Entries in the 'Crisis' Category

The Problem Of Demand

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from Reuters): “The Group of 20 nations pledged on Saturday to put growth before austerity, seeking to revive a global economy that ‘remains too weak’ and adjusting stimulus policies with care so that recovery is not derailed by volatile financial markets. …

“The U.S. chose to pursue macroeconomic policies that encouraged economic growth and jobs, with fiscal correction once private demand was strong enough to be self-sustaining. The G-20 has acknowledged the importance of getting this balance right.”

My Comment: The increase in demand will not happen because that is the course of the crisis, that is the trend is moving to a new formation, and the “tastes” of society are changing toward a growing indifference to excess.
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Using Billions To Combat Unemployment

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from EUobserver): “Seventeen EU leaders meeting in Berlin on Wednesday (3 July) pledged an extra 2 billion Euro for a youth employment scheme that so far was pegged at 6 billion Euro.

“The Berlin gathering was a ‘three-in-one’ summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the concluding press conference, as it also included labour ministers, heads of employment agencies and the representatives of big EU-based companies – the European Roundtable of Industrialists. …

“Merkel said the purpose of the gathering was to look at concrete examples of what works when governments – who have the sole responsibility for social and labour policies – try to reduce their youth unemployment rates. …

“But for a few hundred young trade unionists from Spain, Portugal, Greece, Ireland, Poland and France, yet another high-level meeting is not making much difference for the 5.6 million unemployed youngsters in Europe.

“’Europe’s youngsters need more than Merkel’s hot air,’ one banner read at the protest staged outside the chancellery on Wednesday.

“Another told leaders to invest in young people, not banks, a reference to the bailed-out banks in Spain, that have now put thousands of people out in the streets because they have no jobs and cannot pay their mortgages.”

My Comments: Funds and credits are created according to the possibility to be “appropriated” by their own people. But today, it does not deceive anybody; no one even hopes that there is a solution to unemployment. Most likely, all the comments are like jokes. It depends only on the pressure of people when the elite understands its hopeless situation and will listen to the method of integral education as the means of solving ALL problems.
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Beware Of Merchants Of Truth

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”: All those attributes: mercy, charity, and peace emerged and were born from the weakness of truth. This is what caused society to divide into sects. …In simpler words, we can divide the two sects into “constructors” and “destructors.” Constructors are those who want construction, the benefit of the collective, for which they are often willing to give of their own possessions to others.

But those who are naturally prone to destruction and profligacy were more comfortable clinging to the attribute of truth, meaning, “What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is yours,” for their own gain, and would never want to give up anything of their own to others without taking into consideration jeopardizing the well-being of the collective, for as by nature they are destructors.

We are not able to “live in truth,” meaning to be guided by the category of truth. As for destroyers, they just talk about it, using its name and appearance to their advantage.

In fact, the truth is that everyone is equal in relative terms. But for this, it’s necessary to estimate correctly everyone’s nature and efforts to be able to compare in every concrete state. We are incapable of such an analysis.

Only at the final correction, when we are all interconnected and provide each other in a unified integral analog system, will everyone be able to act towards others according to the category of truth. And until then, even a moment before unity, it’s not the truth because I cannot contribute every moment, providing everyone with as much as needed, according to their deeds, their preparedness, and their needs.

The truth is a complete whole picture. Therefore, we are given preliminary categories to form it: mercy, justice, and peace. We start from a simple egoistic impurity, from the principle “yours is mine, and mine is mine.” Then we move on to the attribute of Sodom, “mine is mine, yours is yours.” This is already a certain progress.

But in spirituality, impurity turns into the opposite: “mine is yours, and yours is yours.”

In addition, there is another option: “yours is mine, and mine is yours.”

How do we use mercy, justice, and peace to correct and eventually reach the “final destination” of truth? And in general, in what way are the preliminary attributes less than that unique constant category of truth?

Truth is called a failsafe state of a corrected system in which we are all interconnected and fulfill each other’s desires. In other words, my desire works for everyone to the extent of my ability and responsibility to provide for the entire system. Similarly, everyone else works in the same way, being in the state of final correction, like the organs of a healthy body. This is what the truth is: Every part feels the desire of any other part and the collective desire of everyone as his own. No one has any problems with “giving himself away” and providing them with everything they need.

