A SKETCH FOR THE FUTURE







A Study in Thought

sa026



by





Marius Heuff

Chapter 1

Content

Parallels between coherent reality perceptions and coherent social structures.
Speculations about future human trends, seen as an excercise in logical reasoning, rather than wishful thinking.
The motivations behind utopian dreaming.
The hope to eradicate "sinful" or reactionary tendencies, or, to install a perfect leadership.
The need to clarify reality perceptions today, if we want to dream about a better future tomorrow.
The need for an agreed-upon understanding of human nature.
The road towards honesty and transparence.
Conflicting goals and aspirations.
Limping on incoherent thoughts and vague hopes.
The fallacy of unbridled enthousiasm, as well as a fatalistic resignation to the status-quo.
Understanding the reasons for clinging to a position of privilege and power.
The lack of trust, and the need to acknowledge our suspicions.
The deception of a pseudo-friendship or a faked cooperation.
The utopian dream, based upon a thorough, contemporary analysis of the status-quo, and a clear level of comprehension.
The goal of a globally acceptable, relativistic reality perception.

If we assume it to be possible, or, even, likely, that, slowly, a more coherent and widely accepted image of our existence, functions and behaviour-patterns will develop, it is also reasonable to expect the emergence of a more precise and globally acceptable organisation for our societies. While we know, that, every speculative imagery about the future development of mankind and its societies is always punctuated by unsuspected trends and events, we may indulge, from time to time, in an attempt to extra-polate the probable events of the future from logical observations and generally agreed-upon assumptions. These logical extra-polations may show us a variety of potential developments that take into account many of the problems we have no clear answers for, at least, not at the moment.

Utopian dreams are usually motivated by a strong feeling of unhappiness with the status-quo, and, the description of a universal happiness in human existence has been based, primarily, on a widespread or universal good-will of the people who make-up a utopian society. Unfortunately, most utopian ideas are coloured heavily by a somewhat dream-like state of wishful thinking. They are based on a vague realisation, that man does not have to suffer, if he could behave completely rationally, or, if he could control his sinful nature, or, if it would be possible to install a perfect, be it somewhat elitist class in a position of power, guiding the masses to their fulfilment and destination.

The very fact, that the expression of a "utopian dream" denotes a somewhat sarcastic scepticism about someone's ability to grasp reality, indicates the great difficulties we have to construct a realistic, understandable and generally accepted picture of a just and healthy society. Indeed, we have to develop, first, a clear and comprehensive imagery about many fundamental topics, ranging from the nature of life, the essential characteristics of the human personality, to a clear understanding of the way we believe, organise our existence, or care for others.

Unless we develop a reasonably sophisticated and globally acceptable image of man, it will remain difficult to communicate with each other. Unless we are able to analyse, clearly, and with complete honesty, our behaviour in a conflict-situation, we will not be able to avoid the chaos and destruction of self-righteous warfare. Unless we know, how easy it is to err, when we are absolutely convinced of being right, we will not become masters of our own future. Unless we learn to see and control the intricate inter-actions between our emotional impulses and intellectual behaviour-patterns, we will not understand ourselves. Certainly, we will not be able to solve our problems by rejecting, either rational, or emotional behaviour-patterns.

We have a lot of work ahead of us. In the first place, we have to form a globally acceptable reality perception with the help of extensive discussions that are taking place on a global scale. Only then, can we begin to construct a lasting and just society. Many blindly accepted and unquestioned truths from today will have to be shaken loose from their prejudicial foundations, before we can really communicate with each other.

We will have to learn to see, to what extent our own aspirations and expectations interfere with the rightful aspirations of others. We can not continue to limp on incoherent thoughts and vague hopes, that, somehow, a competitive free-enterprise philosophy with its lure of individual wealth and power, leads to stable and harmonious societies, but, neither can we continue to expect, that the suppression of dissent and the surreptitious emergence of privileged party-elites will convince the world of the righteousness of social dogmas.

We can not expect the cacaphony of contradictory and confusing voices to represent the ideals of freedom of expression, or, to be the building-block for a happy society, but, neither can we expect dogmatism and the ever-present temptation to see reality and truth in absolute terms, to be the most persuasive way to organise people into a social unit.

We are irrealistic, if we expect to wish-away egocentric tendencies and trends by the repetitious chanting of social or religious slogans, but, neither should we complacently accept an erroneous and superficial image of man, where we resign ourselves to the belief that man's egocentric nature can never change. We may feel, quite rightly, that the power of constructive thought, or, an attitude of good-will and understanding, has a negligeable effect on the course of society as a whole, but, neither should we lose sight of the fact, that the course of human events is often determined by the persistent efforts of a few people, or, even, a single individual.

It is useless and dangerous to underestimate the difficulties associated with our efforts to reach a global consensus, because disappointments and frustrations will quickly sap the energy of concentrated and serious efforts to see results, but, a fatalistic acceptance of an unchanging status-quo, is just as deceptive, and, it is, just as much, a distortion of reality as unsustainable enthousiasm. If we seem to disagree with each other, we should first determine, whether or not we understand each other, and, if we do not understand each other, we should analyse the behaviour of ourselves and our adversaries, in order to see, which factors and motivations play a role in blocking the ability, or the willingness, to understand each other.

Unless we see, clearly, and acknowledge, frankly, that we all fall prey to the temption to pay lip-service to the ideas and ideals of common concern, while clinging tenaciously and surreptitiously to a position of advantage, we have not even begun to communicate. Unless we are able to admit to ourselves that we become emotionally distressed whenever we have to give-up a position of advantage, we will not be able to understand our own behaviour, nor, do we have a clear idea, why our adversaries are behaving the way they do.

Unless we are able to acknowledge, frankly, that we are in a position of privilege and advantage, we are not able to see the primary motivations for our behaviour, nor the reasons why we are the target of hatred and contempt. Our emotions react strongly to any attempt by others to take-away a hard-won position of advantage and security. Let us, also, acknowledge, that it is natural to resist relinquishing such a position of advantage and power, because we are afraid that we may lose everything. Let us say so, clearly, whenever we do not trust the intentions of the people we come into contact with. Let us make it clear whenever we do not trust our adversaries to be satisfied with an equal share, because we suspect that they may take all, just as we, or our forefathers took everything for themselves, whenever an opportunity presented itself.

Only under such conditions of honesty and openness, can we see the reasons for our resistance to any effort to equalise advantages and opportunities on a truly large scale. Perhaps, we should, indeed, tell each other, far more frequently and honestly, that we do not trust each other; that we are afraid to lose our security and comforts; that we feel to deserve what we have. Let us criticise each other openly and without deception, because a pseudo-friendship or an attitude of faked cooperation, is nothing more than a camouflaged confrontation; a hidden contest, waiting patiently for an opportunity to break-out into open hostilities and rationalised aggression. Only, when we realise the reasons and justifications for our emotions of aggression, suspicion and opportunism, only then, will we be able to create, slowly, the level of transparence in our existence and behaviour which is so necessary to build this foundation of trust for the construction of socially viable structures of interdependence.

A utopian dream, therefore, does not begin with the description of an imagined utopian reality, but it begins with an analysis and comprehension of contemporary human existence, together with its prevailing reality perceptions. The future possibilities of global coherence, integration and interdependence have to be based upon a thorough, contemporary understanding of our realities, and, these possibilities for a coherent and harmonious existence will then transform themselves into a series of events flowing along natural evolutionary pathways, as they search for a chance to become reality.

In order to help us orient our thoughts and build this basis of understanding, we may indulge in an excercise of extra-polations, where a possible future for human existence is described as a logical extention of a globally accepted relativistic reality perception. Yet, we know, also, that the potential for such a happy future for mankind depends upon the level of acceptance such a way of looking at reality, has found.

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Chapter 2

Content.

Vertical lines of development from a relativistic reality perception.
The potential for increased coherence in future reality perceptions.
Biological and psychological insights, as a foundation for understanding.
Limits of demands and rewards.
Competent mammalian parental behaviour.
Cultural directives, and their influences upon the functions of parental care.
The family-nucleus, as a pre-condition for a healthy personality development.
The developing youngster, exploring possibilities of existence.
The importance of setting guidelines, and the wisdom of explaining these guidelines logically.
The need for disciplined attitudes; in the individual, the small grouping, the society as a whole, as well as the world-federation of nations.
The well-established combination of tender affection and the quick, corrective slap.
The need to understand psycho-dynamics.
The difficult task of guiding youngsters in a complex and confusing society.
Natural caution and conservatism.
The study and documentation of each individual human being.
Confused loyalties and the possibility to exploit a competitive effort for the child's affection.
Less problems in a society with clear-cut behavioural guidelines.
The need to develop criteria of normality.
The autonomous forces of cultural decay.
Global integration, and the world-wide practice of studying and recording personalities, in spite of persistent local variations in beliefs and ways of life.

In order to maintain a link with our reality perceptions in the present, we will not attempt a vision of a certain status-quo in the future, but, we will extra-polate the vertical lines of social development, seen from a relativistic view-point. We will be describing a series of options, rather than a specific and necessarily somewhat arbitrarily chosen imagery of a future reality, where most problems of today have been overcome. We will sketch a series of probes into the future, exploring, logically, various existence possibilities and their consequences.

As these extra-polations unfold, the plausibility and the sense of reality may vary somewhat, as we try to anticipate some of the continuing searches for a reality "as it exists then", just as we search, now, for a variety of reality interpretations that let us construct a coherent response to the problems we face in the present. However, it is likely, that the overall lines of human existence will be much clearer in the future, and we may have overcome the confusing divisions in the perception of our realities, which separate us so dramatically from each other at the present time.

It seems reasonable to base our explorations about the potential unfolding of a future society upon the insights we have acquired about the biological and psychological mechanisms of our existence. We have good evidence to believe, that the totally helpless human infant unfolds its capabilities, because it is being nurtured in a sea of security, comfort and support. Yet, already from the start, the youngster learns to accept some limitations upon his demands for attention and gratification. Nature has sharpened a highly competent maternal instinct in the mammalian species', and the human being is aptly endowed with a natural ability in judgement and behaviour-patterns to form a successful family nucleus. We see, however, that this anlage of natural and instinctive behaviour-patterns can be refined, or undermined, especially, in the larger societies, if strong cultural directives influence these behaviour-patterns of parental care. Certainly, the cultural directives of conscious belief structures may enhance viability, but, they may also interfere with the instinctive patterns of parental care, especially, if these cultural directives become confused, chaotic or erroneous.

Especially, in the more complex societies, we see, how important cultural guidelines are for the development and security of the infant, because there are many strong influences that are modifying the natural behaviour-patterns of parental care. Later, these cultural influences play a more direct role in the unfolding of the young personality through the educational processes. In the adolescent generations, the cultural influences help to shape the attitudes of parental behaviour, as well as many other skills and socially beneficial attitudes.

We have good reasons to believe, that the infant and young child are best cared-for in a well-balanced and well-guided family-setting, where the affection between mother and child, as well as between the parents and other family members, represents a precious biological heritage. This heritage of instinctive behaviour-patterns has to be sheltered, studied and nurtured, because these complex attitudes and behaviour-patterns play a dominant role in determining the overall viability of the entire social environment, and, perhaps, even, of the entire human species.

During the first two or three years, the helpless infant should be provided with an umbrella of security and protection, as well as a happy routine and a consistent environment of contacts and care. During these years, the organic maturation of the central nervous system takes place, and a foundation is being laid for the unfolding of all the major personality features.

As the infant gets older, movements become more coordinated and the child begins to recognise objects and situations. It develops the ability to correlate vocalisations and arbitrary sounds with a number of recognition-patterns. In other words, the child learns to recognise and manipulate language symbols. It learns about the emotional inter-play between itself and the immediate environment.

We are wrong, if we think that infants and young children should not experience any limitations to their necessarily egocentric and instinctive demands. The young child explores, blindly, all possibilities of existence, just like all other life-forms, and, it is essential that a young child learns the limitations of the range of tolerable behaviour, just like any new-born member of every mammalian species. This applies to the range of physical explorations, as well as demands for attention and affection.

As the child grows older and develops conceptual structures with a number of causal relationships, it becomes possible to appeal to insight and understanding in an effort to shape the personality and behaviour of a young individual, but, we should realise, that such an ideal way to modify behaviour is only partly effective. There has to be a measure of discipline setting outright limitations, but, we should lose no opportunity to explain the reasons behind these disciplinary limits and limitations. This applies to a youngster within a family, the members within a social environment, as well as nations within a global organisation of human existence.

The crux of social organisation lies in the setting of guidelines along which social events have to take place, and, we, ordinary human beings, will have to shape, slowly and deliberately, the Constitutional Guidelines that will guide and restrain the leaders of our future societies. We may begin by studying those instinctive behaviour-patterns of parental care, which nature has shaped in the course of countless generations of mammalian life, and, we have to understand the remarkable qualities, as well as the limitations, that are represented by this curious combination of care, affection and tenderness, on the one hand, and the stern, quick reprimand or corrective slap of the hand, on the other.

We have a responsibility to learn as much as we can about the emotional mechanisms of our behaviour as parents, as well as the instinctively shaped behaviour-patterns of our children. Ideally, we should come to an intuitive blend between our instinctive reactions, and, the knowledge and insights we have gained or absorbed from our environment. If this intuitive blend does not take place, we remain contradictory and confusing in our inter-actions and behaviour-patterns, and this has a grave and detrimental effect upon the personality development of our offspring. If we remain oblivious to the insights that are available, we will be dull and somewhat oppressive towards our children, but, if we try to rear our children too much "by the book", or, with the help of conscious, psychological insights, we will present a neurotic and dishonest image to our children, which will leave them confused and dissatisfied.

