible for adding 3.3 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases to the planet’s atmosphere.

“And beyond its environmental impacts, the direct economic consequences to producers of food wastage (excluding fish and seafood) run to the tune of $750 billion annually, FAO’s report estimates. …

“‘We simply cannot allow one-third of all the food we produce to go to waste or be lost because of inappropriate practices, when 870 million people go hungry every day,’ said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva. …

“Where wastage happens:

“Fifty-four percent of the world’s food wastage occurs ‘upstream’ during production, post-harvest handling and storage, according to FAO’s study. Forty-six percent of it happens ‘downstream,’ at the processing, distribution and consumption stages.

“As a general trend, developing countries suffer more food losses during agricultural production, while food waste at the retail and consumer level tends to be higher in middle and high-income regions — where it accounts for 31-39 percent of total wastage — than in low-income regions (4-16 percent).

“The later a food product is lost along the chain, the greater the environmental consequences, FAO’s report notes, since the environmental costs incurred during processing, transport, storage and cooking must be added to the initial production costs.”

My Comment: All this says only one thing: Until we change ourselves, our egoistic nature, we will not stop suffering from hunger and destroying each other. We must decide where the root of evil is and look for the ways to solve it—this will take us to the realization of the need to use the method of integral education.

It is possible to bring integral education to the entire planet by the modern means of communication and technology. After all, we are talking about saving humanity. Baal HaSulam writes that otherwise we will come to a war of extermination, after which a small number of remaining people will reach unity and equality, becoming similar to nature and moving to the next stage of development.
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Antibiotics No Longer Work

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from Finmarket): “Alexander Fleming, the creator of penicillin, warned still in 1940 that the effect of his discovery would not last forever, that microbes would adapt to medications. The more available medications became, the faster microbes developed the ways to protect against them.

“Antibiotics are losing their properties so quickly that it becomes unprofitable for companies to develop them. Making one drug cost about a billion dollars, and these costs do not have time to pay off before the microbes adapt to them. Soon, minor infections will become fatal again.

“Without antibiotics people would not be able to treat cancer and to transplant organs because these procedures are not possible without suppressing the immune system. Any treatment which requires injecting drugs in the human body, for example, kidney dialysis, will become impossible.

“We will have to forget about implants. This also applies to cosmetic surgery and heart valve surgery. Childbirth will become as dangerous, as a hundred years ago, when five of a thousand pregnant women died.”

My Comment: The problem is food: the development of new varieties, processing plants, and raising meat with antibiotics. We get a huge amount of food with harmful substances together. Objections are usually limited to the notion that this is better than starvation. But if we had changed ourselves to a mutual caring attitude, then we would have distributed good correctly, and we would not have to grow plant and animal food with pesticides, antibiotics, etc.
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The World Is Making A Transition From Reception To Bestowal

Dr. Michael LaitmanOur world is becoming more and more “round”; this means that the collective mutual link between everyone is being discovered; everyone influences everyone.

Ten thousand years ago you would have attacked your neighbor, you would have killed and eaten him. Five thousand years later you would have already stopped killing the neighbors, rather you would have understood that it was better to enslave them.

Another few thousand years passed and you would have attacked your neighbor and made him a worker since a slave was no longer worthwhile. Everything is established according to what is useful to the desire to receive. But today things are no longer the way they used to be. If you were to attack someone and conquer him today, you would begin to feed him and be concerned for him. Therefore, in our times wars are not worthwhile.

We see how the world, without understanding on its own, is gradually transitioning entirely from reception to bestowal! All of our systems (economics, health, and so forth) must transform to be more “round”; we have no other choice. Governments are compelled to distribute money to their people so that everyone will have something to eat. Nations have now transformed into social security institutions and welfare bureaus. Whether it wants to or not, every nation must transform into a system that is primarily concerned about its ordinary citizens.

All this is a result that we are approaching “circles,” spherical vessels. Otherwise we cannot exist in conditions like these. But in this kind of form we will not be released from problems because these changes are made from above, from the government, by the circles. We must do this from below, through correction by the person, through the “straight line.”

The way of correction from above is a long way of “recognition of evil.” As much as this seems nice to us today, that a nation is concerned for its citizens so that everyone will get all that they require, in the end, this will bring immense destruction. Ultimately, we must discover that we must begin correction from below. There must be bestowal from the side of the person below, therefore, we must turn to the most failed strata, take care of them, and bring to them the method of correction.

“Circles” is the discovery of the higher power, the Upper Light, the upper Kli. And these become a great threat over us. All the forces of nature are revealed in the form of a circular shape. A person must work in the form of a straight line.

