Researchers of the project “Our World In Data,” backed by numbers in their hands, ascertain that there have been significant improvements in the world over the last two hundred years. For example, at the beginning of the 19^th century over 94% of the world population were destitute, while today this number is 9.6% (OurWorldinData.org).

One in ten people over the age of 15 could read, while today 85% of the people are literate. Two hundred years ago 43% of newborn babies made it to their fifth birthday, today the world child mortality rate is down to 4%.

Indeed, we have learned to take care of our bodies and we achieve great success in doing so. But what is happening to the body is not quite what is happening to the person.

Before people used to fight for daily survival and seldom questioned its meaning. Today when developed countries are practically guaranteeing everyone their basic necessities, the question arises: “What is the meaning of my life?”

There is no answer.

With time, some people become really bothered with this question. No matter how much we try to escape it or mask it, the emptiness remains. Behind it there is not just a simple obscurity, but a problem for all of humanity: the absence of the meaning of its very foundation.

That is why, even though life becomes easier, it also becomes harder. Subconsciously we carry this burden of unspoken truth inside us, the blunder in the foundation of our consciousness.

We can certainly brag about our statistical indicators, but in reality we are becoming lonelier, even in our families, we interact with each other less and less. There’s a vacuum around each person. Instead of common happiness and prosperity, we are wandering in the dark among the shadows. As we prosper materially, we become indigent spiritually.

That is why people stopped believing in a better future, despite the increased standard of living. No wonder the percentage of optimists fell below ten percent in some places.

Unfortunately, not everyone realizes that the reason for it is the lack of meaning. But at a certain point this question will become paramount for everyone: “What is this all for? What am I for?” Then people will hear what the science of Kabbalah, which studies the higher level of the system of governance, says. There is no other answer, everything else is just a runaround and postponement.

So the question of the meaningless of life and lack of its goal leads us to the real revelation and ascent. When we penetrate the view of the upper system and start to consciously interact with it, our lives will truly become productive. We will actively participate in our own development, and from an unfortunate, lonely, small people, we will grow into a great, eternal, perfect creatures.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 1/30/18

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In the News (Deutsche Welle): ”The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) is one of the world’s leading white-hat hacker meetings and maker fairs, and its annual general meeting in Leipzig this week was a celebration of digital arts and technology stunts.

“What do hardcore computer hackers and technology freaks do when they get together in a big horde? The place to find out is Leipzig, and the time is now. That’s because CCC is holding its 34th annual meeting there, from December 27 to 30, under the rubric ‘Do Something.’

“Around 15,000 people are expected to take part in the sold-out event, some 3,000 more than last year. For Germany’s dedicated white-hat hackers and computer nerds, it’s the biggest, best festival of the year. …

“CCC is concerned with freedom of information, privacy, digital technologies, experimentation, and digital arts, culture and politics, among other things.”

Question: Is it harmful for society to have access to general data on any individual? Who can be permitted to have such access?

Answer: This is a problem. If society were corrected, then all information would be accessible and open and everything would be correctly accepted, comprehended, and digested, as in a meat grinder, and we would have a “nice cutlet.”

However, when society and various countries’ regulating federal organizations, their attorneys, courts, and the like, are only waiting to grind and mold everything to their own favor, then I don’t think this type of access is worth revealing. I think that in such a case the Internet will turn into a sewer.

If we open the Internet and pour everything into it, then it will be like what happens in our oceans; as you’re flying over, you see the mountains of garbage in the middle of the ocean. The Internet is also an ocean. It really can contain anything, but ultimately, even if it is endless and without limits, mountains of garbage will begin to accumulate in it, which will have the effect of slowing down the flow of information, creating spam, and so forth.

That is why I am not in favor of absolute freedom, but of reasonable freedom. We have to deal with the individual as with a child—allowing only what is beneficial for his development. If we allow a child to do absolutely everything, then we might cause him harm. So it is here.

Humanity is like irrational children, requiring education. At the same time, we can allow anything on the Internet according to the extent of education humanity receives. However, only based on the level of education—so that the individual draws from the Internet only what is actually beneficial for him and society.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman,” 1/7/18

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Social stratification is increasing in the world. The rich continue to rapidly become richer and the poor become poorer.

According to recent data, last year, one percent of the world’s population accumulated about one-third of the world’s wealth. Is this bad? Within the framework of human egoism, this is normal and natural. It is not about billionaires. Like all of us, they too cannot sacrifice their nature (The Guardian).

Our egoism is bottomless and nothing is enough for it. It is good that today we still manage to keep it under control and squeeze out some funds for others. Nonetheless, the general tendency leads to a dead end.

After all, a rich person estimates his success not by billions, but by feeling. He does not feel that he is rich because others are richer than him or because he does not own everything and everyone yet.

Paradoxically, with fifty billion, he feels poorer than before. There is no limit. He gives huge sums to charitable causes precisely because money itself does not satisfy him. By the way, we would be exactly the same in his place.

On the other hand, even massive infusions into the Third World did not help radically change the situation. Hundreds of millions are still starving and most people are far from meeting their basic needs.

What should be done?