It is, indeed, difficult to be sure about the factors and feelings that play a role in the relationships with our children, and, most of us sail a course by intuition, trying our best and listening to new ideas, yet, somewhat conservative and cautious, because we realise, subconsciously, how disastrous the consequences would be, if we would abandon a certain routine and tradition all-together. It is not surprising, therefore, that family relationships are a sensitive indicator of the individuality and strength of character of the parents, and, it is logical that these relationships remain an ever fascinating source for study and reflection. While the interpretation is difficult because of our vague and fluctuating opinions, I am convinced, that, valuable information can be obtained from such a study, in particular, if we want to understand the life-history of an individual or family-grouping.

It seems reasonable, that the young child should be in almost continuous contact with its parents until the age of three or four. This contact is important, in particular, with the mother, and, large breaks in contacts, (such as those that occur when a working mother has to leave her child with strangers), have a marked influence upon the development of the young personality. The child may not get any less attention and care from those who are asked, or paid for, to look after the children when the mother is working, but, we see, that the child becomes, often, somewhat confused in its loyalties and affections, and, the parents become anxious and confused as well. Because of these breaks in contact and the divided loyalties, the parents try to increase the affection of the children by gifts and bribes, and, we see a dangerous erosion of the ability to set firm and consistent guidelines for the unfolding of the child.

While these developments are perfectly logical and natural, it is easy to see the dangers that arise, whenever the guidelines for the child vary substantially from one moment to the next. In a coherent society with clear-cut guidelines, the problems are less acute, because the child will be treated the same by whoever is looking after it, but in a competitive and individualistic society, the child gets an opportunity to exploit discrepancies in treatment and the competition for its affection.

It is important, that we develop clear ideas about these mechanisms, because it is the only way to acquire some insights into the structure of the human personality, and, it is the only way to formulate criteria of judgement to differentiate between what is normal and abnornal. While we realise, that the judgement of normality will always be somewhat empirical and arbitrary, at the present time, our insights are so poor, that the growth and decay of cultural guidance-patterns seem to take place, primarily, beyond our comprehension, as well as beyond our powers of influence and manipulation.

As a result of our ignorance, we will have to spend a lot of effort and attention studying the unfolding of the personality, and, it seems logical, and inevitable, that future societies will emphasise, for a long time to come, the need for a careful description and constant observation of their youngsters, as they develop and mature, forming relationships with their parents and peers.

Even, if future generations are fortunate and witness the global integration of mankind into a harmonious and interdependent unit, there will still be many local variations in language, customs and ways of life. These are partly the result of geographical differences and varying historical backgrounds, but, one of the consequences of a globally shared reality-picture will be the practice, that each social environment studies and records the birth, growth and development of every child born into society.

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Chapter 3

Content.

Youngsters in a kindergarten.
The complete documentation of each growing personality.
The prevalent mood of suspicion, and the desire for privacy in contemporary affluent societies.
Safeguards against exploitation.
The suspicions of a competitive social environment.
The essential balance within each individual's behaviour-patterns.
A balanced approach to the development of human personalities.
The shift from an exclusive concern for the ego, to a broadly based concern for others.
The hope, that future societies will be less susceptible to prevailing social aberrations.
Channeling the energies of rebellious sentiments.
Honesty and transparence; a seemingly irrealistic utopia.
Ideas that have been discussed extensively in the series; "In Search of Reality".
How the fruits of mutual trust and honesty will have to be cultivated and nurtured.
An awareness of the need to find a viable social organisation.
A review of the benefits associated with extensive documentation, universal transparence and an unrestricted access to all information.
Transparence, together with its inherent features, are necessary to combat corruption and abuse.

When children reach the age of three or four, they need to be exposed to a larger social environment, and, from this time, young children will spend a few hours each day in a "kindergarten", where the emphasis shifts, gradually, from playing with each other to the teaching of fundamental skills, while, at the same time, we are able to build-up a profile of the personality of each child. In spite of the fact that it runs against common notions about the right to individual privacy, I am convinced, that future societies will have to study and record all the activities and behavioural traits of their citizens.

We should know the problems and deficiencies of each human being born into the society of mankind, but, we should have developed the wisdom and technology to make sure, that such information can not be exploited for egocentric purposes by anyone particular group or individual. It is clear, why, in our competitive societies, such a data-bank would be unacceptable to a majority of people, because they suspect, rightfully, that this information would be abused at one time or another.

The emphasis on personal achievement in a competitive society tends to blunt the development of mutual trust and socially beneficial motivations, but, at the same time, we have to guard against any attempt to suppress the process of individualisation out of fear for an emergence of reactionary or egocentric tendencies. We have to concern ourselves, continuously, with a finely adjusted balance in the personality of the human being; a balance between the instincts of self-expression and self-preservation, on the one hand, and, those of trust and enthousiasm for social objectives and mutually beneficial efforts, on the other. There is no need to fear that such a useful balance can not be found.

The same balanced approach should guide our efforts when educating our youngsters. We can not tolerate an unlimited introspective pre-occupation with egocentric concerns of personal well-being or individualised affinities, but, neither should we strive to develop our children into martial automata, who follow, blindly, an unquestioned discipline. Sensitivity should be steered, gradually, into the direction of an enlarged horizon of concerns, and, this is only possible, if the perceptive child receives during his early development ample security, encouragement, understanding and guidance, in order to make it possible for the focus of his sensitive awarenesses to shift from the ego, to the needs of others in the social environment.

It is reasonable to assume, that, in the future, we will have far more comprehensive ideas about the abnormalities that may occur during the unfolding of a human personality. We should be able to understand, better, the reasons and origins of severe anti-social or psychopathic behaviour, and, we will, probably, be able to avoid most, if not all the social disease processes we are so richly endowed with in our affluent societies. At the same time, we will have been able to provide efficient and meaningful pathways for the absorption of vital energies, and, the tendency towards dissent and rebellion will be effectively counter-acted in the societies of the future, because the rebellious individual can test, freely, the validity of his dissenting emotions and opinions.

Honesty and transparence in all relationships between human beings; between parents, teachers and children, but, also, between the people and their governments, will be key factors in fostering attitudes of trust and credibility. The essential features of total openness in all transactions between people, as well as access to all sources of information, will be the corner-stones of a viable future society. These ideas have been discussed extensively before, and, we will only mention, here, how such a transparence, coupled with a satisfied sense of justice and security, will be a major instrument in our efforts to guide youthful energies into constructive channels of prudent behaviour.

We seem to slide into a fantasy-world of utopian relationships between human beings, and, this may be even harder to swallow for many sceptics than idyllic or utopian social services, yet, we hope, that a careful analysis of the ideas presented in previous sketches, (e.g., in the sketches entitled "In Search of Reality"), will convince the reader that such idyllic inter-human relationships are not only possible, but, that they are the logical result of a well-understood and well-digested, comprehensive reality-picture of ourselves, and, of life in general. We are not falling into the trap of transposing a set of vague day-dreams into meaningless platitudes and exhortations. The fruits of mutual trust and concern for the common good are conditions of human existence which will have to be carefully shaped and protected during the development of every personality.

The emergence of such socially constructive attitudes follows, not only, logically from an individualised existence in a truly just society, (based on an intelligent, emotionally controled and relativistic reality perception), but, the baffling problems of social fragmentation and cultural irrelevance will have been integrated into a comprehensive understanding of the trade-off between life and death.

We will return to a more descriptive mode of thinking by concentrating, once again, on the society of the young, who are unfolding their talents, as well as their deficiencies, in an ever-varying kaleidoscope of human potentials and frailties; hopefully, these talents and deficiencies are being unfolded in front of our observing and understanding eyes. With the extensive documentation of the growth and unfolding of each child, we can form a profile of every personality, and this store-house of information forms the basis for all sorts of studies, as professionals and other interested people make an effort to grasp a particular aspect of reality.

This extensive documentation about every personality and every social environment opens the way for the awareness of changing patterns of social inter-action, impending aberrations of normal and healthy social mechanisms, or, the rise of potentially dangerous conflict-situations. These situations of conflict may arise, either as a conflict between groups of people who feel that this delicate balance of justice has, once again, been destroyed by greed or exploitation, or, the conflict may be more subtle, as we may have been tempted to exploit our environment beyond the limits it will tolerate.

Completely transparent behaviour of every human being and all social groupings, including govermental transactions, may be considered, by some, as an unworkable, utopian dream-world, because it is considered to be highly vulnerable to abuse. Yet, if we think about it, we come to the conclusion that this transparence is, at the same time, the most effective weapon to combat abuse, corruption, exploitation or a violation of justice. Perhaps, then, the idea of total transparence in society will lose some of its frightening features, as we think about it carefully, and, we may, indeed, begin to appreciate, how transparence provides its own effective counter-measures against anyone individual or grouping, tempted to abuse the privileges and opportunities of transparence for an egocentric advantage.

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Chapter 4

Content

The need to experience some stress in order to understand.
Justice does not mean an absence of stress.
The need to monitor carefully the level of stress in order to maintain a satisfied sense of justice.
A measure of injustice and imperfection will always exist.
The need to channel energies and mold attitudes.
The twelve year period of formal schooling.
The primary objective of forming a harmonious and concerned citizen.
The need to understand ourselves, and our drives, is especially important for the education of the adolescent generation.
Honesty and lucidity are essential.
The importance of the teaching professions.
The curriculum will reflect the basic philosophy of social environment.
The key to continued viability.
Continuing education for everyone.
The citizen as a judge to decide issues of importance.
The need to keep each other informed.
Expert interpretations.
The trend to discourage individualism in Marxist societies.
The naive and superficial reality perceptions of Capitalist and Marxist philosophies.
Standardisation of the educational curriculum, with a persistence of local cultural variants.
The possibility to teach a coherent elementary philosophy of life.
A short outline of the educational system.
Class-room discussions and a check for comprehension.
The importance of introducing pupils to the realities and institutions of society.
The essential goals of education.
The fallacy of concentrating upon an elite.
Scholarship and flexibility will be necessary to create a relevant and efficient curriculum for us all.

Let us discuss, for a moment, the lack of understanding and awareness associated with the complacency of a comfortable routine, a lack of experience with new conditions and circumstances, as well as the absence of any significant tensions between the individual and his social surroundings. We may ask ourselves, whether or not a blandly happy, secure and just childhood would predispose to a superficial complacency, incomprehension and irrelevance of existing behavioural regulators, which previous generations have built-up, often, with so much sweat and tears.

Indeed, if we would visualise a form of child-rearing that would be almost completely free from stress, such a trend towards complacency and non-understanding would be inevitable, but, fortunately, a just society does not mean a society without stress, because the burdens of responsibility and the pressures to achieve will always be there. We will have to monitor, carefully, the level of stress in order to make sure, that an individual or group is not taxed too heavily, or, is allowed to exist without making a contribution. Either situation would have undesirable effects, and would constitute, in essence, a measure of injustice.

Besides, it would be naive to imagine that the system of education and the social relationships will be so successful in the societies of the future, that the sense of justice would never be injured. Mistakes will always be made, re-evaluations will have to take place regularly, and, an early participation in society by young people may well be a key factor in fostering attitudes of cautious wisdom and broad understanding, in particular, when we consider how eager adolescents and young adults like to spend their energies.

After an introduction and preparation lasting approximately two years in "kindergarten", the child enters, at the age of six, a twelve year period of formal schooling, which determines, to a large extent, the person one will be for the rest of one's life. This period is already set-aside in most countries as the primary time-span for learning and education, but it is important to see this period, primarily, as a chance to form a responsible personality, and not, as a specific training program for a particular job or profession.

The most important objective of this period should be to give every youngster a chance to become a harmonious, socially integrated and confident, even enthousiastic personality. The basic awareness of being a human individual has to be built-up to a useful and concerned attitude, enabling each individual to assume a role of informed responsibility. The maturation of the elan vital, as well as the incredible energies of adolescents all over the world, should have found realistic and fruitful channels at the end of this schooling period, where personal affinities and ideals can combine with a global awareness and concern into a viable way of life for the young people, as well as for their social surroundings.

This means, in practical terms, that this period of schooling will have to provide a well-presented summary of knowledge about human achievements, concerns and failures, together with a coherent ideology or philosophy in which contemporary reality can be grasped and digested in an intellectually and emotionally satisfying manner. The period of personality formation and maturation, as well as the awakening sexuality and the ever more energetically flowing elan vital, have to be comprehended and digested by these young people with the aid of expert, lucid and honest guidance.

The sense of justice is acutely sharpened during the period of growth and maturation, and, every teacher should be conscious of the marvelous phenomenon that is shown by an unfolding personality, even, if we are sometimes distressed by the emergence of less desirable and somewhat destructive features. The teacher will be one of the most influential professionals determining, indirectly, the future course and strength of a society. The teaching institutions should not be autonomous bodies that set policies and standards by themselves, but, they should reflect the concerns and objectives of the entire society, and, they should be closely in contact with the leadership structures as well as the academic, cultural and economic centers of society.

A society secures or loses the key of continued viability in the quality of instructions provided to the younger generations, and, the curriculum of the teaching institutions should, therefore, be one of the most important concerns for the society as a whole. Education should not be limited to a specific period within the life-cycle of a citizen, but all adults should have a continuing link with the educational systems. People will have to be well-informed, if they are going to be competent participants in the frequent consultations that will take place as referenda or polls about issues to be decided by a popular vote.

We will have to keep each other informed through the public media about everything that is going-on in our societies. These communications networks keep us informed, not only, about what is going on, but also, about the reasons behind the events. The media will scrutinise, continuously, all events and governing structures, including their own, in order to ensure that efficiency, integrity and transparence are being maintained. Only then, will it be possible to rely, in an atmosphere of complete trust and confidence, upon the truth and validity of expert interpretations, and, to retain and build upon this network of social cohesion and inter-dependencies. These developments will enrich the meaning and existence of each and every citizen, be it leaders in highly responsible positions of authority, or youngsters, who observe, for the first time, a glimpse of contemporary reality.