Such an approach would be a burden for me because it is opposed to my desire. I would have to keep in mind seven billion concerns and calculations for every person on Earth. Is this possible?

On the other hand, if I am in one system together with everyone, and they become my desire, then everything becomes easy and simple because now we take care of each other naturally, just like I don’t think about my body when it is healthy and functions properly. With a universal interconnection, everyone fulfills everyone according to the attribute of truth. Thus, it’s revealed only as a result of correction.

Still how does everything function on the preliminary stages? For example, what are the measures of connection between us called “justice,” “mercy,” and “peace”? What kind of relationship is this? What is its power? On what conditions does it work?

We are talking about the system with defects, not yet complete, “lame” to the extent that we cannot be limited by one of the preliminary categories and are forced to use all three. What are the drawbacks of these methods of social control? Each has something corrected; however, everyone needs support, help from the other two. And again, when all three are in harmony with each other, what do they lack in order to reach the truth?

Comment: We might need an incentive, a motive to advance toward the truth.

Answer: In principle, yes. For example, justice that is being revealed brings me some contentment, and at the same time a desire, a need. This need is addressed to mercy and peace that I need. When I include them, then I have a need for truth. But until then, I can hardly imagine what a perfect system is.

Comment: We often tend to take the “truth” from liars…

Answer: Indeed, when unrest starts in a country, some “champion of truth,” speaking from the barricades, promise to fulfill people’s aspirations and to take care of all of their needs. His words lie but not because in his heart he is not going to realize his promises. Simply, these promises initially show a lack of knowledge of the nature of things, of understanding the fact that no one can feel the desires of others. Thus, based on their bitter experience, people are already aware that they are deceived by unrealistic promises.

It’s impossible in our world truly, according to truth, to evaluate everyone and give him what he needs. Neither individuals, nor organizations are able to do that, and if people demand something like that, then they do not understand what they want. As for those who promise, these people are highly ambitious. He who wants power is usually a great egoist, able to use the good name of truth to his advantage.

That is why we must build connection in human society according to the categories of justice, mercy, and peace. Only then can we approach the attribute of truth. It makes no sense to appeal to it now. Initially, aspiring for correction, we understand by the heart and mind that it will not be complete in the process. We need to realize this because our sensation affects the general system.

Nonetheless, this knowledge is important today when the whole world has entered the process of correction. It’s necessary to explain to people that the ideal of truth will not be achieved at once; it can be realized only when we are united, naturally interconnected. Only then will everyone provide for others without hesitation, without any special calculations. If we completely neutralize our egoistic desire and become connected by absolute love, then between us, from one to another without any restrictions, everything that is needed flows. I am open for others and do not criticize them at all. Let them take whatever they want. Then the category of truth is realized.

But until then everyone should be prepared for certain limitations, for certain sacrifices. This is normal and quite possible. Here, we need the preliminary categories that allow us to correct ourselves. We will not be able to understand and realize the attribute of truth. In essence, these categories are much more complex, complicated, and sophisticated than the truth because they are intended to help us just on the first stages of correction.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/22/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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“More Join Spanish Army In Times Of Crisis”

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the news (from Expatica): “The number of applicants for the Spanish army rose almost 82 percent last year compared to 2007 as a result of job cuts during the economic crisis, Spanish daily El Pais reported on Tuesday.

“The army received 78,575 applications in 2008 compared to 43,036 in 2007, making for an average of 3.42 applicants per vacancy compared to 1.73 applicants one year previously, El Pais cited official figures as showing.

“Spain abolished compulsory military service in 2001 and currently has 81,607 people in the armed forces.”

My Comment: Undoubtedly, these young people would be happy to be included in the system of integral education, becoming then the teachers and instructors for the rest. And what about the millions of others—the unemployed and sinking …?
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Eternal Strife?

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”: If the above practical difficulties, which disturb us helpless people on our way, are not enough, we have in addition a further mix-up and great battle of the psychological predispositions, meaning the attributes themselves within each and everyone of us individually, which are unique and contradictory to one another. …

Thus you see how our attributes collide and fight one another, and not only between sects, but within each person, the four attributes dominate him all at once or one at a time and fight within him until it is impossible for common sense to organize them and bring them to complete consent.

