It is a convincing collection of tyrants behaviours throughout history, where the weak man dies at the end, broken, a victim, and a sold out confessor, just like Orwell.
This book was compulsory reading for my high school. Most kids didn't understand it or didn't read it. It sent me into a spiral of depression for 30 years.
This book is propaganda. Would I submit under torture and throw my family, friends and soul under the bus to stop my fear and pain? I don't know, but lots of people in my living memory have survived this trial.
1984 was not a warning, it was a prediction of human failure under duress.
Jan 29, 2023·edited Jan 29, 2023Liked by Gary Sharpe
I'd absolutely have the energy to be involved in such a bold upending of the system. Peter Levine has a book about trauma proofing our kids. I feel we need to go much further. We need to be more embodied and leading from the heart, not just the head and for me, parents need to be doing their own deep, inner work to explore inherited conditioning and belief systems, otherwise these are passed on... often unwittingly. We are far too obsessed with the aspect of mind driven by the left hemispheres ways of doing (scarcity, fear, judgment, competition, linearity, for example) with far too little awareness of the whole system, right hemispheres whole system, creative, empathic wise ways of being. Iain McGilchrist talks about this in his book, the 'Master and his Emissary ". To me, we are human beings, not human doings. All the education system sets us up for is doing. It rewards doing, and punishes and stifles those children who want to just be themselves, expressing their true, authentic essence and life force. To me, each of us is a fractal and a uniquely gifted, unparalleled human, but we are, from even before we are born, being programmed and wounded. We need to teach heart work not hard work, to support lineage work, to deepen our soul connection and to support pregnant women in particular as cortisol is passed transplacentally. The healing and transmuting of intergenerational trauma is crucial as it carries forward. Most people I work with are disconnected from their body, its wisdom and intelligence. Their spark has been so muffled it is almost snuffed out. It is knocked out of us early, partly by the homogeneity of education, as Alan Watts illustrates as part of his legacy.
Undoing our conditioning, unlearning all that keeps us small, teaching how to live with the contradictions and paradoxes of life, as well as a whole system transfiguration are surely needed and it feels to me to be a much bigger picture than simply focusing on education.
You touch on an implicit problem in the relationship between governments and parents. Governments want compliant citizens. Parents want their children to grow into mature, self-sufficient, interdependent adults. The two intentions do not align well. Antonio Gramsci wrote, “In the life of children there are two very clear-cut phases, before and after puberty. Before puberty the child's personality has not yet formed and it is easier to guide its life and make it acquire specific habits of order, discipline, and work: after puberty the personality develops impetuously and all extraneous intervention becomes odious, tyrannical, insufferable. Now it so happens that parents feel the responsibility towards their children precisely during this second period, when it is too late: then of course the stick and violence enter the scene and yield very few results indeed. Why not instead take an interest in the child during the first period?”
This captures what see as the problematic relationship between governments and children.
Thanks, Gary. Good insights. I imagine in a genuinely human-friendly world, this kind of information would be included in education. So much has to be dismantled and rebuilt.
the best way to teach a child is still by example. No slogan will work better than your own doing what you want the kid to do. I remember an article where parents complained to their pediatrician that the child refused all color food and only ate white food. The doc asked what they ate. Chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes... did they eat carrots, spinach, peppers? No. Only white and brown. Kid did not know other colors were edible!
My perspective is that there's something physical in the environment of children today that is impacting their brain health (pseudo-food and poisonous medications) and until that something or somethings is removed, it will be very difficult to "teach" health.
I agree that we need to teach children that everything begins on the mental field! Imagination is our most powerful ability!
Meanwhile, the vast majority of adults are unaware that the *wayward wizards* are manufacturing illusions all the time which they force-project into society. These adults simply accept and live out these illusions, never developing critical thinking and the concomitant *courage* that is so vital to creating individual life and communities that truly benefit US!
At least with children, we can help to properly educate them on their spiritual nature and they stand a better chance of maintaining — even strengthening — that essence. Still, we all must discover our Divinity *in our own hearts and minds*!
