Opinion: (Mohamed El-Erian, CEO of RIMCO, a global investment management firm): “The year 2012 is Europe’s moment of truth. If their dithering continues, European politicians will soon lose control of the continent’s economic and financial future. After all the excitement of 2011, it is also a make-or-break year for some Middle Eastern countries in the midst of tricky political transitions. Even the United States is being shaken out of its social slumber as concerns mount about income inequality and, more generally, the fairness of the ‘system.’

“In an attempt to shed light on the key issues in play, what follows is an attempt to identify four factors that could wreck the global economy in the next few years, and four factors that could propel it to greater stability and prosperity. Let’s hope our leaders choose wisely.

“European economic and financial fragmentation: As of today, the biggest risk for the global economy this year is the disorderly collapse of the eurozone. It would bring economic and financial activity to a standstill across the continent, cause widespread corporate bankruptcies and bank runs, and destroy millions of jobs. …A complete eurozone collapse would be both chaotic and an unmitigated disaster.

“Disruptions in the Middle East: The greater the instability in these two countries [Iran and Syria], the higher the risk of regional contamination and, accordingly, worrisome global repercussions. This could include surging oil prices, leading to an ugly global stagflation.

“Central bank exhaustion: Unconventional measures by central banks have, up to now, played a critical role in avoiding debt deflation and economic recessions in advanced economies. In the process, the banks have ballooned their balance sheets to previously unthinkable levels (from 20 percent of GDP for Britain and the United States to 30 percent for the European Central Bank).

“Social unrest: Enabled by social media technologies that facilitate broad-based coordination, the world has witnessed an astonishing outburst of grassroots social movements that are pressing for greater social justice… Having come together on the basis of legitimate grievances, these movements now face the challenge of pivoting from complaints about the past to helping to build a better future. The longer it takes the pivot, the higher the probability of frustration and of the protests turning violent — and governments reacting inappropriately.”

My Comment: Everything is correct except for the reason for the crisis and its only possible resolution that stems from its cause.
[68675]

Related Material:
Bleak Prospects For 2012
The Crisis Calls For Leadership Changes
The Development Of The Global Crisis

Filed under: Crisis, Economy, World - No Comments →

Complete Transcript of the Introductory Lecture: “The Arvut – Mutual Guarantee”

We are going through some very rough times in the life of our country. The problem is that today people around the world, not just people in our country, do not know how to solve the problems that have risen. But the solution suddenly comes in the form of the people; this happens in different countries, and now we can observe this in Israel.

We do not yet know whether this is an epidemic of some sort or on the contrary, a certain good wave, which will bring the world to order. But people, living in different places around the globe, feel the urge to go outside and express their wishes and hopes.

This happens because for a very long time now, almost sixty years, there has been a tendency around the world, which points to the supposed end of our entire history: The world is becoming submerged in crises, which manifests in every area of people’s lives.

People are no longer able to create a normal family; this leads to the multitude of divorces, children not able to live with their parents, leave their parents’ homes early, and use drugs and alcohol. But the crisis does not only manifest in the family unit, it encompasses society, industry, economy, the education system, culture, and even science. Scientists themselves are stating that science has come to a dead end and cannot develop further. We really seem to have hit a wall.

Over the course of thousands of years, we developed from one generation to another with the assumption that our children will have a better life. We suffered, as it were, for our children in hope they would be happy. Our love for them forced us to develop and work hard sacrificing ourselves. But now none of this exists; today we are no longer convinced that they will have a better life than we did. This is why people no longer want to have and raise children: Who needs it and why? What will this unfortunate child be born for, to see this complicated and meaningless life?

And the understanding of the fact that there is no meaning or purpose to it literally penetrates our brain. We do not see a solution; we cannot find an answer. It is as if mankind were suffocating in their inability to somehow move. And the entire world feels this.

But the main thing is the financial and economic crisis because the common crisis manifests in it. After all, economy connects the entire world into a single net. Industrial, commercial, and interbank relations: These are the imprints of our desires and aspirations. In other words, our relationships are essentially measured with money. What can you do? Such is the world. This is why a crisis in economy is a special sign.

At the same time we reveal that our world has become small. Literally within 24 hours, a person can find himself in the most remote place without feeling much of a difference besides for the mentality of the people, which he can gradually become accustomed to. Things are approximately the same everywhere, everyone is connected with one another; people seem to lose their individuality. Besides the fact that the world has become small, all of its parts ended up being tightly connected with one another. And that led to special results: We saw that we depend on one another. For example, when something happens somewhere in Japan, the entire world suffers. And the same is true of the US, Europe, and any other place.

