SOCIAL MATURITY

FORWARD

Through many hundreds of centuries we, as a species, have expanded our horizons from a local or tribal perspective to include all of our planet and from there to include all of our solar system. We began to look beyond our solar system to our galaxy, to the universe and beyond to the cosmos. In all of this great mind boggling expanse there is an element or influence of harmonious and orderly interdependence. This can be referred to as the cosmic influence originating with the Master Architect of the cosmos. Coming back to our planet we find this cosmic influence very much in evidence. All life forms are dependent on the environment of the planet for their existence. Therefore we, as a species, are dependent on other forms of life for our existence. Life on this planet, in all of it's varied forms, is responsible in part for the air we breath, nourishment for our bodies, protection from the elements and purity of our water just to name a few.

We need look no further than our bodies for a good example of the cosmic influence in operation. All of the parts and/or systems that make up our bodies interact, they complement and reinforce each other allowing us to function in a normal manner. Each part and/or system either directly or indirectly maintains itself and contributes to the maintenance of all other parts and systems and collectively contribute to the maintenance of the environment in which they all survive, our bodies. Even with all of this active co-operation none of the parts or systems lose their individual identity.

This same basic principle is very much in evidence throughout all of nature. A question that immediately comes to mind is, why have we, as a species, ignored this basic principal in our social structure? Was there a time when the attitude of complementing and reinforcing, active cooperation, harmonious interaction and interdependence was the cornerstone of the social structure? At this point in time there is no simple clear cut answer to either of these questions. There appears to be some evidence that would indicate that long before the dawn of recorded history there was a great deal of cooperation within the then known social structure.

Decisions, decisions, decisions... we make thousands of them every day. We must live with the consequences of our decisions whether they are good, bad or indifferent. Many of the decisions we make are subconscious, that is, we do something without thinking about it, almost a reflex action. Some decisions require little thought, for example: "Will I walk through the puddle, jump over it or go around it?". Some decisions require a considerable amount of thought. A more important decision for example: "Will I go in to work today or will I call in sick?" Still others require even more thought, some may require getting the advice of another person or persons: "Will I purchase a new car?". There are many outside influences that have a bearing on each and every decision we make, these influences could come from one or many segments of the social structure. In each case we are the ultimate decision maker, or our own supreme authority. Quite often we will try to blame some one else for a bad decision we may make, or in other words "pass the buck". There is nothing new about that attitude. It goes back in time to the "Garden of Eden" story when Adam "passed the buck" by blaming Eve, and also blamed God who gave him Eve as a helpmate. Eve in turn blamed the serpent who beguiled her. Regardless of the excuses, they still had to live with the consequence of their decision.

Many of us at times have given in to the "Peter Pan" syndrome. "I don't want to grow up, I won't grow up, I can't cope with all of the decisions I have to make, I want to remain a child and not be responsible". That can be our decision. However we still have to live with the consequences of the decisions we expect others to make for us. For those who would like to explore more deeply into the whole question of decisions should read THE SOLUTION GROUP by Bruce C. Dawson.

Each of us have our strengths and weaknesses. We depend on other members of our species to complement and reinforce our weaknesses with their strengths, and vice versa. All too often when we confide our weaknesses to anyone, it is used to exploit us. Consequently, through this fear of exploitation, trust is diminished and we pull our shell around ourselves and ignore others as much as possible. This happens within the family unit and is one of the major causes of family breakup.

Each of us have a head on our shoulders. Inside of that head is a brain, which is divided in two hemispheres and each hemisphere has certain functions to perform so that we can function in a normal manner. The human family is also divided in two, the female and the male (alphabetic sequence). Each sex has certain functions, they complement and reinforce each other, together making up the family unit. Each of us started out in exactly the same way, as a tiny spark of life produced by the body of a physically mature male. This spark of life was transferred to the body of a physically mature female where it found the environment wherein it could survive and start the developmental process. It goes through the embryonic and fetal stages where it is nurtured by the female body, and is finally expelled. After being expelled it is still nurtured by the female through infancy, childhood, adolescence, to full mature adult status. The female has nurtured the life provided by the male. Ideally neither are subservient to the other but are equal partners, the female providing the nurturing and the male providing the necessities of life. Since we do not live in an ideal society allowances must be made for deviations from the ideal. The family unit must decide which deviations are best for their particular situation at any given point in time. Since conditions are constantly changing, decisions must be upgraded to meet the changing needs.