We tend to think in our contemporary, affluent societies, that education is a conglomerate of taught subjects, with varying degrees of emphasis on practical or academic applications, preparing the youngsters for a role in industry or commerce, or, for a role in the academic institutions, where they have to be able to investigate or grasp a field of knowledge. We see, here, a strong egocentric orientation come to the fore, reflecting the prevailing attitudes and opinions of our affluent societies, because we assume, tacitly, that education is purely a means to acquire the tools necessary for achieving social success.

These attitudes glorify the principles of free-enterprise, personal success and the accumulation of wealth and power in the Capitalist societies. In the Socialist and Marxist communities, a strong emphasis has been placed upon the indoctrination of young people into a Party philosophy, favouring the attitudes of collective achievements and suppressing egocentric or individualistic trends.

We have discussed, before, the short-comings of the Marxist as well as the free-enterprise approach to social cohesion, individual existence, and the perception of reality. We will not repeat these arguments at this point, but, we have to realise, that society has to instruct its younger generations into some sort of a philosophy of life explaining the nature and reasons for social cooperation and integration.

It seems so naive to hope, that an emphasis on egocentric competitiveness will lead to a harmonious society, because we assume, tacitly, that those who lose-out in the competitive struggle, will be "good sports" and accept the rules which the successful elite imposes upon them. On the other hand, we note, that, Marxist philosophies also behave naively in their assumption of absolute social truths, as well as their erroneous approach to the problems of individual differentiation and dissent.

Social cohesion depends, partly, upon the level of conscious understanding by everyone, including the younger generations, of the rules and guidelines that try to ensure equal justice for all, and, from this point of view, the Marxist societies are closer to a workable and realistic type of educational program than the affluent and somewhat chaotic Western democracies, where we seem to count on a continuing economic momentum to keep our societies alive and well. However, the Marxist societies have not solved, as yet, the problems of individual variability and intellectual dissent, and, these problems are a severe handicap in their current attempts to keep these societies stable and harmonious.

We foresee, that the future will show a gradual equalisation of educational programs and standards on a global scale. This will be partly the result, and, partly the cause, of an ever more extensive dialogue and level of contact between peoples all over the world. Undoubtedly, local variations in cultural content and behavioural guidelines will influence, for a long time to come, a particular educational curriculum, and, consequently, the perception of reality will contain local variants or "colours", but, the core of the philosophical framework in which the whole complex of knowledge and attitudes will be taught, should be able to reach essentially the same standard of comprehension and insight, all over the world.

Basic knowledge, as well as an elementary philosophy of life, will be presented with the help of television, radio, film-documentaries and other educational techniques, and, the teaching-staff will lead discussion groups and work-projects, centered around this core of radio and television broad-casts of pre-recorded presentations of everything we have to know and think about. A large group of libraries will be inter-connected with computerised communication links, feeding, continuously, numerous educational institutions, as well as private consumers of information, with their educational material.

The major part of every school day, or, at least a significant portion, will be taken-up by these formal and expert presentations, but, in order to encourage active participation and a check on the level of understanding achieved by the pupils, each presentation will be followed by class discussions, as well as a written summary or examination of the material that has been presented.

This daily period of mental image-formation or intellectual structuring will be rounded-off by a liberal dose of physical activities. Voluntary discussion groups, sports, as well as a review of local problems and projects will all form part of the educational program. In addition, the pupils will participate during this twelve year period of formal and full-time education, in some sort of practical contact with other social activities and institutions, such as some of the more significant manufacturing processes in industry, agriculture, government bureaucracies, as well as the educational and academic institutions. These constacts should occur at regular intervals, in order to make the pupils aware of the rich variety of opportunities and problems awaiting them in their social environment.

Let us never forget, that the primary objective of education should be to mold our youngsters into responsible and concerned citizens, who will be able to contribute to their social environment and take-over the duties of adult leadership, whenever their time has come. If we fail in this task, we fail in the one over-riding objective education has been given, and, if we fail, we jeopardise the future viability of the entire society. Let us guard against the erroneous attitude, that only a few pupils are capable of understanding the philosophical principles of social organisation, and, that the rest is too dumb to learn. If we concentrate, once again, upon the formation of an intellectual or social elite, we will only repeat the mistakes of the past.

It is difficult, and, probably, unnecessary, at this point, to try to outline a more precise enumeration of subjects or activities that have to be included in an educational curriculum. The organisation of such a curriculum will depend on the possibilities and requirements of contemporary realities, and, it will be determined by the social and technological changes that are taking place in the future. We should also have a greater technical ability to adapt educational programs to changing circumstances and interpretations, because we will see, in all probability, ever more complex societies, in spite of the fact, that the core of shared reality perceptions may become larger and more uniform.

We will have to work long and hard, and with great scholarship, to make sure, that we build-up a core of reliable, accurate and well-articulated educational materials, which will become, not only, increasingly useful as teaching materials for the period of formal education, but, such a core of educational materials will also help each citizen to form a comprehensive understanding of a globally relevant perception of reality throughout his life-time.

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Chapter 5

Content

Evolution rather than revolution.
The need to be patient during painfully slow transition periods.
Laborious efforts to accomplish a high level of perfection.
The dangers of complacency.
Continuous reviews.
The essence of living existence.
The basic skills of survival.
Philosophical principles, and the evolution of its form of instruction throughout the twelve year period of formal schooling.
Relativistic reality perceptions, seen as the central core of all knowledge.
The dangers of fragmentation.
The need for an overall grasp and a large field of vision.
The gradual deepening of understanding.
The integration of physical, mental, intellectual and emotional health.
Aberrations of developmental processes, and the need for close monitoring.
The essential difference between dissent and criminality.
A careful diganosis, effective corrective measures, and the integration of the dissenter.
The ever-present need to eliminate some of the most dangerous and incorrigible forms of psychopathic behaviour.

It is far better, if changes come by evolution, rather than by the more primitive and destructive changes of a revolution, and, we will need a liberal amount of patient understanding, because the transition periods will be painfully slow. It will be a long and arduous task to polish the globally integrated society into a high level of perfection and justice.

The creation of a comprehensive educational system is only one aspect of the changes in attitude and direction, which will have to take place in the many societies that are going to integrate, eventually, and, we will have to work on many aspects and problems at the same time, often despairing at the apparently insignificant results of our efforts. At other times, we may be blinded, dangerously, into complacency and smugness by an unsuspected measure of success.

We will always be remodeling our educational systems, including the library-core of relevant information, together with the outlines of acceptable and desirable attitudes and concepts, just as we will always have to be vigilant, then here, then there, to smooth-out inequities, injustices, or the temptations of egocentric advantage-taking and the rise of conflict-situations. The tasks of social integration will never be finished and will always be under review, but then, is this not the essence of the evolution of living existence?

Perhaps, we should attempt to indicate, a little more precisely, the structural organisation of the educational system as it applies to the formal twelve year period, covering the growth from childhood to adolescence. Initially, the skills of reading and writing, arithmetic and simple problem-solving should be emphasised, just as this is done, now, in most contemporary educational programs, but, interlaced with this central core of skills for social survival, we visualise a well-tailored program of audio-visual presentations, which explains in simple terms and concepts, the basic framework of our reality perceptions.

There is no reason to believe that children, six to seven years of age, will have difficulties absorbing the broad outlines of evolutionary history and theory, as well as the fundamental ideas that lie behind the functions of the human personality and the social environment. This emphasis on evolutionary principles of human existence and the nature of all life, should form the basic core of all education, where the broad concepts will be conveyed as an easy flowing story in the primary grades of education, while, in the higher classes, a more demanding but intellectualy and emotionally more satisfying course will be taught, providing a deep and far-reaching understanding of a relativistic reality perception.

This relativistic reality perception will form the basis from which the logical cohesion of all specialised fields of knowledge and scientific endeavour can be outlined in clearly delineated categories. We visualise quite a large degree of flexibility in education, where the focus of attention and the direction of learning can be shifted to many different areas according to the aptitudes and interests of the pupils, but, it will be important to emphasise, at all times, an awareness of the basic core of knowledge and the structure of social integration.

We should not allow ourselves to become fragmented, once again, into many incoherent fields of specialised knowledge, as we see still happening in our confused societies of today. If we allow such a fragmentation to take place, once again, the overall perspective of the underlying philosophy will be lost, and, we will see, immediately, a resurgence of misunderstanding and egocentric attitudes. It is far more important to stress a cohesion of the basic concepts, than an expert knowledge about any one field.

Familiarity with, and mastery over, such a basic reality perception provides the individual with a workable conceptual framework in which one can classify all further experiences and observations. Specialised studies and explorations will be far more fruitful and satisfying, if these areas remain integrated into a conceptual scheme of large correlations, avoiding the loss of an overall grasp and a dramatic decrease in relevance of the many different fields of reality.

Ideally, we visualise a gradual deepening of understanding, as the younger generations progress through the twelve years of formal education. Certainly, most of the students will have to rely upon a process of accepting and absorbing the basic principles of the general philosophy of evolution and living existence, and, it will be an exceptional student, who develops the ability to think critically and independently about the contents of what he has learned. I do not want to suggest, that we should try to create entire generations of little philosophers, but, there is no reason, why any student should fail to develop a firm, workable grasp over the essential concepts that will be so useful for the rest of one's life. Every person will then be equipped to handle a set of principles and attitudes, giving him or her the potential to become a concerned and contributing member of society.

Let us not give the impression that we want to emphasise, exclusively, an intellectual and emotional development. Physical development and health are an integral part of our existence, and, we have to avoid an unbalanced development of human potentials. We also want to remind the reader, once again, about the importance to record all events and developments of every unfolding personality. Only then, can we discover and study the deficiencies in the educational systems, which will inevitably show-up.

Such a system of accurate record-keeping will provide the Scholars of the State, as well as the guardians of the educational system, a chance to detect, early, the formation of high levels of frustration, or, the occurrence of injustices, misunderstandings, misconceptions or faulty attitudes. All these aberrations in the development of an individual may take place, if the social and educational systems fail to monitor, closely, the results and effectiveness of their impact upon society.

Let us assume, that our ability to diagnose, quickly and accurately, the early symptoms of a personality that is "going wrong", have been well-developed, and, let us assume, also, that we have a good grasp over the mechanisms of frustration, dissent and unrest.

We should have a varied and effective repertoir of corrective measures at our disposal. We have outlined, before, our ideas about the penal system of the future societies, and, we will only summarise, here, the general principles of justice and rehabilitation, which are based on an expert, effective investigation of all sources of friction and conflict. A well-developed and carefully guarded equality in opportunity and essential justice in living conditions should be effective to prevent nearly all criminal attitudes and offenses, and the universal transparence of all inter-actions and transactions in society will be the most important factor maintaining a sense of mutual trust and good-will.

Inevitably, a small number of people will become, for one reason or another, anti-social, or, even, pathological in their attitudes and behaviour, and, we have outlined the need to eliminate pathological elements after extensive corrective measures and specialised educational efforts have failed. We have also described the careful safeguards and the essential non-criminality of verbal dissent, and, we have outlined the principle that verbal dissent can only be counter-attacked by verbal and argumentative means.

The rebllious reformer can be integrated into society by giving him the task to study and review, continuously, the accepted ideas and social institutions, while the psychopath, the individual who is unable to function with a sufficient level of regard and concern for his fellow human beings, will always pose a threat. There will always be a need to eliminate, with the death penalty, some of the most persistent forms of dangerous psychopathic behaviour.

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Chapter 6

Content

The basis of education, and its objectives.
An exciting and absorbing experience.
The well-educated and well-rounded personality of the future.
The Civil Task-Force.
The opportunities for hard work and a deep understanding.
The symbiosis between the younger and older generations.
Organising tasks in society according to the natural phases of human existence.
The period of maximum physical vitality.
An obligatory period of civil service as an introduction to the global society.
The civil task-force as a branch of the world-federation of nations.
A description of its many tasks and contributions.
A balance between the needs of communities, receiving assistance, and, young people, getting an education or learning experience.
Continuing education, as well as periods of rest and relaxation.
The future treasure-house of talent and leadership.
The need to continue accurate record-keeping of individuals and groups within society.

An education, founded solidly on a coherent cultural core and a broadly based, globally acceptable interpretation of reality, should be able to provide satisfying answers to the questions about life, as well as the nature, origin and destiny of human existence. Such a level of education should not have any problem to provide a flexible outlook on life, and, it should be able to cope with a wide variety of circumstances and events. An educational system that is fully integrated with a continuing program of education for all adults, as well as a program for the distribution of information, which is in contact with the major cultural, economic and leadership institutions of the world, should be an exciting and absorbing adventure to experience and make use of.

It seems realistic to expect, in the future, the emergence of an alert, well-rounded personality that is representative for most citizens in the global society. This personality will have clear-cut ideas about the meaning of human existence, and, the average individual will be acutely aware of the opportunities, as well as the problems faced by contemporary societies.

The individual of the future is healthy, enthousiastic, but tempered and realistic in his expectations; ready to participate actively in society, to help overcome the many problems, and, he or she will be able to contribute to the living conditions of people all over the world. We see the adolescents or young adults enter between the age of eighteen and twenty, a three to five year program of civil service, which will take them to a socially varied and geographically widely spread series of locations.

Let us attempt, then, to describe, in general terms, what such a core of youngsters in the civil service will do for society, and, we will also describe the value of such a period of compulsory service for the young adults from all over the world. There are opportunities for excitement, adventure, hard work and a broad understanding for each and everyone of the participants in this most active and physically most demanding phase in the life of every citizen. At the same time, the contributions made by such a well-coordinated and globally organised civil task-force to numerous regions, scattered all over the globe, are gigantic, and, we will see a remarkable example of symbiotic harmony between the younger and older generations.

We have come to realise, that the period between the ages of eighteen to twenty-three or twenty-four years represents a phase, where the individual matures physically, and is capable of spending a prodigious amount of physical and mental energies. The flow of youthful elan vital is at its peak, because less of this flow of vital energies has to be spent in growth. Therefore, almost all the energy is available for intensive and hard physical work, as well as a great ability to absorb new experiences and awarenesses. It is reasonable for society to make use of these biological determined opportunities and circumstances of maturation, and, it seems utterly sensible to create for our young people a well-organised life of hard work and countless learning experiences, while introducing the individual to the global society, its problems and its possibilities.