I love your thought-provoking articles, Gary! I sense your genuine caring through your well-chosen words.
Even if you have to embarrass yourself with foodstamps. I practiced what I preach. Our kids (all over 30)are all empathic, creative, kind, sensible smart and successful and a source of joy. And; Of course don't forget their spiritual upbringing.
We are very much appreciating your solutions-based focus on things, while also not ignoring the gravity of the matters at hand. I am a retired acupuncturist who teaches Qigong now and advocates for holistic self-care in every way. I also work full time on organic farms, promoting local food networks. My partner teaches Forest School, an all-year, outdoor emergent curriculum, addressing such undiagnosed cultural issues as "nature deficit disorder." We don't make much money, but are well fed spiritually and physically, while offering services toward precisely those issues you descrbe in this article. We are happy to be resources in this regard and thank you for your work!
The contents of the dialectic behavior therapy course my troubled older youngling was mandated to take should be part of the core curriculum in public schools, along with gardening, personal finance, and how to research.
DBT was all about recognizing internal dysfunctional states and mitigating them deliberately. Was great stuff. I had to attend along with the child, the course teachers wanted comments... They got some doozies from me, since I'd already read up on a lot of what they expounded.
Of course, getting that sort of life-function core curriculum implemented would require that the schools be treated as educational facilities preparing kids for adulthood rather than just indoctrination stations getting them used to the required shut up, sit still, always attend, be on time, and bow to any stated authority in preparation for corporate work culture.
Well, some parents do! They seem to be a bit more respected and respectful.
In some Australian indigenous tribes, some children were allowed to be involved in 'Elders' meetings.
It is a bit obvious now why parents recently would act like they are the first baby creator in history. I used to suggest that maybe they could problem solve dramas with books on the subject.
Yes. And give them some happy books too!
George Orwell was a weak man.
1984 was never a fiction.
It is a convincing collection of tyrants behaviours throughout history, where the weak man dies at the end, broken, a victim, and a sold out confessor, just like Orwell.
This book was compulsory reading for my high school. Most kids didn't understand it or didn't read it. It sent me into a spiral of depression for 30 years.
This book is propaganda. Would I submit under torture and throw my family, friends and soul under the bus to stop my fear and pain? I don't know, but lots of people in my living memory have survived this trial.
1984 was not a warning, it was a prediction of human failure under duress.
I hope this is not my story, or yours.
I'd absolutely have the energy to be involved in such a bold upending of the system. Peter Levine has a book about trauma proofing our kids. I feel we need to go much further. We need to be more embodied and leading from the heart, not just the head and for me, parents need to be doing their own deep, inner work to explore inherited conditioning and belief systems, otherwise these are passed on... often unwittingly. We are far too obsessed with the aspect of mind driven by the left hemispheres ways of doing (scarcity, fear, judgment, competition, linearity, for example) with far too little awareness of the whole system, right hemispheres whole system, creative, empathic wise ways of being. Iain McGilchrist talks about this in his book, the 'Master and his Emissary ". To me, we are human beings, not human doings. All the education system sets us up for is doing. It rewards doing, and punishes and stifles those children who want to just be themselves, expressing their true, authentic essence and life force. To me, each of us is a fractal and a uniquely gifted, unparalleled human, but we are, from even before we are born, being programmed and wounded. We need to teach heart work not hard work, to support lineage work, to deepen our soul connection and to support pregnant women in particular as cortisol is passed transplacentally. The healing and transmuting of intergenerational trauma is crucial as it carries forward. Most people I work with are disconnected from their body, its wisdom and intelligence. Their spark has been so muffled it is almost snuffed out. It is knocked out of us early, partly by the homogeneity of education, as Alan Watts illustrates as part of his legacy.
Undoing our conditioning, unlearning all that keeps us small, teaching how to live with the contradictions and paradoxes of life, as well as a whole system transfiguration are surely needed and it feels to me to be a much bigger picture than simply focusing on education.
