PART III.
A CATALYST MOVEMENT.
CHAPTER XXIX.
A SIMPLE PHILOSOPHY.
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After reading this discussion so far, some people may agree, if they were not already convinced, that capitalist economy has become obsolete and is a danger to our survival. This should be evident to the majority of reasonable people. But the main question that must now come to our minds is 'what can we do about it'.
All over the world, concerned people are joining into different movements with the purpose to solve our social and ecological problems. But most of these movements seem to be fighting windmills, as they are expending all their energies in different directions against the effects rather than the deep causes of the present problems. This is certainly better than doing nothing, but it is not effective enough in the short time that we may have available.
What is needed, in my opinion, is a catalyst movement with a catalyst idea based on a simple philosophy that can be easily understood and accepted by the majority of society. This could unite most people in an effort to transform capitalist economy.
The following is my contribution to such an idea; this is the main line of my thoughts.
The Human race is handicapped by its ignorance; ignorance and presumption have been the main negative features in our history; Ignorance and Presumption had much more to do in determining our development than the little knowledge that we had about ourselves and the Universe.
We became ignorant when we became conscious Human beings. But this original ignorance was not a sin, nor was it culpable.
We fail ourselves only when we do not do our best to acquire knowledge, and when we, in our ignorance, become presumptuous, especially when we risk destruction because of doubtful assumptions.
Different Cultures have developed in different parts of the world, separate from one another, unknown to each others. Therefore, we have acquired different attitudes, languages, customs and religions. These differences have been mainly determined by distance, by geographical and climatic environments, besides many other factors.
No Human being on this Earth, as far as we know, has had anything to do about the choice of his parents and about the place and environment in which he was born. Therefore, excessive pride and prejudice about race and nationality are signs of ignorance and presumption.
Only yesterday, because of isolation and ignorance, the races and Nations of the world hardly knew each others.
Today, by the development of Capitalism, communication technology, transport, etc. we have been brought face to face while our minds are still obscured by ignorance and presumption. We cannot avoid each other even if we wanted to; there are no empty spaces left, and for the first time we are forced to solve the problem of coexistence on this planet Earth once and for all.
Different Nations and Cultures torn by fear and suspicion crowded on a small planet a little speck in the Universe.
We need time to learn about one another. But because of nuclear and ecological dangers time and space are running out.
There is no doubt that we have much to learn from one another. In different ways we all have something of value to offer. If we are willing and have an open mind, we could strive together towards a better society, a society with many forms and beautiful varieties.
Outwardly we may be different, but deep down we share the most important Human aspirations, and we are bound by the same basic laws of Nature.
We will not survive if we let ourselves be blinded by our original ignorance, by our presumptions and prejudices. We cannot survive if we persist with the philosophy and attitudes of personal selfishness and antagonism. While we possess the technology of nuclear destruction, we cannot continue to act like troglodytes.
Thanks to the advent of Capitalism and the development of technology, we never had in our history a better chance for 'global peace' and `global progress'. There is so much to be done, and yet we may blow our chances and possibly also destroy ourselves. If we do, it will only be because of our stupidity, and we will have proven that the Human race was nothing more than an obnoxious mutation a virus on the face of the Earth; In the Universe, the judgment will be that a creature which called itself "homo sapiens" lived on a small planet for a few thousand years; this miserable creature would have been outlived by all other forms of life that it had considered inferior a definite evidence of its stupidity and presumption.
We need time. We must stop or at least slow down for a while and learn more about ourselves and our environment, solve our present problems, decide where we want to go, and then proceed towards the future.
During the last two centuries, after the slumber of the Middle-Ages, Capitalism has forced Humanity into a breakneck race without any real thoughts about consequences, and without a real purpose. We have left nothing untouched, Man or Nature. We cannot continue this race for ever.
So far only one third of the world has been fully developed into "consumer societies" and it is still developing further by draining resources from the rest. We can already clearly see the damage that we have done to the planet. Let's think now what would happen to the environment of this planet if the remaining three thirds of the world succeeded in their attempts to develop into consumer societies, as the industrial nations have done; nobody can deny them the right to do the same as they did.
Just let's try to imagine Asia, Africa, South America all producing and consuming like Japan or the United States - and yet, this is what they desperately are trying to do. Neither the developed nor the underdeveloped countries of the world can stop this race. Why? Simply because, by the very nature of capitalism, investment of profits in the production and sales of commodities must continually expand: Therefore there is no way that Humanity can solve this quandary within capitalist economy outside a world-wide fair and ecologically sound planned use of resources.
