A Taoist View Of Modern Politics

It has been a busy crazy few years that is for sure. Internationally quite a bit is happening and it’s a time of change. It’s up to each person to assist the shaping of the world by actively living within it or instead -> react to what gets handed back to them by political design.

Modern Politics

You see everyone creates a world in their reflection. Now classically, reading books from ancient Greece to today, you will find authors complaining about people not standing up to create a world worth beholding. So let’s not act as if our current issues of modern politics are a new problem. It only feels new, as we are experiencing it all first hand, so it becomes personal and feels new. The main thing that has changed is the scope and scale of the problem we face in modern politics. We are facing a global size problem rather than only a nation-size problem. In other words, we have finally bit off the entire planet, and the question is, have we bit off more than we can chew?

Facing Economic Fascism

If you scan the news or blogs, you will find all sorts of warning cries; we are one step away from Fascism. And this is sadly true. Fascism is a system of totalitarian power that arises during times of chaos. We are living at a point of great change, and in great change, We have both great potential to create something new and sadly greater potential to fall prey to people abusing power in modern politics for personal gain through systems such as economic Fascism.

The only reason we are at greater danger of Fascism or other similar totalitarian systems is that they are tried and true systems: people know how to create such a system, you can even Google it and find step by step instructions…

If you Google: How do I create a new and better world… what you get is opinion.

I suppose creating a new and better world that is something we reinvent every third or fourth generation. It generally is a mixture of trial and error with a dash and pinch of the old thrown in for comfort.

So let’s look at the old first. From a Taoist point of view, I have been here before. Long ago in China, we had a period called the warring states period. It was a time of chaos, a time of great change. Large-scale Nation states were relatively new, and great wars were waged to consolidate power across the Chinese civilization.

Our times are a reflection of those times. The only difference is: it isn’t a warring states period based on nation states (they are merely puppets now), rather our warring states are defined by economic boundaries, This is a war of business.

The modern warring states period began around 1913 to 1917 ish with World War One and the Federal Reserve Act. This was when one could argue (and many do) that we see the transition of imperial nation-states transferred to Financiers. The information age has accelerated the pace of economic warfare, and we are probably in the next ten years looking at the final consolidation of power for this period.

The question becomes: Is the world economy pushing everything towards a new form of Fascism: Economic Fascism

Meaning the economy/corporations exerts strong directive influence, and effectively controls production and allocation of resources of the government.

This is opposite of a traditional Fascist economy but seems to be fitting what is happening today. This is a fine distinction, but an important one, since traditionally government is a social tool that exists for the benefit of maintaining a society: the economy was dependent on the needs of the society.

What we are seeing is the opposite, that society is dependent upon the economy. In reflection, those in true control are those who control the economy. Look at the last decade how the financial corporations directly control/made/forced the US government do their bidding with the Bail Outs as an example of this.

So yes we are in a warring states period, but the war is an economic war, and it is directly reshaping our entire society, and then in reflection of each person.

Are we heading into Economic Fascism?  The most ironic truth of this question is:

This can only happen if people buy into it as a system.

Everything I have written over the last 15 years teaches how to create a better world. For example:

1. Re-introduce compassion into the worlds business model
2. Not to get forced and be defined by other people’s conflict
3. To personally discover and reinforce kindness in one’s own life
4. Rediscover our humanity and not live to the past
5. How to change the world

And so many others have written much also

For example here is a perfect Gem: Circle of Gifts

The truth is, we

• Don’t need new ideas on how to save the day.

Someone may come along to re-package old ideas in a new manner to start a movement, But the information needed is already at hand. A new spokesperson for our age might happen, but that is merely optional.