We are justified, then, to group these youngsters, male and female, into a world-wide organisation of civil service, where the energy and enthousiasm of these young people make it possible to accomplish the arduous, dangerous and exciting tasks that have to be accomplished throughout the numerous communities on earth. Such a task-force will be assigned to all communities, and a group of young people will assist the local population with the chores of agriculture, irrigation projects, mining, building and construction, maintenance-tasks and industrial labours, but they will, also, be involved in the many forms of transport and communication that link the communities of the future into a global network of interdependence.

For example, we visualise the existence of a large cargo-fleet of rather small sail-boats with auxilliary power, which will serve the many communities along the coasts and rivers. Similarly, transport over land will be assisted by the labour and efforts of the young members of the civil task-force, while the supervisory functions are in the hands of more senior and experienced career-personnel.

It will be important to balance, continuously, the needs of the communities receiving assistance, with the needs of the young people, who are receiving a practical education of work and experience. Groups of young civil workers have to be shifted from one area to the next, from one type of work to another, so that, at the end of their obligatory period in the civil task-force, the individual has had a very large exposure to many different communities and peoples, as well as to a large variety of problems and working conditions.

This exposure should include an adequate sampling of the varying living and working conditions of people all over the world. While it will, obviously, be impossible to visit all the different regions on earth, the curriculum of the young people in the civil task-force should be sufficiently varied to provide each participant with a broad and global perspective of the globally integrated human society, including extensive travels over land and sea.

Practical experience and hard work should not mean, that the members of the civil task-force are isolated from the happenings of their contemporary societies, or, from the continuing programs of education. Interspersed with periods of absorbing physical work, there have to be periods of rest, sports, education, reflection and relaxation.

Obviously, the structuring, guidance and administration of such a civil task-force requires detailed planning and an active participation by all communities, and, the civil task-force of young people should be under the direct control of the world-federation of nations and its leadership structures, because the global cohesion and interdependence of mankind has to be the overriding experience and awareness which such a period of service brings to the fore.

If we are able to form a mature, concerned and considered reality perception in our younger generations, we will have a treasure-house of talent and potentialities from which the other functions and institutions of society will be able to draw their personnel. Ultimately, the quality of leadership in the many institutions of government and functions of leadership, all over the world, will depend on the success of such a program, because it will function as an indispensible crowning of the educational period, as well as an introduction to human existence and the world-community of mankind.

Flexibility in programming, adjustments to individual strengths and weaknesses, as well as a careful monitoring of the unfolding personality of each individual, will be necessary, and, it is obvious, that we need to continue to record the activities and events of individual citizens, as well as the many groups of people who have found a place in the societies of mankind.

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Chapter 7

Content

Manageing the awakening sexual drive.
Sexuality during the period of formal schooling and the period of civil service.
The need to look back towards our biological heritage.
The need to control all instinctive drives, including those of sexuality.
The difference between control and suppression.
No virtue in unbridled sexual freedom.
The need to teach the emotional dynamics of sexual drives and instincts, precisely and with frankness.
The egocentric orientation of unbridled gratification.
Flexibility in our attitudes and judgements about sexual behaviour.
The importance of the family as a nucleus for a healthy social environment.
The judicious use of contra-ceptives.
Sexuality and the civil task-force.
A balanced approach; some variability in the start of family life.
Guarding against egocentric sexual obsessiveness.
The occasional strong emotional outburst.
The need to channel energies.
Every member of society will have to carry a measure of responsibility.
The many anonymous faces of responsible behaviour.
The effects of a period of service in the Civil Task-Force upon the day-dreams of travel and excitement.
The reasons behind contemporary day-dreaming.
The leisure-industry, feeding upon these dreams.
No need to own expensive, under-utilised trappings of affluence, prestige and day-dreams.
The rich emotional experiences of the future citizen.
The varied opportunities for sports, adventure, learning and artistic achievements.

We should consider, for a moment, how we are going to deal with the awakening sexuality of young people. The sexual drives play an important part in the focus of interest and attention of many pupils during a significant period of their formative schooling, and, the sexual drive reaches a strong level of expression in adolescents and young adults, serving a tour of duty in the Civil Task-Force. Just as we went back to our biological heritage to look at the phenomena of growth and maturation when designing the ideas of a Civil Task-Force, so can we obtain valuable insights about the management of the sexual drive, if we go back, once again, to the facts of our biological origins.

Just as we have to control our instincts of aggression and egocentric advantage-taking, (if we want to form a viable entity of socially integrated behaviour), so do we have to accept the principle, that sexual instincts and drives have to be controled. There is no need to suppress them entirely, and, we are certainly not going to gain any insights, if we deny their existence or influence upon the behaviour of people, but, we do not have to accept the virtues of unbridled sexual expression, as some misguided advocates of freedom would like us believe.

As part of the education on human evolution, we visualise a thorough instruction of our youngsters into the mechanisms and objectives of procreation. With the awakening feelings of sexuality during puberty, the emotional dynamics and the existence of instinctive drives has to be taught with precision and frankness. It will be important to show the maturing youngsters the fallacy of striving for an unbridled gratification of emotional appetites, including sexual experiences. Continence of all emotions, without a stultifying suppression, will be the ideal situation, but the boundaries between control and suppression will be somewhat vague and will vary somewhat, depending on social circumstances and personal inclinations.

Young people with well-developed sexual drives, should be given some latitude to develop their potentials and natural inclinations, without any excuse for indulgence or an obsessive pre-occupation with sexual gratification. Those youngsters, who are maturing much later, should not be pressured by peers, or others, to engage in sexual activities, before they feel a need to do so; flexibility, and the maintenance of a sense of perspective will be all-important, here.

We have seen, how important the phase of infancy is for the early development and make-up of the personality, and, we have seen, how the natural inter-action of affection and discipline in the emotional inter-play between parents and children, forms one of the most important foundations for a successful human society. Therefore, we have to cultivate in our youth a proper sense of responsibility, as well as a proper degree of awareness of the obligations that flow from the assumption of parenthood. While children, born from parents who are unable to provide this basic security, will have to be brought-up by foster parents, we should not encourage lightly the practice of having children brought-up in a State-institution or by professional foster parents.

The use of contraceptives will be a legitimate way to avoid assuming, too early, the burdens of parenthood, and, to soften a dangerously high level of sexual desire in young adolescents who are emotionally and physically ready for a sexual encounter. Yet, we will always have to keep in mind, that a measure of control is desirable. It is far more beneficial for the character of the individual and the social environment, if sexual desires can be controled, until conditions are ripe for the foundation of a family.

Certainly, during the first two years, the young people engaged in the Civil Task-Force are working very hard and are continuously on the move. These conditions are not right for the establishment of a family, and, the circumstances will not be beneficial to a child born out of sexual contacts which undoubted take place, whenever healthy, active and exuberant people come into contact with each other. The judicious use of contra-ceptives may then be wise, while a measure of continence and the post-ponement of the consummation of love, should also be considered objectives that can be pursued quite successfully.

Let us not be rigid, here, in prescribing what is allowable, or, what is to be frowned-upon, but, let us acknowledge, with a clear understanding, the physical, biological and emotional factors involved, and, let us counsel with compassion and insight, without causing severe anxieties, without bringing-about a suppression of feelings, or undue emotional and physical tensions, but also, without any false excuses or pretenses in order to find an easy way out of a dilemma.

Those young people, who are eminently capable of becoming happy, healthy and loving parents, should be given an opportunity to start family-life during the later phases of their stay in the Civil task-Force, but the emotionally dull and egocentric behaviour of indiscriminate promiscuity should be sternly discouraged by showing, clearly, the harmful effects upon our emotions and our social environment, whenever such egocentric orientations are allowed to persist.

Let us always remain sensitive to the difference between a mutual gratification of essentially egocentric desires, such as we see in some couples who do not want children, and the physical consummation and crowning of deep feelings of mutual love and tenderness. While it is impossible to draw this line sharply and definitively in any one particular case, by being aware of the possibility that a love affair may slide into mutual egocentricity, we may be able to guard against an obsession with the physical aspects of sexual satisfaction.

Similarly, we should consider, with understanding and compassion, the occasional outburst of a strong emotional drive or instinct, which, we know, is an inalienable part of our biological heritage. Occasionally, a strong, aggressive drive to dominate, to deceive or to be opportunistic, will show, clearly, the essentially egocentric orientation of our biological existence. Let us not despair, condemn or be distressed, but, let us patiently guide and instruct, and, let us find meaningful and acceptable channels in order to guide instinctive drives and emotional tensions into a behavioural complex that is acceptable and beneficial to other people, as well as satisfying and enriching to the individual who has been the victim of an emotional outburst.

Every member of society will have to carry a measure of responsibility at one time or another, and, this awareness should permeate the reality perceptions of us all. Each child and adolescent will, eventually, play a role of crucial importance; perhaps, in laying the foundations for the personality of their children, or, the accomplishment of one task or another, upon which the well-being of many other people depends. We should be aware of the many faces of responsibility, in spite of the fact, that these relationships are often anonymous and beyond the sphere of our immediate awarenesses.

Before we start to consider the transition period to the more permanent positions an individual is going to occupy during the career-period, we should spend a few moments discussing some of the more general effects, which such an active period of civil service will have upon the aspirations, wishes and dreams of the members of society. A broad-ranging exposure to so many different regions, cultures, ethnic groups, as well as the many problems faced by the global society, should satisfy, to a large extent, the hankering for travel and adventure so many people develop in our affluent societies.

In our societies, this dreaming about far-away places, travel and excitement, is a result of tensions, boredom and frustrations, especially, when the pressures of social and financial obligations give the average citizen a feeling of being trapped in his particular social niche or local environment. The entire leisure-industry feeds upon a chronic sense of frustration and dissatisfaction, and, we may visualise in the future, a far more mature, much less frustrated and much more knowledgeable individual, who is inclined to look forward to a more settled life-style of work and relaxation, after the strenuous period in the Civil Task-Force has been completed.

The mature citizen of the future will be able to concentrate on the joys, and obligations, of family-life in a dwelling of his own, gladly adjusting to a slightly slower pace of changes and demands, as he looks back upon a rather turbulent and taxing, but, also, exciting and rewarding period of service in the Civil Task-Force.

We should not see, anymore, this compulsive drive to leave home every week-end, where people seek, desperately, and, mostly in vain, a vague sense of happiness and escape in a week-end retreat. There should not be this continuous pre-occupation with the possession of wealth, power or leisure-time, the possession of large boats, automobiles or other symbols of power, prestige and success, because the citizen of the future has already had a wide exposure to the pleasures and responsibilities of driving cars, motor-cycles, even trains and planes, as well as a rich exposure to sailing auxilliary sail-boats along the coasts and on the high seas. He will have enjoyed more adventure than the average middle-aged citizen in our modern societies of affluence and entrapment can dream-about, when he thumbs through one leisure magazine after another.

Similarly, the young generations of the future will have had all the opportunities for learning, appreciating and participating in the arts and sports, the sciences and the many branches of technology we can think of. He or she will have had ample opportunities to learn all kinds of skills, from mountain climbing, canoeing, to camping; from collective game-sports to sports that test individual skills. It will be hard to imagine, how rich the opportunities for development and fun will be, and yet, they will be carefully balanced with duty, responsibility and hard work. This rich variety of opportunities and activities can be accomplished, efficiently, by making use of communally owned facilities, and, there will be no need for enormous fleets of privately owned pleasure boats, riding day after day, sometimes for months on end, idly at their moorings or anchoring cables.

There will be no need to own these expensive, completely under-utilised symbols of private wealth and privilege, but the experiences of many sports and activities that are now considered to be "exclusive", will then be common place, and, they will be enyoyed with a level of intensity and fulfilment that is completely out of reach for the frustrated, middle-aged day-dreamer of today, who can only rush-out to the country-site on the week-end and sit impatiently in his office-chair during the rest of the week.

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Chapter 8

Content

No complete abolition of private ownership.
Many items of daily and personal use should be cared-for privately.
The abolition of private wealth together with its under-utilised symbols.
The frugal society of the future.
All human beings will have a right to the basic necessities of life.
A greater depth of maturity and control in the behaviour of future citizens.
The transition to the career-period.
An abundant choice of careers for the people of the future, according to inclinations, interests and talents, as well as the circumstances of the moment.
The main characteristics of the career-period; the assumption of responsibilities, either as parents, as professionals, or both.
The large variety of career opportunities.
Most people will return to their own communities.
The beneficial effects for these communities, whenever the young people return, after a period of service in the Civil Task-Force.
A short review of the way the communities of the future will work and live.
The possibility to guarantee equal standards of living, in spite of widely fluctuating geographic circumstances.
The simple home; self-made, with some assistance.
Less need for excitement, more time for the family, relatives and old friends.
The mad rush of today.
A harmonious career in anyone of a number of public functions.
An emphasis on attitudes of responsibility and sound judgements.
Short-lived careers in sports.
Art without the need to make a living from it.
The contemporary glut of mediocre, commercial and dishonest art.
Work as a privilege.
Contributing according to ability.
Basic human rights.
Social pressures and transparence as a deterrent to idleness, laziness or parasitic attitudes.
Frugal ways of spending leisure-time.
The erroneous assumption of the need for egocentrically oriented financial incentives.
The chronically diseased, affluent societies.

We are not suggesting, that all private property will disappear in a sea of blissful communal ownership. There are many items of daily and personal use, which should be privately owned and privately cared-for, but the collective ownership of all the large cultural and sport's facilities, is a logical and sensible way to utilise, fully, the potential of such facilities. There is no need to own, privately, such expensive and cumbersome items, in particular, when responsible collective ownership spreads the burden of care and maintenance over many dedicated participants.

