Global Values
A New Paradigm for a New World
by Karin Miller
V. Connection
global economies, cultures, environments, political systems,
and our minds, bodies, and spirits.
Much of the suffering we experience today is caused by a profound sense of disconnection permeating our societies and our lives. Our isolationist paradigm encourages myopic, individualist viewpoints, rather than an elevated, inclusive view of our connection to the whole. When we believe we are alone and disconnected from the world, we tend to live independent and compartmentalized lives. We isolate ourselves in little houses, offices, and work cubicles. We live in large apartment buildings that house hundreds of people, yet many of us do not even know our closest neighbors. We listen to music on headphones so that we do not have to listen to other peoples’ conversations or engage in conversation ourselves. We do everything we can to create safe and comfortable spaces for ourselves—often by blocking ourselves off from the rest of the world. In other words, we come to believe that our personal safety and comfort rely on disconnection and isolation from the whole.
In addition to producing a sense of disconnection from each other, our faulty thinking has also lead many of us to become disconnected from the global challenges we face. Everywhere we look, things are falling apart: economies and governments are collapsing; fuel and food prices are soaring; and our energy sources threaten our safety. Yet, many of us try to act as if everything is fine, and avoid such troubling topics. We have polite, surface interactions, and our daily conversations are usually limited to routine exchanges. We throw ourselves into our fast-paced lives so we do not have time to worry as we run from here to there multitasking. Understandably, many people also try to cut themselves off from reality by numbing themselves with alcohol, drugs, television, and movies. In our suffering, we do anything we can to tune out the world.
The reality is that our sense of disconnection is an illusion. We are not alone, and we are not isolated from the rest of the world, no matter how hard we try to block ourselves off from others. All things affect each other: environments, ecosystems, political systems, societies, cultures, economies, mind, body, spirit, soul, and self. In the same way that a message in a bottle dropped in the sea can be carried thousands of miles on the tides, all the thoughts and actions of each individual living thing directly affect the whole as they are carried out into the sea of consciousness.
When we all act from narrow viewpoints—and only for our own benefit—we function in unhealthy competition with each other rather than in cooperation, both as societies and individuals. Such competition at the expense of the whole often leads to disharmony, disease, death, and destruction. Today’s reality is that we no longer have the luxury, or sufficient natural resources, to sustain such isolationist viewpoints and actions. We are facing crises that threaten the very existence of humanity on this planet. If we hope to survive on Earth, we need a holistic paradigm that values and supports the inherent connection of all life and cooperation among its many members.
As technology shrinks the world, our connectedness becomes more apparent and action taken against the greater good becomes increasingly untenable. Disconnection leads to isolation and fear, and as we act to protect ourselves out of fear we produce more separation, isolation, and disconnection. Connection, on the other hand, produces love, and an attitude of love connects us to others. Just as we can choose to live in disconnection and fear, so too can we choose to live in connection and love. The choice is ours.
By joining forces, we gain power in the face of crisis.
Despite the clear need for mass collective action on the issues facing humanity, our societal responses are often as disconnected from reality as our individual responses. In fact, in dealing with a crisis, our societal action is often the polar opposite of that which could possibly remedy the situation. We are in economic crisis, but we continue to print more money. Ice caps, glaciers, permafrost, and tundra are melting, but we continue to emit greenhouse gases and use more and more technologies that heat up the planet. Fossil fuels are running out, but we fail to implement new, cleaner sources of energy. We cut costs at the expense of health and safety. We are killing our bees—without which the chain of life on Earth will collapse—yet we continue to spray our crops with pesticides, and carry on as if what poisons other forms of life will not eventually poison us. The list goes on and on ....
We seem to be waiting for our leaders to fix all these things for us, but they are so invested in the status quo that they repeatedly fail to address our problems with any great success. It may feel like we are the victims here, but this is not the case. Our societies and ways of interacting reflect our beliefs and our collective agreements. As such, everything is not happening to us; it is happening because of us. While an isolationist paradigm can have great individual benefits, it does not answer our inherent need to live in connection with others. This mismatch between the prevailing worldview and our essential nature has produced social structures that do not reflect our needs. This combined with a lack of awareness of our part in permitting such practices results in us feeling like vulnerable victims. However, when we understand we can adopt a different perspective and change our beliefs, modes of being, and modes of operating, we realize that we are not all doomed to victimhood. Together we are strong and can reclaim our individual and collective power to create better societies and lives.
