Caitlin Johnstone has written an article about the current Russiagate narrative you should read. It made me think as always, how does this relate to my one and only solution for our future survival; Collective Intelligence?
We must ask, how did we become so enslaved to narrative? What is narrative? The dictionary defines it as a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious. the art, technique, or process of narrating, or of telling a story?
Watching the news over the last few days I can fully understand how innocent people were chained to a pole and burned alive as witches and werewolves. It would be happening now if only the circumstances were different. Don’t believe for a minute that the people alive today are any different than those of centuries past. That really is the point though isn’t it? We aren’t any different. We process information as individuals and communicate with each other to the same effect now as then. Do you think that needs to Change?
First it must be set down that we are talking about non-fiction or at least the attempt to interpret what is reality. Even though many narratives are good fiction, the purpose implied is to inform and realize true perspective.
Is the narrative presented as an end product or as a process? I think both. Many narratives take a position and then produce evidence to support this position. This is what produces the story. Narratives may also follow a defined course or formula to arrive at a predetermined but undisclosed point or conclusion.
Narratives are also, sold. How willing you are to accept the narrative presented may depend on how they are delivering it. In today’s world; Networks, media and politicians are expert at this. The suit, the hair, the facial expressions and body language, the set, the music, you get the picture. You see it every day.
Society has a big part to play in our acceptance of narratives. If you want to have sex, friends, or just breath for another day, then don’t object strongly at the witch burning.
Now I have to ask the big question. How long do you think it will take these ignorant witch and werewolf killers to destroy civilization as we know it? With our new highly advanced technologies and the constant war among ourselves, we will all burn at once.
But you say; my neighbors and family; they are really good people. Which brings me to one of the most important points. We can’t fix the people. We cannot force them to evolve or simply hope they will evolve in order to break the pattern. It doesn’t work that way. Narratives are just communications between humans. It’s what we do. We love stories.
So the answer; we are all individuals and we engage in the process as individuals, we (humanity) must change the way we process information. I am speaking of relevant information, information that impacts others; not Freddy caught a fish, but how Freddy might catch a fish. In the narrative, fact becomes fiction because errors (fallacies) are within the process. We must make limiting errors within the process our number one priority in pursuit of our goal; a more realistic presentation of reality. We want conclusions we can personally believe in. We also want peace with our neighbor. It would help if we could all be on the same page. The answer is a Collective Intelligence.
We must move away from a world dominated by individual intelligence. Individual intelligence is a black box of fear, ignorance, want, need and selfishness. It grinds up the reality we know and produces narratives to suit it’s purpose. Innocent, well meaning, sane/insane, evil it all can produce the same result. This if the failing of an individual intelligence. Individual intelligence is geared for survival by quickly generating perceptions to deal with dangerous animals, poisonous plants and bad weather in a dangerous and chaotic environment.
Our technological world is a new world and it requires a new process. A collective intelligence could be, if developed; Permanent — (thank you technology) no more comments, ideas and perspective that fall of the page or become old news and disappear, Productive — no more contributions that are repetitive and disorganized. Transparent — there is a process and it is there permanently for all to see and examine. Inclusive — your perspective is the raw material and is what will be accepted or rejected, not you. Straightforward and honest — no selling required, human logic is the moderator. Human logic is the authority.
This is all about the conclusions we arrive at and how we get there. That is it. That is all of it, really. Would you, in our future world, choose to embrace a new process in your intellectual travels from A to B. Please understand that a collective intelligence is a Collective intelligence. It is all of us pooling our facilities together. We are humanity. Human logic is our possession. It should serve us. When our mental pathways have changed the way we perceive the world at large, When our intellectual environment has altered, will we then evolve?
Considering the stakes I believe we as societies need to take a hard look in the mirror. Throw in the ring, the narrative; the process that serves you so well. The narrative that enslaves you.