A tsunami wave that comes doesn’t take into account if you are a good or a bad person, rich or poor, instead it wipes out everything in its path. That is how the circles work. And we must become a straight line. Though the straight line is opposite the circle, when it becomes the bestower, it actually fills the circles. With this we transform ourselves into a force that fills the Creator. The guest must fill the host, just as the host wants to fill the guest. This is what is called reaching adherence through equivalence of form and equivalence of deeds.
[121010]
From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/11/13, Talmud Eser Sefirot

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The West Pays For The Destruction Of The USSR

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (Sergei V. Lukyanenko, science-fiction writer, author of Night Watch and Day Watch): “In the competition between the USSR and the capitalist world, the USSR at the beginning had two trump cards: internationalism and social equality. By discarding belief in God, national patriotism, competition – only by these two ideas ‘internationalism and social equality,’ the Soviet Union waged competition with the world and even was a leader in some moments.

“The fact is that ‘internationalism and social equality’ appeal directly to the human desire for justice, equality, brotherhood.

“The USSR could be destroyed only in the following ways:

– By distorting their ideas in the USSR, what the Soviet government did,

– By demonstrating that the capitalism in the ‘West’ is also capable of internationalism and social justice (providing for the unemployed and education for the poor) – this was done in the ‘West’ by introducing a system of free healthcare, social assistance, free and accessible education, equality of nationalities and races.

“After that, the Soviet Union was doomed because in the stimulation of production, productivity, flexibility of production and trade the benefits of the capitalist system are obvious.

“But the mechanisms that are running ‘in the West’ continue to work: by letting millions of immigrants and giving them citizenship, it is impossible to return to nationalism without shocks. It is also necessary to recognize the freedom of belief and equality of religions.

“Creating a system of social assistance to the poor, countries have to put up with millions living on welfare and demanding everything from the state. Having declared the equality of sexual minorities, it is ridiculous not to expect that this will finish Christianity, disintegrate society, destroy the foundations of Euro-American civilization.

“’In the West,’ it is still possible to change back to the past – but only by rejecting ‘internationalism’ and ‘social equality,’ but this would lead to such unpredictable shocks, for which the West is not ready. So, the boomerang sent by the West returns after hitting the target, the USSR, and I see some deep justice.”

My Comment: The alternate recognition of evil in a capitalist and socialist state, which both the West and the East must go through, will lead them to the need to work together to solve the problem not of coexistence, but existence in general, and will bring them together in opposition to the South …
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On The Question Of Communism

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from Novaya Gazeta): “The ideology of the new order of life: everyone is entitled to a guaranteed monthly income. The collection of signatures under this proposal (referendum) took place in Switzerland.

“In general, this is a new principle of life, another option of human development, a different economy, a different state. Behind the activists’ idea there is an international network of BIEN (Basic Income Earth Network), which includes 17 national organizations from Austria, Australia, Holland, America, England and Germany.

“The organization’s leadership consists of professors from the world’s best universities (next congress – Summer 2014).

“BIEN develops the ideology of a new order of life, assuming that everyone will have the right to a guaranteed monthly income.

“While the world is changing, but both the Roman slave and modern worker are chained to work for life, give it the best years of their life; they work because would not be able to survive otherwise, live in fear of punishment (dismissal); they are lifetime slaves in the labor market.

“It is possible to abolish slavery only by providing a person with a guaranteed income that will give him the right to choose the way of his own, only, unique life. Money should be paid to everyone – regardless of character, views, station in life. This is not about supporting weak social layers, but about everyone’s right to a basic income.”

My Comment: This will work well only under one condition: All citizens should devote all their free time to integral education and upbringing. Otherwise they should receive no benefits. If this rule is not observed, society will turn into animals in a short time. There is nothing more harmful to humans than idleness, even more so, collective idleness.
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US: Reason For Pessimism

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from the Freelance Bureau of International Investigation): “The future of any country is not only the accumulated national wealth, the level of industrial development or mineral reserves. First of all, the prospects of the state are defined by the level of support that the state gives to its young citizens. In this sense, the U.S. prospects look disappointing.

“Why are young people in America so frustrated these days, The Economic Collapse asks. You are about to find out. Most young adults started out having faith in the system. They worked hard, they got good grades, they stayed out of trouble and many of them went on to college. But when their educations where over, they discovered that the good jobs that they had been promised were not waiting for them at the end of the rainbow. Even in the midst of this so-called ‘economic recovery,’ the full-time employment rate for Americans under the age of 30 continues to fall. And incomes for that age group continue to fall as well. At the same time, young adults are dealing with record levels of student loan debt. As a result, more young Americans than ever are putting off getting married and having families, and more of them than ever are moving back in with their parents.”

My Comment: The US was built and developed under private enterprise; the country grew as an opportunity for everyone to compete and rise above everyone else.

Not being united by any ties, as the nations in Europe or in any other country, as soon as there was the crisis of further enrichment of the American Dream at all, the country became “torn” on many levels, parts, plunged into pessimism. Not only was a toy taken away from children, but also their future.