Everyone mutually affects one another. We cannot even imagine what would happen if the US were to declare fiscal default. And in general, can we even wrap our minds around it? The Common Market could fall apart in Europe, and this would naturally affect the entire world. Briefly speaking, we live in an unpredictable world, and on one hand, this causes pressure in society, but on the other hand, people are becoming indifferent towards whatever is happening, since they are not able to change anything anyway.

This indifference comes from the same connection that exists between all of us, because we all depend a lot on one another. But we did not build these connections; simply, the world has suddenly closed in on us. It was separated into a multitude of pieces, and suddenly it became closed in, suddenly we have become like a unified mankind on the globe, one family, and we depend on one another. This is a very big problem.

Today scientists, who study human nature, political and social scientists, already clearly see that we really exist in mutual total dependence to such an extent that no one can escape it. Scientists already started coming to these conclusions in their studies 50-60 years ago. But only recently every one of us started to actually experience it.

[Read more →]

Filed under: Crisis, Education, Israel, Mutual Guarantee, Mutual Guarantee Movement, Q&A, World - No Comments →

Opinion (Stanley Fischer, Governor of the Bank of Israel): [Dr. Laitman’s comments are in bold.]

“The International Monetary Fund predicts 3.3% growth in the global economy this year, and when I was at the IMF ten years ago we considered 3.5% growth in the global economy as the borderline between normal growth and recession. We are on the brink of a global recession.”

My Comment: We have been talking about the crisis for years; there is nothing new. It speaks only of shortsightedness.

“The big question is whether there will be a recession in Europe or whether we are facing a financial crisis. If there is a financial crisis in Europe, then so many things could happen such as Greece going bankrupt, or actually leaving the euro bloc with other countries following after. It’s hard to know.”

My Comment: The crisis will be financial; so be prepared for the worst because today none of the “decision makers” thinks about the transition towards an integral economy.

“The good part of the story is that they realize that they too don’t know what will happen to them if they keep the current framework. I was certain when I returned from the IMF Annual Meeting that the situation was difficult and bad, and they that didn’t understand what was happening there. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank has taken creative steps to deal with the liquidity and debt problem. There’s an improvement, but there is still uncertainty.”

My Comment: They will do nothing and will be able to do nothing, as has been the case in recent years due to lack of understanding of the trend of human development.

“Yossi Bachar [Israel Discount Bank Chairman] wants to send me messages, and finds it more convenient to use this stage. That’s fine. He wants to tell me that the capital adequacy ratio must not be raised. So I say to him: The Bank of Israel must not avoid raising it. There is the question of the rate of increase; we are aware of the problem, and I’m not fond of the expression ‘choking credit’, because that creates an unpleasant feeling, as though I’m strangling something, and I find that distasteful. We are aware of the problem.”

My Comment: This might be possible for a different small country, but not for Israel because it has the method of correction of the world, and without its interference the world will continue to slide down towards a Nazi regime and a world war.

“I respect Judaism, but this must change, the situation in which the Haredim [ultra-orthodox Jews], the fastest growing section of the population, does not participate in the workforce. Fewer than 40% of them work. This cannot continue, and it must be stopped. If it continues in the long term, it will be very hard for the economy to provide what people expect: life at a respectable standard.”

My Comment: If they enter the market now, you will get another half a million unemployed people, which will cost much more than today. We need to restrict various “political” subsidies instead of inviting them to the labor market.
[68463]

Related Material:
Stanley Fisher: Economic Theories Do Not Help
Joseph Stigliz: The World At The Brink Of A New Chaos
Warning

Filed under: Crisis, Economy, Israel, News, World - No Comments →

Not by chance is human society becoming more compressed, closed, and homogeneous. Apparently, this is a natural process programmed in our development. We can observe this from aside, study, and analyze it, but this is a fact. It does not matter whether we like it or not, but there is a certain process of development of our nature that we must undergo, and these forms must be revealed.

Therefore, we have no choice, and obviously, we have to build a more connected, friendly, warm society, based on mutual support and participation. All the ancient sources, religions, and beliefs say that in the end, we have to come to love.

People who live in nature, far away from people, say the same thing. They feel love coming from nature and its concern about everything that is contained in it. And we, relating to each other egoistically, looking through our own egoistic perspective, do not notice this love.

I once talked with Jane Goodall who lived in the jungle for about 17 years among chimpanzees; she received the Nobel Prize for her research. I asked her what the most important thing she learned from the feeling of living among the chimpanzees in the jungle where there were no other humans, and if they were ready to accept her as one of their own. And she replied: “Love, this is what I felt among them. Although they are always trying to sort out problems and seem to shout, but this is only to awaken love. And I began to discover the same thing in the trees, forest, sky, earth ….”

