Searching for God # 141

 If the predictions in The Sovereign Individual have relevance, cogency and prescience, and the obvious implication is that the ‘public good’ or the ‘public interest’ as we have come to know it for a couple of thousand years, in communities, towns, villages, cities, provinces or states, and nations, is no longer effectively operative, given that the billionaires, oligarchs, tyrants, despots have squirreled their money in cryptocurrency, outside the range of any nation or federal reserve bank, and outside the range of all law-enforcement, and all social services have been defunded, leaving millions to fend for themselves in a dog-eat-dog jungle of destitution, there will still be millions clambering for attention, respect, dignity, and survival. 

The stark dichotomy of such a scenario is so horrendous as to be beyond dystopian. We, that is the world’s population, are already facing severe draw-downs of foreign aid, (USAID completely defunded, while other governments are shifting huge sums into military/defense/security budgets) and conservative voices are already howling about the costs of ‘foreigners’ to their local, provincial and national budgets and services, the plight of millions is only going to grow. More and more people in what are deemed ‘developed’ countries, many of them originally characterized as “Christian,” are uttering that parochial, isolationist, even nationalist and what can only be termed ‘frightened’ and ‘insecure’ words: ‘We have to look after our own, not those foreigners who don’t belong here!’  

The trouble with that attitude, increasingly pervasive as an underground forest fire, is that the world has shrunk to the point where there are no longer ‘foreigners’ except in our closed minds. We are all inheritors of the planet’s atmosphere, the world’s oceans, forests, coral reefs, sea creatures, flora, fauna as well as the non-boundaried viruses, diseases, and climate eruptions, drinking water.  At the same time, whether we are conscious and accepting of it or not, we are all also custodians of all of those resources desperately needed for our survival. (that is all of us!). We have also inherited a world that has been divided into national pieces of land, regional pieces of ideology, religions, economic traditions, cultural artifacts and rituals, educational and political systems and institutions, along with varying degree of what might be loosely termed ‘human rights.’ Our many ‘divides’ have been the collective focus at personal, academic, economic, religious, ideological and political levels, although many continue with the cliche, ‘our strength is in our diversity.’ 

The dominant, majority in any and all geographic regions are also howling about the loss of their ‘dominance’ and many focus on the ‘wokeness’ of what they call the ‘politically correct’ focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Colonialism, racial prejudice, the power of size and dimension, the power of weapons and dollars as instruments of bigotry and dominance all have a long and bloody history. Erasing, or even attempting to dilute these instincts, among a population of mainly ‘sensate’ men and women (who base their perception and their processing on literal, empirical reality) is a monumental task, larger than all of the religious, political, economic, psychological and ideological programs currently extant. The adage, ‘the body is in the soul’ captures the irony and paradox of our shared, universal situation, at least somewhat. 

Stripping away the colour of our skin, the power of rationalism to dominate our poetic imagination, the public flustering and even open combat over the pursuit, acquisition and sustaining of personal, party, religious, ideological, ethnic POWER, (and our inherent instinct for its loss, bruising, wounding, intrusion, invasion, long before even dominance!)  we are all facing a similar, if not an increasingly identical, set of problems. 

And therein lies another of our shared inheritances: each problem is considered by the policy wonks the political class, the academic scholars, the economists, the military planners, and ever the marketers and communicators on its own merits, definition, dimensions, and framing. Solutions, then, are inevitably considered in and from separate ‘files’ and also separate (and appropriate) kinds of mind-orientation. Institutions, agencies, policies, budgets, and the roots and traditions and protocols of each of these ‘separate empires’ of both operation and thought operate primarily as ‘special turfs’ for those inside their buildings, offices, geographic regions, jurisdictions, or however those inside wish to ‘define’ their boundaries (like dogs declaring their territorial domain!) And, of course, energy imagination, developed skills and training are all dedicated, whether consciously or not, to the maintenance of those now ‘sacred’ boundaries. 

These dynamics know no national, religious, political, intellectual, legal psychological or public declared definitions. They are shared everywhere where any and all attempts to ‘manage’ to ‘lead’ to ‘organize’ and to ‘bring order and good governance’ into play. The gold-ring of the pursuit, design, plan, strategy and tactics of POWER, whether at an individual or organizational (collective) level has common attributes, even if the symbols of those methods differ by tradition, heritage and custom. 