Sometimes it can seem like people are so ensconced in their own myopic worldviews based on separation and isolation that there is no hope of individuals ever joining together for the greater good. Fortunately, reality proves otherwise. However painful it is to see people dying and suffering in a natural disaster, we can take heart from the inevitable human response that always follows such an occurrence. Whether it is a tsunami in Japan, an earthquake in Haiti or Nepal, a wildfire in Colombia, or a hurricane in New York, many people always step up to the plate to help others in life-and-death situations. People from unaffected parts of the community, other communities, and even other parts of the world are prompted to act—directly on the ground, or by giving material or financial support—on behalf of those in distress. It is of no import that relief efforts are usually temporary, or that feelings of camaraderie and love for our fellow humans can be short-lived and not reach beyond those in immediate need. What is significant is that we remember that we have the capacity to have empathy for, and to act on behalf of, others. If we can do it once, we can do it again and again. This is the important thing to understand. When we join together in the service of others, and for the greater good, we act in alignment with and support of, life, and we shine as humanity.
Where do we start reclaiming our connection to all that is?
We start with ourselves. We start by changing our minds and taking a holistic perspective. Our thoughts affect everything we feel, do, and create. When we choose to make a shift in our thinking we begin to think new thoughts, take new actions, and operate in new ways. As we do these things we create new patterns and practices that reflect our recognition of the whole, which in turn reinforces our new way of being and our connection to all that is.
It is not always easy to see how our own thoughts affect everything, but with a little effort we can usually see that this is indeed true. If, for example, we set out to have a good day, chances are things will at least go a bit more smoothly than if we go about our business looking for a fight. If we approach a new experience thinking we will definitely not like it, then we will probably end up having a bad time; if we go with an open mind, we have a much better chance of appreciating the new experience. If we think we cannot do something, then it is highly doubtful we will even try to do it. On the other hand, if we think we can do something we are free to explore how we might go about doing it, and we could just be pleasantly surprised with the results.
The relationship between thoughts and everything else is much easier to see in others. Most of us have experienced the spoiling of a social occasion or family gathering because of someone else’s bad attitude or behavior. If someone is unhappy being somewhere, or with certain people, that person can choose to go with the flow and make the best of it, or not. If someone decides that his or her individual preferences or contentment or desire to complain is more important than respecting the others and the occasion, then that person’s presence will usually put a dampener on the affair to one extent or another. We have all witnessed this sort of behavior, whether it was a teenager sulking at the dinner table, an uncle complaining about anything and everything because he wanted to go to the game rather than the wedding, or the friend determined to make a meal miserable for everyone because she did not want to eat at that restaurant. The thoughts and attitudes we bring to every situation put their associated vibrations into the equation, and these vibrations necessarily affect the whole.
By remembering that we are all one we change the way we think and the things we think, and this in turn changes everything around us. When we feel separated from the whole we do not think about how our actions affect others or the environment, or maybe we believe that our actions do not have the potential to affect anything beyond our own lives. However, when we choose to remember our connection to all that is, our perspective shifts. We see everything in a new light. We realize that what we think and do does matter, and that we have a responsibility to protect and preserve the whole as much as we have the same responsibility to ourselves.
This change in perspective translates into new actions because we now understand that our isolationist paradigm and past actions were detrimental to the whole. Perhaps we were never in the habit of turning off lights as we left a room, but now we think about all the costs—resources, energy, pollution—of generating electricity and getting it to all our homes and businesses. As a result, we make sure to turn off lights and appliances when they are not in use. We might recycle or bike to work instead of driving. We might simply try to see the other person’s perspective in an argument, and act with compassion rather than anger and defensiveness. These are only small, individual examples of how things can change when we realize the profound impact that all things have on each other and decide to shift our thinking toward a holistic perspective. When everyone makes this shift to value our connection, the changes will be monumental and they will reach far beyond our individual lives.
