Print

If you ask someone of their existential objectives, plans and values, it will become evident that predominantly these ideas are material in nature and primarily associated to cyclic consumption. This is the biggest pitfall of the modern society! People whirl throughout this consumeristic bustle without paying any attention to their inner feelings and inclinations, without asking few simple questions - is that what makes me happy? Is that what brings me joy? Is that what offers the most creative self-gratification in my life?

This article attempts to review the issue of moral values and human self-development during an era of materialistic consumption. It is offered that a transcendent objective be set, which implies the existence of certain values and principles, the scope of which goes far beyond any egocentric interest, as a mechanism, capable of overcoming the mental and emotional stress, caused by the realities of modern society, implementing the creative human necessities.

Additionally, it is recommended that intellectual and altruistic principles be widespread globally, by means of network of multiple International Informational Altruism and Intellect Development Centers (IIAIDC's) establishment in different countries as an alternative transcendent purpose.

Have you ever wondered why the selfish human nature is so much pronounced in the modern social economic model? How can we retain the psycho-emotional health, clemency and responsiveness in the era of fierce competition at all levels of our society? Which principles can be laid in the foundation of a future human community as a new type of truly human relations? It is obvious that the future of humankind – is a unifying association rather than disintegration. By providing answers to these questions, we will become a little closer to the paradigm of unity between all people on Earth. I tend to perceive everything sensuously at first, but later on, I usually tend to add logic, analysis and reasoning.

In the work process moral relations between personalities arise from the moment when one begins to see in another their own virtues, when the other person becomes as a mirror to them. It is on these moral relationships in the collective that vocational self-education is built. Truly Human life commences from the moment, when people not simply act in the manner they consider the best for themselves, but when they consciously behave in a manner, taking into account everything, which is necessary for the common good. 
Vasily Aleksandrovich Sukhomlinsky

The consumer society as it is.

Currently, in the era of consumption, success in life, above all, is measured by the financial worthiness and high social status as primary existential objectives for most people. Money can buy the most important values in the modern world. Hence, the more money you have, the more successful and recognized you are. That also means that the more money you have, the more you can consume.

The entire spectrum of consumer goods – from food, telephone and transportation to the most expensive and luxurious comfort items and services, requires monetary payment. The more of these items or services you want, the more money you need to have. House, car, vacation, computer, yacht and other attributes of material well-being - all these advertisements are virtually "screaming" from street tabloid boards, subway and bus cars, TV, radio and the Internet.  That is why human life has literally become a race for more consumption.

Sheer survival takes up most of our time. Life is like a never-ending race. Time is constantly accelerating. The average day of most people looks something like this: a quick shower in the morning, quick breakfast, trip to work (unless, of course, your average day is limited), then quick rendezvous with children back in the house, sometimes a visit to bar or a nightclub. Oh - and last, but not least - endless scrolling through multitudes of various social network pages, all of which is again – quickly. As the next dawn approaches, everything begins all over again, like a squirrel in the wheel. It appears that life in the modern world has become more comfortable and full of various interests. The possibilities are endless. Technology allows for a more efficient management of time, however, constantly accelerating flow of Information does not allow us to experience even a hint of that assiduity.

"Such a rapid technological development, facilitating our existence, as well as various scientific discoveries that expand the horizons of our knowledge, without a doubt, is very beneficial and useful for all of us. At the same time, in this impetuous and reckless pursuit of yet additional discoveries, we have insensibly for ourselves, lost much of the better, immaterial and spiritual part of our existence: cordiality and sincerity, compassion and tolerance, benevolence and self-sacrifice, understanding and altruism. Indeed, we began to live more comfortably, more civilized and more sociably. However, something very good and precious that was inherent to our parents has gradually begun withdrawing from our relationships; moreover – many of our children do not even remember what that is.

I am talking not only about a gradual loss of many significant traditions, but more about clearly evident forfeiture of the very Idea of our mutual existence – something, for which that very technological race was commenced in the first place: to begin a more comfortable, but most importantly - HAPPY, ENTHOUSIASTIC and overall MORE SINCERE life" (Oris).

