 Suffering then Activating - then path?
One premise of existing grassroots activism is that once people become aware of the exploitation of the system-for-the-rich, then they will be comfortable with some level of conflict with that system. So this leads to a dual approach:-
 Making people aware
Ongoing activism
Without awareness of exploitation, will people become active? What triggers this activism? Does the harmony of the path actually make a difference to the choice of activating? Or once activated is harmony just the most constructive way forward?
Where are people at?
Fundamental to the current activists’ awareness concerning exploitation is some notion of class. For the Marxist class only has meaning in the duality - originally bourgeoisie and proletariat, common parlance since Occupy 1% and 99%. For the Marxists there is a clear common interest within the 99%, and their premise is that once all these people (99%) perceive this common interest - the understanding of their economic exploitation - they will become activists - conflict or otherwise.
But people are far from seeing themselves as having a commonality within the 99%. Even intellectually class has become divided - middle class, educated class, professional class, working class, underclass, etc. So even those having a notion of class do not have an identity. And in terms of identity, the class is also divided with the self-interests of identity being seen as more important - understandably. The marxist core sees class as the commonality - as essentially does the pathtivist seeing the conditioning and conformity of people (99%) as part of the system-for-the-rich, but for most people the commonality of class is not a core understanding.
Conditioning and Conformity
For most of the 99% conditioning and conformity presents a delusion that is generally accepted, they will work and bring up their children within the existing system - whatever that is. Accepting this their lives are “full” with dealing with what arises to upbring family and dealing with issues that arise at work. For Marx himself it was those who were working as labour who would see the wage-slave nature of employment, and therefore develop a clear understanding of class. Through the type of industrial labour at the time the increased educational awareness needed to work in industry would start to see the exploitation and suffering, and their education would seek a change - the change Marx was calling for. However since his time - mid-19th century, the nature of employment has changed and the clarity of the exploitation has become confused. Why would middle management identify with being the same class as the workers they are the bosses of? Why would teachers identify as being the same class as the students they teach? And in terms of identity, why would women identify with men when men exploit? Why would black and brown people identify with white people when they suffer under white privilege?
Given that the 99% are conditioned and conformed then the majority of their way of life is concerned with some level of survival. And some people find the money to survive far easier to come by than others. Essentially for most people now, they perceive it is survival and not class that divides people.
Insecurity - "Thankfully my family can survive"
This is the division that we have been conformed to, fortunately in “my family” there is enough to survive. It is this insecurity that has been intentionally created, and it is leaving people feeling powerless.
Class analysis relies on people having security. Labour is required to produce the products that create the profits so initially the system-for-the-rich required labour. There was some level of security although unemployment was always built in by the system-for-the-rich - despite article 23 LINK to ADDON requiring full employment as a human right. But the system-for-the-rich developed from this and out of rich-self-interest automated - so that labour was not needed.
Insanity
For the system-for-the-rich, long-term it is insanity to automate. For the short term automation increases profits and the accumulation of the rich, what happens in the long term is “ignored”. The system-for-the-rich requires consumers, with automation there will be fewer and fewer consumers; what will happen? At present through government the system-for-the-rich provides some welfare - that is insufficient - for those not working, but with increasing automation there must be increasing unemployment and less consumers. It is insane to continue with automation without a strategy concerning consuming and full employment but the system is not government for the people but short-term government for the survival of the rich.
Scapegoating
How are governments supporting this automation insanity? Parts of society are blaming immigration. Rather than understanding that accumulation - the rich and their puppet leaders - chooses automation over humanity, they blame immigrants for taking the jobs. The system-for-the-rich chooses the cheapest labour, and develops immigration scenarios to cheapen labour costs. And then they give immigrants the fewer jobs at cheaper labour costs - thus enabling the scapegoat of racism and immigration amongst those who have no employment.
Insanity over Resources
Equally it is insane to run your economy based on dwindling natural resources - ask Greta and the kids. With climate change and other natural indicators we can see the effect of this insanity but instead of seeking sustainable use of resources insanity questions the science. In this the insanity of the system-for-the-rich has convinced a significant proportion of the people through demagogues that the problem does not lie with their system exploiting natural resources. Their insanity blames immigration and science, the people are turning to anti-immigration parties.
Truth and Changing Delusions
Increasingly truth is being marginalised, increasingly-false delusions are lauded as solutions and it is unclear what will survive. But let’s be clear:- creating false delusions is not a new strategy, delusion has always been central to conditioning and conformity; what is happening now are just different delusions. These new delusions have less compassion and less truth but the delusion-process is not new.