Attempting to ‘fit’ into the consciousness of the leaders of the developed world in the midst of these internecine emotions, conflicts, compromises and collusions, by the millions of voiceless is not merely monumental; it is impossible. Getting on the radar of those who have levers of power, wealth, public policy, public attitudes, and public permissions is analogous to the single voice from Haiti pleading on Canadian national television for Canada to open its doors so that more Haitians who face death by remaining, can emigrate. A barely slight chance of her voice ever being heard, at ‘official’ levels. 

And so here is a modest if uncomfortable observation: what about eliminating all of those policy, academic, literal, empirical, ideological, religious, historic, ethnic, racial and definitional boundaries on which we are all impaled and begin to see the world from the perspective of those millions of voiceless whose lives, if they are not brought into the public consciousness everywhere will only slink into the earth literally forgotten, deceased and buried without even the dignity of an honourable burial. 

What if humanity, together, collectively, universally, and both consciously and in a long-term committed covenant opened its (our) arms, minds, hearts, bodies, budgets, ideologies, theologies food supplies, energy supplies, medicines, health care, commitments to protect the shared environment on which we are all dependent....in other words what if dominance, it obsessive grip on our public consciousness, gave way to a shared vulnerability, not only as an attitude but as an actual real, empirical and in-our-face force that exposed the lie in which we have all been indoctrinated, brain-washed and ‘told to believe’...that we are all here to acquire, sustain and celebrate the level, degree status and influence of power over others. 

Would such a surrender, considered by millions to be a sacrifice, be so irrational and so stupid and so frightening that it can only be considered a kind of ‘satire’ and never be taken seriously? It is not a proposal that is premised on some kind of utopian, romantic, ideal, or even ideological purity. It is not a proposal that is likely to garner even reflective support from many....especially among those who might glance at it, dismiss it out of hand and merrily go on their way. 

For those who, on the other hand, pause, consider the alternative, the way we are going about our lives currently, permitting, whether by choice or in and through apathy, withdrawal, disenchantment, or even deliberate insouciance, those billionaire persons, with their zillionaire ambitions to take over the public square. That public square does not belong to them, in any country, province town or city. And in every town, village, city and province and nation, those with big trust accounts and investment portfolios are ‘in charge.’ Anyone who is either unaware, or denies where power lies, increasingly and obviously among the very rich, is already given a pass to the growing persistence, malevolence and risk of this trend continuing. 

We have all been, in our own way, complicit, in helping the world to arrive at this obvious ‘tipping point’. And we will also all have to be fully engaged in bringing us all back from the precipice of our own demise. 

And if that proposition is not integrous to our shared spiritual, as well as physical, emotional, psychic, economic and political and environmental ‘LIFE,’ I am not sure what is. 

David Suzuki, a twentieth century prophet-scientist, posed an equation long ago that continues to be needed everywhere....’the economy should be working for us, not the other way round,’ The argument here in this space, today, and likely for days to come is merely an extension of that original proposition. Adopting the confidence, the courage, the voice and the impertinence that are and will be needed in order to confront what is becoming a cancerous political international tumor, before it suffocates our planet and our shared public square is a goal to which each of us can and must commit, in our own unique way.....and now! 

Searching for God # 140

 Having attempted to paint a picture of some basic level of collaboration between and among the major world religions, especially around the issue of migrants, homeless, refugees and displaced millions whose numbers continue to rise amid rising temperatures, droughts, floods, disease, wars, famine, gang and terror violence and a growing imbalance between the have’s and the have-not's, I now find myself hoisted on the horns of my own petard. 

