Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How would you use the Internet to improve your community?“

The Internet is equal to all, and if it would explain to everyone that we belong to a global system, that in essence we are a small village, a single system, we must relate to each other correspondingly and also raise the next generation. In this network, we must speak about the fact that we belong to a single organism and that we must change ourselves. If we discuss this on the Internet, then this huge mechanism, which envelops all continents and everyone together, will carry out its predestination. It will then serve to unite us. In all languages and on all levels, it will connect us and give us the sensation of the fact that is was intended precisely for this purpose.

The Internet is unique in that simultaneously, in one instant, in real time, it can connect us and make us into one connected bunch of people around the planet. I hope that this will indeed take place in the near future, and we will feel our tight interconnectedness and interdependence—including the means of information that act across the Internet—in such a way that we will discover how integral it is, and begin behaving accordingly. We will then change our culture, education, economics and our approach to life.

Based on a Q&A with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on September 9, 2006. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How could the technology boom of the past 70 or so years have been more beneficial to humanity if it were not largely driven by military or market forces?“

Humanity’s development happens by means of and under the pressure of egoism—the desire to self-benefit at the expense of others—which increases in humanity from one generation to the next, and in our individual lives from one year to the next. This is why such development is already flawed, and leads us to problems and misfortunes. It is why everything that happens in a mismatch from nature, unaligned with the altruistic law of nature, but according to our egoism—is flawed and will fail in the future. After all, such developments do not come from the postulate of care and love for the neighbor, from the understanding and realization of the fact that we live in a single integral system, where life and the world are interconnected as a small integral village.

On the contrary, we each care first and formost about ourselves, which is completely opposite to what nature demands of us. Our technological development thus looks no more like attempts and efforts to somehow fulfill our egoism. Instead of cutting it off from ourselves and correcting the way we use it for humanity’s benefit, we try to fulfill it directly. In other words, instead of bringing ourselves to equivalence, unification and balance with nature, we increasingly distance ourselves from nature. Therefore, instead of achieving delight, goodness and perfection, we experience amassing problems, crises and disasters.

If we thus use our technologies for the benefit of humanity, to correct humanity from egoism to altruism, then we will merit perfection and happiness.

Based on a Q&A with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on September 9, 2006. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Can a brain be connected to a computer?“

Unquestionably, it will be possible to connect a human brain to computers in order for them to work conjointly. And approximately by the middle of the 21st century it will also be possible to replace all parts of our body with different artificial forms.

We must understand that we are not discussing the inner part here, i.e. a person’s own “self” or soul. In the end, we are speaking about parts of our body, about that which is animalistic. Even today, by means of genetic and biological engineering, we have no problem performing all kinds of changes in the human body, replacing and removing organs. In all of its wisdom, there is nothing in this science that is above human abilities. Such acts are on the animate level, while we ourselves are on the speaking level.

Our problem, our correct, high and highly unique activity lies in ascending from the cares of the biological level, the level of the animalistic body, to the speaking level. We will then work in our soul, in the human self, which is above the body. Precisely there we will perform such manipulations that will let us perform actions in the soul called “corrections.”

As for the body, obviously, we will keep making such advancements as connecting our brain to computers, among others. In the end, it solely depends on technological development.

Based on a Q&A with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on September 9, 2006. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why don’t we get rid of intellectual property laws and stop restraining creativity and innovation?“

If we reach the understanding that everything we achieve and discover can benefit humanity and will be recorded about each one of us in our soul’s eternal account to the degree of benefit that we contributed—then the approach of guarding that which we discover and not wanting to free it would disappear.

There are such discoveries that people have made, which they do not want to open up to free use by everyone. If we were to understand that our reward is precisely in our giving to humanity, and that it becomes registered on our name forever—then we would act out of a reward not of money, but of recognition. Nature would treat us in a useful and favorable way, thanks to which we would merit feeling eternity and perfection above this life.