However unpopular the new delusions are to those who accepted the previous delusions - the “educated” who accepted the previous delusions, the process of creating delusions is not new, and the new delusions however insane are simply responses by the rich to maintain their power and influence. This change in delusion is leaving these educated (with the previous delusions) feeling insecure as their way of life is threatened, but it is the acceptance of the system-for-the-rich that is the source of the problem. The system-for-the-rich creates the delusions. Their created delusions intentionally benefit the rich, and they manipulate people to achieve that benefit. Those accepting the old delusions were not holding to the truth as they now claim when discussing the new delusions, they simply benefitted from the conditioning and conformity of the old delusions.
It is unclear how the new delusions will play out and what will happen to the non-rich when the automation crisis and the resource crisis truly hit home. But these are simply contradictions of the system-for-the-rich much like the contradictions that Marx pointed out.
Self-Esteem and Changing Delusions
When we consider our upbringings - conditioning and conformity, we recognise self-esteem. Through our upbringings we gain the self-esteem to survive and flourish in the prevailing system - within the prevailing delusions of the system. Insecurity is now arising for those who used to be successful in the prevailing system of delusions. Educated in those old delusions those who flourished developed the self-esteem to survive and be successful, self-esteem was built on this outer success leading to career and materialism within the delusions they grew up with.
But others also relatively successful in those old delusions began to lose their security as their self-esteem was tied to their jobs (understandably) and changes in the system-for-the-rich meant the loss of these jobs. This was the loss of jobs caused in the Reagan-Thatcher era as manufacturing jobs were intentionally disappeared through increasing automation. For a long time the self-esteem of these people remained dormant but then the system-for-the-rich manipulated the delusions to increase their profits through immigrant labour. At the same time they wanted to accumulate the money that was going to the educated classes - the middle-classes - so they used the dormant anger, and played off labour against these middle-classes through the use of demagogues - different puppets against the puppet governments. So whilst the system-for-the-rich increases their accumulation, middle-classes are suffering in similar ways to the suffering of the “working-class” 40 years ago.
Suffering from Delusion-changes
Within activism this also changed the dynamics. Before the delusion-change within activism there was an uneasy union between working and middle classes. For marxists this union was that of the natural 99%, but within activism it was not easy. Industrial labour saw their power in terms of industrial strength and how they could use that strength to increase their wages, whereas the intellectual middle-classes within the movement were more interested in class unity and increased conflict. Over the years these divisions have been exploited through immigration strategies thus greatly decreasing the power of the 99%.
The unemployed and the working-class in general were manipulated into supporting anti-immigration strategies. With improved profits coming through automation there were fewer jobs and through immigration governments brought in cheaper labour. And the working-class saw their livelihoods taken by immigrants so were conditioned to see the immigrants as the cause of their poverty and lowered self-esteem. They turned their activism to anti-immigration. Meanwhile middle-classes also started to lose their jobs because of automation. As educated people they are less likely to be deluded by the immigration strategy but the anger from their self-esteem remains dormant.
IIncreasing Suffering in Daily Life
When the new delusions of immigration and middle-class-blame become exposed there will be increasing suffering, and with this increased suffering will come scarcity as the system-for-the-rich must break down without sufficient money to consume. .zandtao does not know how things will change when people become aware that the new delusions will not provide for their jobs and self-esteem. The usual strategy is some kind of war, expansion of weapons industries etc., but the rich will still try to increase their accumulation even though there will be fewer people with money because of automation.
One strategy for providing money to consume is through welfare ie taxation providing welfare. But this strategy is coming under attack. Firstly big corporations are using their power not to pay taxes, and there is less taxation income because fewer people are working. Can you tax machines? MUttley
Strategies of harmony would have to help with maintaining some level of consumerism otherwise the system-for-the-rich will implode and there will be scarcity - and violence - and decline in civilisation. In terms of least harm pathtivists will need to collude with the consumerism, and somehow find strategies to limit the greed and accumulation returning money to the 99% - no small invention for this strategy.
Suffering increases Activism
The new delusions have increased the suffering and have led to activism, however the grassroots activism is more divided than ever. With this divided activism grassroots activism will be much less effective. Socialist activism will continue to see the system-for-the-rich as the problem and will continue with their conflict strategies. Anti-immigration activism will continue to support the demagogues until they find out that the system-for-the-rich does not have their interests - and are manipulating the 99% for wage-slave labour as has been their historical practice.
Suffering as commonality?