Let us not forget, that the future societies will be pervaded by a strong sense of frugality and common-sense, where economic products and possessions are not, anymore, the private play-ground of egotistical instincts, but, are carefully tailored tools for the global community, designed to provide everyone with the basic necessities of life, as well as the needs for fulfilment, recreation, pleasure and leisure.

It is difficult to imagine the depth of experience and the maturity of attitude, which the participants in such a Civil Task-Force will develop, once we have learned to construct a careful educational curriculum that blends harmoniously the requirements of the individual with those of the social environment. While we should not have the illusion that it is possible to satisfy every wish for every individual, careful attention to the level of awareness and a continuing, stimulating educational program, will cultivate resilient, sensitive and positive attitudes, where the feeling of personal satisfaction is tempered with the awareness that many problems remain.

Let us focus our attention, now, on the transition period, when the young Civil Task-Force workers are ready to leave the service. We expect, that, during this period of three to five years in the Task-Force, many, if not most people will have formulated clear-cut ideas about the way they would like to spend the remainder of their lives. We also visualise, that the actual period of engagement with the Task-Force is flexible, and, that the leadership, at least in the lower ranks, will be filled by young people, who have expressed a desire to continue in one function or another with the Civil Task-Force. During the last year or so in the service, the attention will be focussed, increasingly, on the up-coming differentiation of the young people as they prepare for their career-period.

It is worthwhile to recall the principles upon which the future society and its numerous institutions will be based. We have discussed the concept, that society should be organised along the natural phases of growth, development, maturation and senescence of the human individual. So far, we have emphasised a developmental phase, where the period of schooling and cultural assimilation has been followed by a period of strenuous activities and rapid changes, fitting-in well with the high level of vitality of young people, and, providing useful and physically demanding services for communities and larger population groupings all over the world.

At the age of twenty-two or twenty-three, the end of this period of Civil Service will be in sight for most people, and, even those, who assume leadership positions within the Task-Force, enter now a phase of career development. We are entering a period in the development of the individual personality, where the over-riding characteristic will be the assumption of greater responsibilities, either in the form of parenthood, or, as a full participant in the professional occupations of the social environment, or, most often, as a combination of both. We see a large variety of career possibilities, and, we mean by a "career", not only, those leadership or specialty functions associated with an occupation as a specialist or professional. We also see the return to the community of origin as a legitimate career, because many people will fit-in, most naturally, within their social environment, if they go back to their place of origin, and, if they participate in the local environment they know so well. The experiences and contacts made in the civil service, will rejuvenate these local communities, and, this continuous influx of young people, returning to their local surroundings, helps to integrate these communities with each other in a network of near self-sufficient population groupings, receiving a measure of assistance from the society at large.

We have discussed, before, how we visualise people to live in numerous fairly small communities that are linked by an extensive network of communications, power-lines, rail-roads, and sea-lanes or water-ways. These communities will contribute to the world-society by providing whatever is abundant in their region, and, they will receive assistance for the items they lack. In this way, it is realistic to expect a globally equalised standard of living, in spite of the fact, that the way of life may vary greatly, depending upon specific geographical circumstances and local communal preferences.

Therefore, we see most young people return home. With mutual help, they will build a simple home and they settle-down to a married life with parental and communal responsibilities, enriching the local communities with their experiences and skills obtained in the Civil Task-Force. In this way, they will contribute, naturally and efficiently, to new ideas and renewed energies for tackling local problems and difficulties. It is logical to assume, that these young people will want to live a more settled existence, since they have had an abundance of challenges and opportunities for excitement during their stay in the Civil Task-Force. Physically, as well as mentally, their lives will become less stressful, less subject to sudden, marked changes, and, there will be time, again, to talk with friends and old acquaintances, and, to renew satisfying relationships with family members and neighbours.

Because these young settlers have seen so much of the world and have spent so much time in adventurous activities already, we will not see this continuous restlessness, frustration and nervous energy to escape the place of domicile; the mad rush to the country-site, the city or the sea. There will be none of this useless and wasteful traveling we see now, especially, in our affluent societies, which is so common and wide-spread that it is considered normal, or, even, desirable.

Young people, who have been given an opportunity to study and work in one of the many public institutions, will have an overwhelming variety of careers to choose from. It is logical to assume, that a harmonious blend between goals, ideas, aptitudes and opportunities will be found and will lead to a natural choice of career. It is logical, that circumstances and contacts, interests and personal characteristics will determine, without any significant tension or conflict, who will go where, and how far.

The career in the public service sector of the larger society, be it political, scientific or technological, will be made-up by a series of studies, alternated with practical work-efforts, and, this will lead to a smooth integration between student and professional. Attitudes of responsibility and soundness of judgement will be the key factors on which a successful career will rest, rather than upon exceptional talent or extra-ordinary achievements. Only in the very specialised careers of artistic and athletic achievement, will we see a predominant emphasis upon talent. Yet, in the athletic fields in particular, we see rather short-lived careers, while the number of truly significant artists will always be small as well. Artists will, probably, blend naturally with people engaged in the professions of education, and, we will, probably, see, that most artistic creations will occur as a spontaneous period of productivity, when the artistic individual feels a readiness to produce.

Because art-products are not made anymore with a commercial purpose or existential reason in mind, we will, hopefully be spared this glut of mediocre, dishonest and inferior products maskerading as art, and, which are desperately looking for a modest possibility to make money, appealing to rather primitive desires, dreams and instincts, as we see happening, so clearly, in our contemporary societies.

None of the career activities, and, none of the functions in society will have a strong personal existential meaning, because, in the future, work will be considered a privilege. While each able individual will be obliged to contribute to society, either by performing duties, or by contributing a portion of his products or time, the motivation to work will not be based, any longer, on the anxiety to prevent starvation or to gather a vast amount of wealth. As a basic human right, each member of society will be protected against hunger, deprivation and preventable stress or hardship, but, such a guarantee will not lead to a careless idleness or laziness, because the transparence of society and the clear-cut morality of socially acceptable behaviour, will pressure people into responsible attitudes and frugal ways of spending their leisure-time. These conditions will make it impossible for people to idle-away their time in deliberately egocentric and parasitic attitudes, which we see, so often, in our contemporary societies, when social security has taken-away the edge of existential anxiety.

Regardless, how strange, idyllic or irrealistic it may seem to many people in our contemporary societies, it is not difficult to visualise a totally realistic, transparent and well-motivated society, where the attitudes of parasitic ego-centricity will be frowned-upon, because they are recognised as detrimental, primitive and unworthy behaviour-patterns within a modern society.

Let us, therefore, not come to the facile and essentially erroneous conclusion, that it will be impossible to motivate people, who are tackling, together, a believed-in task or project. We will clearly show the fallacy of a view-point, that sees the egocentric financial remuneration as the primary reason for human beings to work hard.

As we have emphasised many times before, the apparent motivation of monetary gain in our affluent, Capitalistic societies, is a perversion of normal drives and instincts, because chronic frustration in the work or home environment, as well as a lack of mutual trust, have made an anxious, narrow egocentricity, together with a desperate search for freedom from drudgery and tension, the norm of contemporary behaviour. Yet, let us not forget, that we are looking at a chronically diseased social organism, whose viability is in serious jeopardy, and, whose examples of behaviour will certainly not be considered normal and acceptable by the historians and scholars of the future.

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Chapter 9

Content

The tensions and frustrations associated with assembly-line practices in the organisation of work.
The contemporary meaninglessness of many tasks; in industry, as well as in bureaucratic institutions.
Unnecessary work; redundant services and products.
The criminal act of trying to stimulate egocentric desires and emotions.
The momentum of consumerism in the decline and fall of affluent nations.
Retrospective historical studies.
A framework of historical data and their interpretation.
The future society will have its own tensions and criminal activities.
A likely subject of pre-occupation for future generations.
Probable improvements in the attitudes of future citizens.
The brunt of responsibilities has to be carried by the career-generation.
Full maturity.
The advisory functions of older generations; the more static imagery of older people.
A voice of concern from the recent past.
The high demands made upon the leaders of society.
The rewards of leadership are to be found in the satisfaction of having done a job well.
The price of intense scrutiny and immediate criticisms.
The reluctant leader.
Suspicion and caution towards the very eager leadership aspirants; the dangers of egocentric exploitation of a position of power by immature leaders.

We realise, now, to some extent, that an ever more fragmented task of labour on the assembly-line only leads to frustrations and tensions, because this sort of work, and this type of work-environment, is not natural and destroys all sense of meaning and pride in the ability to accomplish a task. However, the problem of contemporary meaninglessness is much deeper, because many products and services are useless, shoddy, unnecessary, as well as an affront to anyone who is concerned about waste and redundancy. Some tasks are so poorly organised, (as we see in many bureaucratic institutions), that the confusion, inertia and inefficiency destroy the last remnants of any enthousiasm and initiative of the people who have to work there.

We will have a better grasp over these problems in the future. We hardly recognise these problems in our contemporary societies, because we are caught in the common platitude, that we have to provide jobs at all costs to those out of work. Wether or not a job is efficient, necessary or worthwhile, is still a question that is not being asked with sufficient intensity.

We will recognise, in the future, that work done inefficiently, unnecessarily, or, with the intention to stimulate egocentric desires, is a thoroughly unproductive activity, and may have to be considered a criminal act, poisoning normal attitudes and relationships between people. We will see, clearly, how the momentum of consumerism and distrust has destroyed all political control and moral guidance in our affluent societies, and, we will realise better, how these trends contributed significantly to the fall of the consumerist societies.

In a retrospective study of the rise and fall of the era of affluent consumerism, as well as the superficial concepts about economic health and human motivations, it will be so clear to future students of history, where we went wrong. It will be so clear to them, that they will find it difficult to understand, why our societies did not change course, before it was too late. Retrospective studies are, of course, easier than a contemporary recognition of the problems at hand, because there will be a clear framework of historical events in which to interpret historical data.

The perceptive student of the future will also see, how the awareness of the need to re-think reality, and, to create a new world-order, arose out of this chaos of consumerism and blatant egocentricity. Future historians will be able to trace the course of developments, which, eventually, led to a more equitable world-order, where we, contemporary citizens in an affluent, conglomerate society, can see only seemingly insurmountable obstacles to such drastic changes in the level of disparity and deprivation.

Let us not assume, however, that everyone's attitudes are going to be models of virtue and wisdom. While it is reasonable to expect, that, compared to our own confused times, the awarenesses and the behavioural guidelines of the people in future societies are going to be more coherent and far-sighted, we should not visualise the future society as a group of happy and naive citizens, without any worries on their mind. Future generations will have to excercise continuous care and vigilance in order to safeguard environmental conditions, and, to avoid disasters of pollution. They will have to be continuously on their guard to preserve a natural beauty which we now take completely for granted. These efforts will make our contemporary concerns and achievements in the field of ecology, look infantile by comparison.

It is also erroneous to think, that, egocentric temptations and the lure of conflict or opportunism will be perfectly controled in the future societies, but, we may expect the average citizen to be more in control of himself, and, to have a better insight into his own drives and motivations. He will also have a far broader concern for his fellow human beings. This concern is the basis for a highly responsive and responsible attitude, and such an attitude of responsibility is not only realistic, but absolutely necessary, if we are going to have any future society at all.

Against this background, we will try to sketch this most important segment of an individual's life, when, between the ages of twenty and approximately fifty or sixty years, the brunt of the resonsibilities for the functions and well-being of society rests on the shoulders of this career generation. It is during this time, that the individual will unfold his physical and mental capabilities to the fullest. Near the end of this period, the off-spring of the career generation is reaching maturity, and, it becomes increasingly obvious, that the peak of individual achievement and contribution has been reached. There are no more hidden talents and energies that may burst forward in an unsuspected surge of creativity. We have become what we will be, and, we will remain what we are, before we slide, slowly, into the gradual deterioration of senescence.

It is during this career-period, that the highest levels of specialised skills will be developed and utilised, blending apprenticeship and practice into a harmonious entity. It is during this time, that the burdens of responsibility and the involvement in society will lay, most heavily, upon the shoulders of the mature individual. From this generation, the energy and leadership will have to come to make all the myriad of daily decisions. This generation carries, by far, the heaviest responsibility for the ultimate viability of society and mankind, and, logically, the ultimate decisions, the highest political and overall leadership functions will have to come from this generation, which possesses the finest skills and judgement-patterns near the end of their productive and active careers.

Certainly, we also visualise an input into the decision-making processes, as well as an important contribution, from the older generations; people past the age of fifty or sixty. We conceive a "senate", where past leaders and experts can debate and advise. It is impossible to set a strict age-limit for the career-period, since this physiological turning-point, where an individual begins to decline in his or her particular abilities, may come anywhere between the ages of forty and sixty, or, even, later. However, we have to recognise the fact, that a gradual reduction in the flow of the elan vital is taking place, regardless of the level of performance that can still be reached, and, we know, that a reduced adaptability characterises the older generations as they hold-on to the past in their more static mental imagery.

It is important, therefore, to give the recent past an influential voice as a respected contribution of advise in all social functions and institutions, but, the actual decision-making has to be carried-out by people at the peak in their performance, which includes the ability to be highly flexible and to absorb prodigious quanta of information in order to come to the most sensible conclusions and responsible decisions.

We should not underestimate the demands that are made upon the mature generation during their career-period. The utmost in energy and concentration is asked in return for a position of prominence and leadership. The satisfactions of a leadership position will have to come from a feeling of gratitude, having been given the chance by society and fortunate circumstances to fulfill a role of prominence and make a contribution to the social environment. However, such a life at the top will be scrutinised, continuously, by millions and millions of people, and, even the slightest flaw will cause immediately hauls of protest and severe criticisms.

In the transparent societies of the future, all our prominent citizens will lead their lives in glass cages, even more so, than the average citizen, and a constant, concentrated flood-light will shine upon our leaders and prominent citizens. The price of enormous responsibility and influence will be merciless critique and continuous, intense scrutiny. Any personal financial benefit or hidden privileges will be impossible, and yet, the admiration a grateful public will feel towards a leadership that has performed exceptionally well, will be satisfaction enough for those people, who will find themselves, often somewhat to their own surprise, in such a prominent and highly visible position of leadership.

