Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why is so much of the world’s food bad in quality?“

Our food cannot be of a good and natural sort because we strive to feed the entire world, billions of people. As a result, we are compelled to develop different genetic forms so that our food will not spoil quickly, and despite being separated from nature, will taste similar to natural food. This is why most of our food contains different genetic additives, and much of its flavors and smells are artificial.

As a result of this, we also observe an accelerated growth of the new generation. Why does it grow so fast, with different deviations, and differ so much from the previous generation? It is because we eat food with several genetic additives and alterations. On the other hand, however, unfortunately we have no other solution. We are obliged to act in such a way in order to feed and deliver unspoiled food to billions of people.

We have no way out until humanity will change its approach to life, so that we will take more care of ourselves, of the value of our lives instead of pursuing how to increase our earnings through so much of our activities. We will then be able to stop genetics from participating in the preparation of our food. Precisely the transformation of human consciousness from egoism to the general benefit of society will also lead to changes in the area of preparing delicious and healthy food. As usual, the human ego is the root of the problem in terms of the food we eat, and also the unhealthy, harmful and toxic products so many of us advertise to each other. Behind such activity is the desire to profit at the expense of others.

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 from Facebook: How can we distinguish between egoistic desires that I have and altruistic desires? Very often the ego takes on different forms so it is difficult to understand whether my thoughts and actions are predetermined.

Answer: Altruism is different from egoism only in the fact that you want to be in good relations with others in order to attain the Creator by this good connection. There are no other definitions. Everything else besides the small connection in the group that is aimed at attaining the resemblance to the Creator according to the principle “love thy friend as thyself” is egoism.

Question: Is altruism good or bad?

Answer: Altruism is the desire to do everything for another person, to determine what he lacks and to fill this deficiency.
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From KabTV’s “Answering Questions from Facebook” 3/10/19

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Are there ecological limits to economic growth?“

The question is inapplicable because even before we achieve a certain techno-ecological limit of development, humanity will destroy itself in a Third World War. It is impossible to reach the limit of technical development, because we evoke much greater problems with our thoughts and our incorrect attitudes toward each other. This is why there is no ecological limit to economic development.

In general, the ecological problem is not caused by our technical or technological development, but only by the development of the ego and its inherent evil. This is why the only possible salvation here is for us all to understand that we belong to a single body, to a single global system, that we are interconnected and interdependent, and thus we are obligated to take care of each other. As soon as we understand that we belong to a single system, one organism—at that very moment, all of our problems will be over with. We will then experience nature’s treatment of us as positive and wonderful, to the same extent that we treat each other in such a way.

The principle is very simple: The worse we treat each other, the worse nature will treat us; and the better we treat each other, the better nature will treat us.

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 it possible for humans to imagine creating a world without bloodshed?“

Changes in human society, politics, the economy, and other fields, without bloodshed, are possible exclusively by means of one principle: we should gradually change people’s outlook, public opinion, to counterbalance the modern egoistic politics. Thanks to the formation of an altruistic public opinion, where we prioritize benefiting others over self-benefit, we will change the way power acts toward us from egoistic to altruistic.

As a result of spreading knowledge of the need to prioritize benefiting others over self-benefit, authorities will change their opinion and direction. It will be difficult, but public opinion is capable of doing such wonders. In the end, everything depends on the knowledge of the masses. This is why before a change in governance, there must first be dissemination, preparation and education of the world in such a manner.

There is no point in waiting for authorities to change, or in turning to them so that they change something. They are solely concerned with their power. Their change will only come about by means of changing public opinion.

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 is courage?“

Courage means to stand up in spite of the world—even if the world is laughing at you, even if the world does not believe you, and even if the world does not want what you want to give it—and explain to the world with love, patience and high spirits what benefits the world, what brings peace to the world and what benefits humanity’s salvation today. Even though we cannot achieve such a state quickly, and it will be tough to explain it, and even though the response we receive will be a lack of acceptance, censure, a lack of understanding, and rejection—nevertheless we are obligated to bring the knowledge about the general law of nature to the world.

This is not faith, and it does not relate to any of the faiths, whether it be Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Confucianism or Buddhism. This relates to the general law of the universe, which is what the world is based on and the world will need to accept it. This general law of nature states that we are obligated to treat every person according to the principle, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Nature urges us to do so. We thus need to explain it to the world time and again through as many means and formats as possible.

In essence, treating everyone positively and spreading the wisdom about the need to positively connect is the greatest courage that humanity has. During such a process, we do not turn our mind and our pride against others, but on the contrary, we feel that we serve humanity, that we are beneath everyone, and that we need everyone, and wish the best for them.

That is true courage, and that is how we first and foremost defy our ego and make ourselves servants of the world. Only those who have overcome the ego can be real heroes.