The quality of interpersonal relationships and, consequently, society as a whole, directly depends on people, living in a given society. People determine the characteristics of sociality. As the degradation of any particular human being occurs, inevitably (eventually) comes the degradation of society as a whole. Our obsession with perpetual consumption bears a strong capability of self-destruction.

At the beginning of the century, scientists have noticed a growing reorientation of moral values of younger generation in the world in general and our country in particular. The younger generation’s interest in the social work’s usefulness began to decline as well as their interest in spiritual values, such as benevolence, integrity, honesty, responsibility, intellectualism, politeness. Social benefit objectives were devalued, as the new individualistic model, correlating to a market consumeristic society, has powerfully entered the consciousness of people.

In my opinion, the primary reason for the fall of confidence in the state - is a hypocrisy of its government, when, on one hand, "bright future" and various social rights and privileges for people are declared, while on the other, the main focus of the rulers is directed exclusively towards their own enrichment, comfort and maintenance of status. However, that information belongs to a completely different article.

Doctor Lutovinov, PhD, in his article, "The modern Russian patriotism: the nature, characteristics and major trends," writes: "The social world of the XXI century, where Russia now enters, requires its own interpretation, associated with the change of the vector of social development, norms and values, as well as the way of life . One of the characteristic manifestations of spiritual emptiness and the inferior moral level in society, especially among younger generation, is a sharp decline in the role and importance of patriotism, as one of social values ​​of Russia and its heroic history. Following the loss of former ideological principles, which were set during 1980’s by the entire educational system, the younger generation has overall experienced the acute deficiency in the ideological and moral guidelines, as well as the system of values​".

Self-preservation mechanisms, or do we have a future?

The philosopher Karl Jaspers had attributed the crisis of spirituality to a lack of trust. "When everything around us obeys the principles of feasibility, the realization of the whole, as the holistic foundation of an entirety, begin fading. The world is no longer perceived as inherently positive unity; we perceive it in fragments, disconnected, and in each case, we question the credibility of each "Fragment": Can we trust the acquired occupation or profession? Can we trust the items we use, which are imposed on us by advertising? Can we trust the information we are fed, a politician, looming from the TV screen, and so on? The collapse of the once united world into fragments, has led to a crisis of confidence in the world as a whole".

At the same time, there are other trends to overcome the spiritual crisis! In the scientific community, for example, an outstanding physicist David Bohm believed that all of us need a coherent culture (from the Latin - Cohaecrens – “in communication”), one that is based on the common views and values of the entire global community. “Currently such culture practically does not exist, because people in the world are divided by the difference of meanings that lie at the basis of their spiritual life. If, however, we begin understanding the whole (“the idea of holism”, from the Greek – “holos”, which means “the whole”) as our primary set of values, we will inevitably end a tendency of granulation of meanings as well as the effect of militant fragmentation, currently separating all of us and dooming to loneliness and spiritual degradation.” Thus, an association of people is only possible around a common objective, when everyone voluntarily and consciously strives towards it. Therefore, we all need to exhibit such qualities as openness to a dialogue, ability to listen, understanding of mutual principles and willingness to sacrifice something for the common good.

The modern society has an evident crisis of such unifying ideas, which could inspire millions of people. At the same time, any stress and depression, which are widespread in our world, can be easily overcome through the common initiation to something magnificent, something that provides a deeper meaning to existence, some global idea - an idea that would lead, excite and inspire towards profound self-improvement. The realization of the future implementation of such large-scale dream would inevitably provide strength to abandon the vicious circle of consumeristic consumption of excessive material possessions. This, of cause, does not mean to give up everything material and become an outcast, living in the cave.

It implies the ability of providing yourself with everything necessary for a dignified lifestyle, while simultaneously devoting enough time to what is really important not only for yourself, but for other people and the surrounding society as well. It is important to learn that the most precious things in life are not the social status and financial security, but friendship, love, care, knowledge, insight, intuitive experience and simply any holiday, as the opportunity to be a part of various significant dates, events and so on.

A True Human being, above all, should strive towards his individual transcendental (superior) Objectives, utilizing various comprehensive knowledge, thus acquiring truly transcendental experience. In doing so, such individual should consider many currently dogmatic scientific postulates and beliefs as working hypothesis rather than immutable doctrines. That requires being tolerant, flexible, goal-oriented and responsible for everything that surrounds us.