However, for the time being, we remain as egoists, i.e. people who wish to enjoy at the expense of each other, and fail to understand nature in such a way. It turns out that we use nature in the most egoistic way, for personal benefit alone. As a result, we live in a world where we each guard our intellectual property, and the world progresses via an indirect path toward its eventual balance with nature.

Based on a Q&A with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on September 9, 2006. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Comment: Irina writes: “We were born as twins. I always knew when to call Clara, when she was feeling bad, and she would call me. We never fought. Clara died, and it’s as if my strength was drained from me. I visit her at the cemetery, sit there and talk to her—this is my life now. I have a family, children, even grandchildren, but nothing brings me joy. Dear Michael, maybe you can advise me—what should I do?”

My Response: You have to break this connection. This is bad for you and for your sister. You should engage in living completely independently from your sister.

Question: Does such a powerful connection really exist?

Answer: Of course! She got used to it throughout her life!

Question: Since they were constantly connected how can she break free of it?

Answer: By understanding that doing so is harming herself and her sister, and that on the part of her sister, in fact, this connection has been broken. That is, she went somewhere far away.

I felt the same with my mother. Not all my life, but when she died. I felt as if she was carrying me in her arms all my life, and then she let me go. I was already over seventy years old.

Question: So, Irina should let her sister go. Is she holding her now?

Answer: Yes. And this is not good for both the deceased and the living.

Question: What does it mean not good for the deceased? She’s already dead.

Answer: What do you mean, she’s dead?! There is an inner state in a person that does not die. And the fact that the body has stopped functioning, so what?

Question: So she lives on, one way or another?

Answer: Naturally. Exactly right.

Question: And this connection definitely exists?

Answer: Yes. You just have to accept that they exist on completely different levels. They transitioned to a different state of connection.

Question: And have you transitioned to a different state of connection with your mother?

Answer: Sure.

Question: Do you feel her now?

Answer: When I tune in to it, then yes.

Question: So, the connection with the mother never disappears?

Answer: Yes.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 7/15/21

Related Material:
How Should One Relate To The Death Of Loved Ones?
Life Beyond The Boundaries Of Birth And Death, Part 1
Why Is It Difficult For Us To Bear The Death Of Our Relatives?

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How can architecture better serve the social, economic, political and environmental concerns of our present and future?“

The effectiveness of architecture, as with any other art, science and technology that we have developed, depends exclusively on the intention that we apply to its use.

It is not arts, sciences or technologies themselves that are good or bad. Rather, it depends on whether their producers use them for benefit or harm.

Therefore, when we will understand that it is most beneficial to take care of our necessities, and to give everything else to society’s benefit, then we will stop excessively using architecture. Just the opposite, we will do everything incredibly effectively, realistically, and will invert other excesses to favor human society.

This is a tendency that we will witness in architecture, and generally in all spheres of human activity. If we will change the person, then architecture and other arts, sciences and technologies will also assume a different form and appearance.

Based on a Q&A with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on September 9, 2006. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Is science 100% objective?“

Science is not objective. Science is objective only to the degree that our five senses, in which we perceive the world, are objective and independent.

We do not know the world outside of us. We feel only what enters inside of us through five “apertures,” the five senses. If our five senses were different, we would perceive the world differently.

Science explains that animals perceive the world differently to us, some in the form of spots of smell, and others in spots of heat and cold, and the list of varying ways of perception among animals goes on and on.

Modern scientific theories also say that the world is not objective, but the reaction of our senses to something happening outside. This is why we perceive the world to the degree of our five senses’ connection with the surrounding world. It is also why science is not objective, but absolutely subjective, relative to the observer.

Science in our world stems from the reaction of our senses to something unknown, which happens outside. Thus, in the end, science merely registers our reaction to what we perceive and discover. If we were to perceive and reveal something from the outside by means of a sense that is not inside of us, but on the outside, then we would perceive a completely different world.

Based on a Q&A with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on September 9, 2006. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What kind of genetic engineering should be allowed to correct defects and imperfections?“

We cannot stop development.