Dr. Jane Goodall and Dr. Michael Laitman, Arosa Forum, Switzwerland

She made such a discovery even though she does not have a sentimental character. A person, who arrived from a U.S. concrete jungle and lived for so many years in the jungle, slowly revealed that the whole nature is filled with love.

And here we really are facing a huge problem. All religions, beliefs, and various spiritual practices speak with one voice that a human being must achieve universal unity, if not love, at least good relations, without which humanity simply cannot continue to exist.

To do that, we go through this process in order to feel the need, to want to come to love, to develop new relationships. It is impossible to force one to love! I can pay money to buy anything except love. It is possible to purchase a polite attitude for money, but love is a very special feeling, separate from all other human emotions!

For example, I feel that you have become important for me because through you I learn, understand, and attain something new in life. You become dear to me as much as the subject that I want to get with your help. Thus, a good relationship is built between us.

We may enter into such relations with each other when we need to establish trust. Because I need you and you need me, there is trust between us, to the extent that I can rely on you. But if suddenly someone comes who will pay more and bring you more content and pleasure, all your trust and loyalty disappear.

That is why, we now find ourselves in an unusual situation. Our development has led us to feel that we depend on each other and are required to establish good relationships with each other, to the extent that we should love one another! Otherwise, we will not have the correct trust that is needed to achieve a good life today.
[68431]
From Kab TV’s “A New Life” Episode #6, 1/3/12

Related Material:
The Theory Of Internal Contact Between People
The Only Law
Would You Trust Others With Your Life?

Filed under: Education, Integral Upbringing, Love, Society, World - No Comments →

Question: Suppose the program to educate the unemployed is accepted. How long will it take until we begin to see changes in our country?

Answer: A couple of weeks. Of course, it depends upon the number of people who will study, but the changes will be rapid. Imagine how many hours a day a person will take part in the integral education course. This in itself will evoke great changes in him. At the same time he will be under the strong influence of the environment: millions of people who study daily from their homes, in community centers, in schools in the afternoon…this will be their main occupation, apart from the necessary part time job.

It would be enough if this lasts for several days in order for a great force to be revealed. If you hold such a day all over the country, you will immediately see the changes, and you will see how the people cut themselves off from the old life style and connect to the new one.

The changes will take place at once and in every area of our life: in crime, drugs, litter in the streets, etc. Think of how much can be saved just on municipal services alone. Even the number of sick people will diminish. We will undoubtedly feel this in everything.

Moreover, the entire economy will change too. Will we, the people, keep on buying goods in such monstrous quantities? Will we continue to subsidize the producers and the middlemen that inflate the prices? Will we pay five dollars for cottage cheese that hardly costs one dollar? We will sift out all the redundant things and leave only the necessary ones.

So you may ask: “And what about the taxes? Where will we get the money for social security and for defense?” You will see that there are the means for that. It’s wrong to build an economy on an endless cycle of enormous sums of money, from which the government takes a percentage of for itself. Just look at this ridiculous structure that produces not only goods but papers too.

The economy will be different. You need to provide security? Please, take the people and act. Everyone gets exactly as much as they need to lead a normal life. And all the rest goes to supply the needs of different systems, not financially but rather in the framework of sensible necessities.
[68307]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/1/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

Related Material:
Integral Education Is A Quick Process
Integral Upbringing With No Sudden Movements
No To Unemployment, Yes To The Real Work

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Education, Integral Upbringing, Q&A, Society, World - 1 Comment →

In the News: “European Union (EU) leaders have finalized a new fiscal treaty for tighter budgetary discipline and pledged to boost economic growth and youth employment in the eurozone’s latest efforts to combat debt crisis.” (Source: English.xinhuanet.com)

“Without economic growth, the problem of 23 million unemployed in the EU cannot be solved. Therefore, European leaders propose to rely on job creation, especially in the advanced science-intensive industries, energy, digital technology, and e-commerce.” (Source: rosbalt.ru)

My Comment: It is impossible to create more jobs, develop the market, and establish artificial workplaces where they will have to be reduced even more. The new EU program is designed to delay the time.
[68344]

Related Material:
Where Is The Solution To The Unemployment Problem?
How Can We Fix The EU?
Tackling Youth Unemployment?

Filed under: Crisis, Economy, World - No Comments →

In the News (from Time Business): “Capitalism needs a fundamental overhaul. …The most rational arguments have pointed out that not only is capitalism the best system yet devised for enhancing the well being of the greatest number of people, but that it is also immensely supple and flexible. But a surprising number of attendees (and these are the world’s most direct beneficiaries of the current system) seems to agree that something is wrong.

