A Switch - Discussion
the tricky thing is ~250,000 babys are born each day. they wont be enlightened. and all those less than ~16 years probably can't become enlightened due to human development... (this is a good model:
http://www.cook-greuter.com/Cook-Greuter%209%20levels%20paper%20new%201.1'14%2097p%5B1%5D.pdf
)
but let's assume all adults...
nothing would instantly change, but people would be able to talk about the elephants in the room like the things you mentioned instead of vaguely social signalling...
there would be a lot of drama when people have to admit that pretty much everything is is motivated by kin survival and vanity, including the way systems are gamed. this could still be a personal blind spot after enlightenment and others would have to point it out, but once seen it wouldn't be unseen.
similarly there would be a lot of drama when people have to admit that pretty much all personal projects are are immortality projects (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Denial_of_Death). this could still be a personal blind spot after enlightenment and others would have to point it out, but once seen it wouldn't be unseen.
similarily everyone would quickly understand the "one" idea at the core of buddhist theory --- but it is not the one that most people think of, i.e. "we are all one", but rather the honest truth of early buddhism: that all beings need to eat other beings to survive. In addition, there would be quick understanding of the modern ecological correlate: all beings living without competition will quickly overpopulate. My favorite example is that two bacteria growing without contrainst will fill the universe:
After just 8 hours, a single bacterial cell will give rise to more than 1.5 million cells. If we let the colony grow for several days (with infinite nutritional resources), their numbers quickly surpass the most absurd of values. After a week, our theoretical colony would surpass 10¹¹⁹ cells, a number so vast as to be incomprehensible. This is nearly one hundred orders of magnitude more than the estimated number of stars in the universe (10²⁴).
https://nikomccarty.medium.com/how-long-would-it-take-bacteria-to-eat-the-earth-cd3348fe5ded
So then the real important problems come to the forefront: what societal frameworks are in place to have appropriate levels of suffering and conflict to fit within the ecological limits we desire. Humans will still need to be born and develop and live and die, as will all beings. Every decision will have its benefits for some and its downside for others.
So really, human/societal life will continue to be an elegant compromise after everyone gets enlightened, but perhaps the brutal truths of human life (including how no one will remember any of us in 50,000 years) will allow much more frank discussions and planning, rather than leaving many thing unsaid or just socially signaled during discussion/debate.
I suspect that post everyone-is-enlightened there will both be more respect for experts and more humility within experts, which is very hopeful. The best ideas do seem to come from discussions between people working on particular topics for several decades, especially if they can drop their self-importance.
Thanks for the fun question. Of course the real answer is: I have no idea what would happen!
http://www.cook-greuter.com/Cook-Greuter%209%20levels%20paper%20new%201.1'14%2097p%5B1%5D.pdf
)
but let's assume all adults...
nothing would instantly change, but people would be able to talk about the elephants in the room like the things you mentioned instead of vaguely social signalling...
there would be a lot of drama when people have to admit that pretty much everything is is motivated by kin survival and vanity, including the way systems are gamed. this could still be a personal blind spot after enlightenment and others would have to point it out, but once seen it wouldn't be unseen.
similarly there would be a lot of drama when people have to admit that pretty much all personal projects are are immortality projects (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Denial_of_Death). this could still be a personal blind spot after enlightenment and others would have to point it out, but once seen it wouldn't be unseen.
similarily everyone would quickly understand the "one" idea at the core of buddhist theory --- but it is not the one that most people think of, i.e. "we are all one", but rather the honest truth of early buddhism: that all beings need to eat other beings to survive. In addition, there would be quick understanding of the modern ecological correlate: all beings living without competition will quickly overpopulate. My favorite example is that two bacteria growing without contrainst will fill the universe:
After just 8 hours, a single bacterial cell will give rise to more than 1.5 million cells. If we let the colony grow for several days (with infinite nutritional resources), their numbers quickly surpass the most absurd of values. After a week, our theoretical colony would surpass 10¹¹⁹ cells, a number so vast as to be incomprehensible. This is nearly one hundred orders of magnitude more than the estimated number of stars in the universe (10²⁴).
https://nikomccarty.medium.com/how-long-would-it-take-bacteria-to-eat-the-earth-cd3348fe5ded
So then the real important problems come to the forefront: what societal frameworks are in place to have appropriate levels of suffering and conflict to fit within the ecological limits we desire. Humans will still need to be born and develop and live and die, as will all beings. Every decision will have its benefits for some and its downside for others.
So really, human/societal life will continue to be an elegant compromise after everyone gets enlightened, but perhaps the brutal truths of human life (including how no one will remember any of us in 50,000 years) will allow much more frank discussions and planning, rather than leaving many thing unsaid or just socially signaled during discussion/debate.
I suspect that post everyone-is-enlightened there will both be more respect for experts and more humility within experts, which is very hopeful. The best ideas do seem to come from discussions between people working on particular topics for several decades, especially if they can drop their self-importance.
Thanks for the fun question. Of course the real answer is: I have no idea what would happen!
My proposal. The awakening program if you will:
1. Stop taking drugs
2. Stop doing anything else that numbs your mind like meditation (for a while, you can resume it later when you are awaken and I guess you will need it for your training... or if all fails resume what you stopped in previous step)
3. Read about economy
4. Read about history of countries which have or had in their past communism
5. Read about "Critical Theory"
And then once you are aware what is actually happening the time for your real training begins: try not to cry
Have fun
1. Stop taking drugs
2. Stop doing anything else that numbs your mind like meditation (for a while, you can resume it later when you are awaken and I guess you will need it for your training... or if all fails resume what you stopped in previous step)
3. Read about economy
4. Read about history of countries which have or had in their past communism
5. Read about "Critical Theory"
And then once you are aware what is actually happening the time for your real training begins: try not to cry
Have fun