• Don’t need a person to save us. No, in the end, we each save ourselves. If you have to follow another person to become yourself, then ironically chances are you are not truly living in your own heart. We follow others not to discover our hearts; we follow others because we enjoy their company and have like-minded destinations to explore.
• Don’t wait for the government to change. We are the government; we don’t save the day by only voting, we also need to save the day in our actions and building a better place now. Let’s face it most of the laws of the last two decades are laws imposed to limit peoples rights not to expand them. We need normal people to get back into politics and remove special interests from the process. Will this be easy no, but it requires normal people to step up, live, and be active in their life, and for normal people to start being involved in politics. Not by voting for the parties or special groups but by being the ones to get voted in!!! We need everyday people in government jobs to get brave enough not to fear to lose their jobs but rather doing their jobs for the people. Too many people work in government now for the job as salary rather than to live out life in public service. I have worked in government for many years, so I am not claiming high moral ground. I understand the problems a government worker faces, and sadly the system has evolved to force government workers not to be effective. This has to change. The only way it will change is if normal people stop complaining about the government and get themselves involved at all levels to support & change the government itself. The United States is “We the people”. As long as “we the people” and “government” are at odds, then the government “Isn’t of the people”. It is this polarization that opens the doorway for special interests to take control of the process. Let’s stop this silly, extreme division/polarization that has occurred and meet back in the middle. Jon Stewart got that message right in his rally for Sanity.

If you want a better world: then start living in it: TODAY.

Western Politics and Change

Over the last 600 years of western history, it’s possible to see the evolution of a society based upon change itself. From a Taoist perspective, those changes are fueled by a population the mainstream culture itself pushes into change. The process of change is a direct result of a society that refuses to accept people for themselves.

A simple example : Henry the VIII forming the Church of England when The Catholic Church refused to accept divorce in its doctrine.

Over time the population itself rejects the parent culture to create something new constantly.

We are currently living in a massively large and crazy feedback loop that supports rapid change.

Society as a whole is used to this happening, having evolved in this manner to force the population into change constantly. This is a basic part of the fabric of Western culture now. So much so, that we are blind to this engine of our change.

People might think change is a result of technology driving the way we live. Technology only affects the rate of change; it doesn’t impact the reason behind the change. In reality, social change arises out from the differences between the various cultures and populations with power.

If we are to look at history, it suggests that modern western society will not directly reform itself to prevent the current consumption problem. Instead, we are now watching people pushing against those in power OVER abusing their power; this will slowly drive a new culture to form.

When modern society evolves hopefully the power structure will shift into something renewable and sustainable. Often the old power structure needs to collapse before a new power structure comes into play.

The majority of the humanity might think the major problem we face is of renewable energy. And this is half the problem. The other half of the problem is any new solution that arises also needs to be sustainable. If it’s not sustainable, then western change based culture will just seek another quick fix solution that continues to worsen the problems humanity currently faces.

For example: western society has changed from burning wood to coal to oil… Western society might change its fuel, but the basic problems inside our culture remain the same, causing us to just delay or worsen basic social problems.

We might capture the wind and sun for energy, but that in itself won’t be the change which fixes many other problems western culture faces.

What does the overall solution look like?

Most people wave hands and expect this solution

< insert magic here >

I can wave my hands here, but that won’t change anything. My Taoist practice says this:

To re-start a new world: is to be in our hearts, in our life, in the way we live. It doesn’t mean to run across the stars to a new home, to re-start a life.

Taoism teaches us: Don’t concentrate on single solutions nor the destination. Instead be flexible enough to change a little each day, until something evolves that does work.

What can we do?

We can also change the game.

Think about this, right now, seemingly the choice is either change society or have society destroy our very planet.

The current setup and social schema is pushing the whole situation to conflict. That within conflict everyone loses (except an elite power structure pushing conflict for personal gain.).

A Taoist knows a third choice always exists. In this case, the third choice is to reclaim control of one’s life. Yes, change will happen, but not in a knee-jerk reaction of conflict within the crisis. The Taoist answer to the larger social problems we are now experiencing is to change the overall game.

Be aware, be alive, be yourself: since Taoism in terms of acceptance ends up being the revolution and solution of the next generation. It may not be called Taoism… but acceptance of our life and how we balance it towards the larger world is occurring.

So the real modern issue from a Taoist perspective.

Are you going to be yourself or are you going to just join one of the sides in this current push pull social tug of war being televised as being the only options available?

A Taoist will laugh, step to the side, to be: oneself and in the now live a sustainable renewable lifestyle. In doing so making a larger difference for the better, while also preventing society from controlling personal life in an unreasonable manner. It’s not a question of sides; it’s about the application of personal lifestyle.