Everything that can be used for humanity’s benefit, in order to feed and deliver food to the most distant places with the smallest losses, should be developed.

Any prohibitions that we enact on genetic engineering will only complicate its development and make it more expensive. It will nevertheless continue to develop, but in such cases it will become available, for instance, only to wealthy people. However, if we let its development continue, then its fruits will eventually reach all layers of the population.

This is why we cannot develop anything that is not for humanity’s benefit. We should thus concern ourselves with upgrading our attitudes to the world, to appreciate and honor actions of benefiting human society, so that people will think more and more about how to benefit humanity, with full understanding of how interconnected and interdependent we all are. Then, those behind the developments of genetic engineering will also hold great concern to make its produce as beneficial as possible for humanity.

Based on a Q&A with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on September 9, 2006. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Question: Is it necessary for a person who is on the spiritual path to marry or get married?

Answer: It is desirable for a man. It is not necessary for a woman.

Question: How does one understand that you are with the right person in the family? This refers to the husband and wife.

Answer: This is the person who does not interfere with your spiritual work, supports you in this, maybe even sympathizes and takes part himself.

Question: How can a couple who begins to study the science of Kabbalah unleash the potential of a child?

Answer: Sometimes talking about these topics in front of a child, giving him books from our Internet library and thus determining whether he is interested in Kabbalah. I think that something will interest him.

Question: So, a child, like an adult, has some kind of freedom of choice in this?

Answer: Of course. After all, no one forces him.

Question: Can we learn something from a child in our spiritual development?

Answer: Usually children give parents many such examples. So adults have this opportunity.
[286251]
From KabTV’s “Kabbalah Express” 7/19/21

Related Material:
Kabbalah Is For The Family
Kabbalah – The Method For The Elevation Of Man
The Family As The Center Of The Universe

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My new article on Linkedin “As Desires Change So Do Our Brains”

The human body is not fundamentally different from that of other mammals, and certainly not from that of other apes. Yet hominids, the type of apes that evolved into the homo sapiens, have kept evolving to the point where we have leaped out of the food chain and gained not only absolute dominance over all living beings, but over the whole planet. What was different about hominids that gave them prominence? Nature instilled in them evolving desires. These desires are the cause of man’s perpetual development.

Since desires in other animal species barely change over the eons, other species evolve very slowly. Basically, as soon as an animal’s stomach is full, it seeks rest. During mating season, it seeks a mate, and after mating, it returns to the two basic desires of food and rest. Females (and sometimes males, as well) have an additional desire to tend to the two basic desires of their young, as well as their own.

A saying in the Talmud sums up the idea: “A day-old calf is called an ox” (Baba Kama 65b). Since a day old calf wants exactly what a grown bull wants, to feed and to rest, there is no fundamental difference between them.

But with a human baby and a grown up adult, they are worlds apart, completely incomparable. In order to accommodate the changing desires of a growing human being, the brain must constantly adapt to new demands. This is why we say that the need (desire) is the mother of invention.

But humanity is at a crossroads. Our evolving desires have grown to a point where we want to devour the entire world. As a result, we have developed the technologies and instruments to achieve it. But as we implement them, we are destroying our home. We must take control over the evolution of our own desires before they consume us.

We already know that planet Earth is a single system. The next phase in the evolution of our desires is therefore to learn to benefit from it rather than wanting to subdue it and destroy it.

We will know how to benefit from it only when we can sympathize with it to the point where we become part of it. When we become part of something instead of controlling it, we do not relinquish power because that something is now a part of us. We begin to feel it within us just as we feel ourselves. We do not restrict our control; we expand our perception to include the entire world.

When we reach that state, we will know how to run the world and ourselves perfectly. We will be in full control and everyone will benefit from our knowledge.

We cannot stop the evolution of desires, but if we know its direction, we can accelerate its pace and get to our destination quickly and pleasantly.

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