“The Arab Spring must end happily. …The powers at the very core of the World Economic Forum are interested in the Arab Spring as a matter of paramount global importance. (That said, among the regular attendees, the Eurozone is of far more interest. At one panel discussion on ‘The Future of North Africa,’ the auditorium was about 10% full. For a ‘Future of the Eurozone’ panel taking place immediately after, it was standing room only.)

“The Eurozone crisis will continue to muddle along, but muddling may be enough. The European finance ministers in attendance are all staying on message: Eurobonds are not happening, austerity measures are the way forward now, greater fiscal union is the end goal, and Greece will not default or leave the Eurozone. Interestingly, for the first time in a long time, most of the policital/policy/media hive mind is cautiously optimistic that the Eurozone may actually be starting to heal itself.

“China is still the star. Brazil has come to Davos in a big way. As has Mexico, and India, and Azerbaijan. But the panels on China are packed, and everybody wants to talk about China, and while the cult of the Chinese technocrat has long been on the rise, we are now reaching the full flower of absolute reverence. American business people speak in hushed tones about the new generation of Chinese leaders as if they are supermen: They are well-educated, worldly, wise, and compared to the haplessness and paralysis that western governments have demonstrated over the past two years, they are paragons of good governance.

“Americans and Europeans are pointing fingers at each other. Why is the global economy not in full recovery? The Europeans complain that none of this would have happened if the Americans had not taxed the global financial system when its housing bubble burst. To which, the Americans respond that that may be true, but they claim to have put their house in order and the only thing that’s holding America’s economy back now is European uncertainty. Then, arguments commence.”

My Comment: So far, most important is to demonstrate to the world that somewhere the smart guys are concerned about it day and night
[68231]

Related Material:
Tackling Youth Unemployment?
Business Leaders Warn Of “Not A Crisis, But A Disaster”
Roubini In Davos

Filed under: Crisis, Economy, World - No Comments →

Question: Why is “nature” the most commonly used word during these lessons?

Answer: It is because today we are finding ourselves in a certain sphere, which affects us and forces us to react. We are surrounded from all sides, and we have nowhere to run. Therefore, I call this phenomenon “nature,” and I clearly see one law in it that affects everyone on all the levels: the law of general equilibrium of global and integral systems.

The research of different systems shows that one law aimed at balancing the system is acting in them all. Nature tends to maximize a calmest, most comfortable, and balanced state. Like water seeks to fill the lowest level, so does nature. According to this tendency, instead of being separated, we, too, should unite and be one. Numerous studies conducted by scientists who research human society, proves this fact.

Question: It is clear that ecology and the state of our bodies depend on nature; this is our conceptualization of nature as a determining factor. However, it turns out that nature also controls the economic crisis, unemployment, and bankruptcy?

Answer: Since we are talking about the general education of humanity in an integral and global world, this means that we examine precisely this world. It represents a common system, and the concept “integral” means that all the parts of this system are connected to each other and activated by one law, one force, which directs them to connection and balance. This is what I call nature.

In other words, I don’t mean anything that does not pertain to the still, vegetative, animate, or human levels. I am only saying that all existent laws pertain to the integral global system and are under the control of one law:  the law of equilibrium, homeostasis.

We see this law in physics also: Each body strives for rest, stillness, a static state, and a minimal use of energy. This is how the difference in temperature and pressure reaches balance in order to achieve similarity. There is nothing to argue about here. These are laws of thermodynamics, which are taught in school.

I explain this to humanity so that it has a foundation for perceiving the global world where everyone depends on each other, experiences the effect of one law, and needs to follow it. My task is to bring humanity to this worldview. Thus in addition to upbringing, I also give you knowledge. People need philosophy, psychology, and broad knowledge. This learning process does not end with a short course; it continues for one’s whole life.
[67615]
From KabTV’s “A New Life” Episode #4, 1/1/12

Related Material:
Our Urgent Intervention Is Required
Two Forces – One Law
From Savage To Human Being

Filed under: Crisis, Education, Integral Upbringing, Q&A, Society, World - No Comments →

With each passing day we feel more and more that we live in a very complex and interdependent world. This is why we speak of the law that affects us all that binds us all together, and this law is called the mutual guarantee.

At first glance this law seems to pertain more to governments or large corporations. But does it also apply to the regular Joe? It turns out that it does, and from year to year we feel this truth more acutely. For example, if there’s a malfunction in one of the European or American banks, its consequences are felt in all countries, and especially in, say, China, which sells all the things it manufactures there. And this, in turn, impacts half the world. In other words, we have become so thoroughly bound by commerce, economy, and finance that we perceive these things as a threat to our existence. Indeed, they determine the availability of food, clothes, energy to supply residential heating, the function of international pharmaceutical companies, and so forth.