Despite all the efforts, strife will reign on the Earth. We will never achieve peace and balance. You cannot distinguish what properties dominate in the global world. Everyone is included in everyone else and as a result, we have no hope for perfection and harmony.

Over time we will understand, feel, and “taste,” the categories of peace, mercy, justice, and truth. Then we will be able to carry out scientific research and recognize what categories and how exactly they are emphasized in countries and societies with different mentalities, with different approaches to life and religion, with different histories, including the history of inter-communal and international relations. After all, due to the prevalence of some properties over others, nations and civilizations today are in incorrect relationships. As a consequence, we have no chance to establish a good life either in individual societies or between them.

Just looking into the essence of things by means of comprehensive studies we will understand the process of development, and grasp how to combine the four main categories so that on the basis of their interaction, they will help bring the human being, society, and the whole world to the realization of evil, meaning to understand the cause of all failures. And only then will the world have the opportunity to be healed.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/28/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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The Crisis Will Bring Us Back To Marx’s Theory

Dr. Michael LaitmanOur state depends on how we evaluate it, according to what values. A person receives a scale of values from the environment. We started to develop due to the environment when we climbed down from the trees. All of human development occurs because society promotes that it’s necessary to be big, strong, and prosperous. Thus the progress of humanity began.

The development is only possible thanks to the community. If society had not instilled new values in us, in excess of what is required by the body for simple existence, we would have remained as animals. We are no different from them except for the element of competition, which we are engaged in amongst ourselves, a development due to the environment.

The environment is evolving and we are developing together with it. This development is not characteristic of animals, only of humans. A special kind of animal that can grow due to the environment is called a human being in this world. And the kind of human being who is able to develop by means of purposefully developing his environment is called a Kabbalist. These are two stages that rise above the animal level: an ordinary person and a Kabbalist.

Kabbalists specially develop their environment to evolve due to it, as if they pull themselves up by the hair. Average people do not do that. Society develops and pulls them in different directions in the same plane of this world, but not towards qualitatively new values.

Thus, humanity evolves naturally until it comes to a crisis. The development based on competition leads to the situation when a part of humanity is insanely enriched and the other completely impoverished. The situation becomes critical because no middle layer is left. We have already passed the stage when society had hoped to achieve universal prosperity, the realization of the American dream that promised everyone abundance for his work.

But this is impossible; human egoism will not let the rich sacrifice even a bit. It will force them to keep 100% of their wealth. The most they will tear from themselves for the poor is 0.1% only so the poor can somehow survive and serve the rich, but not more.

So, we return to Marx’s theory because our ego separates us to the antagonistic poles between which war is inevitable. The attempt to build a developed post-industrial welfare society has failed because in this case someone has to sacrifice his profit; the rich should share with the poor. And why should they suddenly agree to that if it’s possible to squeeze out of the poor everything and leave only a minimum so they will not starve to death?

Our egoism deprives us of reason; you look at the world and are amazed by what happens in it: The rich are killing themselves by their actions, risking their own lives. But they cannot stop. The ego is growing and forcing them to act in this manner.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/18/13, Writings of Rabash

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“The Declining Demand For Husbands”

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from The New York Times): “Once upon a time women seemed more eager than men to marry. Today such generalizations no longer apply.

“Is it women’s preferences (the demand for husbands) or men’s preferences (the supply of husbands) that are driving the trend toward less marriage? It’s hard to tell, but some gender asymmetries are apparent. For instance, a recent poll of unmarried blacks of prime marrying age found that only 25 percent of women were seeking a long-term relationship compared with 43 percent of men. …

“As a contractual commitment, marriage has a price. It offers both costs and benefits to potential partners. The contract involves commitments for financial support and family care on terms that can be completely egalitarian. …

“Women are willing to pay a higher price for marriage than men if they have few alternatives, as when their opportunities for economic independence are restricted. An increase in the supply of women who want to marry drives the price of marriage down for men.

“If the supply of women who want to marry decreases, the terms of marriage move in favor of women. They are likely to receive a larger share of joint income and leisure time. Husbands become more likely to relinquish some decision-making power and do more housework and child care.