When we change the way we think, we actually create new biological connections in the brain. Everything that goes on inside our body—all our thoughts, feelings, memories, the functioning of our involuntary nervous system—and everything we do outwardly, requires brain activity. Our brains are made of specialized nerve cells called neurons, and at the most basic level, neural activity means that neurons are firing off electrical signals. These signals carry messages and cause the neurons to release chemical neurotransmitters into the gaps between neurons called synapses. In a process called neurotransmission, other neurons take-up the neurotransmitters (and the messages) from the synapses and pass along the messages (via neurotransmitters) to other neurons. This process of neurons receiving and transmitting messages is repeated again and again as the messages are passed along from neuron to neuron over neural pathways and networks to wherever they need to go. In short, whenever we do something it involves our neurons firing off messages across neural pathways and networks.
We are not born with all the neural pathways we will ever have. Neural pathways are created as we grow and learn, when we change, as a result of behavior, or to compensate for some lost functionality if we have suffered some trauma. The more we do something, the stronger the neural pathways associated with it become, and the more likely we are to repeat this same behavior in the future. This ability of our brain to change—to build new neural pathways—is referred to as neuroplasticity. For example, a person who has suffered a stroke can retrain his or her brain to function effectively by building such new pathways through cognitive and behavioral exercises. Every time we think or do something new our neurons send new messages, and if we continue to think or do this new thing we will eventually create completely new neural pathways associated with it. Hence, as we direct our thoughts and actions into new avenues we literally build those new avenues inside us and rewire our brain. The more we take those new avenues the stronger the neural pathways become, and the stronger the tendency to go down the new avenues again and again.
Some of the neural pathways that have been established in our brains may not serve the highest good for either ourselves or humanity. Addictions, for example, may prompt people to take actions of compulsive and unhealthy dependent behavior. While we may think of addictions in the context of alcohol, drugs, gambling, or sex, our brains can also become addicted to things such as technology, including email, texting, chatting, social media, surfing the Web and video games. While there are certainly benefits to our technological advancements, over consumption may prove to be detrimental, creating neural pathways that reflect unhealthy compulsive behavior. For example, researchers are currently studying the effect of media violence on the brain and whether overexposure to such stimulation may trigger anger responses in the brain.
Neuroplasticity of the brain allows us to change our natural impulses and neural connections to better align with healthy and sustainable practices for ourselves and the world. We can start rebuilding our connection to the whole by shifting our thinking to a holistic perspective. By simply deciding to change our mind we can remember and relearn who we really are—connected and one with all that is. By choosing to recognize that we are one, all of our thoughts, emotions, actions, and creations are underpinned by our connection to the whole. Our intention to live in connection with all of life will automatically reprogram our brain. That is the beauty and miracle of the human body—as we change our minds, our minds physically change. When we think new thoughts we do things in new ways, we rewire our brains, and we can create new lives.
People all around the world are waking up to realize their connection to all that is. Like rare flowers blossoming in isolation in various parts of the world—one person realizes it in Dhaka, another in Des Moines, another in Moscow, another in São Paulo, another in Baghdad, another in Beijing, another in Auckland, and then one in Amsterdam. These people start the process of reprogramming human consciousness. Together, we can change governments, laws, and international policies to support the whole of life. Social institutions and structures are merely reflections of the collective social mindset, and as such, change must begin with each of us individually. As we form a critical mass of individuals who adopt a new, holistic paradigm, we can begin to project a new vision and life-supporting values on a larger scale.
