Jwayne

Plight of Individualism

2 posts in this topic

What I see in online spiritual communities, including lurking in the Actualized forum, is something derivative of a larger trend in Western society. And something which is not innocent of having been manipulated by heinous actors for ideological ends. I refer to individualist solutions to collective problems.  Specifically, the individualizing of a larger issue usually due to not having the foresight, willingness or opportunity to engage with it at the collective level.

 

Another reason may be due to the spiritual bias, which practically translates into a political error, of zooming-out to an ostensible root level mistake (e.g. 'a lack of CONSCIOUSNESS') and attempting (or actually) resolving it at an individual level - with the intention of long-term, stable progress - and which practically/actually forfeits the immediate prospect of collective/political action towards the manifested issue. Obviously, I would argue, there should be a balance between the short-term collective response to structural-institutional-etc. problems, and the long-term spiritual response at an individual level towards overcoming the root errors (e.g. of cognition, of awareness, of realization, etc.).

 

And there are practical reasons for not falling into, what I would consider to be, the trap of individualist pseudo-solutions to collective problems. Because even God-realized (assuming) aspirants' loved ones, children, friends and communities (including the societies in which they live, and its future prospects) are still subject to the institutional-structural-economic-political authority as legislated and implemented. So this face of manifested mass spiritual-intellectual knowledge, that is to say, the political climate, must be addressed on its own terms, just as the deep work of spiritual evolution/awakening must be carried out on its own terms.

 

This is worth mentioning because spirituality is able to be coopted (and often is) by heinous actors (e.g. think of authoritarian state intelligence agencies) to keep individuals atomized and isolated from one another and hence disempowered and concerned with otherwise mystical, ethereal and immaterial aims while looking away from or marginalizing existing material conditions, such as class relations, inequality, and so forth.

 

There must be a balance that is practiced amongst the spiritually-inclined because they have already made progress in the deep inner work. And if they can also adapt themselves to real world social action, such as education, community organizing, etc., then they will be a more powerful force for good in the world. One must be powerful in a worldly way and also in the sense of spiritual capacity. Too often, and at great detriment to human civilization everywhere, only one side dominates over the other. In spiritual communities like ours and elsewhere, the community-based, pro-social and real world on-the-ground implementation of our spiritual work must be consciously emphasized, especially in a way of serving others and relating in empowering ways to the collective.

 

 

 

 

Edited by Jwayne

Read my writings about the intersection of metaphysics, politics and mysticism.

Ascetus.com/authors/jwayne

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I've thought about this too. In political groups, there's almost no spiritual dimension. There might be a religious dimension, but primarily in the context of identity. In spiritual groups, they've locked themselves away from society. Or rather, their spirituality is contained at the individual level. Usually what turns people towards sprituality are personal problems, but like you said, those personal problems exist in a social context. Alientation is built into the economic mode of production, and given that the current society is subsumed by the economy, alientation is built into social life. "Going inwards" to cope with issues that are caused from alientation doesn't help. A better solution to solve that issue is to create a semi-self-sustaining infrastucture with friends you resonate with, so you all can escape wage slavery together, and create an organic community. Spirituality would guide the foundations of that organic community. Osho's Rajneeshpuram was like this, if I'm not mistaken, but it was big enough to contain issues, but the issues were less severe than in mainstream society. 

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