300 years ago, the option existed to go to a new world, start a new colony, start a new way far far away. In a sense, western culture became a series of disposable societies, where people moved from one culture and onward to the next. It’s the way many people want to approach the problems we have now. Wholesale revolution, wholesale start a new community, wholesale.

The truth becomes: to re-start a new world: happens in our hearts, in our life, in the way we live, simply in the now. It doesn’t take running across the planet, to a new home to re-start a life. It just takes living to your true ideals in the here and now to restart and kick start everything anew.

A Taoist solution isn’t a single new society; it will be within dozens of cultures working together to live in a renewal style of process. It will be based on the acceptance of many solutions to tie together a larger world lifestyle. It will take on aspects of all cultures including parts of the current society we may not wish to keep.

This is why it’s important to change the game, not to focus on a single new social solution, as the larger solution will become a process of working together, of living together across many communities that actually will make the difference.

Or we can play the game and continue the cycle of disposable diaper style culture. It’s our choice in the end through our actions what we accept and live towards.

Kindness as a Social Solution

We create relative to the reflection of our actions. So we receive what our actions reflect.

• Whiners will inherit the Economic Fascist State.
• People living to a conflict will inherit only ashes of the past
• Anyone over-supporting Big Business will only mutate into gods know what ( But will primarily end up as cancer victims ) as they reap the toxicity produced by Big Business model. Too many people have bought into the consumer model, and a large part of the price of that consumption is cancer and other diseases

Since kindness represents our essence.

Only kindness reflects what we are without distortions!

People living to kindness will inherit a world worth living in since it will be a world:

Of the people
For the people
By the people.

This isn’t idealism I am speaking about; it’s a simple reflection and how our actions reflect our nature.

Kindness can be a guideline to help understand if you are helping things or making things worse. Then make course corrections accordingly if you want the world to be a better place. If what you are doing is causing conflict or waste or illness in any manner, then that’s the major clue you are not acting kindly nor truly compassionately.

It isn’t easy to act kindly. There is much we inherited that must be cleaned up and many mistakes we have made over the years. We seek shortcuts, and the truth is we must remove Judgment from how we measure kindness. It seems daunting what is faced ahead in resolving out issues. However, we each have an entire lifetime to practice it and get it right.

This is doable if we just do it.

What is the Taoist View Of Modern Politics?

It’s a game people play within society. Don’t lose yourself to games, yes at times to play, at times to start a new game, at times to walk away altogether.

While playing, don’t forget to live your life -> with kind modest and nonjudgmental actions to assist around you. Then you let everything else sort itself out.

This sorting out process is also politics. Taoism gives you several clues on how to relate to modern politics:

1. To not presort too much, since those with the biggest guns (someone always will have a bigger gun) wins this variation.
2. Play simply, efficiently, and early when possible.
3. Don’t let others define the rules for you.
4. Many times there is no game at all, as life and the world adds in its two cents. Don’t play games when the world itself is changing the playing field.
5. Politics is billiards played with people as the balls. (Hence why kindness is important: because you are a ball also in this game.)

Taoist Leadership

Let’s finally focus upon the challenge we now face at a global level: leadership.

It’s clear the many national leaders are not leaders, they’re merely power consumers it seems. It seems a consumer culture breeds consumer leaders.

More importantly, people tend to wait until a leader shows up to follow before changing their own lives in a more significant way. People are looking for big answers; people are waiting for BIG LEADERS: this is backward.

The bigger answer is we need to recover the planet within modesty. Modesty is countless small answers. A big leader cannot on their own coordinate the number of countless small answers we now need.

We need many modest leaders.

I seriously don’t think we have time to play follow the leader, we each need to become the leaders, simply by living our lives well, modestly and in kindness.

Each person can be a leader in their own life.

Gandhi once said

“Whatever you do may seem insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.”

In our actions each person can be a modest leader, to be a person showing others how to be strong in kindness, modesty and nonjudgement, in this we are weaving together our modest lives and modestly redirecting humanity to be part of the earth again.