Information, from what ever source, quite often will be shaded to enhance the position of an individual, a group, or a segment of society in order to dominate, manipulate, exploit or just eliminate opposition to the stand taken. There is nothing new about shaded information. It has been around from the dawn of recorded history and quite possibly long before that.

Domination is a factor of social immaturity, It is not unique with any one sector of the overall social structure. In all segments of society there are factions who feel their position is more important and often feel they should dominate and exploit all other segments. This same attitude prevails within the various segments where the subsections are all competing with one another for domination. On the personal level again there often is the same thing, single individuals trying to dominate other individuals. This attitude of domination creates fear in other people. Fear generates discord, confrontation, etc. at whatever level the domination is encountered.

Exploitation is another factor in social immaturity. Many segments of society try to exploit other segments of the overall social structure, and often they are successful. Misinformation or lack of information may be used as a method of exploitation. The concept of "let the buyer beware" is an example. We are so accustomed to this idea some feel our economy would collapse without it. The truth of the matter is, we would all be better off from an economic point of view if the attitude of exploitation were removed from all segments of the overall social structure.

Discrimination is a form of exploitation even more subtle than some of the other forms. When we discriminate against another human being, for whatever reason, we are exploiting that individual, using that discrimination to enhance what we perceive to be our superior or exalted position at that point in time. We can find all kinds of excuses to justify our attitude and ease our conscience as we go on using other members of the human family. There are many forms of discrimination, racial, financial, colour, national, religious, educational or political, etc.

When we strongly disagree with an idea or point of view put forth by someone, do we separate the message from the messenger? All too often the two are lumped together and the messenger is vilified along with the message. It is no longer acceptable to chop off their heads or burn them at the stake. We have devised more subtle ways of dealing with them. Sometimes individuals will be shunned, or attacked on a personal basis to discredit them, anything at all to keep the Ideas or message from being accepted. It is much easier to discredit the individual than to do our homework and discredit the message. Quite often the messenger is attacked when there is no adequate defense against the message. It is one thing to attack the message, and quite another thing to attack the messenger. Sometimes the one who is attacking perceives that to be an acceptable way to gain some recognition from their peers.

The intangible (subconscious and attitude) cannot be legislated. It is only through knowledge that we increase our wisdom which in turn will influence our subconscious and attitude. When we think of knowledge we think in terms of education, primarily of formal education. There is also informal education, which many rely on after leaving the formal system. The tangible effects of discrimination can be legislated against. We have been doing this for years, with varying degrees of success. In some areas it is partly successful, and in other areas it only opens up other avenues for discrimination. The Human Rights Legislation is an example.

To get a good insight into self-centeredness let's explore definitions found in Webster's New World Dictionary.

A very important aspect of social maturity is our attitude towards the environment in which we all survive, not only affecting our species but all other species on this planet. Do we as a species align ourselves and actively cooperate in all aspects of our interaction with nature or do we continue as we have in the past, exploiting nature to the point that it can no longer maintain itself? When nature can no longer cope with continued exploitation there will be a decline and possibly the extinction of our species. The sad part is that we will be taking other species with us when we go down. From the time we first appeared on the scene until a relatively short time ago nature was able to cope with us. In the past few years, however, our exploitation has become so great we have overwhelmed natures ability to cope. The question has been asked many times, "how do we overcome the apathy of the general public towards the environment?". If history is any indication we will continue on our present path until nature gives us a well deserved boot in the pants. We will wail like banshee's at the unfairness of nature for not cooperating with us, when in reality we are not co-operating with nature. It is a classic example of our greed for "whatever". As a species we are so puffed up by our perceived importance that we refuse to see our great ignorance of the overall picture. In the last few years there has been a very gradual awakening by a very small minority who are attempting to get the seriousness of the situation across to the general public. They are having mixed results especially if it is going to cost us something.

As the population increases so does our output of CO, this adds to the already overburdened atmosphere. The need for more housing increases and that means more land is removed from potential agricultural uses. More forest products are needed to build houses depleting our forest reserves even further. More oxygen will be required to sustain the expanded population. Where will it come from? We are depleting the forests which produce great quantities of oxygen, and at the same time consume great quantities of CO. More food will be needed to feed the extra population just when we are taking land out of production to build houses on. To compound the problem it is usually prime agricultural land that is used for the expansion of home sites and industrial development when we should be using marginal land.

