Success in anything can be achieved in three major ways:
By use of
- Force which can be either physical and mental
- Intelligence which can be either analytical or creative
- Goodness which is holistic in nature
Each may be effective in a specific type of environment. Basically there are three types of societies at different levels of evolution each using predominantly one of the above methods for success and happiness.
Force dominant civilization
Rationale for use of force:
Use of force is prevalent in a civilization which is at an incipient stage of development. Force can be either physical or mental. The idea of using force is to subdue others and keep them under one’s control.
Why other approaches not used?
People are convinced that nothing succeeds than the use of force. The reason is they have not seen subtleties at work. In such a civilization, intelligence is less effective in achieving success and goodness even less so. People are carried away by the effects of force. Since the civilization has just started developing, what strikes people the most are direct and perceivable results.
The nature of People
There is a fundamental sense of insecurity among people in such a society. Finer qualities take a back seat and are even seen as signs of weakness. Ego is not properly developed. People can become very adamant since irrationality is the basis of the ego. People’s perception of others is also negative and it is believed that humans are invariably fallible.
The nature of society
People live in a pressure cooker environment and there is competition in everything. People are judged by their outward or external characteristics and in essence only by those characteristics that can be perceived. The way to the top is by exploiting the weaknesses in others. Pleasure and comforts are most actively sought. One’s happiness happens mainly at the expense of another’s. Perversion is thus rooted in the society.
Intelligence Dominant Civilization
Rationale for use of intelligence
In this type of civilisation finer qualities are appreciated. Force is downgraded in importance. It is recognized that material aspects have their limitations.
Nature of people and society
People are more tied to values and positive values are well developed. Self confidence takes a firmer root. People are more able to cooperate and collaborate with one another. Society is more harmonious than the force dominant civilization. Competition in the society is healthy and constructive and people are less prone to stress. The foundation upon which people build their peace is strong. It is well recognized that selfishness among people in a society leads to self destruction.
Real Accomplishments
The discovery of reality that cannot be sensorily perceived or measured by physical instruments happens in this civilisation. Scientific discoveries and inventions go beyond the seen reality. They are also more in sync with nature and less artificial. Limitations that are thought to exist in nature are defied by better understanding of nature.
Hidden abilities of people are also discovered in a scientific way and used for improvement of self and society.
Goodness dominant civilization
Nature of People and Society
Finer qualities are most developed and appreciated. Human nature is considered to be innately positive. Interactions happen on trust and faith.
Real Accomlishments
Whereas space was conquered by instantaneity in travel and communication by the intelligence dominant civilization, time would be mastered by this civilization. Scientific discoveries would make it possible to work on energies in the future and alter the events in the future within the limitations imposed by reality. Creation energies that can remove the effects of force and intelligence happen, since the latter two would be considered as sub optimal energies and need to give way to more subtle energies.
Society reaches the maximum potential possible in terms of accomplishments. At this point the external world is conquered and the society rules the entire universe.
Please Note: The guideline suggestions that we will be giving about thinking and behavior are to those who want to improve their spirituality. This will be ill-suited for those who are on the other way of evolution which is through the use of force and who keep refining their ways. The whole theory and dynamics become different than what we espouse here and we are not going to talk about it in this course. We talk about everything from the perspective of spiritual evolution.
We are a force dominant society because we see all the characteristics of such a society in ours. One may argue that we use intelligence in our discoveries and inventions but I would say we would be graduating to the level of the intelligence dominated society only if we break or defy any physical law such as the speed of travel or communication and we use a discovery or invention in a constructive way at all times.
Our psyche also therefore remains at that basic level though there are people whose nature is well evolved but veiled by the effects of our times.
Whether we are limited by our nature or limited by our environment, we need to move on and we know what our final objective should be. Externally we need to conquer the vast space and time and inwardly we need to conquer our straying senses and mind. The mechanics are different for each though both take us to the same destination.
Technology dominant societies choose the first route while spiritually inclined societies choose the latter route though a society needs to be developed to at least some extent in both.
