FROM 'THE ZEST FOR LIFE' by Teilhard de Chardin....March 23, 2018

An excerpt below from this book by perhaps the most genuinely positive thinking genius in modern times -  Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. This lecture excerpt from the 'Zest for Living' was censored in 1950 by the Vatican.  It was published after his death.

This enriching concept 'zest for life'(not the reality escaping 'positive thinking' of recent decades)  I think is very noticeably missing in most present emphases of prevalent disciplines of human knowledge, social structures,  politics   and dominant religious interpretations. Yet how urgently is such a genuine  science enriched objective optimism needed?

De Chardin's grasp of both a primordial  natural faith  within our reach and scientific evolution are the foundation of his seminal  works where  intellect and heart extraordinarily  combine.

A parallel blog  post:  https://jhibbett.blogspot.com/2018/03/a-genius-of-modern-times-hope-for-our.html?m=1

A GENIUS OF MODERN TIMES' HOPE FOR OUR WORLD.... March 19, 2018

For an objective person in our times it is not easy, and can be simply another fantasy escape, to have a hopeful view of  the world's future. I see in  an article today where even  the brilliant Stephen Hawking  predicted the end of the universe shortly before his death.

It may be the genius mind of  Teilhard De Chardin has left humanity with one of  the most genuinely grounded  statements for hope of any person in modern times. This is partly due to the fact that he was a man of extremely strong scientific conviction  and at the same time a person of profoundly personal  faith in both humankind and the universe . I think it is also significant  that he  had his share of life long human suffering brought on by following his deepest convictions.

https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/11/21/will-pope-francis-remove-vaticans-warning-teilhard-de-chardins-writings

It appears from this short article that now  even the Church, not able to understand him in his own time,  which  exiled and censored him is now seeing that his mythopoetic/science enriched  work looks like a jewel in the darkness of our overwhelming World problems. He expresses an assurance that  the very heart of evolution is pointing to a far brighter future than most any other areas of human knowledge, 'belief' and research are offering.

He describes today's most depressing realities as actual signs that the universe  is  far from any dead end but that the human species is being prepared  not only to  survive; but has  reason  for genuine excitement about the underlying positive meaning of today's most somber tensions.  He is saying that  our human species is on the verge of turning a material/spiritual  corner of  yet unimagined increases in personal and collective consciousness; a consciousness that  will produce a transformed view of reality and its potential constructive harmony. Where else  will one  get such a grounded and hope filled   point of view today?

A Parallel Blog Post:  

https://jhibbett.blogspot.com/2014/08/is-living-hope-in-humankinds-future.html?m=1

DANGERS OF THE INFLATED PSYCHOLOGY OF OUR PRESIDENT... March 19, 2018

Contemplating recent behaviors of our President on TV I have strong concerns. He appears to govern continuously like someone with a strong sense that he has found God and it is him. He seems lost from full connection to his mortal humanity. This is a trait that all cultures have expressed a fear of and have made strong efforts to avoid. It was referred to by primitive people as a 'loss of soul.' Unfortunately it has become , in our day for now, viewed by many as the sign of  a hero or savior type personality.

I seriously suspect such a felt 'god likeness' has been  his repeating inner lifetime experience . This is why he truly does 'see ' and understand that anything really important is centrally about him. And his judgments and intuition may be felt to him as being that of a god.

His words and actions are consistent with  such a frame of mind . He would not be at all conscious of such a psychology but only experiences it as a kind of ' god almightiness' exhililaration. He sees this omnipotence only in himself not in any others, even those closest to him. All others, he is now  repeatedly showing, are easily expendable. Demanded loyalty is completely a one-way street to such a person.

An historical person with a more common and conscious self confidence can have a great and constructive encouraging effect on many people. But one that is this extremely unconscious and psychologically unaware can cause a group   (previously sincerely frustrated politically, socially  or economically) to lose their sense of personally responsible judgment.

This psychology is not new in history. But it must be rare such a person is given so great a power over others. A personality like this in the power role of the U.S. Presidency is potently dangerous for everyone in its influence. And this unfortunately means the whole world.

This mix can potentially create a significantly large collective mass of persons who are fully taken in and  up by such an archetypal energy. They may willingly sell soul and integrity to be close to and energized by such power. They can become 'no longer themselves. ' It is the same kind of energy that persons in a cult surrender themselves to. It can mesmerize and hypnotize. And how inoculated it is against any on-going responsible self critique.

This situation can reasonably be seen as a likely death toll for a democratic  nation and its human  values and equal rights.  But it can also be a strong enough  signal which awakens a large  enough part  of a sleeping public to the social, economic, religious and  psychological dangers that are present. Such an objective awareness of the situation is the essential  thing needed to begin a  cross path to a more healthy and healing social, psychological  and political environment.