You touch on an implicit problem in the relationship between governments and parents. Governments want compliant citizens. Parents want their children to grow into mature, self-sufficient, interdependent adults. The two intentions do not align well. Antonio Gramsci wrote, “In the life of children there are two very clear-cut phases, before and after puberty. Before puberty the child's personality has not yet formed and it is easier to guide its life and make it acquire specific habits of order, discipline, and work: after puberty the personality develops impetuously and all extraneous intervention becomes odious, tyrannical, insufferable. Now it so happens that parents feel the responsibility towards their children precisely during this second period, when it is too late: then of course the stick and violence enter the scene and yield very few results indeed. Why not instead take an interest in the child during the first period?”
This captures what see as the problematic relationship between governments and children.
Hi Gary, another thought provoking post - I need to return to my yogic roots.
Very glad I discovered your substack :)
Thanks, Gary. Good insights. I imagine in a genuinely human-friendly world, this kind of information would be included in education. So much has to be dismantled and rebuilt.
the best way to teach a child is still by example. No slogan will work better than your own doing what you want the kid to do. I remember an article where parents complained to their pediatrician that the child refused all color food and only ate white food. The doc asked what they ate. Chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes... did they eat carrots, spinach, peppers? No. Only white and brown. Kid did not know other colors were edible!
Yes, we need good messages about what's needed for brain health. So obvious - and generally overlooked.
My perspective is that there's something physical in the environment of children today that is impacting their brain health (pseudo-food and poisonous medications) and until that something or somethings is removed, it will be very difficult to "teach" health.
I agree that we need to teach children that everything begins on the mental field! Imagination is our most powerful ability!
Meanwhile, the vast majority of adults are unaware that the *wayward wizards* are manufacturing illusions all the time which they force-project into society. These adults simply accept and live out these illusions, never developing critical thinking and the concomitant *courage* that is so vital to creating individual life and communities that truly benefit US!
At least with children, we can help to properly educate them on their spiritual nature and they stand a better chance of maintaining — even strengthening — that essence. Still, we all must discover our Divinity *in our own hearts and minds*!
I love your thought-provoking articles, Gary! I sense your genuine caring through your well-chosen words.
Mothers should stay home with kids.
Even if you have to embarrass yourself with foodstamps. I practiced what I preach. Our kids (all over 30)are all empathic, creative, kind, sensible smart and successful and a source of joy. And; Of course don't forget their spiritual upbringing.
We are very much appreciating your solutions-based focus on things, while also not ignoring the gravity of the matters at hand. I am a retired acupuncturist who teaches Qigong now and advocates for holistic self-care in every way. I also work full time on organic farms, promoting local food networks. My partner teaches Forest School, an all-year, outdoor emergent curriculum, addressing such undiagnosed cultural issues as "nature deficit disorder." We don't make much money, but are well fed spiritually and physically, while offering services toward precisely those issues you descrbe in this article. We are happy to be resources in this regard and thank you for your work!
The contents of the dialectic behavior therapy course my troubled older youngling was mandated to take should be part of the core curriculum in public schools, along with gardening, personal finance, and how to research.
DBT was all about recognizing internal dysfunctional states and mitigating them deliberately. Was great stuff. I had to attend along with the child, the course teachers wanted comments... They got some doozies from me, since I'd already read up on a lot of what they expounded.
Of course, getting that sort of life-function core curriculum implemented would require that the schools be treated as educational facilities preparing kids for adulthood rather than just indoctrination stations getting them used to the required shut up, sit still, always attend, be on time, and bow to any stated authority in preparation for corporate work culture.
.
You'll Know A Liberal When You See One.
Because Everything Is Said In Duress.
They Are The People
That Emotional Shit Keeps Falling Out Of The Sky Around.
.
Well, some parents do! They seem to be a bit more respected and respectful.
In some Australian indigenous tribes, some children were allowed to be involved in 'Elders' meetings.
It is a bit obvious now why parents recently would act like they are the first baby creator in history. I used to suggest that maybe they could problem solve dramas with books on the subject.
'what would you know! We are trying our way'
Mmmmm.