Long before an obsessive and egocentric drive for power can lead to dangerous situations of abuse and exploitation, these undesirable trends in people with leadership aspirations will have been diagnosed and unmasked as a short-coming, a failure, as well as a serious handicap for the excercise of a function of leadership.

Certainly, an unstructured and spineless character will never be suitable for any leadership function, but then, such individuals lack the drive and the resolve to become leaders. Leadership should be reserved for the conscientious, flexible, sensitive and intelligent individual, who proves himself highly capable, effective and innovative, time and again, with each task of increasing complexity. This is the type of individual, who is able to see the overall needs and meaning of a social organisation, and, who will, eventually, be entrusted by his fellow citizens with the highest level of responsibility.

We should not be surprised, therefore, if the chosen leader is subdued and reluctant to accept his position. We should always be suspicious and vigilant for possible abuses of power, if we entrust such positions of leadership to people who are anxious and eager to accept the responsibilities of high political or public office.

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Chapter 10

Content

Monitoring the behaviour of our leaders with care and compassion.
The dangers of stress and exhaustion, or excessively egocentric concerns.
The ability to step-down gracefully and with dignity.
When "work" has become a privilege.
Less appeal to the instincts of fame and importance.
Continuous scrutiny and strict Constitutional Guidelines to regulate leadership behaviour.
The leader as a conscientious, hard-working citizen.
The need for time to recoup and refresh.
The need to have replacements available at all times.
The leadership-structure, and its entourage of older and younger advisors; the leader of a leadership.
Careful monitoring and a quick correction of undesirable side-effects resulting from previous decisions.
Feed-back and the central nervous system.
The citizen at the pinnacle of his abilities.
Leadership, seen in a broad and general perspective.
Leadership of the nation, or the family.

We should monitor the behaviour of our leaders carefully, but not without compassion, because we know about the severe demands made upon their emotional and intellectual resources during the execution of their duties, and, we have to learn to recognise the danger-signals in their behaviour, whenever the level of stress they are being subjected to, is becoming too high. Not only, is a leader past his peak often a hindrance to society by preventing the execution of highly sensitive and alert leadership responses, but, the failure to recognise the mental and physical signs of severe stress and exhaustion may cause untold harm to societies, because it is, then, once again, in danger of being led astray by selfish and primitive motivations of a leadership under duress.

Every leader, as well as each citizen in a position of responsibility who becomes exhausted, disillusioned or prematurely rigid in a stifled atmosphere of mediocre behaviour-patterns, should be given the opportunity to hand-over, gracefully and without loss of prestige, the position and responsibilities of such a leadership function; without any fear of being considered a failure, but, with encouragement and praise for an act of wisdom. This point, where the leader breaks-down, may be reached quite suddenly or surreptitiously, and, it occurs, often, without warning signs. It may come at any age. We should study and learn about these phenomena in order to preserve our leadership institutions from abuse or inefficiency, and, to protect our societies from the great harm which inevitably follows, whenever leadership positions are occupied by incompetent people.

We remind ourselves, that "work" in future societies will be considered a privilege, and, this applies, in particular, to the occupation of a position of leadership and responsibility. It will be normal for people to revert back to being common citizens, enjoying life and contributing modestly according to the circumstances, after having served in a high-profile position of leadership. The quest for gain, be it financial or otherwise, will be gone from the motivations to seek such a position of responsibility, nor, will there be any opportunity to use or abuse a privileged position to satisfy the drive for fame and self-gratification. The scrutiny will be too intense to allow such developments, and, strict Constitutional Guidelines will regulate, carefully, the power and conduct of anyone in a position of leadership and prominence.

In our future societies, leadership functions will be much less appealing to the instincts of the more dominant members, and, the other members of a social environment will be less inclined to adulate and glorify the leader, or the powers of a leadership position. It is a job that has to be done; a very responsible job with enormously far-reaching consequences in every decision, but, the over-riding characteristic of the leadership position will be hard and conscientious work that is necessary in order to grasp the situation as fully as possible. This hard work will be carried-out with a mixture of common-sense, broad perspectives, and a sensitive concern for the fate of the ordinay citizen, as well as mankind as a whole.

We should not be surprised, then, to see in our leaders, from time to time, a desire for a break from the demanding routine of their duties. We should allow them time to recuperate and refresh their energies and thoughts. Yet, we should not hesitate to apply extremely high standards of capability and integrity, and, at all times, we should have adequate replacement personnel ready to take-over positions of responsibility at a moment's notice. The leadership will, therefore, be surrounded by a group of younger, as well as older people, who are intimately familiar and concerned with all the leadership functions. These people function as specialised advisors or researchers, as well as a sounding board for the leadership, without carrying the full executive powers and responsibilities of the leadership itself.

The leadership will be, in essence, a small group of people, headed by an overall leader, whose function is, almost exclusively, to scan vast areas of well-integrated and well-presented information; to lead a discussion or deliberation of the problems and questions that require solutions and answers, and, to guide, with carefully crafted decisions, the unfolding of social events into the desired direction. At the same time, as part of the scanning procedure and the assimilation of an overall but nevertheless detailed reality perception, the leadership monitors the execution of its decrees, as well as the effects of its previous decisions, and, it adapts its response of the day to the interpretation or perception of this total picture. A leadership will often have to refine or correct undesired effects and unsuspected consequences from previous decisions.

On previous occasions, we have emphasised the analogy of this imagery with the functions and organisation of the central nervous system of a highly developed, multi-cellular animal, and, the closer we come to a visualisation of the ideal governmental institutions and functions within society, the more apparent the validity of this analogy becomes. However, let us refrain, here, from repeating these interesting aspects of such a comparison. At this time, we like to work-out, in reasonable detail and precision, how we imagine the existence and function of the future societies to be.

We have taken the natural phases of development, growth, maturation and senescence of the individual human organism as the basic guideline for the organisation of social institutions, and, we have followed the human being, so far, to his pinnacle of social integration; the period of fullest development of talents and skills, as well as the highest level of responsibility and contribution. In the last few pages, we have paid specifically attention to the function and occupation of leadership positions, but, we should see these arguments not exclusively in the light of highly visible, overall political leadership functions.

These generalisations apply to almost all career individuals who often make a small but anonymous contribution to the welfare of the community or their families, while they dedicate all their efforts, skills and time to the demands of their functions and obligations in society. Leadership is represented, not only, by the president of a large nation or the governor of a region, but, it is also found in responsible parenthood, where people are looking after dependents and are contributing to the well-being of their social environment.

Leadership positions abound everywhere, because all the social institutions, such as those of education, science and technology, as well as the organisation of the numerous services upon which the well-being of future communities depend, require leadership. We all have to assume, at one time or another, in one capacity or another, leadership responsibilities and obligations, and, the same principles apply to the leadership of a few people or a family-unit, as to the highly visible leadership functions of the larger society, where exceptionally gifted, skilled and capable citizens govern these societies with the same level of care as a concerned father looks after his family.

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Chapter 11

Content

The zenith of individual capabilities, and the gradual decline of the human being.
A transition to lessened responsibilities.
Continuing contributions in study, advise, reflection and thought.
The "golden age" of existence.
One should feel happy to hand-over the reins of responsibility.
The absence of a strong drive to hold-on to power, except as an expression of an enduring vitality.
The wide range of usefulness of the older citizens.
Difficulties delineating the criteria of chronological age for this transitional period.
Physical and mental signs of deterioration.
The enjoyment of life, and the heightened awareness of the present.
A reflection upon the nature and necessity of death.
Ways to accept the inevitablity of death.
A rational approach to the acceptance of suffering and death.
The short-comings of neurotic suppressions, denials, or a transfiguration of death and suffering into a symbol of achievement and salvation.
The virtues of calm analysis and intelligent anticipation.
Sound medical management of pain and suffering.
The inability to always remain calm and emotionally neutral.
An occasional sharp reminder about our frailty and mortality.

Let us turn our attention to the time, when an individual has reached a zenith in his capacity to learn new facts and ideas. His flexibility and elan vital are diminishing. He starts to nestle into a comfortable routine. His performance gradually declines, and, it becomes a little more difficult, each passing year, to bring-up the energy and concentration to make decisions with the utmost sensitivity, attention and concern for details. The time is now approaching for a transition to a position of lessened responsibility. The circumstances for the individual have to be adjusted and brought in line with the natural decline in flexibility and agility, as well as the greater need for a comfortable routine.

We do not want to give the impression, that this transition away from an executive leadership position, means, that the individual is incapable of learning new aspects, or making a contribution. On the contrary, these changes in physiological functions are a result of the inexorable process of ageing, and, they often become a spur to more reflective attitudes, where the meaning of life, the social environment, as well as individual human existence, are scrutinised with a renewed vigour. After an unsettling period of uncertainty and re-adjustment, new mental powers will be found and the "golden age" of human existence has just begun, but, the nature of the contribution to society has changed from an active and demanding executive position, to an advisory, more reflective role; less concerned with the attention to, and administration of, pressing, daily problems.

Anyone, who has occupied a position of responsible leadership for some time and has conscientiously laboured in an attitude of sensitive concern for the people under one's care, will feel tired and will gladly hand-over the reins of leadership to a younger generation, either temporarily, if a break is needed, or, permanently, whenever the time has come to step-down.

Since the leadership will be intensely scrutinised and criticised, functioning at the highest standards of skill and ethical conduct, the absence of any possibility to exploit a leadership for egocentric purposes or egotistical feelings, should temper the desire to hold-on to power. The feelings of satisfaction with a job well-done, should be tempered by the realisation, that numerous aspects and problems have not been solved, or, have not been given adequate attention, as yet. It is natural, then, for every leader to look forward to a position with less pressures, easier demands and more time to study and think, in spite of the fact, that carrying a highly responsible task may give a strong and lasting satisfaction to those with an enduring vitality.

The older generations have, generally, a wide area of concern, as well as a broad range of experiences, giving them a more philosophical outlook on life and human nature. These characteristics, together with a more subdued emotional drive, makes them eminently suitable to function as advisors to the leadership of many government institutions, and, as teachers to a younger generation of leadership candidates. Older people will find a place as advisors to the executive leadership, the general assemblies of elected representatives, as well as all other institutions or communal organisations, where people need expertise and experience.

In particular, the institutions of education, the libraries of recorded sound and symbols, the cultural treasures of the numerous, globally integrated societies, the arts, literature and philosophical works of the past, will be fruitful areas for study and guardianship. It is likely, that most artistic, literary, philosophical and educational contributions will come from these older generations, as they work and reflect, with experience and wisdom, modestly aware of their declining capabilities, but, treasuring the time that is left to them.

It is difficult to delineate the criteria for the onset of this transition-period towards the golden age of late maturity, and, it is even more difficult to outline a transition schedule in terms of a chronological age-period, but, as a general guideline, we may mention, that, most individuals should start to make this transition to the golden age around fifty. Let me emphasise again, that this period is far from a simple retirement or down-hill slide in mental and physical capabilities. Certainly, the processes of ageing will increasingly manifest themselves in the appearance of physical frailties or handicaps. A gradual loss of elasticity, resilience and adaptability, as well as a lessened resistance to stress, will become apparent, predominatly, in the sphere of physical abilities and disabilities, but, mentally, there is also evidence for a measure of slowing-down.

The brain is losing some of its ability to absorb new concepts and ideas; opinions become more rigid, and, there is an increasing tendency to dwell upon the experiences of the past. However, this period will provide most individuals with a deeper insight into the meaning of their existence, as well as a greater awareness of the fact, that the life-span is nearing completion.

These awarenesses will arouse, in most reasonably sensitive and sensible people, a heightened appreciation for the beauty of the common experiences. Life will be enjoyed, day by day, as the drive of accomplishments and long-term goals starts to fade in favour of a renewed intensity of the experiences of the present. Awe and wonder, as well as a more mellow attitude towards the minor irritations of interpersonal contact, will give an acute sense of being alive, now, as well as a sense of grasp, together with a feeling of contentment and tranquility.

The course of natural events will become a focus for reflection, rather than a source of ceaseless activities or anxious rebellion, and, one starts to appreciate the fact, that thousands of generations and millions upon millions of people have grown-old, have thought and reflected, and have appreciated being alive, as the inevitable moment of their death came ever nearer.

Fortunate, indeed, is the individual, who is able to see in the process of death a natural occurrence, to be regretted, perhaps, as long as the spark of life and a residual elan vital resent the intrusion of decay and nothingness, but, intellectually and emotionally, the coming of death becomes a focus of understanding; it becomes the basis for an attitude of wisdom and compassion, as well as a spur to accomplish the final synthesis in the activities of individualised existence.

Death is not to be dreaded, but to be accepted realistically, and death should be seen as the unavoidable price to be paid for the privilege of having lived. The certainty of death becomes one of the most powerful stimuli, or organising factors, for our behaviour, and, this awareness makes it possible to see reality in relativistic and non-egocentric terms. Ultimately, we realise, that our attitudes and behaviour, the emotions and awarenesses of human wisdom and insight, would be entirely impossible and meaningless, if death would not occur.

Many people will have to suffer, before the processes of dying have been completed, and, it is a burden many of us can not accept without a feeling of rebellion and incomprehension. It is difficult to develop a clear understanding and a calm acceptance of death, and, a failure to integrate the awareness of the inevitability of death, leads to neurotic suppressions and chronic anxieties. None of us should accept suffering with happiness, in spite of the fact, that this powerful transfiguration of the essence of suffering into a symbol of achievement and exaltation has found widespread adherence in several religious reality perceptions. These neurotic aspects, together with the intellectual and emotional difficulties that flow from such a sublimation of the experience of suffering, have been discussed extensively before.

