More than 30 years ago, while engaged in a conversation with my English Literature professor, Mike Shea, he remarked that “education is so important - students should be paid to learn”. That idea has stuck with me through all this time, and now, I think I have a better understanding of what my professor meant, or perhaps, what I’ve taken his words to mean.
Material achievements are commonly viewed as a measure of progress. But what is human progress and how inclusive is it? Perhaps the highest form of human progress is individual internal peace - emanating from striving to attain harmony among all humans.
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From the microscopic to the cosmic - the mind of the human seems to have no limit for intellectual capacity. From concepts of governance to inspiring buildings and bridges - from the exploration of space and the depths of the oceans to complex mathematical and scientific principles. The steady surgeon, the aeronautical engineer, the combination of architect and builder - the ability of humans is beyond awe.
Throughout humankind, people have managed to master their fear and enter the outer realms in order to explore, understand and create. The irresistible human desire to push beyond the limits of possibility and seek out the unknown. From these efforts come the inventions of necessity, practicality and pure whimsy.
The efforts behind these talents are many times made with good intent, passion and genuine delight. People working to create something useful and realizing the satisfaction of contributing to their fellow humans.
Alongside the “good intentioned”, there are also many people that have created things for hurtful purposes. From inhumane ideologies and instruments of torture, to inventions that facilitate mass destruction and death. These too come from the creative mind and skill of the human - only with a perverse purpose and ill intent.
Human understanding and sophistication of existence has evolved over thousands of years with “good” and “ill” intent pushing back and forth on one another. Alongside the evolution of human transformation, the notion of working to accumulate personal wealth developed. In the present day, the idea of making and saving money is portrayed as a “wholesome” idea and vital to having a fulfilling life. From early youth onward, the individual is taught to develop the ability to make money, and if possible, accumulate personal wealth.
Just a few years after birth, money and consumerism is introduced to human consciousness. Before long, the effort to “make money” becomes the main focus of the individual as a means of survival. The cumulative effect is a world where the making and accounting of money takes up the majority of a human lifetime.
For all the emphasis on making money however, presently, and looking back through history, very few have benefited from working to accumulate personal wealth. Not only have the benefits been few for the majority, but the damage to our environment caused by the industrialized world is now an active threat to life on Earth. It’s apparent that the effects of working to accumulate personal wealth have contributed to human suffering and have deterred humans from reaching their fullest potential.
The tension between “good and ill intent” along with the simultaneous drive for “individual wealth” has led to the mixture of entitlement and materialism that is widely prevalent today. The materialistic tendency that fosters replacing the natural with the artificial permeates to the core of the individual - where humanity is lost to selfish interests, regardless of the effect on others.
Examination of Money & Shared Labor
Money appears to be the useless middle man in human interaction and a conduit for inequity and harmful purposes. It’s often said that something or other can’t be done because “there isn’t enough money”. However, money itself does nothing - it lies about as an inanimate object. Furthermore, people don’t want money only, but rather the goods and services that money can buy. In both of these instances, money neither accomplishes anything on its own nor satisfies the possessor of it directly. Money is only an object used in a system of exchange of labor for goods and services. Since people are the ones that do the physical work that make things happen and not money itself, perhaps eliminating money as motivation and compensation would allow for continuous progress of human needs and also the continuous production and accessibility of goods and services. This could be achieved with “shared labor”.
In a system of “shared labor” - rather than selling “labor power” for individual enrichment, people would contribute to human sustainability and receive equal compensation. Instead of the exchange of money as payment for work, contributing individuals would be compensated directly with the items of life that are necessary.
When labor is exchanged for money, the money received may not be adequate to maintain the basic needs of living. Instead of being compensated with money, with “shared labor”, everyone contributing to the human effort receives housing, food, education, health care and a share of material necessities.
The elimination of the exchange of money would help prevent those of ill intent from manipulating situations and people for selfish purposes. The stock market, compound interest, capital gains, inflation, unemployment (etc…ad nauseum…) - these are among the machinations and outcomes of the time wasters of humanity. Those who perpetuate a pretense that consumer markets and complex financial systems are essential to human existence. All the while, the world hangs in the balance of their manipulations or miscalculations.
“Shared labor” is a system reflecting human progress and development that strives to facilitate individual peace through mutual human support which allows for life/work balance for all humans. The goal of “shared labor” is the preservation of time, health and learning as the primary objectives of life, as opposed to an accumulation of wealth and personal material gain. The ultimate manifestation of human progress through “shared labor” is when helping one another is at the center of human existence.
A shift in human priorities from “individual wealth” to “collective wealth” can be achieved by an ongoing lifelong process of learning. Societies where self knowledge and awareness of Nature is pursued by all. Presently, education is a regimented process administered in a short amount of time. Understanding the concepts that are taught is superseded by time and resource constraints that push humans through the process of learning knowing little more than the basics needed to be productive in the workforce. The treatment of self and others - and the study of “Natural Law” and “Natural Right” are not the prime concern in the education system.
From the study of Nature, the understanding that striving for harmony among all is what brings individual peace - and the guidance to facilitate that outcome - can be passed on from human to human, from generation to generation.
If learning is considered among the top priorities of life and education is free and equal - then all humans will have a similar foundation to grow from. If Nature and knowing Nature is realized as the path to human enlightenment and the source of human comfort and consolation, then having a deep understanding of Nature and its relation to human existence will become the focus of humankind.