Russian philosopher Gregory L. Tulchinsky draws a direct parallel between responsibility and the freedom from the influence of the modern world. "The freedom from the world is nothing else, but the direct responsibility for it. The wider the area of my autonomous behavior, the greater the area of responsibility. Conversely, an area that I feel I am responsible for – is, in fact, the area of my freedom, and the more ethical (freer, more responsible) a person is, the wider the scope of his or her responsibility".

 

Responsibility – is a measure of acceptance of moral obligations not only for own actions, actions of surrounding people in general and the entire society in particular, but also it is the ability to predict the possible negative consequences of own choices with the aim of minimizing, or not causing any harm to any collective Form of Self-Consciousness per se.

These perceptions, in their superlative representation, lie in the foundation of intellectually- altruistic principles of International Information Altruism and Intellect Development Centers Project (IIAIDC’s), where Iissiidiology plays the role of its theoretically justifying platform.

The core Idea behind the creation of IIAIDC’s Project is to construct an unprecedented and perspective outlook at the present state of things in our global society. This Project is expected to disseminate perceptions of a completely new way of life, values, culture, scientific and interpersonal relationships. As mentioned previously, intellectually altruistic principles constitute the foundation of International Information Altruism and Intellect Development Centers Project.

IIAIDC principles are applicable on both - the individual and globally social levels alike. IIAIDC – is a training platform, an incubator of new interpersonal relations, social formations and the new world order.

So - what is so new about this project? First – it is the association and the holistic perception of Intelligence and Altruism. Intelligent Altruism – is an inner belief regarding the relationship of ALL THERE IS as well as the desire to learn and self-develop in order to help people and the global society in general.

What kind of help – you may ask? The mere fact that we, through the process of self-cognition, liberate ourselves and other people (and hence the society as a whole), from own manifestations of selfishness, cruelty, disrespect, dishonesty, hypocrisy, secrecy and hostility – greatly helps to make our world little better. Another source of aid – is the profound understanding that changes, occurring within Self-Consciousness of every individual, in turn, change the entire surrounding world for everyone. The core basis of altruistic intellectual development – is the deep inner individual work within own Self-Consciousness. In any event, successful self-development should begin with a radical change of our own Self-Consciousness, in order to input into the global environment of only positivism and altruism, which is based on higher intelligence and profound understanding of cause-and-effect relations. Thus, gradually it propagates throughout an entire society.

An Intelligent Altruism - is the acceptance of the world and people with understanding and love. It is an attitude that we must try to cultivate, that it is manifested through our not only words or thoughts, but also most importantly – actions and choices. That is because a True Love requires a True and profound Knowledge and comprehension.

Without a deep analysis of the situation, exhibiting of altruism, stripped of any intellectuality, one can make a multitude of fatal errors. Intellect helps to manifest understanding and responsibility in any kind of relationship – interpersonal, or global. For instance:

Intellectual Altruism does not differentiate anyone or anything into "good" or "bad", "own kind” or "strangers". It simply considers everyone equally as people, who might require help in learning, developing and fulfilling of their inner potential, and it just provides that opportunity for everyone. Intelligent Altruism – is the most powerful mechanism for building a better global society. It is based on principles of warmth and humanity, responsibility and tolerance, openness and cordiality, honesty and cooperation, culture and traditions, providing the best possible assistance on individual and global levels respectively.

Summarizing all the above, it can be asserted that Iissiidiology helps to transform the transcendent objective from the category of "exorbitant" and “surreal” into realistically achievable and feasible, upon the application of the sufficient effort.

Moreover – the iissiidiological conceptions regarding the structure of the Universe, process of evolution of our Consciousness in it, as well as characteristics of future worlds and individual qualities exhibited by us there, let us to establish a truly significant objective not only in relation to our own transformation, but also in relation of the transformation of our entire global society.

Thus, this transcendent objective, which the above outlined Idea can very much become, is not only able to support everyone during difficult times of our existence and help to fulfill our lives with a new meaning, but it can gradually, unifying millions of people, transform the entire world.

 

Author - Illigllarass