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 should I do to stop feeling despair?“

If we feel despair, then we should seek the cause of this feeling. We ultimately feel despair because, even if we live to be 200 years old, we will still be unable to fulfill our desire to enjoy.

Our desire to enjoy is our nature. It pushes us to enjoy via our desires for food, sex, family, money, honor, control, knowledge and spirituality. The problem with this desire is that it is aimed at our personal benefit alone, so any enjoyment we receive is short lived, and we end up feeling emptier the more that we develop.

When we reach a state of despair from living, a state that all people will eventually reach, then in order to best deal with this feeling, we should seek a solution.

How can we exit the feeling of despair? We receive this question ultimately from nature. Nature is whole, perfect and eternal, and we too ultimately demand to be whole, perfect and eternal. We each face this eternal dilemma, and find no answer. Some of us might be able to pacify this question with psychological means or by making do with certain enjoyments for the time being.

However, the more we develop, the more we will be unable to pacify our existential questions, and they will pressure us more and more to somehow find their answers. What, then, can be the solution for our entire existence?

The wisdom of Kabbalah is a method that provides the following solution: we need to change the world by changing ourselves. The world is a copy of us. We project our qualities onto whatever is outside of us. Therefore, if we change our qualities into spiritual ones, i.e. to qualities of love, bestowal and positive connection, we will then feel a different world.

In other words, changing the intention upon which we wish to enjoy—from self-benefit to benefiting others and nature—is the key to stopping despair. By doing so, we enter into balance with nature and start feeling its flow of eternity, harmony and perfection.

Based on a talk with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Should we give up our civil liberties to combat terrorism/preserve national security?“

We need to reach a decision that security should be universal, i.e., all over the world. If we lack security, and find ourselves in war, violence or using forceful methods anywhere in the world instead of cooperation, then the safety of the entire world will suffer.

Safety is respected and valued if it does not come from any egoistic consideration, such as power, force and pride. If we all observe such a condition, then the world and every society needs to accept it as a truly just form of security.

What amount of freedom can we forgo? We must reject our freedom for the needs of security on the condition that in the future we will correct society, having achieved freedom and safety. Otherwise all rejection of freedom for the sake of security is flawed.

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 are so many people who live in non-democratic countries and dictatorships hostile to the Western world?“

Many people who have been raised outside Western culture feel it as foreign because they see it as artificial and as an accumulation of several illusions. Much of the behavior among Westerners is distant from nature. For instance, Western culture generally pays little attention to human nature, and emphasizes external behaviors like how people should appear in society, and this gives rise to much hypocritical behavior, where we appear to be pleasant and well-mannered on the outside, and on the inside, everything is the opposite.

In other words, many people who were born and raised in non-Western cultures see the extent to which feelings of pride and superiority prevail in Western culture, and it is also the reason for Western democracy appearing to many as a total failure in building a just society.

In addition, Western democracy is based on Christian values, which are unaccepted by cultures that accord to different philosophies and religions, such as Islam, Judaism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, among others. As a result, they do not accept Western culture and Christian values, and they feel the degree to which such values place society into narrow confines. Therefore, even when people emigrate to the West in order to lead easier and more developed lives, many of them end up hating Western culture and develop certain boundaries so that they can live according to their own cultures.

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 from Facebook: How can you love others if you don’t know how to love yourself?

Answer: You love yourself too much, and if you want to begin to feel the world that is external to you, you need practice loving others.

When you love others, you develop the attribute of bestowal, the attribute of true love, and you switch from self love to the love of others and thus begin to feel what is really outside of you. Outside yourself is immense light, the upper world, an eternal state that you are being led to.
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From KabTV’s “ Questions And Answer on Facebook” 3/10/19

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Should we have the right to choose where we want to live?“

According to the way in which nature develops us, we need to reach a state where we realize ourselves for human society’s maximal benefit, and with maximal effectiveness. As such, if we thoroughly research our options and find that we can realize ourselves more beneficially for humanity in a specific location, then of course we should have the right to move to that place where we can be of more benefit to humanity.

However, I emphasize that such a move should take place only after we find that we can truly be of more benefit to humanity in the target location. It means that we refrain from moving simply because we feel like it or that it “seems right” at a certain moment. Instead, we make our decision to move according to our awareness of the general law of nature, and how nature develops us. Also, as explained by Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), we might need to receive special permission from the people who understand where we can best realize ourselves. We can then be certain that where we wish to move is where we need to be and act.

If we move simply because we are bored in one place, and think that we can reap more egoistic fulfillment somewhere else, i.e. aim to move is simply in order to egoistically absorb what others have prepared in the other location, then by doing so, of course we do not become useful to society and I do not think that such a move is justified.

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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