The study of Nature would help define what the priorities are for human survival and contentment.
For example:
Study of Human Necessity:
Healthy eating
Physical activity
Housing
Physical and mental health care
Emotional support
Study of Human Peace:
What is the proper treatment of humans at all stages of life?
How can caring for humanity and material progress co-exist?
What is the value of material possessions? What do they provide?
What is the value of Nature? What does it provide?
If it can be realized that contributing to the contentment of all people brings the most internal peace to the individual, then human existence will evolve to attain that purpose.
1. The sacredness of the finite time of a human life will be at the center of human behavior.
2. Practices that contribute to human harmony will be taught and encouraged.
3. The tasks needed to provide human survival will be shared equally - ultimately allowing for more personal time.
4. The idea of working for someone would change to working with someone. Most workers aren’t paid a wage that can support the basic necessities. Furthermore, businesses can’t afford to pay the wage that the worker deserves. The majority of workers are underpaid and live in difficult conditions in an unfortunate acceptance of circumstances. This is because people weren't meant to work for other people in a subservient situation and the economics don’t support this concept. As every human life is equal, each human contribution is important and deserving of the subsequent benefit.
Collective Wealth =
1. A well fed, healthy and educated population that has genuine caring for one another.
2. Societies of people contributing equally to the necessary tasks for human survival.
3. All humans supporting each other to attain inner and universal harmony.
4. A pursuit of the natural and simple, rather than the artificial and complex.
Synopsis
In the classic movie - “It’s A Wonderful Life” - the main character, George Bailey, is portrayed as a smart, generous and likable individual. However, when his financial fortunes are lost (and not even by his doing), his whole demeanor changes towards his family and friends and he despairs to the point of suicide. (It’s not until members of the local community all chip in that things get better for George.)
This movie has resonated with generations of people because it’s recognized that we live in a world where “happiness” is directly linked to how much money an individual has - and without an adequate amount of money, life is an unpleasant experience. This is an example of how existing to “make money” is a limited way for humans to live and a restraint on the human spirit and potential.
Enlightenment Rather Than Punishment
A vital component to the idea of “internal peace” is the implementation of enlightenment instead of punishment as a means of keeping human behavior acceptable to all. Punishment as a deterrent and means of change to “negative” or “unacceptable” behavior has not worked. The current system of penalty and punishment to maintain human peacefulness has failed as a motivator to encourage an overall genuineness of humans towards each other.
The existence of prisons in their current state is not consistent with "human harmony”. If a person has behaved “outside the bounds” of what is acceptable, then deep internal study is required as an active pursuit of individual “internal harmony” which is necessary for the harmony of all. This can be achieved with supervision and restriction focused on inculcation of positive behavior..
Positive change comes from study, accumulation of knowledge and ultimately enlightenment. Rather than having an uncaring police force and criminal justice system that deals with situations after the fact, a “network of assistance” can help people before they behave unacceptably. Systems that provide guidance, help and comfort can be established.
In Conclusion
When I think back to my professor’s words, that "education is so important - students should be paid to learn” - it resonates with me more than ever. The realization that learning is the only way forward to grow in life - that there is no more useful thing than discovering an idea or behavior that impacts life in a positive way - that attaining knowledge is not something to “get through” but should be ongoing throughout life - this has become my focus.
At the time of the conversation with my professor, of course I was aware of problems in the world and even studying them. However, at 21 years old (although I thought I did) I had no real understanding or consciousness of the struggle of humanity or the individual. Indeed, I would have to live through and be humbled by the experience of the world to begin to understand. But even moreso, I would have to endure my own mistakes. It’s when contemplating my own mistakes that I wish I had been aware earlier of the importance of "knowledge of self" and how to use that understanding to act in better harmony with others.
Life goes by quickly and time is a surreal phenomena. All the while, the troubles of living weigh on human emotions and distract the mind with unproductive tangents. In an overwhelming world of trials and tribulations, with no reliable source of intent, I feel fortunate at least to have had teachers whose impact continues to resonate within me. If I didn’t fully understand the lessons then, I’m grateful that they have come up again now. There are times I see my teachers in my mind and want to ask them to help me understand the lesson better. Many times, I’ve imagined a world where the older generation was a guide to those coming after, the love of humanity growing ever closer.
In my present stage of life, as a consolation for past deeds that can’t be altered, I find myself moved to impart what lessons I can, now and then, when the situation arises. Pointing to a way I didn’t know, but have come to recognize as a better path.
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NOTES:
Natural Law - all people have inherent rights, conferred not by act of legislation but by "God, nature, or reason”.
Natural Rights - are those that are not dependent on the laws or customs of any particular culture or government, and so are universal, fundamental and inalienable (they cannot be repealed by human laws, though one can forfeit their enjoyment through one's actions, such as by violating someone else's rights).
“The materialist conception of history starts from the proposition that the production of the means to support human life and, next to production, the exchange of things produced, is the basis of all social structure; that in every society that has appeared in history, the manner in which wealth is distributed and society divided into classes or orders is dependent upon what is produced, how it is produced, and how the products are exchanged. From this point of view, the final causes of all social changes and political revolutions are to be sought, not in men's brains, not in men's better insights into eternal truth and justice, but in changes in the modes of production and exchange. They are to be sought, not in the philosophy, but in the economics of each particular epoch.” - Friedrich Engels, Socialism: Scientific and Utopian