Today there isn’t a single country in the world that satisfies all its needs, whereas even 100 years ago all countries were almost fully self-sufficient. It all changed when India became a British colony, and the English decided that it would be easier to import fruits and vegetables from India via the Suez Canal, rather than grow the produce themselves. Instead they began to develop their industry. With time people began to realize that specialization—where everyone manufactures only certain goods —was the way to go.

In contrast, in the past, every individual factory would manufacture absolutely everything, starting with the smallest bolt and ending with the complete machine and all its components (motor, electrical wiring, etc.). Moreover, the same plant also utilized small generators to supply electricity. All these processes took place in the same location. But then began the division of labor: one plant manufactured bolts, another screws, another yet electrical components, and so on. And today every automaker receives their supplies from many different countries.

In recent years this trend was taken even further. Instead of developing the auto industry on their own land, Japan began to build their factories in Europe and America, its target markets. Japan continues to manage the production from afar; what’s more, instead of managing them directly, Japan is doing it via their representatives, which are hired right there on location.

Thus, everything became so mixed together that you can no longer tell who’s producing what. One country’s territory contains factories and gas stations that actually belong to another country. There are corporations with owners in several countries, each of which has its share. The economies of many countries have foreign investors , and the local governments don’t interfere since it’s advantageous to them. Their citizens get jobs, and everybody is happy.

And we thought that everything would continue developing in this direction…
[67799]
From KabTV’s “A New Life” Episode #5, 1/2/12

Related Material:
The Economy Of Global Mutual Guarantee
How To Live In The New Global Village
Waking Up In A New Dimension

Filed under: Crisis, Economy, Integral Upbringing, Society, World - No Comments →

We were born with only one egoistic desire to enjoy, and all else in life is not important to us. The same goes for a baby, coming out of his mother’s womb; he thinks about himself, he only feels himself and does not feel the world surrounding him. After a few weeks, he begins to open his eyes, hear, gradually activate his organs of perception, and perceive other people. And so he gets what he wants to from life, from his environment (primarily through his mother), in order to fulfill all of his needs.

We need to understand that this egoistic desire given to us at birth was received on purpose so that, with the help of habit becoming second nature, another altruistic form could be built above it: the form of bestowal and unity.

Now, we are in an opposite state; we are separated; each one of us wants to gain at the expense of the other; none of us takes anyone else into account, and additionally, we all are in opposition and disagreement with each other. However, nature has purposefully created such a negative quality in us so that by using the power we have at our disposal, we would build a positive, kind form of connection between us, precisely from this negative quality.

We will build it comprehensively and consciously. In this way, we will arrive at unity having created the image of a human similar to that general law of nature that is directed at bestowal: kind, and loving.

Then we will realize that this law is not bad, that all of those evil forces whose effects we feel in the form of adversity (such as divorce, drug addiction, terrorism, fear of the threat of an atomic war, conflict between countries, diseases, and environmental, economic, and financial crises), which seem to us to be negative impacts from nature, we realize they all are needed so that we can offset them with the forces of bestowal, the forces of our love and our unity. Today, if we perceive the impact of this one law to be negative, it is only because we are opposite to it.

This happens in our daily lives. If it gets cold or hot, I need to understand what to do in order to balance out these anomalies and bring the temperature to a normal state. If I were to submerge under water, I would feel a strong overload of pressure. If I were to ascend high up into the mountains, I would feel a shortage of oxygen, and I would find it difficult to breathe. Then, I would compensate for these deviations in order to balance myself with nature.

What means can we use to come into harmony with nature, which is demonstrating these various adversities? We feel blows coming at us from all over. Humanity feels itself united under the common threat that is befalling it.

We understand that our qualities are opposite to the qualities of nature and we must compensate for this and work opposite to our qualities.

If at the time nature exerts a negative impact upon us, we would overcome ourselves, correct ourselves, and correspond to it according to our abilities, we would perceive such impacts as positive and balanced. Then, environmental problems would be solved, family relationships would be reconciled, connections between countries would be strengthened, the economy would strengthen, and our lives would become happy and comfortable.

We are given these opportunities in order to gradually make changes within ourselves and between us. On this path, we will draw nearer to general nature and feel ourselves in overall harmony with it.
[67354]
From KabTV’s “A New Life” Episode #4, 1/1/12

Related Material:
Imprisoned By Egoism
Evil Robed In Goodness
Being Born Into A New World

Filed under: Crisis, Education, Integral Upbringing, Society, World - No Comments →