Category: People, Politics & Culture

The title of this post is based on Swiss psychologists Carl Jung’s “Modern Man in Search of a Soul” , first published in English in 1933.

The book explores the psychological development of individuals and humanity as a whole, delving into the concept of the soul and its search for meaning.  My take on this is that, in the current context, the search for a “soul” can be translated as the search for a reason d’ê·tre  ( a reason for being), and the answer to the question as to what are we about?, or, for that matter: why are we here?

In this context I want to define a human being as a stage in the evolution of the world and the instantiation of an idea or concept that began to materialize when the world came into being.

This would appear to be a progressive process in the sense that it resulted in ever higher levels of material organization and complexity to the point that the human brain can be seen as the most complex functional entity in the known universe due to its intricate structure of billions of neurons connected by trillions of connections.

Some might want to think that this astonishing level of organizational complexity is merely the result of an accidental or random process, but I would hold that it is more reasonable to believe that there is a plan or intention – somewhere, in the heart of matter – that shapes the course of evolution in the direction that we find ourselves at the receiving end off.

But as much as we embody that plan or intention with every atom in our being, we are as yet unable to express and articulate the meaning or purpose of it beyond recognizing our unique status as creatures with an advanced level of consciousness such that, while knowing that we know, we don’t t necessarily know what we know given that knowledge isn’t necessarily understanding.

While knowledge provides the raw material, understanding is the ability of making sense of and appropriately using that information, and therein lies the rub. Sadly, just are not getting it, and as a result we continue to stumble around in the dark, feeling our way around,  and in the process hurting each other and the environment that nurtures us to the point of self-destruction.

Here, ignorance is definitely not bliss, as we are damaging the very environment that sustains us physically simply because we do not grasp our role in this world as an evolved entity that is clearly capable of so much more. I’ve suggested earlier that we will likely be superseded by a superior version of ourselves. Superior in the sense that we will be smart enough to avoid actions that are clearly against our own interest as opposed to being mutually beneficial to ourselves and our planet: i.e., by recognizing that our relationship with the earth is one of interdependence, that in essence we are one entity, and that the distinction between it and ourselves is one of functionally in the continuing evolution of the world.

And when we accept that and live our lives accordingly we have found our soul. …

Until that moment we will likely continue to act against our own interest and our well-being.

I believe that deep down we know that, but we appear to not have sufficiently evolved yet to understand that to the point that we are able to live our lives accordingly and I can’t help but think that any other route will lead to our self-extinction.

Another way to look at this: The world – we! – have been given to ourselves as a challenge, but to date we seemed to have failed this miserably to act in the interest of ourselves as an evolving species, capable of living in the harmony of having a united vision of what it is that we are and are trying to accomplish individually and collectively as a species. To that end wee must overcome our current selves …

Until we reach that united vision the world and everything that it represents and stands for it shall remain a mystery, seemingly beyond out comprehension.