Worldviews, Culture, and Questions

Man is a questioning animal. We seek to understand. And in thinking about how to organize my thoughts about questions concerning the "Ultimate", I started to understand why it is important to allow for diversity.

Our globalized and technologically connected "world" has exposed us like not other time in history, where we can know about differences in culture. But, while we are exposed to these differences, we are also challenged to bring about "unity" of some kind in our understanding of the economic realm, as this realm determines how our interconnectivity is to be managed for everyone's good.

We cannot live isolated, if our country wants to engage a larger world, which we must. But, my question is where do we draw or make distinctions about "the good"? We are a country that allows for diversity, but how is diversity allowed in a larger world, where diversity is not embraced, for fear of dissolving "culture"?

Culture is a defining characteristic of an environment. It maintains a sense of "solidarity". Our country's defining or solidifying "culture" is "individuality". The individual has grown and flourished in some respects in this free and open culture. But, freedom without responsibility has disadvantaged our culture from its moral "sense". We are committed to individuality at the expense of "solidarity".

So, in asking myself questions this morning, I found that while "we, the people" are the definition of the United States of America, "we, the people" lacks a solidifying "culture" to maintain a cultural identity. And this is where our politicians, as well as the individual citizen is indebted to our nation's past value of "liberty and justice for all", which is a universal value and should underline our nation's commitment to further human rights abroad.

What Are The Implications to a Flat, Closed or Open Universe

Last post I was thinking in terms of how one views reality and how that view affected how reality was understood. Now, I want to think about the implications of those views more deeply.

The closed reality is a reality of limited resources and is a backward focused view of history in the real world. Evolutionists think in these terms, as their understanding is a closed system of natural/physical reality. Although natural/physical reality is part of our understanding of the universe via the natural sciences, it should not be our only reality, as a closed universe suggests limitation to the human species. Limitation of natural resources play upon natural fears of death within man and further his fear of death, by re-enforcing a competiveness that is destructive. This is what evolutionists call "survival of the fittest". Even though competition works in the free market, competition should not "drive" men, as men are prone to beat another down by competition. This is not a compassionate way of life, which must be gauged with a balance of power, and accountability.

The flat understanding of reality is the ancient's understanding of "wisdom" and is best understood within religious traditions. Wisdom is the understanding to live one's life with insight. Insight is a knowledge of self and other. Our country's balance of power again breeds the environment of accountability and cicumspection. History does repeat itself, if we are not wise enough to learn from it. This is a backward look into our past, so that we will not be people without self-reflection, which continue to make the same mistakes of those in the past.

The open view of reality is a view of possibility and potentiality. This view paints a hopeful tomorrow, because it is not based on limitation of resources but a prosperity that can benefit all. A limitation of government must be mandated for the individual to attain their highest potential and find the freedom to "be" and "do" whatever their heart finds passion in. America's values are the ones that give hope for the future, as it does not limit individual choice or action. The American dream is one that is filled with the hope of equality. Equality means opportunity, but not necessarily success. Success is for those who choose to continue to be diligent in following their goals to the end. And understanding is given to those who perservere.

I think as we face the global economic crisis, we should be reminded of these truths. For those of us who have lived with little thought for tomorrow and presumed upon the future, perhaps we need to reflect on our lack of wisdom. And for those of us who have thought that controlling the limited resources either through hoarding, or controlling others, we should learn to be accountable. And those who have lived with little means really have little to learn as this is not "their lesson", but ours.