Architects of Tomorrow

–An Evolutionary’s Definition
This is the second submission of an on-going dialogue about Cultural Revolution, this is the backlink to the first post.

As I see it, Cultural Revolution implies a flurry of creativity and ingenuity, which is a new perspective in its totality. (A new perspective of existence, for the Evolutionary). The historicality of revolution might bring forth ideas of chaos, but at the heart of a Revolution is the birth of a new perspective. Certainly in the dialogue of Futurism, we should choose our lexicon wisely. However, at the same time, we mustn’t wash away the history of our evolving process as mistakes, and although a word like revolution is quickly associated with anarchism and chaos, is also a platform which we have bounded from. Simply put, successful and failed revolutions are a definitive part of human history that may demarcate times of woe, but also times of tremendous societal growth–perhaps not readily known or experienced, nonetheless, the idea we have come to today, the spirit of revolution, also speaks of bravery and courage and standing up for what you stand for. It is less about the individual (hero) and is for the sake of the whole.

We have a tendency to believe the definitive as static– yet semantically, if a Revolution by definition were to occur today, the results would be cataclysmic in comparison. True, the anarchy of past eras, to its inhabitants, seemed to be the doom of all ending doom, and as cataclysmic if one were to occur by that definition in the modern world. However, the density of population, the interconnectedness of global societies today, and even the types of weapons readily available–would result in a more far-reaching calamity. The containment that existed when Revolutions began no longer exists–a violent Revolution in Afghanistan reverberates around the globe.

Cultural Revolution. When we compound the two words, in the sense that we create a new title or subject or description with or without a hyphen–the entire cycle, (creator, user, consumer), would do best to thoroughly understand the etymology of the two or more words gathered. For brevity sake, Revolution, I have already stated, connotes the tradition of creation within society and when used after Cultural, points to where it needs to take place. By the same token, depending on the practices, beliefs, or points-of-view of the consumer of the word–The definition takes form from that historical background. While words have definitive meaning, we are collectively the author and consumer, thereby giving us license for our creative needs. This is especially true when two distinct words are compound to create a singular new understanding. At some point in history, most people took a hands-off approach to the “Intellectual License” of our shared existence. Yet, existence is a self-serving process; our actions are born of meaning, and we are constantly assigning definitions to the unspoken, unwritten, pre-existing meanings–in the unending quest to find meaning.

Thus, the meaning of a Cultural Revolution, for the Evolutionary, points to a softer revolution that urgently needs to take place within culture. Softer because it does not facilitate the necessity of violence–Cultural Revolutionists are not armed and ready, they merely want to change culture. In addition, the ideas of the Evolutionary Perspective are guided by a Moral Profundity that belongs to no one because it belongs to Everything and takes the entire Human process into consideration, and from that has a deeply altruistic appreciation for all Kinds and their beliefs and ideals. However, to complicate matters one never truly knows with absolute certainty where their beliefs will lead them, until they get there–and is all the more reason why we should guide ourselves knowing Oneness. The intentions of an Evolutionary, would be more akin to a Ghandian philosophy, however, understands an idea of war as being necessary in some instances–War, with the notion that we fully comprehend that it is violent, has also served as the means of liberating people from the tyranny of despotic rulers. Many a peoples know liberation because a Force came to their aid; nonetheless, avoid violence at all costs. And urgent, because that same hands-off approach that for whatever reason came into being, has landed us at a point of existence, where seemingly the World we have created is an out of control, and an unstoppable destructive force–the inertia that misinforms us that we are incapable of changing circumstances.

The Revolution that I speak of takes place within culture because it is there where we as a society create our ideas, values, viewpoints, beliefs, and practices. In short, if Culture is a container, in it you would find our perspectives on how we view the people around us, in the world, what is good, bad, right or wrong; our sense of morality, and spirituality. It is the stuffs of which we build everything in our societies. Within any borders you may find yourself, Culture by formal definition exists. Whether there be one pervading, or many, or sub-categorized, these cultures, depending on when and where you are in the world, come together in a clash or successfully in unison. Sometimes two create one or learn to co-exist. Or in a place like America, you have a bit of both and a melting pot.

A person I’m connected to via Twitter recently posted:
“This time, like all times, is a good time, if we know what to do with it” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

What does a cultural revolution look like anyways? Well, it begins when the individual acts for the sake of the whole. The group then participates in bringing about change. This is when real palpable revolution sets in, when things begin to change.

Throughout history, we have seen different examples of selfless acts at the level of cultural influence. Having said that, it will only be at the most profound level, which brings about ever lasting change. Life is energy that flows back and forth, too and fro; like waves of the Ocean, the rising and waning tides–that is the Ocean Alive. We are like that wave and I suppose if we were to step back and see ourselves as one as that wave appears to us, the ebb and flow pattern would easily reveal itself to us. Indeed, individually as separate human beings we flow together in culture, yet we give most of our attention to our sense of individual direction. Apparently chaotic, we go this and that way, do this and that thing. Still, this is like the body of water and is the Wave. Tiny droplets of water, to our eye, form together. I am sure that if there were a thing as big as Chiron–to It we are like tiny droplets of Human; a single rising tide of one species.

The aquatic revolution happens every time a giant wave crashes ashore, pulling out seaweed, washing away sand and stone, buffing the coral reef with heavy force. If every wave, even every droplet of water observed itself as single and separate from the whole–each wave, and every drop would lay claim to its thunderous arrival as its own volition, its own doing… its own Aquatic Revolution. Yet, we know better and understand that the path of water is as much due to its weight, but that many cosmic values influence the current. Gravity, planetary rotation, energy–these are all things that contribute to the force of nature, that a body of water represents. What we represent, at a sub level, is the Human Body–the force of self-aware animal that attempts to control all else. If energy is indeed the force behind life, then what we perceive as change–what we consider an individual act of volition that brings about revolution, is no more our individual choice than those droplets of water. Formed as one massive wave, singularly capable of influencing the direction and power of the Oceanic wonder, that makes up three fourths of Earth.

Indeed, inasmuch we are the species that possesses the trait of self-awareness, whatever we become Aware of–we harness its power and continue traveling the path of a deeper meaning. Meaning, like the wave, change will come as it always does, however, when we become aware of the rising tide, when we selflessly acknowledge–that act of volition– change will come at a deep and profound level. We will harness that power, that flow of energy. This is when a real revolution begins–when the many begin to flow together as one.