So far we cannot fix what we have done wrong within our present system, let alone plan for the future. We have brought about destructive trends that may be irreversible. We only start to worry afterwards, when the ravages of our mistakes are upon us.
Our ignorance is not a sin; we seem to have been destined to evolve in darkness. But today, even if we are still ignorant, at least we have begun to open our eyes and see ourselves in relation to our planet and the Universe.
Moreover if ignorance is not a sin, to close our eyes and our minds, to refuse to learn, to persist in our mistakes is the worst disservice to ourselves and the world of Nature of which we are a part.
When we are in doubt, and this should be most of the time, we should rather err on the side of safety than on the side of recklessness.
Why should we be continually pushed on without knowing where we are going? Our Earth should have a few more millions years of life if we allow it; therefore, Humanity has plenty of time, there should be plenty of time for our children.
We need time to sort out our social, economic and ecological problems on a world scale.
This is the most important point at present.
But Capitalism does not allow us to slow down and think about the future. It is an uncontrollable force that must expand and keep on feeding at all costs. When it has reached the physical natural limits of its expansion, which on this small planet are becoming more obvious every day, it starts to feed on itself , it tends to destroy in order to start again and keep on going. We cannot allow this to continue because our survival is at stake, and there cannot be compromise on this point.
Capitalism, during the last few centuries, has brought us very far. But, as we have discussed earlier in this booklet and we can see every day, it cannot progress naturally any more. It has become an impediment and also a great danger to Humanity. It must be discarded; this is not a question of philosophy, religion or politics, it is a question of natural common sense.
As we have said before, Human beings of different Races, Cultures and Religions are finally facing one another, and there is no more space to try to avoid contact. We are still influenced by suspicion, prejudice and hatred, the products of our ignorance. Now we must make the choice either to survive together or to perish together.
The first thing that we must do is an act of humility: an admission of our ignorance about each other and about our environment. Then we must find a common ground by concentrating our attention on the basic essential aspirations and the natural laws which unite us as a part of the Human Race. We must, for the present, stop arguing about those differences that have developed because of our separate developments.
These differences in Cultures, Religions, attitudes, as important as they may be, are not insurmountable. Often they are the product of conjecture, of dreams and assumptions. Today they should be losing importance in relation to the dangers that we are facing.
What is common to every Human being within any Culture, Religion and environment is the natural instinct to survive, to improve his life and the prospects for his future generations. Every philosophy originates from this simple starting point, and develops according to the requirements of the different factors and necessities of the different environments, and also according to the level of understanding about ourselves and the natural forces which surround us.
Therefore, we should go back to the basic features which unite Mankind. We could argue but we cannot fight about the rest of our beliefs. We are still ignorant and, therefore, each of us could be right or each of us could be wrong. The truth about our existence and the Universe may become clearer in the distant future, if we grow in understanding and wisdom. This is a continuous process that may take innumerable generations.
Every generation is a link in this process of evolution. We have the duty to promote the continuation of this process, and when Humanity will have found the truth about the Universe and the reason for its existence, we will be there.
This is why, in my opinion, the continuation of wholesome life on increasingly superior levels of understanding is the prime task and duty of every Human being. Therefore, it should be obvious that anything that promotes the continuation of Human life should be encouraged, anything that threatens it should be prevented.
The problem is that, because of our ignorance, we may not be able to judge what in the long term may be right or wrong. Therefore, it is important that we are careful and that we take time in our decisions.
In our progress we must leave ourselves a way open for retreat and, unless it is inevitable, we should avoid promoting changes which may be irreversible.
As we have said, the first basic aspiration of every Human being is to be able to live a meaningful life in the present, and in the future through the survival of the following generations.
In general terms, the 'Golden Rule' is the primordial natural law by which Humanity has tried to ensure its survival. 'Do not do to others what you do not want to be done to yourself': This is enshrined, directly or indirectly, since ancient times in every philosophy and religion. It was a form of natural insurance against the excesses of violence and destruction. Even if it has not stopped murders and wars, it has acted as a brake against the worst Human instincts; whoever has transgressed this law has been disapproved by the majority of Human beings.
The ancient rule of 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth' was the Golden Rule in reverse: 'if you do to others what you do not want done to yourself, then it shall be done to you'.
The Golden Rule is an ancient natural law. Christianity brought this law a step further: 'it is not enough to abstain from doing wrong to others, one should love one's fellow Human beings'.
