We keep hearing that the human race is in a process of transformation, or that we are “ascending” or changing in some dramatic way toward a new level of awareness. Of course, things are always in a process of change, but words like “transformation” imply a complete change into something entirely new. The image of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly comes to mind, but are the changes we are undergoing so dramatically different that the butterfly metaphor is warranted? When I look back and reflect on some of the most dramatic events of the last fifty years or so, I am inclined to say yes.
One event, actually a long series of related events, was what has been described as the “cold war” between the U. S. and the U. S. S. R. that reached a feverous pitch during the Cuban missile crisis. I can vividly recall being directed by our grade school teachers to practice hiding under our desks and covering our eyes with our hands while air raid warning sirens were sounding. Even though it was just practice, the thought of the possibility of what it represented was terrifying. I knew enough about nuclear blasts to know that the whole drill was silly; if a nuclear war did start, we had enough warheads to obliterate all life on earth. This realization further heightened my anxiety about mankind’s future. It is pretty clear that we have attained a level of technology that requires that we either learn to live together in peace or face the likelihood of sterilizing our planetary home.
Another incisive event was the images of the airliners exploding into the twin towers in New York. As the first plane hit, I remember concluding it was a horrible accident, but as I watched the video of the second crash, I felt like I was watching the beginning of another world war. In the following weeks I pondered over how easily just a few people, with a minimum of technical expertise, could kill so many. The point was brutally driven home how vulnerable we all are to any sufficiently angry group of humans, anywhere in the world. This was yet another lesson in the risks of modern technology.
So how do these events relate to the transformation of human consciousness? I contend that these realities and their implications constantly weigh on the minds of all of us. They are exerting a subtle, perhaps even unconscious, pressure on all of us to change the way we view our world. To see more clearly what I mean, consider mankind’s situation for most of the last few hundred thousand years compared to the last fifty years or so. Through almost all of our evolution, it has been the survival of our own family, tribe or nation that mattered. The exclusive concern for our tribe was appropriate and it was the best way to ensure humanity continued to exist. Other groups in distant areas of the world were of no practical concern. Our awareness was limited and local and it often was purely a struggle to survive.
The pressures exerted by our modern technology have forced a re-orientation of this tribal mentality toward what might be called a global mentality. In the last half century we have faced a reality that mankind has never faced before. The tribal mentality no longer works, and if we continue to adhere to it, we will become extinct. But we are smarter than that, and we are transforming. We know that what is happening in any part of our world is important to us all. This change from a tribal mentality to a global mentality is a huge transformation, indeed. Along with this change are many other mutually reinforcing and very positive changes. We are developing a higher valuation of all human life. We are beginning to see a greater propensity to share the earth’s resources. We are developing an ever greater concern for the environment that we all share. What I believe we are headed for is a viewpoint that considers every person on earth to be one big family.
If I am right, we are definitely transforming to a global consciousness that is completely unprecedented. It is a grass roots kind of transformation. By its very nature, it will not be created by a few leaders; it will be brought about by a new way of viewing the world on the part of average individuals who will demand appropriate action form their governments.
What do you think? Is this a naïve and overly optimistic assessment, or is it a fair description of what is happening all over our planet?
Chuck
Science and Spirit 
Yes, Chuck, it really is!
Gloria, dear,
I guess I get my choice: I will choose that you mean this is what is really happening 😉
You are definitely one of those helping to accelerate our evolution in a very positive way. I certainly appreciate all you do.
Thanks!
Chuck, At last I got around to reading your blog. I am impressed with what you wrote and I totally agree with you. We are one global family and every human on the planet is family even if we have differences. It is time for humanity to look past the differences and learn to live in harmony and peace.
Thanks, Mary. I guess it is all a matter of perspective. If one just listened to what is in the news, you would think we are “going to hell in a hand basket,” as they say.
Hi Chuck
I am going to have to disagree 180° with you. From as far back as recorded history takes us, mankind has been guilty of selfishness, greed, violence, inhuman cruelty and wanton destruction – and there is absolutely nothing, zero, that has changed. People all over the globe are being exploited, tortured, deceived, robbed, starved, slaughtered, etc. One actually needs to invent new words to describe the horrors that are being visited upon many millions of people (mostly innocent) across the globe. How on earth anyone can describe this as a shift in conscious is beyond me – unless of course, one meant a shift downwards in consciousness. Where is the evidence of this spiritual awakening? Is it the millions slaughtered in Vietnam? The million slaughtered in Iraq, plus the millions more maimed by blanket bombing and depleted uranium munitions? The thousands tortured and terrorised by and illegal occupation? The thousands imprisoned without trial or representation? The innocent bystanders slaughtered by drone attacks – callously termed, collateral damage? The millions starving in Africa from malnutrition and disease? The millions terrorised and slaughtered in one African nightmare after another, where in one incident 500,000 women were raped by soldiers? I could go on and on and on and on with this list. Maybe from you ivory tower everything looks really rosy. But I see no signs of this altruistic change to which you are referring.
John,
Thanks for your perspective on this question. Certainly all the things you report are real. Describing my perspective as “ivory tower” has definite merit. I am living in one of the richest countries in the world and benefit from a relatively calm and peaceful society. But, I also am quite aware of all the horrors you describe and am also very aware of how dreadful the lot has been for significant portions of mankind for thousands of years. The points I am trying to make, above, should not be taken as denying any of these realities.
My first point is that mankind’s circumstances have changed. The advent of massively potent destructive technology over the past hundred years or so has completely changed the game for all of us. I do see a lot of evidence that this point is not lost on the vast majority of us. The awareness is growing all the time that the old ways are not working and a change of comsciuosness is needed. I confess to being an optimist. I see much hope in this growing awareness. I see the riots in certain countries opposing their dictators, while creating more their own suffering in the process, as pointing the way by the individuals of these countries saying: “No more, we are going to demand more freedom and more responsiveness from our government.”
My second point is that mankind is slowly developing higher standards of behavior. For example, when things are not going well with our weather patterns we do not say: “Lets throw some more virgins into a volcano to appease the gods.” We also do not allow massive stadiums to be used to watch human beings being mauled by large, starving predatory animals. I am not arguing that we have translated our higher standards into huge improvement in the lot of most of the citizens of our world; I am arguing that the level of consciousness is rising. This is a grass roots phenomenon, if I am right in this. The citizens of some of the most repressive governments are starting to say: “No more terrorism, no more wars, we want a peaceful world for our children.”
I would also argue that most of the suffering on earth right now could be eliminated fairly quickly with a change in consciousness translated into effective action. In my opinion, most suffering is human-created. This means we can fix it by changing how we do things.
Thanks, again, John, for your comment. All points of view are welcome; all points of view contribute. There is much validity in what you say.
Chuck