"As the raindrop falls from heaven, it is afraid of being lost in the stream. As one stream merges into another, it is afraid of being lost into the river. As the river flows faster downhill, it is afraid of merging into the sea. But the process is inevitable, and when the river finally does merge, the raindrop discovers to its great surprise, that nothing has been lost—it remains a drop, while yet becoming the sea. With this realization comes supreme joy. Once you know that your identity is not going to be sacrificed for the benefit of the whole, being the whole sounds absolutely ideal. Who would remain a drop if he could have the unbounded status of the ocean? Our society is so fixated on individuality at any price, that it has taught us practically nothing about the joy of merging into the totality of pure awareness."
The relics propose that realizing the self and realizing the whole happens at the same time. Why is it that our society is so fixated on individuality? Does individuality even exist? Did it ever exist? If it does, is it worth pursuing?
I don't know why our society is fixated on it, but I have a testimony of individuality, and of being part of a whole. I believe that every group is only as strong as the individuals within it, but that groups themselves can do more than individuals can alone, usually.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't mean that the "realization" of those two things can't happen simultaneously. What is that "realization"? What does that mean?
ReplyDeleteindividuality
ReplyDeletenoun
1 the quality or character of a particular person or thing that distinguishes them from others of the same kind.
2 separate existence
I am not a hindu and I do not believe that individuality is maya. My own religious conviction is that individuality existed before birth and will exist after death. I am not interested in collectivism at all. I am only interested in collaboration. I would rather be part of a group whose blog was called interrobangcollaborative.
Why do you think our society (meaning: some individuals within our society) is "fixated" on individuality?
Maybe the question is: Why does our society (or many individuals within our society) believe so fervently that being part of a collaborative whole means LOSING that individuality? Where did that notion come from or when did it become part of the modern notion of "the individual"?
ReplyDeleteI still don't get who these mysterious people are that believe that "a collaborative whole means losing individuality".
ReplyDeletecollectivism vs. collaboration...
ReplyDeleteCollectivism = humans are interdependent. Isn't that true? The idea that we are interdependent is what opens the door for collaboration, right? And neither of them really mean we can't be individuals.
Can someone give examples of our society being fixated on individuality?
I think that their is some sloppiness of terms here. Hope this clarifies:
ReplyDeleteCollectivism:
1 the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it.
2 the theory and practice of the ownership of land and the means of production by the people or the state.
Individuality:
1 the quality or character of a particular person or thing that distinguishes them from others of the same kind.
2 separate existence
Individualism
1 a doctrine that the interests of the individual are or ought to be ethically paramount; also : conduct guided by such a doctrine (2) : the conception that all values, rights, and duties originate in individuals
2 a theory maintaining the political and economic independence of the individual and stressing individual initiative, action, and interests; also : conduct or practice guided by such a theory
Collaboration:
ReplyDelete1 to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor.
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Collaboration can be a good tool. Working together can lubricate the flow of ideas between individual minds.
Sometimes there are better tools than collaboration. We are all aware of some committees who while engaging in collaboration end up with mediocrity.
Neither collectivists nor individualists would necessarily oppose or support collaboration. It is a completely separate issue. Lets not get these things mixed up.
what is the source of this text?
ReplyDelete