If Americans do not see the light, do not realize where their natural development leads them, which they cannot stop because the laws of nature are inflexible, then we will soon witness their tragic collapse.
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“Europeans Deprived Of Homeland”

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from CypLive): “European Council President Herman Van Rompuy urged rethinking the geographic and demographic parameters and the European Union to abandon any attempt to restore national identity. Concepts such as ‘people’ and ‘homeland’ should go to the dustbin of history. …

“President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy said the unexpected speech, in which he tried to outline new principles of social development on the Old Continent. First of all Europeans, according to the first person of European bureaucracy, the need to rethink the concept of the homeland, which in its traditional sense is simply impossible in the face of ever- expanding European Union.

“In addition, Van Rompuy accused politicians who are trying to prevent these trends of populism. … ‘Those who think that their country can survive on its own, live in illusions. Populism and nationalism cannot be the answer to the challenges of our time.’”

My Comment: Kabbalah states that otherwise Europe and (and the world) would be faced with Fascism and war again. (See Baal HaSulam “The Last Generation.”)
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Benevolence – A Sign Of Intellect

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (Matthieu Ricard, French academic who became a Buddhist monk, the French interpreter for the Dalai Lama, international bestselling author): “Altruism, empathy, compassion – these words today are increasingly heard in the psychological, neurobiological, and even economic research.

“With the advent of globalization, we can clearly feel that we are all in the same boat. In the face of global environmental problems, watching the deepening gap between rich and poor, between the North and the South, we understand that the time of competition is gone, and now we need cooperation.

“Without it, we will all lose. We are keenly aware that the notorious individualism and egoism bring us bad luck. We feel lonely because of them, too much delve into ourselves and fall into a state of depression.”

My Comment: But the problem of psychologists is that method of correction of human nature is only in the hands of Kabbalists—the Kabbalists are willing to share it with the whole world, it’s just that the world does not wish to hear about it. Perhaps, there is a need for a joint effort of many experts so that we all can convey the opportunity to overcome the crisis of civilization to the minds of the masses.
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It’s Enough To Pray For Economic Growth

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from Slate): “The call to stop economic growth sounded still in 1972 in the Club of Rome report. The mythology of economic growth implies that the increase in GDP leads to a reduction in unemployment.

“It is proposed to move away from the equation economic growth = employment = wealth, to leave the ‘religion of economic growth’ with its emphasis on production development.

“The decline in economic activity should be aimed at protecting the environment from the looting, at the desire to lay the foundations of a friendly society.

“It is proposed to introduce a full lifetime supply for all the members of the public with everything needed for a simple but decent living (housing, food, clothing, water, energy, medical care…), that is, to give everyone free metered access to vital resources, accompanied by an insignificant amount for ‘special expenses.’”

My Comment: Such provisions will lead to work ceasing to be our main goal, the only basis for public relations, and the only way to ensure a decent life; the production of useless things will be annihilated; people will be freed for integral development; this will put an end to unemployment, will form an exit from capitalism and the market dogma to a free sector of re-organizing society, a system of consumption, production methods, and the determination of our real needs.

The methods for the free distribution of resources should be discussed in classes of integral education, as well as a mandatory part of public works. During workshops, there will be discussions about the tasks and methods of their realization.

The weakness of the program is in the absence of figures and the non-acceptance of integral economy that allows skeptics to dismiss all proposals. Distribution is possible with the approval of an acceptable income and solution to housing problems. Only to the extent of people learning integral education, can there be a gradual transition to a new system of all parts of society, from the lowest according to the level of income to the highest.

In any case, we are faced with a choice between a conscious recession to a rational level and the inevitable unmanageable recession.
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Drop Your Crutches

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Why do you insist that the development of science is detrimental to mankind. We would not be able to study Kabbalah today without the modern means of communication?

Answer: We cannot imagine what the world would be like if we were to develop according to the spiritual path instead of the path of scientific and technological advancement, egoistically.

Everything we are trying to do through science and high technology is merely pathetic compensation for the things we would be able to achieve in our spiritual vessels.

This is like breaking a leg and instead of treating and healing it, I make crutches for myself. It is the same when it comes to hands, and all the other parts of the body.

And in the end, instead of having a normal, healthy body, which I could have had corrected and enjoyed, I become burdened by a thousand prosthetics all over the place, and I feel proud about it: Look at the wooden legs I can make!

This is what all of our science and its attainments are like…

We kept evolving it to its egoistic, corporeal height because we did not want to ascend and make the proper correction.

As soon as we transition towards the proper inner correction, we stop feeling that we need all these achievements of modern science.

Why would we need the Internet to communicate if we could transfer information and sensations directly from heart to heart, brain to brain, like through a wide unlimited pipe.

We simply do not want to connect like one man with one heart! Otherwise, we would not need all these wires to send messages to communicate.
[24436]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/21/10, “The Wisdom of Israel in Comparison to Science”

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