"Those who beat their swords into plowshares will soon be plowing for those who don't." Ben Franklin, I think.

"Be nice (meek) until it is time to be not nice (meek)." Dalton (Patrick Swayze) in "Road House"

You gots your yin & you gots your yang & you need 'em both....

Bravo, Shiva.  You put it well.  We've lost ourselves if we forget we're all in this together. 

stoic ... I think you miss my point here.

Maybe, Shiva, but probably not. Maybe you miss mine...the noble savage, or primitive, is mythical. Rousseau and all that (junk).Whatever remote pockets of the meek as still exist is a function of their remoteness - they are too far away for the unmeek to trifle with, for now.

And societies do not have souls, only individuals do. You do. I do. This forum does not. A deindividuated mob, or society, is just about a perfect antithesis to soul....

stoic - The point is that it is modern man's separation from any real awareness of his/her very intimate relationship with the natural environment on all levels, .. that has made us what we are today. A people who are destroying the very environment that we depend upon to exist and which provides all that we have and are.

... and collectively speaking,.. we truly are a soul-less people. ... It is no coincidence that the word used to refer to that part of the body which connects directly with the ground (earth),.. is also the same sounding word that refers to that inner invisible aspect of consciousness that carries the real depth or essence of what it means to be a "true human being". 

........ What we have in the modern world today, generally speaking,... is a population of "hollow", soul-less people. .. Hollow because they are hypnotised into believing  that material wealth is the measure of a persons self whorth,.. and the empty garbage that is offered on the likes of television or the market place,.. is where real value in life is found.

And by the way, ... the original meaning of the term "myth" .... was "truth".
Myths (such as with the Greeks), were teaching stories that were created to teach the great truths of understanding of life, that must be learned if one was to grow in wisdom.

In my opinion,... when modern humanity has through the course of evolution,.. come full circle in it's journey, ... it will have returned to a deep understanding and awareness of it's relationship with the earth and the cosmos, .. and at the same time it's most vital soul will have been restored. ... If this happens in time,.. perhaps humanity will survive it's currrent dillema of self destruction.

Shiva, what I notice, probably because it is ironic and irony does not get it’s due in the world, is that the perspective that is so correctly apprehended by members of this forum as regards matters of physical health is not recognized as being also the correct perspective globally, in all issues and subjects.

Materialism is an effect, not a cause. If you cock your head & squint, it even comes into focus that blaming ‘materialism’ is materialistic (there is that irony, again…). And what is materialism but a rationalization, a projection of talismanic powers into inanimate objects, a la “guns kill people”, etc., etc… We all know the futility of attending to our physical health at the level of mere symptomology (effect, in other words); it is equally futile in this, seemingly, larger sphere.

As for the language hijackers & definition misappropriators – what has been done to the word “myth”, in this case – that is fine to point out, but even the Greek perspective embraces the notion that it is effective, therefore good (pragmatism) to insist that a lie is the truth – if it “teaches” the desired lesson. This actually points to a deficiency in the teacher, the student, or both – with the typical deficiency on the teacher side of the equation being moral (they purposively seek to manipulate – lie to - the “pupil”), and on the student side, at minimum, credulity.

I think precision in language is important, as well. As I have said, there is no such thing as a collective soul – this is but poetic rhetoric, designed to bypass cognition in favor of emotion, which is ever so much more malleable (see “teachers” and “pupils”, above)....

…Evolution is about adaptation. The evolved human neocortex has sped things up, so that evolution is not just a matter of genetic mutation any longer. So, your point here is circular, but evolution itself is not – it is directional. If humanity was more perfectly adapted during the time that you reference – pastoral, tribal, etc – they/we never would have left it behind. Going BACK to that would constitute abysmal failure, not success (you do realize, I hope, that a necessary ingredient for a return to the primordial is a drastic reduction in human population? Any prescription requiring mass extinctions of people is, I hope, unacceptable…).

shiva,

You are doing a good job of allowing yourself to be a conduit for Truth.

babaji

Shiva, you are thinker.  Kudos.

The Greek truth/myth was however, a vain attempt to represent the cause and nature of reality without all the tools of understanding and reason.  While believed to be truth, it was, nevertheless, myth (modern meaning).

Dr. Clark is metaphysical naturalist, and must therefore seek a methodologically naturalist explanation for all events.

Well put. Knowledge and the lack thereof (depending on it's content)  can be laid out (interpreted) to one's advantage. Understanding, DISCERNMENT, resulting implementation, acceptance and respect toward one another, proves to be overridden with one upsmanship/pride causing unintended fall out of agression and hard fisted appraoches. Should we fall for such set ups? I wonder?

This continent is made up of precious individuals who bring to the table a renewed sense of truth and realsim serving to provoke one's thoughts. On the opposite side of the spectrum, knowledge of types, has the potential of serving to be inflammatory and self serving, depending on one's perception of knowledge and truth.  It would stand to reason that the results therefore could potentially be misconstrued/misunderstood episodes of what might, or might not be the truth.  The truth usually lies somewhere between man's perception of the truth and falacy. And yes the right kind of knowledge can be powerful and liberating by quenching and allaying fear. We are given a sound mind, not a didvided mind. I suggest we discern.

Blessings to all

Dr. Trudy