SOCIAL MATURITY is based on the cold hard facts of life or nature, as old as time, which we see around us every day. It goes beyond, transcends, the narrow or parochial limitations imposed by geography, nationalism, politics, religion, business, labour, law or any other segment of the overall social structure at the same time impinging on all segments. It is a constantly evolving, open ended concept. As our knowledge increases, and our horizons expand, we will become more acutely aware of our need for interdependence on each other on a global scale. Today any place on the planet is only a matter of hours from any other place on the planet. With satellite communications, audio and video can be transmitted and received in seconds. Our planet has shrunk to the status of a global community.

Social Maturity has in the past, does today, and will in the future produce a climate of trust, harmony, active cooperation and peaceful coexistence. Social Immaturity, on the other hand, produces a climate of fear, discord, confrontation and one war after another.

Social Maturity achieves a three way or delta balance in our concern for the total well being of ourselves, others and the environment in which we all survive, while maintaining the individuality and importance of all. Socrates was the founder of the doctrine of an absolute morality based on the concept that happiness is the good, not of Athenians, or Spartans, or even of Greeks, but of man as man, as part of universal humanity. Social Maturity includes the awareness of and resistance to the self-centered greed for power: power to control human and/or material resources, by whatever means necessary and/or available. Power to dominate, to manipulate, to exploit, to enslave, and to eradicate opposition.

Nature has been operating very successfully for billions of years, long enough to have matured to a very high degree. It would seem prudent to look to nature for guidance in our social system. Socrates thought so. The American Declaration of Independence is based on looking to nature for guidance "...the separate and equal station to which the laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, ... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that all are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". Socrates said of happiness: " A man's happiness or well being depends directly on the goodness or badness of his soul. No one ever wishes for anything but true good (i.e. true happiness). But men miss their happiness because they do not know what it is. For real good they mistake things that are not really good (e.g. unlimited wealth or power). Men need to know true good and not confuse it with anything else, so as to keep from using strength, health, wealth, or opportunity wrongly. If a man has this knowledge he will always act on it, since to do otherwise would be to prefer misery to known happiness. Knowledge of good is the one knowledge of which it is impossible to make an ill use, the possession of it is a guarantee that it will always be used properly." Four hundred years later the same basic thought was put differently by Jesus who taught, "love your neighbour as you love yourself", and also, " I give you a new commandment that you love one another". We can paraphrase that to "concern for the welfare of self should be equal to the concern for the welfare of others". This concern implies concern for the welfare of the environment, making our concern a three way or delta balance.

A Delta Balance

As we become more aware of the implications of the Cosmic Influence, we can condense the above to: Social Maturity is in direct proportion as to the degree of alignment with the Cosmic Influence; and the awareness of and resistance to influences diametric to the Cosmic Influence.

Where does the change of attitude start? It starts with each of us acknowledging and acting on the premise; "it starts with me". It is all too easy to think or say "let it start some where, with Joe Blow in Kokomo", for example.

We cannot expect a complete change of attitude over night. It takes time to adjust to the new way of thinking. Every day we will, figuratively speaking, fall flat on our faces. This is to be expected. We must not become discouraged but pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and continue on. How many times will I fall on my face per day is a question that is asked many times. The answer is who knows for sure, probably quite a number of times.

The bright side of this problem is that each time we do fall we learn from our mistake and over time the incidences of falling will diminish, it is up to each of us to determine the level or degree of social maturity we want to strive for at any given time. When we begin to think in terms of social maturity we no doubt will be thinking of very small changes. As time goes by these small changes will add up to a very great change in our attitude towards life in general. By taking a very small step at a time the change will be so gradual we will seldom notice it.

Social Maturity does not require the formal joining of a group. It is a personal commitment each individual must make as to the attitude that will influence their daily lives. They can opt for the socially immature attitude of self centeredness or they can opt for the socially mature attitude of genuine concern for the total well being of each other. The very informal atmosphere of self help groups where the individuals discuss and share their problems and their achievements with each other within the framework of caring and sharing without the fear of being exploited.