What Christianity preaches is almost impossible for many; therefore the “Golden Rule” should be paramount: it does not require Love, but at least it requires Justice.
Most Human philosophies and religions since ancient times have professed a strong faith in goodness and justice, and Mankind, no matter how bad things may have been at times, has always admired honesty and virtue. Therefore, it is evident that Man has always aspired to be good, notwithstanding all his faults.
But at present, most people have been conditioned to believe that Human nature is basically bad and selfish. This is one of the main arguments in the armoury of the capitalist apologist. When all his arguments in favour of Capitalism have been defeated, he likes to assert that Man is selfish by nature and, therefore, no system based on cooperation and good will is possible. This is a general human attitude to think that everybody is like oneself; by the merchants' logic, only Capitalism can work because it is based on selfishness, but blind selfishness is the root of malice.
The promotion of this doctrine is malicious and dangerous because it conditions people to accept as normal the worst features of Human nature. It also creates the absurd situation in which everybody believes that he is good but that everybody else is bad. Consequently, everybody becomes distrustful and cynical and gradually begins to act against his better instincts: people reciprocally reinforce the negative side of their nature, while the best side is gradually suppressed. Honesty and virtue are derided, in capitalist society they become the handicaps of the "suckers".
In fact, man is neither bad nor good. Man is motivated by the natural instinct of self preservation, and the pressures of immediate necessity are stronger than the considerations for the future. Given a chance, Man will rather be good than bad, but he will do whatever he thinks is necessary for his immediate survival; at times he will kill, at times he will cooperate with other Human beings, whatever he may think will promote his survival. Necessity will mainly influence his behaviour, but his subjective perception of his necessity is determined by his level of understanding, which so far has been mainly his level of ignorance.
Since Man has acquired his imperfect consciousness he gradually has lost his instinctive innocence, and his instinct for survival has been affected by his imperfect perception of himself and his natural environment. Therefore, his instinct has developed in different, often negative and twisted forms.
The fear of scarcity and famine in a harsh environment has promoted the features of 'greed and covetousness', and the mutual fear of strangers and the fear of the unknown have promoted the suspicious and aggressive features in Human nature.
But this is only one side of Human nature that the capitalist like to publicise so much. There is a better side, and this is the more prominent in the majority of the Human Race: there is love, self sacrifice for loved ones and for ideals, good humour, compassion, etc.
There is more joy in being loved than being hated.
There is more fun in loving than hating.
There is more satisfaction in being useful than being useless.
There is more harmony in singing together than screaming at each other. . . .
Actually, if we consider our struggle for survival in a primitive environment with the heavy handicap of our original ignorance, fear, prejudices, it is evident that the better side of our nature has so far managed to surface and eventually take over most of the time.
For every bad person in our history there have been a thousand good ones, for every bad deed there have been a thousand acts of love and compassion.
Man wants to be good, but he is not allowed because of his ignorance and fears. So far, in all his attempts, he has not been able to create a social and economic environment that will fulfill his aspiration.
That Man has never given up trying is enough evidence of his good intentions.
Capitalism, in its present stage of obsolescence, is aggravating a negative environment that accentuates the worst features of Human nature: to be good natured is not profitable in capitalist society. Even as I think and write about these ideas, I can feel the scorn and derision that most people today would show for such feelings.
But it seems to me that if a person is not allowed to be good he cannot be completely at peace with himself.
If we can avoid a complete breakdown of what is good in Human society, in time, with more knowledge and wisdom, we can be confident that we will be able to build a better social and economic environment that may promote the best side of our nature. We must never give up trying.
To sum up in a few words:
Human societies have developed separately from one another, therefore they have assumed different forms and evolved into different Cultures; But their basic necessities and aspirations are the same. Now we have been forced face to face. We need time to learn about ourselves and about our environment. Capitalism is rushing us, it does not allow us to slow down and think, it has become regressive and dangerous. Therefore, it must be replaced.
All Human beings of any nationality, religion and race, to be able to cooperate, must concentrate on the basic features and aspirations that unite the Human Race. We must learn about one another and find the reasons for our outward differences. From this starting point we could begin to build for the future, with an uncompromising unity of basic principles and essential directions, but also with an immense variety of experimentation and outward forms.
Admission of our ignorance,
Humility before Nature and the Universe,
Open mindedness,
A continuous effort to seek knowledge and wisdom,
Good will to cooperate towards Human survival at increasingly higher levels,
These, in my opinion, are the simple requisites for a new beginning. These are the main attributes of 'people of good will'.