Material suffering turns people to grassroots activism, spiritual suffering turns people to the path; how close are these sufferings? Initially they appear far apart, how can you see spiritual suffering in the same way as the material suffering that means a family cannot have a decent home?
For activists seeking a way out of material suffering there is a mini-threshold when that suffering turns from personal need to the compassionate needs of the collective. At some point within their activism those who suffer start to consider the suffering-for-all, and this is compassion - albeit compassion based only on financial need. Within grassroots activism considerations are usually only financial. Within the trade union movement working conditions can be part of negotiations but it is usually only money that triggers action up to and including strike action.
When we consider the connection between material suffering and spiritual suffering there is often a barrier that starts mentally but becomes physical. Yet there is much commonality becoming increasingly recognised. To get to this commonality we have to see where well-being lies in terms of these two sufferings. If a family does not have the money to survive there cannot be well-being, the path and material needs are identical at this level. But when material needs turn to greed, path and materialism diverge.
Increasingly society is recognising the importance of well-being. Google promoted mindfulness and they would only have done this if they saw a profit dividend. With the well-being of their workers that came from mindfulness also came increased productivity yet well-being is often considered part of the spiritual path.
Grassroots socialist activists do see well-being as an issue but they see it predicated on materialism ie give people sufficient money to survive and there will be the possibility for well-being. But they tend to separate their activism from such well-being, and this is a weakness. There needs to be a more integrated approach but it cannot happen whilst socialist activism is focussed on the outer.
Within socialist activism there appears little likelihood for an integrated change. Such activists tend to be focussed solely on the materialist analysis of marxism - an economic analysis. Whilst they have the wisdom to see that the fundamental problem is the system-for-the-rich clinging to their idealism prevents any loosening towards integration. Religion is also disparaged as “the opiate of the masses”, and whilst this characterisation has some relevance it is a completely destructive approach to a significant group within the 99%.
Such activists clinging to their ideals need to be exposed to the integration of the path so that their wise analysis exposing the system-for-the-rich can be expanded beyond simple materialism. If they can expand their approach they will find greater harmony with more of the 99%, if they stay focussed on simple materialism they lay themselves open to greed. Whilst it is true that all people need sufficient to survive - and many are not getting this, some activists react to the accumulation by themselves becoming greedy within the movement; rather than greed, well-being would be a better way forward beyond survival. Exposing such materialist activists to a more balanced integrated approach of pathtivists can only benefit the movement - even though initially it will be anathema.
Conditioning and conformity leads to material suffering, and similarly conditioning and conformity leads to spiritual suffering. However within activism there is a selection that limits the understanding of conditioning and conformity to the material. When the spiritual consider the conditioning and conformity there is also a filter that emphasises the spiritual; some of this spiritual filter arises because of the compromises that religious institutions have made with the societal infrastructure to maintain their survival. Whilst both filters have some truth, neither are integrated. Insofar as it goes the materialism of Marxism addresses the truth of the system-for-the-rich but responds with conflict. On the other hand the spiritual filter avoids the material filter focussing on that part of well-being that can be provided by religious support.
But neither the materialist filter of economics only nor the spiritual filter of religious institutions can provide the power, strength and conviction of the integrated path. Especially within this sphere of change the power, strength and conviction of the integrated path is needed. When activism is concerned with the planet there is a greater integration because such activists are closer to the path, but eco-activism does not always have the wise clarity concerning the system-for-the-rich. Recycling whilst harmonious does not address the fundamental destruction of the planet caused by the system-for-the-rich in its misuse of resources, and whilst the system-for-the-rich continues in such misuse (as described by Marxists) changes that we as consumers can make are sadly a drop in the ocean. Green activism whilst making some harmonious advances have been token, and when activists such as Greta and the kids ask for effective change there is no systemic response.
Evolution - the Integrated and Sustainable Path
With the new and older delusions the rich are increasing their accumulation through automation and cheaper wages. How does the pathtivist find harmony in this? How does the movement find the unity that would arise from integration? The path has to support sustainability and harmony with nature whilst the change-in-delusions act out within the conditioned and conformed. The path continues to highlight the exploitation by the system-for-the-rich, and hopefully those who are seeing anti-immigration as a solution will start to see this as a new delusion and recognise (again?) that the problem is the system-for-the-rich. Hopefully there will develop strategies that will lessen the accumulation and give more people access to the money they need to survive.
These strategies are less likely to arise if it is perceived by the rich that activists want all their wealth, but perhaps some common sense will prevail when their automation and resource crises kick in. We cannot expect the rich to see the insanity of their exploitation for themselves as that insanity is driven by greed and addiction. System-for-the-rich crises usually lead to war but hopefully wisdom within activism would prevail. When the rich understand how their insanity is threatening their own need for survival they might choose to release some of their accumulation - the harmony of a middle way - as a better way than war and scarcity.
