WAR AGAINST IGNORANCE! redux

 

Ignore (transitive verb) 1) The act of disregarding. 2) To refuse to pay attention to… to disregard. 3) To refrain from recognizing a given fact, statement or situation. 

Ignorance (noun) 1) Stubborn refusal to recognize a given fact. 2) The state of being ignorant. 3) Want of knowledge in general, or concerning some particular matter; the condition of not being cognizant, informed, or aware.

A couple of decades ago, the fledgling Tek-Gnostics media lab and pirate mind station published an obscure little pamphlet entitled: WAR AGAINST IGNORANCE. In it, we proposed a “Clarion Call” to action against one of humanity’s most pressing problems… IGNORANCE. In it, we put forth a few pithy campaign slogans, such as: War On Ignorance - “just say know!”

In the late 90’s, there was plenty of ignorance to go around. Today’s situation, makes the 90’s and even the 2000’s look downright enlightened. Today, the stubborn refusal to recognize facts has reached epidemic proportions. We are not talking about the mere lack of knowledge… we are talking about a calculated, organized, STRATIGIC disregard for facts. Such calculation has been weaponized to counter any fact-based understanding, within the realms of political science, climate science, epidemiology… essentially all of the sciences.

The current epidemic of ignorance has not been lost on Mother Nature, who sent us climate change and the coronavirus pandemic, just to remind us of our refusal to recognize the obvious… that the only sensible future course for humanity, is one of cooperation and equilibrium with nature, and our tiny, fragile planet.

 

Funny how Nature has a way of putting “in yo face” the very challenges we refuse to accept.

At times, other, overt concerns (such as coronavirus) have a way of obscuring our core issue of being a very creative-yet-destructive species who stubbornly ignores to obvious solution to our most pressing problem.

So here we are in the middle of a pandemic of ignorance. Given our current state, the Tek-Gnostics pirate mind station felt the urgent need to reissue our War Against Ignorance. What follows is the original, eight-plank manifesto, published so long ago, yet even more apparent and necessary today. Follow these eight, easy steps and wake up and live!

WAR AGAINST IGNORANCE a manifesto

1.) Wake up!

Think for yourself! The single most important factor in decision making is to be cognizant. Being mentally agile will allow that light bulb that appears over your head to blink on more often. Be smart... Incorporate the concept of Intelligence-Increase (I²) into your daily life. How can you drive down the highway of right action if you're asleep at the wheel?  

2.) Turn on your Lovelight!

Of equal importance as item #1. In everything we think, say or do, we must come from the heart. Advancements in Neurocardiology confirm the existence of neurons in the heart, as well as a networked interface with the brain. Temper your thoughts with feeling so as to balance your perceptions. As part of your nervous system, your heart is the mechanism by which you apply intuitive discernment. Trust your heart to guide you through life's ambiguities. When making decisions, do you listen to that calm, quiet voice within?

 3.) Leave it on!

Consistency in heart-felt action is key. Once you get there, the idea is to stay there as much as possible. Once you feel the groove, use your head and stay with it! Remember, the heart isn't wishy washy... And it is always right! A balance of head and heart will allow you to be in the "eternal now" more frequently. How often during the day are you in the eternal now?

 4.) Do unto others.

The Buddha claimed that compassion is the highest form of human emotion. Compassion here is defined as a marriage of concepts #1 & #2… using your intellect and feeling with your heart to formulate a "Right Thinking" and "Right Action". Think for yourself in order to discern all the options, and trust your heart in order to make compassionate choices. The golden rule applies here... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you... When interacting with others, do you see a separate being, or a mirror?

 5.) Nothing is so sacred that it cannot be made fun of.

A well-developed sense of humor is indicative of a well-developed intellect. Have fun with this. If you are having fun in your endeavors, then chances are you are learning. If you quit having fun, you quit learning. If you quit learning, then you will be left with only boredom. Every school child knows how intolerable boredom is. Are we having fun yet?

 6.) The circumstances are necessarily perfect.

All is chaos under Heaven and the situation is excellent (Chairman Mao)!!! Be mindful of the situation. Events in life arise. In life, there are some variables that are within our power to control, and others that are not. The myriad of variables associated with specific events are not always easily discernable.  Be open to the possibility that events, whether good or ill, may come about in some measure independent of your trajectory. Often, when confronted with a situation, how we perceive and react to the situation will dramatically alter the outcome. Is the cup half full?

 7.) Dare to be naïve!

This famous quote from R. Buckminster Fuller is apropos. Our outlook toward life and the inevitable emergent situations we confront is the determining factor in how we proceed. Cynicism can be a cruel master. If we fall into the bad mental habits of gloom, doom & disdain, we will surely bring those attitudes about. Beware negative vibrations! Be like two fried eggs and keep your sunny side up! Is it disquieting to be perceived as naïve?

 8.) We're all Bozos on this Bus.

We're all in this together. There is no "them", it's only us. No one is really any cooler or smarter or holier than anyone else. The best and easiest way for us all to make it (wherever that is) is to help each other. Lend a hand. If you see someone struggling with partial awareness, help them if you can. Wit and humor are our ammunition in this enterprise. A good delivery is our weapon. Can you launch a humor bomb without hurting anybody's feelings?

Feel free to leave your thoughts on the questions raised in each plank of our manifesto, in the comments… Cheers!

You say you'll change the constitution, well, you know…

We all want to change your HEAD!

You tell me it's the institution, well, you know…

You'd better free your mind instead!

Don't you know it's gonna be… alright!

- from Revolution by Lennon/McCartney