Globalization and connectedness
Today, it is easy to see that we are all connected at the global level. The technological advances that have made it feasible to grow or manufacture something in one hemisphere and sell it in another have led to enormous societal changes. In less than a lifetime, we have seen full-scale globalization in terms of communications, resources, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, services, travel, cultural production, and economies. Like the neural pathways that we create in the brain, new global connections provide access to new ways of behavior and interaction. Electronic communications and online functionality have changed the ways we do business, politics, education, art, culture, and religion, as well as the ways we socialize. The connectedness we get as individuals from the Internet, the World Wide Web, email, and social media is one of the greatest goods of globalization. This electronic connectedness is a real-life manifestation of the true connectedness of humanity and all life. However, creating these connections is only part of our journey. By operating under an isolationist paradigm in a connected world, competition has taken priority over collaboration, and the value of short-term profits has risen above the need for long-term sustainability. In order to reap the benefits of globalization, we need to act in accordance with a holistic paradigm that reflects values that support a healthy and sustainable world.
Under an isolationist paradigm, globalization is imbalanced. What it gives with one hand it often takes away with the other. Global markets have opened up, and new markets have been created. While these developments may not always be welcomed, they can be beneficial. We can sell our products, services, art, cars, houses, and just about anything else imaginable to anyone with Internet access. On the other hand, the global marketplace is increasingly dominated by large players. It is becoming harder for individuals to get a foothold, and the risk of becoming a target of a financial crime or identity theft seems to be on the rise. Additionally, when jobs are created in one place, they are often lost from another place. Agriculture subsidies in one country can be a boon to its farmers, but the flooded market in another country can drive local farmers into ruin. Low-cost (and not so low-cost) consumer products often come with long hours and low pay for the workers who manufacture the products, and lack of environmental and health and safety regulations around production. For all the major benefits of globalization, we cannot overlook the fact that it remains yet to be implemented and used for the best advantage of all.
The Internet, the World Wide Web, email, and social media have brought about a revolution in the ways we live our lives. These technologies provide instant access to information and to each other. To an extent, they have liberated us from our physical locations. Our lives now function in a global context, and even if we live in small towns or remote places the world is at our fingertips. Thanks to globalization, and these technologies in particular, we are no longer limited to working, experiencing, buying, or engaging only with that which is local. We can keep in touch with our families and loved ones regardless of physical distance. We can access food, electronics, consumer items, entertainment, data, and even healthcare from many countries. Without leaving our offices, we can work on projects on the other side of the world or across town. In ways that were unimaginable a hundred years ago, our lives are increasingly connected to, and dependent upon, all manner of things in other places.
We are all potentially electronically connected to anyone and everyone on Earth. With the click of a mouse or the touch of a screen we can enter an electronic universe of people, knowledge, stories, creations, and experiences. We see that people everywhere have the same joys, worries, and desires as we do, and that people are genuinely concerned about the well-being of others. We have the opportunity to use these new tools for connection to reflect positive values rooted in a holistic paradigm. Every day, via crowdfunding and online fundraising, people across the world give money to strangers to help them deal with tragedies and disasters, access medical and legal services, provide for other needs, and even start new businesses. People offer heartfelt words of love, comfort, advice, and encouragement for those suffering and in pain through social media. Never before have we been able to directly connect with and support so many others, nor have we been able to witness such regular outpourings of love, compassion, and support for total strangers. When we connect electronically with individuals from across the planet we see our humanity reflected in them, and our own humanity is called forth in connection, compassion, understanding, and support. This is our strength as humans.
Our survival depends on finding a way out of the prevailing isolationist paradigm, and working together to ensure that the planet remains habitable for all life. If we are to be better than parasites dooming our host—and ourselves— we must live and operate in connection with all of creation. Today, we are a global village, and we have the ability to connect with others anywhere in the world to accomplish shared goals. Technology connects us, and this connectedness shows us our natural state of being—it is a reflection of the connectedness of the body of humanity, and the whole body of life. When we live in connection, we join together so we can evolve into a holistic paradigm, and a way of life that is good for the whole.
We are not isolated islands of biology acting alone. All things are connected through the vibrations of energy that circulate through every living thing. As we participate in the grand machinery of the universe these vibrations—this life force—flow through us and connect us to all life. We are partners with all that surrounds us. When we realize our connection, our islands of isolation will disappear into the ocean of all that is. We will live in collaboration as an integrated whole. We will return to our unity and oneness that is, was, and ever shall be. Then, and only then, will we reach our full potential as human beings.