Neither stoic resignation, nor blind acceptance, or the glorification of suffering as an act of faith, can give us the overall insights of life and reality. A calm analysis of the stress-factors involved in disease, ageing and death, will make it possible to minimise pain and suffering with intelligent anticipatory and manipulative behaviour.

Certainly, physical suffering can be kept within tolerable bounds by sound medical management, and the mental anguish of witnessing the decay of one's physical constitution, will require reflection, study, support and explanations, in order to soften the edge of regret and prevent an attitude of rebellion. Let us not make the mistake to idealise the period of senescence and old-age by assuming, that everyone will be able to secure philosophical attitudes and awarenesses of wisdom, where all the vagaries of fortune and misfortune, accidents, pain and disease processes can be seen in an emotionally neutral light of chance and existence possibilities.

No, it is human to expect, that most of us will have difficulties, from time to time, to accept what fate has thrown at us, but, neither should we underestimate our ability to regain our emotional and intellectual footing, after we have been thrown off-balance, unsettled by a sharp reminder of our frailty and mortality.

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Chapter 12

Content

The golden age, punctuated by setbacks and deteriorating conditions.
The haphazard existence of an individual organism.
Avoiding institutional care for the elderly.
Providing services at their own home.
No need to suffer with sensible support and a measure of insight and self-discipline.
Death with dignity.
The stubborn fight against death by the medical profession.
The disposal of the body.
The disappearance of the essential structural organisation and metabolic cohesion in the occurrence of death.
The step-wise decomposition of organic matter after death.
The ilde hope of immortality by freezing a body.
Finding less demanding attempts to be remembered by the living generations.
Record-keeping, and the summary of individual existence after death.
The libraries of the dead.
The decaying body, and a "stripped" piece of electronic machinery.
The central nervous system of society and the individual.

Life will be, even in the golden age, a series of balanced and happy periods, punctuated by emotionally and physically painful set-backs and deteriorating conditions. Life will not be all that different from any other period in the evolution of mankind, and, in the final analysis, the meaning of life will not be found in anyone particular actualisation or haphazard combination of the genetic code. We will not glorify this particular combination which found, temporarily, in me, its possibilities of existence.

The older people will gradually diminish their advisory activities and their contributions to society, as their physical and mental abilities decline. At the same time, we see a gradual increase in the level of support elderly people are going to require from the community. However, we should try to avoid, as long as possible, the stress of institutionalising elderly people in homes for the aged.

For many people, it is far more natural to live their last years in their own small home, perhaps, supported with special facilities and supervised by nursing and medical personnel, to ensure an adequate level of care. As long as old people are able to get-up, wash and clothe themselves, they should be left at home, and, they may be provided with services that supply them with food, home repairs, and other maintenance-chores, a well as an on-going supervison of their state of mental and physical health. Only those seriously ill people who are confined to bed, or require intensive nursing care, may have to spend their final days in a hospital or nursing home.

There is no need to suffer to any significant extent during the process of getting old, especially, when living in a relatively affluent social environment. Even those, stricken with painful, incurable and terminal illnesses, can be kept relatively free from pain, emotionally stable and well looked-after. There is no need for the elderly to suffer from severe boredom or loneliness, even, if it is unavoidable, that many will have lost their friends and relatives by the time they are approaching their own death.

The process of dying, as well as death itself, can be dignified, without undue sentimentalities, and, without desperate attempts to prolong life with technical innovations; an attitude we see so strongly in our contemporary societies, where an un-understood and blind faith in the promises of technological advances, has instilled in the guidelines of medical ethics a stubborn, but, sometimes, short-sighted desire to fight death, tooth and needle.

What happens to the body of an individual who has died, depends, very much, on customs, traditions and beliefs of the society in which one has lived. Whether the process of decay takes place under the ground, in the sea, or, is speeded-up by a forced oxidation process, such as incineration, is essentially unimportant. The cohesive, inter-dependent functions of the cells of the body, which constitute the essence of living existence, have disappeared, for good, in the occurrence of death.

The physical composition of the lifeless body is an unstable shell, because the living organisation requires a constant metabolic activity to maintain the integrity of its structure. Once this flow of energy has disappeared with the onset of death, we see, immediately, the onset of complex chemical transformations, where, gradually, all the complex organic structures decompose, assisted by numerous bacterial and enzymatic activities, which find a possibility of existence in this source of energy, which comes free with the step-wise decomposition of organic materials.

To freeze or mummify a body in the hopeful belief, that, some day in the future, it may be possible to revive such a person, has no basis in reasoned thought, because the process of freezing disrupts numerous biochemical relationships. Even, if, externally, the status-quo has been preserved and the freezing process is initiated immediately after the occurrence of death, there is no reason to think, that such a body could ever be restored to life. Besides, future generations will find it probably unimportant to even try, and, we have to be satisfied with a less demanding way to seek remembrance or immortality amongst the living.

The practice of burial in a grave and the erection of a tomb-stone, also signify a variety of beliefs and commonly shared desires to preserve, in one way or another, the individuality and memory of an individual after death. Cemeteries function, therefore, for the benefit of relatives and friends, but, we visualise, that the extensive record-keeping of each and every individual will provide a far more systematic way to preserve the ability to recall memory-images in the living generations, than is possible, now, with the haphazard taking of an occasional photograph by family members, or, the occasional preservation of a letter or some other artifact created by the deceased individual.

As soon as an individual has died, the record of life will be closed with a summary of the facts related to this person. Rather than burying the dead and erecting rows upon rows of tomb-stones, it seems more fruitful to preserve the living memory of the deceased with a summary of the records that were made during life. This summary may take the form of a small book, which should then be placed in a large public building; the "library of the dead". In stead of walking through a cemetary, relatives and friends, or anyone contemplating the mortality of individual existence, will be able to browse through these summaries.

The disposal of the body can, indeed, be accomplished most effectively by incineration, and the ashes should be returned to the earth. There is absolutely no meaning in these ashes themselves, and, it does not seem sensible to try to preserve all or part of these ashes as a reminder or symbol of someone's past existence amongst the living members of mankind. After all, our inorganic composition changes continuously, even during our life-time, and, it is the structural and functional interdependence of all the organic and inorganic elements which constituted the essence of life, as well as the essence of a particular individual.

Once this pattern of coherence has been lost through the occurrence of death, nothing tangible is preserved of the person in the remaining fragments. Just like a complex, beautifully functioning piece of electronic machinery has ceased to exist, if we disconnect all the wiring connections and throw the parts on a heap, so has the individual ceased to exist at the moment of death, and, the corporeal remains are nothing more than a vague, external resemblance of the living personality during the first few days after death, while the internal cellular machinery decomposes at a very fast rate, indeed.

This record-keeping system is going to be the backbone of our knowledge of the dead, as well as of history in general, and, the practice of contemporary record-keeping, (the process of recording all the relevant facts of the living individual), is going to be a fundamental key to adequate information-gathering. It is going to be the key to social, economic and scientific planning, mutual understanding, security and trust, with the provision, that we adhere, rigorously, to a complete openness in society, as well as a complete accessibility of all information to all people.

This system of record-keeping, together with the sophisticated mechanisms of data-processing, data-retrieval and display, requires a large number of linked computers, and, this network of computerised information will transform and permeate our entire existence to such an extent, that our future societies will quickly become dependent upon such a "central nervous system" of information gathering and distribution.

No leadership will be able to function, and, no sensible decisions will be possible, without consulting the information available in these record-banks, and, eventually, the use of these systems will be so natural and so self-evident, that we will hardly be aware of the reliance we place upon the accuracy and availability of these data-banks, just like we, as multi-cellular individuals, rely, constantly, for all our behavioural reactions and mechanisms of recognition, upon the data-banks of our brain, where the information is stored as memory-traces of past experiences. Each and every sense impression is compared with these data-banks, in order to be able to decide, whether or not the sense-impresion is familiar, and, what meaning such a sense-impression has for our existence and well-being.

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Chapter 13

Content

An intense reliance upon data-banks.
The blurring between the imagery of an actual reality experience and images welling-up from data-banks.
Parallels with human existence.
The blurring of the past, the present and the immediate future.
The role of the dead.
The role of the past in our individual existence.
Anticipatory and manipulatory behaviour, seen as a fruit of long evolutionary developments.
The emergence of a sophisticated central nervous system for our societies.
Similarities in the level "intelligent behaviour-patterns" between societies and individual organisms.
The need to steer society deliberately into the right direction.
Biological mechanisms of organisation, locked into a genetic key.
The conscious creation of social mechanisms of organisation, and the need to preserve these mechanisms in Constitutional Guidelines.
Tentative analogies; the relativity of the usefulness and truthfulness of mental images.
Society, organised upon the biological life-cycle of individual existence.
Parallels between the temporary participation of molecules in the cell, and the temporary existence of human beings in society.
The dangers of internal strife and a lack of understanding.
The usefulness of speculating about future trends and developments.
The need for calm discussions.
The need to understand the biological nature of our reality perceptions.
The existential need to believe firmly and, often, fanatically.
The fine line between deliberation and vacillation.
Weaving threads.

Perhaps, we will be so dependent upon our records, and, we will live so intensely with our data-banks, that, at times, it will be difficult to distinguish between the contemporary, actual, now-occurring reality, and, the imagery flowing from these banks. We should reach, then, another parallel with individual human existence, where we see, also, a blurring between the data that are current, representing a "now-situation", and those images that well-up from our memory-banks, fueled by fears, hopes and expectations, or, the simple need to recognise a contemporary sense impression.

The past will start to blend with the present and the immediate future, forming a unity of existence that finds, also, a parallel in the way we function as a multi-cellular individual. In this way, we visualise the dead to become a part of living existence, like the past remains a part of our contemporary existence as an individual, giving a sense of familiarity and grasp to our awarenesses, but, also, a sense of fear or excitement to our expectations and experiences.

The ability to anticipate the immediate future as a recognition of events taking place, now, and, the ability to guide the forces of nature to our advantage, are the fruits of intelligent behaviour. These patterns of behaviour became only an evolutionary possibility for the single, multi-cellular but behaviourally flexible individual, after the central nervous system had developed the ability to store and classify massive amounts of data and sense impressions.

Intelligent and far-sighted behaviour of human societies depend upon the same principles, and, these behaviour-patterns will only be possible, after the development of relevant data-banks and the efficient use of all available information, because this makes it possible to grasp, comprehensively, the reality "as it is", and, this makes it possible to anticipate what is going to happen next. We can only avoid disaster, if we take appropriate measures to steer social as well as individual existence into a desired direction of unfolding events.

We have argued, before, the remarkable parallels that can be seen to exist between the coherent, well-integrated society and the multi-cellular individual organism, and, we will not continue this line of thought beyond the obvious parallels that came into view from a consideration of extensive record-keeping and the existence of vast data-banks. There can be little doubt, that the societies of the future will have to develop more cohesion, integration and intelligence in their behavioural responses compared to our contemporary societies, and, it is logical, that they will resemble, increasingly, the highly refined behavioural characteristics of a single, multi-cellular organism.

While the mechanisms of biological organisation and reproduction have been shaped by countless generations of evolutionary change, and are locked into the safety of a genetic code, man's societies have nervous systems that are consciously constructed by the membership, represented by the deliberations of our conscious and collective will, as well as our intelligence and organisational skills. The reproductive and rejuvenating capabilities of society have to be locked-in, also, in the form of a safe and enduring entity of Constitutional Guidelines, which will allow a carefully determined rate of change and adaptation of these Constitutional Guidelines, while guaranteeing a measure of stability and continuity from one generation to the next.

These parallels will always be tentative analogies, however, and, they are never precise examples of similarities or identities in occurrence, since they are, after all, mental mechanisms designed to perceive and classify the images of reality according to patterns of similarity. We are only attempting to compare and correlate mental images or reality perceptions that have been obtained on different planes of awareness. We have attempted to develop a mental imagery showing a possible mode of existence for future human societies. These images seem logical and coherent, because they have been based upon the awareness of a natural sequence of events, as we observe a human organism going through its life-cycle within its particular social environment.

The passage from birth to death represents a short participation in the overall structure of society, just like the cells or the constituents of a cell come and go in most organ-systems of the body. Nevertheless, their transient existence and participation secure the continued existence and uninterrupted living activities of the body as a whole. So does the human individual participate, momentarily, in society as a small, fragmentary actualisation of a genetic posibility of existence, while its existence changes, quickly, from birth and growth, to maturation and senescence, and, finally, to a state of death and dissolution.

A social structure, taking into account these biological phenomena and allowing a form of participation by the individual according to the various stages of its development, should be able to secure its own overall viability with much less effort compared to a society that tries to survive with a haphazard organisation. A haphazardly organised society is not able to understand and respond to its inner tensions, and, we all know, how precarious viability becomes, if a society is torn-apart by strife, inertia, corruption, as well as an atmosphere of chronic, egocentric existential anxieties.

The importance of this excercise in sketching future possibilities for social organisation, does not lie in its predictive value, but, in providing the living generations with ideas and goal-patterns, which may, eventually, allow mankind to fuse into a viable unit of socially organised existence. We should consider these efforts as models of plausible developments, and not as blue-prints along which we have to guide all our future efforts. May intelligent and calm discussions pay attention to all kinds of detailed questions and aspects! Let us first determine the viability of ideas, before we latch onto them in our desire to carry-out clear-cut actions and find a channel for our frustrated, pent-up energies.

A quiet, balanced and considered contemplation and discussion is the way to approach the long, slow way of developing common consent. Idea-structures can not be forced with the power of weapons or the threat of annihilation, suffering or oppression. We will have to be patient and honest, and, we should be prepared to acknowledge short-comings in our mental imagery. Let us be willing to listen to constructive criticisms. Let us remind ourselves, constantly, about the relativity of truth and the bological foundation for our desire, and need, to believe firmly and behave decisively or, even, fanatically.

We should keep the existence of instincts and motivations constantly in mind, if we want to avoid the trap of absolutely valid structures of belief, while we recognise the fine line between patient deliberations or broad-minded approaches on the one hand, and, the weakness of indecision, confusion and vacillation on the other.