Harmony in the Movement
As the crises increasingly take hold there needs to be unity, integration and wisdom in activism. For people who have always seen and acted on the conflict of class struggle, they will see the weakening exploitation and seek to change class. This is conflict and will produce violence. If there is unity, integration and wisdom in activism, there could be sense in the harmony of maintaining societal structures and sense for the rich in slowly releasing accumulation to increase consuming. Without consuming the current societal infrastructure has to start breaking, without people having money to consume the current societal infrastructure breaks and violence would have to follow. Wise people will see this violence coming and can hopefully develop strategies for harmonious evolution.
CoA
Already noted, people will respond with the increasing suffering. The suffering that will increase activism can also develop awakening, pathtivists can see this. When the suffering turns to activism there needs to be a presence of the path. This is why it’s so essential for the spiritual to address the issue of bypassing.
Bypassing
Let’s be blunt, it is easier to bypass - at least initially. In bypassing we can enjoy the fruits of the path without having to confront all those difficult egos; isn’t it enough in our lives to cope with our own egos without having to put ourselves in the way of the egos of others? Let’s have our own peaceful lives, live in harmony - in solitude or whatever bypassing we have manufactured, and let the conditioned and conformed work through their suffering in daily life and be available if they choose the path.
Is that working?
Is the path having an increasing impact on the societal infrastructure?
zandtao knows his answer to this. This is why zandtao asks us to consider wise embodiment in grassroots activism rather than bypassing - or at best the studying with the teachers and books and minimal interaction with daily life.
Institutions and Bypassing
Whilst religious institutions provide support in times of suffering, their institutional emphasis works towards their own survival rather than change that can arise from the path. But as seekers many of us find our practices within institutions. When we develop our autonomies with these practices and transcend the conditioning and conformity of our upbringing and society then we are in a position to go beyond the boundaries of the institution. At this point we can choose embodiment or bypassing, and sadly the nature of institutions tend to encourage bypassing because of their compromises. The path is concerned with compassion - ending suffering-for-all, and harmonious change in daily life; sadly institutions don’t always emphasise the love that powers this because of their compromises.
As our practices lead us to transcendence and out of the clinging of conditioning and conformity, our love can take us to embodiment - perhaps to grassroots activism. With that love the path can empower unity and integration within the movement, and in this unity bring about harmonious change.
Here’s the rub - path activism will help us follow our paths. When we see an outer impact of our inner journey then that will reinforce our paths. But be clear, there will not be much success within activism at present because of the level of disunity. Pathtivists can be agents for bringing unity, integration and wisdom to grassroots activism, and if the movement sees the path in action they will become attracted, their suffering will turn to activism and then maybe the path as well.
Path, Unity and Integration
On a personal level Unity-consciousness and integration are oft-recognised qualities of the path, so following the path would be a good uniting and integrating strategy for the grassroots movement. But the split of material and spiritual suffering also shows the path that material and spiritual suffering are both consequences of conditioning and conformity. For some conditioning and conformity can be seen only as spiritual eg some Buddhists might choose to see conditioning as only spiritual. Such Buddhists perceive conditioning (paticcasamuppada) as applying to the purely personal not seeing suffering (eg the suffering of the 4 Noble Truths), and this narrowing of conditioning contributes to the lack of embodiment. When we see conditioning giving rise to the kilesa (defilements of greed hatred and delusion), we see strong evidence that these are aspects of the societal infrastructure. It is important to keep broad our understanding of conditioning (and conformity) to include the greed, hatred and delusion of the societal infrastructure.
And once we have this broad understanding of conditioning and conformity we can then see that the material suffering that leads to activism has the same source as the spiritual suffering that leads to the path that requires change, and this source is conditioning and conformity. When we recognise that conditioning and conformity is not simply spiritual then those following the path can see the objectives of unity and integration that is part of their inner personal journeys are the same objectives that are needed in the world of activism. This shows a strong need for the path in the world of activism, and this can arise when pathtivists choose grassroots activism as their embodiment.
What arises as a need for change when people follow their path can become embodied as grassroots activism, and this has not been the case except for occasional path activism with regards to the climate and Gaia. Recognising potential vulnerabilities pathtivists can develop interest in the path through the strength and conviction the path brings to activism. And hopefully with increasing success with harmonious strategies the path can also be seen in this activism.
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