To begin with we need to understand the essence of the problem, its root. Evil is not in the concentration of the world’s wealth, but in the system itself, where people are unable to change because they do not want to hear that they need to change themselves.

We are faced with history’s challenge: the need to radically renew human nature and nurture a new quality of bestowal to our fellow human beings. Only this will make us equal, truly, honestly, reliably, and bloodlessly. This is not a “one size fits all” solution. Rather, it allows everyone to realize themselves by benefiting others.

Only in this will we all find our calling and happiness.
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Question: Our entire world is based on lies that initially come from human nature. We trudge through it as if through a dark jungle full of deception, not knowing if we will get out. Are we always going to live in a world of deception or will the world change in the future?

Answer: Development brings us to a point where we can no longer live in lies. We can only lie to a certain limit, and then we begin to hurt each other so much that we can’t put up with it. We simply cannot continue to exist because there isn’t a drop of truth remaining in our relations.

We can then no longer communicate with each other nor conduct any kind of business. In a world built on complete deception, there are no connections left between people and so it falls apart. This is exactly what is happening to it today.

Question: How will the world be able to go forward?

Answer: The world will reach the recognition of evil, that is, it will understand that we live in lies and must reach the truth. The truth is correct, kind connections between us: authentic, not false ones.

We will stop deceiving each other; we will learn to say the truth, and will educate our children in the spirit of truth. We will want to be sincere with each other, and in these qualities we will discover the upper force that is the absolute truth.

It is with this goal in mind that we are placed into deception, initially finding ourselves in the shattering, in the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, under control of the serpent, and in complete lies. There is not a drop of real pleasure in our life—it is all only to escape from suffering. Even rest is just recovery from prior fatigue.

This is how it is with everything. We experience false pleasure because we just want to get rid of the suffering we previously experienced. Therefore, there is no good without evil first. In the world of tomorrow where there will be no lies, one good is replaced with another greater good, and everything becomes better and better.

It already seems to you that the previous good was not so good; after all, there is a better one. Today we choose the lesser of two evils, and in the corrected world we will be replacing a smaller good with a greater one.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 11/16/17

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The world is beginning to feel that it has reached a dead end. It turns out that there is no democracy, no liberalism. What have we come to from allowing the mass media and oligarchs to freely run rampant?

After a decade, they will again gather in Davos and proclaim: “Now 99% of the total capital is owned by 1% of the population, and soon all 100% will come into our hands. All the rest can die from hunger. We, of course, feel sorry for them, but there is nothing we can do about it. This is an egoistic path of development. If you dislike it, complain to the Creator.”

The rich themselves will say: “You want change, but it’s not in our hands. We are not at fault; we are the same egoists like everyone else. You would have done the same in our place. All the money has accumulated with us because the desire to enjoy obligated us to act in this way. Complain to the one who created us.” Perhaps then, those unfortunate people who have not a crumb left will understand that they need to turn to the Creator.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/25/18, Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 60

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Zuckerberg and his team are gradually becoming aware of the impact their creation has on people. Facebook does not deny that it can cause people to depend on and spread fake news (Ziff Davis, LLC). 

Now he also admitted that social networks can directly influence democracy, and not in the best way (NPR).

Nothing can be done here. The most powerful means of influencing the world is far too profitable. In fact, a social network can “install a new software” in any person with or without one’s awareness.

A person is a social being; he has “buttons” and “springs” that act unconsciously, but very effectively. Therefore, no matter what the social network says, what sins it confesses, it nevertheless dominates us and decides for us how we look at the world.

In fact, a social network is not only an Internet platform, but the tip of the iceberg. Thanks to it, “heavy” ideological propaganda is replaced by an inconspicuous and much more powerful psychological treatment. It penetrates deep into the subconscious and implants an attitude to life. Everything else is derived from that.

As a result, a person accepts everything the system is feeding him and remains an eternal consumer in its framework.

It is time to recognize the evil that sweet-voiced architects of “right” relationships bring to us. Our interconnection must grow out of the warmth of the heart, not from an exemplary charity. Cheesy ads and beautiful gestures help to “tame” our egoism, but do nothing at all to correct it.

The only way to escape from this influence is to consciously choose another “program,” other criteria for interaction and mutual assistance. With the help of Kabbalah’s method, we can create a social network of hearts, not users. We can really improve the society we live in, and certainly without any damage to democracy.
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In the News (VOA News): “Venezuela’s passage of a new law threatening up to 20 years in prison for inciting hatred’ is generating concerns about a growing crackdown on dissent.

“The powerful, pro-government Constituent Assembly approved the measure Wednesday.

“Assembly leader Delcy Rodriguez said it represented ‘a constructive law for peaceful coexistence’ and an antidote to ‘the intolerances, the hatreds that the Venezuelan right has unleashed.’

“President Nicolas Maduro had proposed the measure during anti-government street protests that rocked the capital, and other Venezuelan cities, from April through July. More than 120 people died in the almost-daily clashes sparked by the country’s deepening economic and political crisis. Activists often used social media to organize demonstrations.”

Question: Do you think these laws stop people?