Some basic observations, first both Jewish and Muslim faiths place an extremely high value on laws, regulations, ritual observances, expectations and disciplined relationships among their own and even more disciplined expectations with the ‘others’ among whom they circulate daily. The concept of benchmarks, rules, laws, formal expectations, while noble, honourable and open to clean and unequivocal evaluation, as ‘derivatives’ or ‘legacies’ or ‘inheritances’ from God, seems more likely based on a human conception of any God’s relationship with the people who worship that deity. Those benchmarks, by definition, as minimum expectations, express a manner by which one shows reverence and respect to God, on terms that also establish a quasi-behavior-modification extrinsic classical conditioning model for their faith. Meet these minimum expectations and God will reward you...is a reductionistic equation. Also, as each is deeply immersed in their ‘tradition’ of these laws and expectations, even with a variance over rigorous efforts at interpretation, offer little room for speculation that collegial, collaborative and even respectful relations between those two faiths might emerge any time in the near-or-medium -erm future.  

Christians, as inheritors of both Jewish and New Testament theological perspectives, seem to fall somewhere between the legalistic and the more eastern ‘unity’ with the universe perception and spirituality. Some might argue that this hybrid offers nothing of substance, clear expectation and ‘confidence’ (or trust) in whatever is considered the right way to perceive and to worship God. Currently, the Roman Catholic church is witnessing a surge in people seeking admission, given that it is perceived to have a highly visible, credible, authority figure in the pope, as well as a minimum agenda of expectations (and exclusions) for whom and what it considers ‘within’ the boundaries of its tolerances. At the centre of that catalogue of ‘exclusions’ are, to varying degrees, members of the LGBTQ+ communities. And the tolerance or exclusion of that minority continues to generate waves of division around the globe in both religious and political circles. 

The Anglican church, too, seems divided perhaps noted by geography as well as by theology, over the question of the acceptance, tolerance, welcome or rejection of the whole issue of homosexuality. This ‘divide’ will continue to demonstrate that people whose orientation   religion is more conservative are separated from those whose orientation is considered more liberal. In North America, there is a considerable demographic that considers itself liberal on these issues, with a sizeable and vociferous minority favouring the conservative position, to the point where they have formed a separate ‘Anglican’ communion. (This development has been documented earlier in this space.) 

Social issues, originally considered in and through both public and private ‘programs’ and initiatives to lend a helping hand to those in need, has been morphing into environmental, economic and political issues, given the dramatic rise in emergent climate disasters, economic disparities, and political divides between the radical right and what was once termed liberalism. At the centre of all of these issues boils the matter of ‘different’ individuals attempting to enter, merge, integrate, graft onto the majority demographic of various developed nations. The rights, expectations, rejections, tolerances, and outright hostilities of established communities are in full convergence with those same rights, expectation, rejections, tolerances and outright hostilities of the millions of interlopers, invaders, immigrants, refugees, homeless and stateless people. 

Whether from a religious, or a political or an economic, or ethical/moral perspective, the convergence of such sizeable waves of ‘newcomers’ (with their respective trauma, linguistic, ethnic, religious and traditional values and rituals) into previously ‘quiet’ and ‘peaceful’ communities is and will continue to cause varying degrees of intensity, fear, apprehension and outright hate among those whose lives are being invaded. In Piddington, in Oxfordshire UK, for example, a community of some 350 people, the British government is intending to ‘deposit’ some 1,200 men into a vacant military barracks. There are no stores, no doctors, hospitals, schools or work opportunities in that community and, for starters, the women are terrified and have taken to engage in personal security and self-protective courses as their first attempt to protect themselves. And that is only a single example of the kind of human, people-to-people conflict that is showing in many places. 

The governments have no experience in how to address the problems both of the integration of migrants and the fears and apprehensions of the locals. There has been no community-wide education among a wide base of the ‘established’ population to prepare for this influx, or the next one which will surely come. The churches have taken a piece-meal approach as one of several potential ‘ministry’ initiatives and yet a single parish can do only very little given the size and availability of its fiscal and human resources. In Canada, for example, the federal government dramatically reduced the number of migrants accepted annually, given the serious squeeze their number was placing on an already-crowded housing market in spite of the cash-cow that was the registration and tuition fees of foreign students for Canadian colleges and universities. 

And let’s not accept any attempt to reduce this problem to a political, economic, religious or even environmental issue, although it crosse all of those boundaries and academic disciplines and practices. A recent report from the USA indicates that at least one billionaire has fallen prey to a book whose influence seems to have infected other of his billionaire class: The Sovereign Individual, by James Dale Davisdon and William Rees-Mogg, published in 1997. 