In our future essays, we hope to be able to pick-up this thread of thoughts and ideas, on various occasions, and, we hope to weave, once more, a mental image of possible futures of existence. We will try to become increasingly coherent and precise in our thinking, as we follow the logical extra-polations of current insights. Yet, we will always acknowledge the numerous questions, uncertainties and objections that will inevitably come to light during these extensive discussions. Let us hope, that we all learn something useful from these efforts.

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Summary

1. Parallels between coherent reality perceptions and coherent social structures.
   Speculations about future human trends, seen as an excercise in logical reasoning, rather than wishful thinking.
   The motivations behind utopian dreaming.
   The hope to eradicate "sinful" or reactionary tendencies, or, to install a perfect leadership.
   The need to clarify reality perceptions today, if we want to dream about a better future tomorrow.
   The need for an agreed-upon understanding of human nature.
   The road towards honesty and transparence.
   Conflicting goals and aspirations.
   Limping on incoherent thoughts and vague hopes.
   The fallacy of unbridled enthousiasm, as well as a fatalistic resignation to the status-quo.
   Understanding the reasons for clinging to a position of privilege and power.
   The lack of trust, and the need to acknowledge our suspicions.
   The deception of a pseudo-friendship or a faked cooperation.
   The utopian dream, based upon a thorough, contemporary analysis of the status-quo, and a clear level of comprehension.
   The goal of a globally acceptable, relativistic reality perception.
   
   
   
2. Vertical lines of development from a relativistic reality perception.
   The potential for increased coherence in future reality perceptions.
   Biological and psychological insights, as a foundation for understanding.
   Limits of demands and rewards.
   Competent mammalian parental behaviour.
   Cultural directives, and their influences upon the functions of parental care.
   The family-nucleus, as a pre-condition for a healthy personality development.
   The developing youngster, exploring possibilities of existence.
   The importance of setting guidelines, and the wisdom of explaining these guidelines logically.
   The need for disciplined attitudes; in the individual, the small grouping, the society as a whole, as well as the world-federation of nations.
   The well-established combination of tender affection and the quick, corrective slap.
   The need to understand psycho-dynamics.
   The difficult task of guiding youngsters in a complex and confusing society.
   Natural caution and conservatism.
   The study and documentation of each individual human being.
   Confused loyalties and the possibility to exploit a competitive effort for the child's affection.
   Less problems in a society with clear-cut behavioural guidelines.
   The need to develop criteria of normality.
   The autonomous forces of cultural decay.
   Global integration, and the world-wide practice of studying and recording personalities, in spite of persistent local variations in beliefs and ways of life.
   
   
   
3. Youngsters in a kindergarten.
   The complete documentation of each growing personality.
   The prevalent mood of suspicion, and the desire for privacy in contemporary affluent societies.
   Safeguards against exploitation.
   The suspicions of a competitive social environment.
   The essential balance within each individual's behaviour-patterns.
   A balanced approach to the development of human personalities.
   The shift from an exclusive concern for the ego, to a broadly based concern for others.
   The hope, that future societies will be less susceptible to prevailing social aberrations.
   Channeling the energies of rebellious sentiments.
   Honesty and transparence; a seemingly irrealistic utopia.
   Ideas that have been discussed extensively in the series; "In Search of Reality".
   How the fruits of mutual trust and honesty will have to be cultivated and nurtured.
   An awareness of the need to find a viable social organisation.
   A review of the benefits associated with extensive documentation, universal transparence and an unrestricted access to all information.
   Transparence, together with its inherent features, are necessary to combat corruption and abuse.
   
   
   
4. The need to experience some stress in order to understand.
   Justice does not mean an absence of stress.
   The need to monitor carefully the level of stress in order to maintain a satisfied sense of justice.
   A measure of injustice and imperfection will always exist.
   The need to channel energies and mold attitudes.
   The twelve year period of formal schooling.
   The primary objective of forming a harmonious and concerned citizen.
   The need to understand ourselves, and our drives, is especially important for the education of the adolescent generation.
   Honesty and lucidity are essential.
   The importance of the teaching professions.
   The curriculum will reflect the basic philosophy of social environment.
   The key to continued viability.
   Continuing education for everyone.
   The citizen as a judge to decide issues of importance.
   The need to keep each other informed.
   Expert interpretations.
   The trend to discourage individualism in Marxist societies.
   The naive and superficial reality perceptions of Capitalist and Marxist philosophies.
   Standardisation of the educational curriculum, with a persistence of local cultural variants.
   The possibility to teach a coherent elementary philosophy of life.
   A short outline of the educational system.
   Class-room discussions and a check for comprehension.
   The importance of introducing pupils to the realities and institutions of society.
   The essential goals of education.
   The fallacy of concentrating upon an elite.
   Scholarship and flexibility will be necessary to create a relevant and efficient curriculum for us all.
   
   
   
5. Evolution rather than revolution.
   The need to be patient during painfully slow transition periods.
   Laborious efforts to accomplish a high level of perfection.
   The dangers of complacency.
   Continuous reviews.
   The essence of living existence.
   The basic skills of survival.
   Philosophical principles, and the evolution of its form of instruction throughout the twelve year period of formal schooling.
   Relativistic reality perceptions, seen as the central core of all knowledge.
   The dangers of fragmentation.
   The need for an overall grasp and a large field of vision.
   The gradual deepening of understanding.
   The integration of physical, mental, intellectual and emotional health.
   Aberrations of developmental processes, and the need for close monitoring.
   The essential difference between dissent and criminality.
   A careful diganosis, effective corrective measures, and the integration of the dissenter.
   The ever-present need to eliminate some of the most dangerous and incorrigible forms of psychopathic behaviour.
   
   
   
6. The basis of education, and its objectives.
   An exciting and absorbing experience.
   The well-educated and well-rounded personality of the future.
   The Civil Task-Force.
   The opportunities for hard work and a deep understanding.
   The symbiosis between the younger and older generations.
   Organising tasks in society according to the natural phases of human existence.
   The period of maximum physical vitality.
   An obligatory period of civil service as an introduction to the global society.
   The civil task-force as a branch of the world-federation of nations.
   A description of its many tasks and contributions.
   A balance between the needs of communities, receiving assistance, and, young people, getting an education or learning experience.
   Continuing education, as well as periods of rest and relaxation.
   The future treasure-house of talent and leadership.
   The need to continue accurate record-keeping of individuals and groups within society.
   
   
   
7. Manageing the awakening sexual drive.
   Sexuality during the period of formal schooling and the period of civil service.
   The need to look back towards our biological heritage.
   The need to control all instinctive drives, including those of sexuality.
   The difference between control and suppression.
   No virtue in unbridled sexual freedom.
   The need to teach the emotional dynamics of sexual drives and instincts, precisely and with frankness.
   The egocentric orientation of unbridled gratification.
   Flexibility in our attitudes and judgements about sexual behaviour.
   The importance of the family as a nucleus for a healthy social environment.
   The judicious use of contra-ceptives.
   Sexuality and the civil task-force.
   A balanced approach; some variability in the start of family life.
   Guarding against egocentric sexual obsessiveness.
   The occasional strong emotional outburst.
   The need to channel energies.
   Every member of society will have to carry a measure of responsibility.
   The many anonymous faces of responsible behaviour.
   The effects of a period of service in the Civil Task-Force upon the day-dreams of travel and excitement.
   The reasons behind contemporary day-dreaming.
   The leisure-industry, feeding upon these dreams.
   No need to own expensive, under-utilised trappings of affluence, prestige and day-dreams.
   The rich emotional experiences of the future citizen.
   The varied opportunities for sports, adventure, learning and artistic achievements.
   
   
   
8. No complete abolition of private ownership.
   Many items of daily and personal use should be cared-for privately.
   The abolition of private wealth together with its under-utilised symbols.
   The frugal society of the future.
   All human beings will have a right to the basic necessities of life.
   A greater depth of maturity and control in the behaviour of future citizens.
   The transition to the career-period.
   An abundant choice of careers for the people of the future, according to inclinations, interests and talents, as well as the circumstances of the moment.
   The main characteristics of the career-period; the assumption of responsibilities, either as parents, as professionals, or both.
   The large variety of career opportunities.
   Most people will return to their own communities.
   The beneficial effects for these communities, whenever the young people return, after a period of service in the Civil Task-Force.
   A short review of the way the communities of the future will work and live.
   The possibility to guarantee equal standards of living, in spite of widely fluctuating geographic circumstances.
   The simple home; self-made, with some assistance.
   Less need for excitement, more time for the family, relatives and old friends.
   The mad rush of today.
   A harmonious career in anyone of a number of public functions.
   An emphasis on attitudes of responsibility and sound judgements.
   Short-lived careers in sports.
   Art without the need to make a living from it.
   The contemporary glut of mediocre, commercial and dishonest art.
   Work as a privilege.
   Contributing according to ability.
   Basic human rights.
   Social pressures and transparence as a deterrent to idleness, laziness or parasitic attitudes.
   Frugal ways of spending leisure-time.
   The erroneous assumption of the need for egocentrically oriented financial incentives.
   The chronically diseased, affluent societies.
   
   
   
9. The tensions and frustrations associated with assembly-line practices in the organisation of work.
   The contemporary meaninglessness of many tasks; in industry, as well as in bureaucratic institutions.
   Unnecessary work; redundant services and products.
   The criminal act of trying to stimulate egocentric desires and emotions.
   The momentum of consumerism in the decline and fall of affluent nations.
   Retrospective historical studies.
   A framework of historical data and their interpretation.
   The future society will have its own tensions and criminal activities.
   A likely subject of pre-occupation for future generations.
   Probable improvements in the attitudes of future citizens.
   The brunt of responsibilities has to be carried by the career-generation.
   Full maturity.
   The advisory functions of older generations; the more static imagery of older people.
   A voice of concern from the recent past.
   The high demands made upon the leaders of society.
   The rewards of leadership are to be found in the satisfaction of having done a job well.
   The price of intense scrutiny and immediate criticisms.
   The reluctant leader.
   Suspicion and caution towards the very eager leadership aspirants; the dangers of egocentric exploitation of a position of power by immature leaders.
   
   
   
10. Monitoring the behaviour of our leaders with care and compassion.
    The dangers of stress and exhaustion, or excessively egocentric concerns.
    The ability to step-down gracefully and with dignity.
    When "work" has become a privilege.
    Less appeal to the instincts of fame and importance.
    Continuous scrutiny and strict Constitutional Guidelines to regulate leadership behaviour.
    The leader as a conscientious, hard-working citizen.
    The need for time to recoup and refresh.
    The need to have replacements available at all times.
    The leadership-structure, and its entourage of older and younger advisors; the leader of a leadership.
    Careful monitoring and a quick correction of undesirable side-effects resulting from previous decisions.
    Feed-back and the central nervous system.
    The citizen at the pinnacle of his abilities.
    Leadership, seen in a broad and general perspective.
    Leadership of the nation, or the family.
    
    
    
11. The zenith of individual capabilities, and the gradual decline of the human being.
    A transition to lessened responsibilities.
    Continuing contributions in study, advise, reflection and thought.
    The "golden age" of existence.
    One should feel happy to hand-over the reins of responsibility.
    The absence of a strong drive to hold-on to power, except as an expression of an enduring vitality.
    The wide range of usefulness of the older citizens.
    Difficulties delineating the criteria of chronological age for this transitional period.
    Physical and mental signs of deterioration.
    The enjoyment of life, and the heightened awareness of the present.
    A reflection upon the nature and necessity of death.
    Ways to accept the inevitablity of death.
    A rational approach to the acceptance of suffering and death.
    The short-comings of neurotic suppressions, denials, or a transfiguration of death and suffering into a symbol of achievement and salvation.
    The virtues of calm analysis and intelligent anticipation.
    Sound medical management of pain and suffering.
    The inability to always remain calm and emotionally neutral.
    An occasional sharp reminder about our frailty and mortality.
    
    
    
12. The golden age, punctuated by setbacks and deteriorating conditions.
    The haphazard existence of an individual organism.
    Avoiding institutional care for the elderly.
    Providing services at their own home.
    No need to suffer with sensible support and a measure of insight and self-discipline.
    Death with dignity.
    The stubborn fight against death by the medical profession.
    The disposal of the body.
    The disappearance of the essential structural organisation and metabolic cohesion in the occurrence of death.
    The step-wise decomposition of organic matter after death.
    The ilde hope of immortality by freezing a body.
    Finding less demanding attempts to be remembered by the living generations.
    Record-keeping, and the summary of individual existence after death.
    The libraries of the dead.
    The decaying body, and a "stripped" piece of electronic machinery.
    The central nervous system of society and the individual.
    
    
    
13. An intense reliance upon data-banks.
    The blurring between the imagery of an actual reality experience and images welling-up from data-banks.
    Parallels with human existence.
    The blurring of the past, the present and the immediate future.
    The role of the dead.
    The role of the past in our individual existence.
    Anticipatory and manipulatory behaviour, seen as a fruit of long evolutionary developments.
    The emergence of a sophisticated central nervous system for our societies.
    Similarities in the level "intelligent behaviour-patterns" between societies and individual organisms.
    The need to steer society deliberately into the right direction.
    Biological mechanisms of organisation, locked into a genetic key.
    The conscious creation of social mechanisms of organisation, and the need to preserve these mechanisms in Constitutional Guidelines.
    Tentative analogies; the relativity of the usefulness and truthfulness of mental images.
    Society, organised upon the biological life-cycle of individual existence.
    Parallels between the temporary participation of molecules in the cell, and the temporary existence of human beings in society.
    The dangers of internal strife and a lack of understanding.
    The usefulness of speculating about future trends and developments.
    The need for calm discussions.
    The need to understand the biological nature of our reality perceptions.
    The existential need to believe firmly and, often, fanatically.
    The fine line between deliberation and vacillation.
    Weaving threads.

.......