TOP Quarterly Update #5: 12 May 2012
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I am going to call this regular email the TOP Quarterly Update rather than refer to it as a Newsletter.
That then poses the challenge to produce a regular Newsletter: perhaps every month, but what should go into it? If you have any ideas or suggestions, let me know. Otherwise, I'll confine my efforts to blogging, of which more below.
The planned posting of frameworks continues and contributes to a veritable explosion in taxonomic development. I have found producing and growing this TOP website exciting. Above all it confirms my conviction that there is something of value here, something that I sense has not yet been properly tapped.
I think the time is coming for me to take a break and look at many frameworks simultaneously. I would like to learn more about the common elements, basic assumptions and overall architecture. Such an investigation may lead to changes in Hub topics and perhaps other website developments.
Now let's turn to details of the developments since I last wrote to you.
21st Century Enlightenment
One of my preoccupations has been how the THEE Online Project (TOP) and the website interact with people and societies. From the outset, the HomePage used the strap line: "".
I have now developed this further by a simple explanation of the 21st Century Enlightenment. I was stimulated by increasing evidence that people are developing greater confidence in their own sense of themselves and how to live a life properly. However, it is important that some people, the leaders of the emerging movement, become aware that we are not simply dealing with another bout of idealism or New Age spirituality. Something completely new is happening.
There are sites like The Daily Brainstorm that post relevant blogs: largely free of doctrine and filled with pragmatic common sense. Although aligned strongly with THEE assumptions and themes, these blogs are not themselves reflective. Also, they are typically focused on individuals and personal growth. They ignore many topics highly relevant to social life: you would not know there was a global financial crisis!
Because the changes that societies require are social, cooperation will be needed. But cooperation without using the right language and tools—as specified most clearly within THEE-frameworks—is difficult. It becomes impossible if people fail to understand the different mentalities that individuals bring to the party. THEE offers the clearest account of the essential differences amongst people when they are doing things.
In the 18th century, Reason had to fight Superstition. In the 21st century, Awareness has to fight Blindness. Modern day blindness primarily flows from a materialist and mechanistic view of human existence. Ken Wilber calls modern science «flatland» because it has no depth.
In the last big push to become more human, Reason won out—but it took time. Awareness will surely win out now—but it will again take time.
Blogs
My experiment with blogging has been enjoyable and generated some interest. The blogs are not planned. Ideas just come and I write about them if I think others might be interested. I wonder if there was any interest in my purely personal rumination on Offenbach
.
Looking back on my blogs, I notice that three broad themes have emerged: specific frameworks, the significance of THEE, and social issues. Here is a quick run through.
Frameworks
Because I have been working on frameworks that I loosely lump under the heading of «», preoccupations in this realm were inevitable. So I blogged rather generally about freedom and obedience, and creating a better world. I also focused down once or twice e.g. on purifying yourself because that seems to be ignored, or has perhaps been replaced by the fad for detox.
A major preoccupation has been to distinguish between a responsibility to our societies, and our broader responsibility to humanity.
An ongoing concern of mine is to get a better fix on the 3rd Root Level … currently named . Of all aspects of the , I have concluded this is the most closely connected to reality (whatever that is!) and to identity states. Speaking of reality, I found that it also forces itself particularly insistently on our attention during creative efforts.
Finally, the process of investigation seemed to deserve blogging about. I talked about the cycles of insight and disillusionment that I go through, and also how I find and correct errors. Some of you have responded to questions that I have put. You can see that I was stimulated by your comments, and I appreciated suggestions for a name. No-one offered input about my autonomy versus sovereignty choice: perhaps this was angels-on-the-head-of-a-pin stuff.
The Significance of THEE
I'm generally focused on THEE's macro-perspective: namely that being human is more than mere physiology. Of course, psychosocial reality is an emergent property of biology—just as biology is an emergent property of chemistry, and chemistry of physics. But some people study chemistry rather than physics and look at the enormous benefits. Some study biology rather than chemistry and look at the enormous benefits. So why is there such a refusal to value the study of psychosocial reality? There might be, or rather there will be, enormous benefits
One of my more popular blogs was an appeal to everyone to see that being human is special and different. I got into more detail in another blog drawing attention to the difference between dimensions applicable to physical reality and those suited to existing as creative human beings. There was also a blog challenging psychological research in to egoism and altruism; and another looking at optimism in being creative.
I am also seeking to develop the bigger picture around THEE. As well as an inward-looking concern to understand more about the architecture, I seek philosophical input and clarification. I ran across Whitehead, who would have been a great person to have onside. I have also been focusing on artificial general intelligence, a development associated with the amazing growth in technological sophistication, but posing issues that challenge humanity.
Social Issues & 20th Century Enlightenment
We are living in tumultuous times politically and economically, as well as technologically. THEE maps this and provides guidance. As part of the 21st Century Enlightenment, some people have to speak up and I do my best to discharge this duty via blogs. Criticizing current politics and the political system seems obligatory. I have tried to do so in a constructive way that offers solutions. It was wonderful to blog about Jack Ashley, a UK politician who could be admired.
I believe that the framework has a lot of social relevance because the different perspectives cause so much (unnecessary) failure, friction and hostility. But only one blog on this so far.
Update on Framework Posting
Creativity in Your Endeavours
The remainder of the structural hierarchy framework of the components of creativity was posted; and the tree was also completed and posted.
Your Better Self
Publication of this new series of frameworks has now commenced with a brief introduction. The first set of postings will deal with a . These can also be thought of as «» because they are nested within (6th Level in the Root Hierarchy). They have numerous ramifications and some of the material is rather speculative. Rather than trying to get it all perfect, I'm going to post when 'good enough'. I want it to be solid enough to be intuitively appealing and thought-provoking, and clear enough to enable specific constructive criticism.
Communication: Use of Language
This is the big challenge that awaits me next. It is a massive task that may well keep me busy composing and posting for at least 18-24 months.
Progress with Social Media
You can now follow THEE-Online on Twitter via for a regular daily flow of THEE-isms. Tom manages this program, and also includes blog updates, TOP developments, and references to social events and news that relate to THEE predictions or explanations. It's not overwhelming and, if you are into this strange world (I mean Twitter, not THEE), you might find it a useful guide. (My own tweeting continues, if somewhat haphazardly, but it is not a patch on what Tom is doing.)
Tom also continues with his personal adventure into THEE over at thebigpicturethee.blogspot.com
Watch him get his mind around ideas in the various frameworks, and add your comments.
Thanks for reading this far and supporting TOP.
Keep up your good work.
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