From a piece written by Dawn Dussault, May 1, 2025, on ChatGPT Summary of The Sovereign Individual, we read: 

(The book)....foresaw the profound impacts that digital technology, globalization and the decline of the nation-state would have on society. The book predicted that individuals, particularly a small group, would rise to greater autonomy and power due to technological advances leading to a decentralized world. However, the authors also highlighted numerous warnings about the consequences of this shift, many of which resonate with global developments today. These warnings and insights are particularly relevant in the context of the rise of digital currencies, cryptography, global governance and growing economic disparity.  

1. Decline of the nation state: Prediction: the authors foresaw the nation-state's decline, as individuals would be able to live and work beyond national borders, using technology and digital finance to avoid government control. 

2. Emergence of the Sovereign Individual: Prediction: The sovereign individual  is someone who thrives in post-nation-state world. This individual is empowered by technology, global financial markets, and private security. They can choose their own jurisdiction, avoid taxes, and protect their wealth. 

3. Risk of global elites consolidating power: Prediction: The book suggested that global elites would dominate in the future, using global networks and digital tools to govern and control much of the world’s resources. These elites would be immune to national law, operating through private corporations and private security forces. 

4. Growing inequity and fragmentation: Prediction: As the world becomes more decentralized, the wealthy elites (sovereign individuals) will flourish, but the majority of people will be left behind, leading to widening inequality and social fragmentation. 

5. Cybersecurity and Personal Property: Prediction: The authors foresaw a world of surveillance where individuals’ data would be easily accessible, and they would need to rely on secure communications and private data protection. 

6. Collapse of social welfare and security: Prediction: With the decline of the nation-state, traditional welfare systems and social security structures will collapse. People will be forced to take care of themselves, relying on private security, private healthcare, and private education. 

Does this diatribe not read as if it were an integral and nefarious component of Project 2025, the template which directs the current United States administration? Is this not precisely what concepts, attitudes, rhetoric and actions we are witnessing every day from Washington....and other places. The idea that Viktor Orban is (was?) the shining star of the radical right movement around the world, excluding immigrants, refugees, indigents appears as merely a small pill compared to the much wider, deeper prescription/prediction that The Sovereign Individual posits. This tidal wave of observations, predictions, warnings and global ‘red flags’ comes as a complete and utter decimation of everything the concept of the ‘public good’ every was intended to represent and to hold high as a social ideal. 

What would our friend, Leo Tolstoy have to say about the implications of such a book and the growing evidence that already a group of self-declared elites, mostly of them already billionaires, has moved a considerable way along the path to ‘sovereignty.’ Today, in Canada, many are debating the risks to the sovereignty of Canada, given the threat to that sovereignty from the current occupant of the Oval Office. Some also are questioning the potential loss of Canadian sovereignty as it receives (and accepts?) a formal invitation to become an associate member of the European Union. Even Great Britain approved Brexit, in order to ‘preserve’ and ‘protect’ its national sovereignty from what might have happened if it has remained within the EU. 

And now, individual sovereignty is being discussed as the ultimate and potentially inevitable golden rainbow at the end of the horizon of digital, technological, crypto and privatization convergence. 

Where might we even begin to look for God in the middle of this discussion? If God is predictably (dangerous word in this context) on the side of the billions who will be left behind, will the shared vision, legitimate needs and ordinary human aspirations of those billions of ‘nothings’ (in the eyes, exclusions, and dismissals of the elites) be able to be even voiced, never mind actually heard and listened to? Do not be surprised if those elites declare that “God is on our side!” as they historic and repeated method of all elites to wrap their exclusive picture of the ideal world in a deity they believe completely and unequivocally supports their power and status? 

Or.....is it just possible that the elites are already over-playing their cash-vault-overflowing hand? Is it just possible that millions, if not billions will become words to describe the most authentic, meaningful, potentially life-giving aspirations of humanity, and not reserved for the exclusive use of depictions of personal greed and personal acquisition of wealth for its own sake? 

Some of us continue to believe, and to continue to need to believe that humans, together, irrespective of our many deep differences and divides can see and will come to a united, shared and effectually expressed push-back to this Hades-inspired race to the bottom.