Theos-Talk Archives (January 2005 Message tt00056)

Hi Paul and all,
What your saying I think is quite true.
The information that is available now has shaken a lot of power
structures and caused a lot of upheaval in various groups.

>From my own background with the J.Ws I know the internet has been an
absolute life saver for many who have chosen to leave as they no
longer feel so isolated and can see many others from around the world
who have shared there experiences.

One of the things with sharing ideas and information is receptivity to
change needs to be there in the individual, if we are simply trying to
protect our existing mindset or group we are emotionally attached to,
then our reaction will only be in a defensive manner.
So much about beliefs and believing is caught up in our need for
safety and security also in comfort and the avoidance of pain.

If we are in a state of turmoil this can be a very positive thing
because it makes us look within and question what is going on within
our being.
On the other hand if we are comfortable with our selves we can fall
into the trap of arrogance and pride.

Is it really so bad if people are arguing and getting upset?
Is this a ‘bad’ thing or does it mean we are being confronted with our
selves?
We tend to see harmony on the most immediate level and then try and
maintain ‘peace ‘at all costs.

The problem with this is it creates a status quo and conformity.
In a genuine theosophical group students need to be able to present
contrary and controversial points of view freely if the information is
backed up by either historical or philosophical rational, in order for
it to be a group that truly stands by freedom of thought.

If this causes upsets then the upset individual needs to ask
themselves why am I so threatened by these opposing points of view?
Is it because I need to be right or have I supported a particular
point of view for years and don’t like to admit I may have got it wrong?
These are all positive avenues of growth if we see them that way.

Of course if things just descend into an ego fighting match then we
need take a step back for a while perhaps.

So as much as I think there is a lot of ‘pointless’ arguing on the net
perhaps that just one side of the story I would suggest.

It may be that it will take some time to see really positive change in
the actual organizations as power structures are not easily shaken.

But thank goodness groups like this exist without them we would have
no avenue of expression.

Perry


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "kpauljohnson" <kpauljohnson@y...>
wrote:
> 
> --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, MKR<ramadoss@g...> wrote:
> > Let us look at it this way. Internet is the only medium where 
> anyone can 
> > publish almost anything without any intermediary and also without 
> almost 
> > any cost. Publishing is also instantaneous with world-wide 
> distribution. 
> > Have we not seen many many instances of items being put on 
> Internet sites 
> > which traditional print medium for one reason or another would not 
> want to 
> > publish. Many organizations which had controlled the flow of info 
> do not 
> > yet know how to deal with Internet medium where info and opinions 
> not 
> > palatable to the organization can and do get disseminated world-
> wide.
> > 
> > So let us use this medium to its best advantage.
> > 
> > My 0.02.
> > 
> > mkr
> > 
> Dear Doss,
> 
> Over the years I have shared your hopes for the impact of the 
> Internet, not just on the Theosophical movement but on other 
> spiritual movements I've studied as well as on political 
> consciousness. But at this point those hopes seem vain. Sometimes 
> I go back to the theos-l archives of the mid-90s, and am always 
> surprised at how civil and constructive the discourse there was 
> compared to the current scene in Theosophical cyberspace. Most of 
> the folks whose posts I most enjoyed have long since disappeared and 
> dogmatic/argumentative discourse is now the rule rather than the 
> exception. This is not nearly as bad as the Baha'i situation where 
> a great many constructive and intriguing discussions occurred in the 
> mid-90s in cyberspace, whereas now flamefests and dogmatic 
> aggression are near-ubiquitous. With ARE as well, things started 
> out in cyberspace looking very hopeful, but the aggressive 
> dogmatists indulging in personal attacks pretty much stifled the 
> good possibilities.
> 
> Neither Theosophists, Baha'is, nor ARE members are one iota more 
> likely to encounter genuine intellectual openness and honesty in 
> their organizations today than they were prior to the advent of the 
> Internet. In fact, the reverse trend has occurred-- more rigidity, 
> dogmatism, aggression, denial. Whether this is a temporary or 
> longterm result of the Internet is anyone's guess.
> 
> I'm disillusioned also with the results of Internet activism on the 
> political scene. Progressive/liberal Americans have had vastly 
> greater information sources and organizational opportunities in the 
> last four years than ever before, and one would think that a certain 
> skepticism about government propaganda would have taken root in the 
> general population. But the last election shows a conservative 
> retrenchment that is closely associated with attitudes indifferent 
> or hostile to reason and evidence. E.g. evolution deniers and End 
> Times believers.
> 
> In none of these cases has the Internet "come to the rescue" as had 
> been hoped.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Paul