Answer: In part, yes. After all, a person is afraid of punishment. We see how people attempt to avoid it, try to create zones free from these punishments where it is possible to promote their ideas.

Nevertheless, it somehow works, but to a certain limit. After all, you cannot restrain a person with fear alone. We have known this for a long time now. Our development over the course of thousands of years presents us with a very clear outcome.

Therefore, I don’t think that it will help much. Eventually, we will find the same Venezuela in some sort of miasma, some other perversions, which are superimposed on the past along with these prohibitions and punishments. There is nothing good in it.

Question: Do you think that humanity will eventually understand what the underlying basis of hate is? Will it start dealing with that basis?

Answer: That is impossible to do because egoism lies at the basis of our nature. So only if we begin to correct it. However, humanity does not know how to correct it. Only Kabbalists know this.

Therefore, Kabbalists have no other choice but to appeal to humanity, saying: “What an opportunity we have! Let’s correct our nature!”

Yet, humanity does not want to listen. Never mind humanity, the Jewish people themselves do not want to hear it, and they are actually the ones who need to correct themselves first and to set an example for the entire world.

Question: Will Venezuela see it then?

Answer: Then everyone will see. If only the Jews would want it, if they would be able to hear and know about it…
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 11/9/17

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In the News (The Washington Post): “The Facebook founders purposefully created something addictive, the social network’s first president told Axios in an interview.

“’God only knows what it’s doing to our children’s brains,’ Sean Parker said in the interview published Thursday.

“With each like and comment, Facebook is ‘exploiting’ human psychology on purpose to keep users hooked on a ‘social-validation feedback loop,’ Parker said, adding that it is ‘exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with.’”

Question: Do you think this will not ricochet back to these people?

Answer: This will reveal the evil they are in. This is the only way. In our world, only through lies can we come to the truth.

Network consciousness is built to deceive and fool everybody and connect everyone into one single network managed by its leadership that sits like a spider in the center of the web.

Question: And do they also get money and power?

Answer: They get everything within their network.

Question: How can we turn it around?

Answer: We need to change the whole network’s program, direction, and aspirations, so that we come to a specific goal.

But at the moment, there is only one goal: to tie everyone and pull the strings like a spider.

Question: But didn’t you once say that all this, one way or another, was created in order to bring humanity to connection?

Answer: Of course, but in what way? These networks will untwist and everyone will discover a huge lie in them that kills people and does not give them any hope for a good future.

We will come to the realization of evil through the promotion of these networks. When we start to feel in our internal needs and in developing Reshimot (spiritual genes) that these networks strangle us, we will strangle them ourselves.

Question: And what will happen as a result?

Answer: We will abandon these networks and work on a different level—above them, in spiritual networks. This is the real connection, without any computers, routers, etc.
[219554]
From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 11/16/17

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In the News (South China Morning Post): “China’s online education industry has grown rapidly in the past few years, but analysts believe more business opportunities will surface as technology advances and capital pours in.

“The country could become one of the world’s most vibrant online education markets in the future thanks to growing household spending power, an undersupply of education resources, and the introduction of the two-child policy, analysts said.

“The market is likely to grow 20 per cent annually, reaching 270 billion yuan (US$41 billion) in 2019, up from 156 billion yuan in 2016. Globally the online education market will rise to US$190 billion by 2019, statistics from iResearch and Decebo showed.

“This means big opportunities for online education companies in China, which had attracted 144 million users by June this year, according to data from China Internet Network Information Centre.”

Question: What this means is that the physical connection between people will cease. What is the benefit in this?

Answer: I think that this is a natural development of humanity. Egoism has developed and is no longer interested in being connected with anyone. If a person wants to, he will go to the pub in the evening, meet someone and so on. And if not, then he won’t. Four walls and a computer will be enough for him.

Question: Everything will be through the computer? And will emotions also be through the computer? They will connect electrodes and a person will be happy?

Answer: That is what will be until an inner resistance enters into consciousness because the spiritual genes within us that require forward movement toward the goal of creation are expanding, rising, and  opening in us. When they demand their realization, we will feel that we are living in evil and a lie; they will rebel against this situation. We will truly start a revolution and change the situation.

That is, if we survive until then, because the world is tirelessly galloping towards self-destruction.

Question: Does this mean that all progress, and everything that happens, one way or another, leads to a person hating evil and wanting to break out of it? Does this mean that all the logic in this world is required only for this? And does the entire world exist only for this purpose?

Answer: It is only for this. A person will delete all the content on his computer except for our website.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 11/16/17

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Question: We see social conditions improve for people from year to year. Work conditions for the labor force 100 years ago and today cannot even be compared. Will social conditions continue to improve further?

Answer: The fact is that we cannot compare current conditions with what existed 100 years ago, especially in Africa. Today Africans are eager for Europe and demand that they too have a European standard of living. You cannot go to them and say, “How can you demand that?! Your fathers lived in huts with their goats and knew nothing else.”

Everything changes, demands change. People now are completely different. They feel the global humanity and their demands are already on a different level. Therefore, suggesting they “live like your ancestors” is impossible.
[219151]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian, 12/24/2017

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