“Marriage market dynamics mean that a bride’s bargaining power is partly determined by the number of other choices her groom has (and vice versa). The changing terms of marriage complicate the effects of women’s improved economic position. On the one hand, men should like the prospect of sharing income with a high-earning woman. On the other hand, they may find it difficult to adjust to a new social role. …

“These economists also contend that couples in which the wife earns more than the husband are less satisfied with their marriage and are more likely to divorce. …

“The demand for long-term commitments seems to be steadily declining among both women and men. Philip Cohen persuasively asserts that we should stop bemoaning this change and adapt to a world in which fewer adults marry.”

My Comment: The family is the foundation of civilization and it will exist as long civilization exists. In the past, Bolsheviks dreamed of free sex and raising children in boarding schools, but nature always returns everything to its place. The main thing is to constantly try to strive for harmony with nature by studying it.
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The Depressed Generation

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from DailyMail): “The use of antidepressant medication in the UK has increased five-fold since 1991, new data reveals. It also showed that the use of such drugs had increased by 20 per cent each year across Europe over a similar period. This increase in uptake across Europe was found to have coincided with a gradual decline in suicide rates. …

“Between 1995 and 2009, the use of antidepressants across Europe increased by almost 20 per cent per year on average, with a corresponding 0.8 per cent annual reduction in the suicide rate.

“Sweden, Norway and Slovakia have seen the largest growth in antidepressant usage with an 1000 per cent increase in Sweden’s case between 1980 and 2009 – while the lowest growths have been recorded in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bulgaria, France and Luxembourg.

“The United Kingdom has recorded a five-fold increase (495 per cent) in the use of antidepressants since 1991 and a 14 per cent fall in suicide rates over the same period.”

My Comment: Everything is heading towards legalizing drugs. This is the only thing that can explain strong anti-smoking advertising: drugs instead of regular cigarettes. The elite is concerned about how to calm the population.
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The Fading Hope For Peace

Dr. Michael LaitmanIf you ask people in different countries whether they have hope for peace, it is hard to say what their honest answer would be. Many have completely despaired of good expectations and do not know what can help them. This applies equally to the “big and small of this world.” Despair overcomes everyone and we seemingly have forgotten basic things: Creating a family, having children, looking to the future… Humanity faces a serious problem, and apparently, it should bring people to a certain decision.

In the meantime hopes for a good tomorrow are melting, not to mention peace on Earth. Actually, the word “peace” in Hebrew (“Shalom”) is perfection (“Shlemut”).

At the beginning of the last century, as well as in the middle, at the end of the Second World War, there were high hopes for prosperity and progress, even for a breakthrough to the stars. But it all ended very quickly; today many would prefer not to think about tomorrow. Today, there is no more goal that attracts people. The human being without a purpose turns into a beast again…

We can observe firsthand how humanity is sinking, slips down in self-awareness and self-esteem, despite all the demagoguery of beautiful words. The spirit of life leaves and although various “masters of the world” are very much afraid of this trend that leaves people feeling helpless, they have nothing to give to people so they calm down and become satisfied with life.

All this can lead to big explosions. If a person has nothing to lose, he is capable of anything. He feels bad not so much because of material deprivation, but because there is nothing by what he can satisfy his human need to know the cause and purpose of existence.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/24/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Destructive Peace-Making

Dr. Michael LaitmanAny attempts to establish peace before we are corrected leads to destruction. “Peace” among egoists just prevents them from correcting the situation. Only the category of truth can be worse when it is realized without proper preparation.

In general, these are the real vessels, desires, behind those categories, which are better not to reveal until we have obtained the screen (Masach). For example, if right now we begin to treat each other from the position of truth, then no one will be able to get along with anyone. In reality we are all different, everyone confronts others, everyone is able to receive only what it is good for him and reject what is bad for him, thus, on a whole, a terrible situation develops.

The spiritual laws of human society are a “deadly poison” until we turn them into the “elixir of life.” And that is why today the whole world is gradually sinking. In general, until today, only troubles pushed us forward and now we were given an opportunity to advance along the right path, the path of unity. We can already feel something in the fog, to recognize the way, to step on the path of acceleration, the Reshimot of which are slightly revealed in us. But anyway, the higher the spiritual categories are, the more powerful their destructive potential is in the event of incorrect use in the uncorrected vessels, desires.

Therefore, first we need to obtain the screen. Then in any case, “love will cover all crimes,” that is, I initially will aim at mercy and thus will be able to gradually realize the category of truth.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/24/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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