NATURALMIND
GLOBAL INITIATIVE FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL
PROTECTION TO NEWLY ARRIVING CHILDREN (GIPPNAC)
GIPPNAC, New No.106, 3rd Main, Bank Colony, Chikka Kallasandra, Bangalore – 560 061 INDIA
Email: naturalmind@vsnl.net www.naturalmind.org www.gippnac.com
http://education.vsnl.com/naturalmind/knowledge.html
CAN KNOWLEDGE EVER LIBERATE MANKIND?
1. SCOPE:
Mankind is constantly interacting and is being flooded with information and this article is not an exception. There is no much difference between Information and knowledge, as they are generally the same stuff. The difference is only in the feelings of freshness by the receiver. The receiver calls it as 'information', if it is a new stuff, and as 'knowledge’, if it is already in memory. Various types of knowledge are making rounds in various forms around the world. This discussion specifically excludes the knowledge about leadership, health, money making, pseudo spiritualism etc., which are produced, disseminated and accepted in abundance all over the world. In other words, the scope of this discussion is limited to the basic issue of, whether knowledge per se can liberate mankind from the present confusion, conflicts and sorrow, and if so, what should be the level or quality of that knowledge.2. INTRODUCTION:
Prior understanding of the subject title or topic eases any discussion. Hence, it is crucial to know the specific and scientific meanings of the terms ‘knowledge’ and ‘liberation’. Knowledge is the outcome of Perception of any human being, and hence, one's knowledge reflects the quality of one's perception. Knowledge can also be defined as recorded perception. Perception is a function of intelligence and it is finer and clearer in some persons, like the seers. The term 'liberation' can be said to mean freedom from sorrow and other emotions, which mankind is often struggling to eliminate, avoid or escape from.3. QUALITY OF KNOWLEDGE:
Presently the primary source of all knowledge is the human brain and, the users also are most probably human beings only. Among all human interactions all over the world, exchange of information or knowledge perhaps constitutes the biggest part. The knowledge given out may be from one's own original perception or the modified versions of what is received from others. In this regard, knowledge available to mankind can be broadly classified into two types viz., 1) Absolute truth, which is scientific, provable, replicable and universally undisputed, like the fact that the Earth is revolving around itself and also around the Sun and many other undisputable and undoubtable formulae in science. 2) All other Knowledge, which aren't absolute truth, which includes part truths, fiction, mixed truths and rest others that can't be placed under the 1st category, just like social sciences, religion and politics.Since knowledge is the outcome of perception, absolute truth or true knowledge can be said to have arrived from total or undistorted or natural perception. However, we often hear allegations that intermediaries often distort or misinterpret the knowledge outbursts of some seers due to some lacuna in expression or some other reason. However, that shouldn't prevent us now to freshly investigate about absolute truth.
4. OBJECTIVE OF DISSEMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE:
Nowadays, it is common to see that some or the other knowledge is constantly and also visibly or invisibly thrusted upon others. The objectives behind spreading of knowledge could be varied. Even if the declared objective can be classified as good or noble, it may be essential to verify whether it is first of all possible to meet that objective and also by the means or methods employed. This is how, we can see, that most of the Gurus all over the world have acquired millions of followers for exploitation, merely by humble and courteous explanation of the problems of mankind. Since, most of mankind is so much depending on flattery of respect, they simply fall into the feet of the master, without actually trying to ascertain whether there can be any solution for the problems. Often the illusions of insecurity distort perception and motivate the operating intelligence to thrust its knowledge upon others, to gain the illusion of security of the 'followings'. Generally, the quality of one's knowledge is inversely proportional to the amount of illusion of insecurity in him or her. Thus, the best or purest knowledge is unmotivated and is the natural out come of only a fully intelligent mind.Often, many great men thought that bad behavior of people due to ignorance, and hence preached good behavior. However, though often incomplete or inaccurate, the Knowledge perceived and disseminated by some great men are impressive. As they can’t perceive such knowledge on their own, common people are overawed by such knowledge of great men. Assuming that these great men are fully free from problems or conflicts in their minds, which isn’t true in all cases, common people try to repeatedly hear them or even try to follow them in various spheres of life. However, they miss the most important point.
Though absolute truth is invariably the outcome of a natural mind, a disturbed or agitated mind can't transform itself into a peaceful or ‘naturalmind’ by merely perceiving or assimilating the good knowledge. It can only temporarily motivate or influence a person to be good for some time.5. ANATOMY OF KNOWLEDGE:
Psychological needs aren't natural, biological or real needs of mankind. Psychological requirements are only aberrations caused due to the distortion of the Natural State of Intelligence. Since the distortion of the Natural State of Intelligence isn't equal in all, the psychological requirements are also unequal and varying in all. They only gratify the sorrowful mind and hence their requirements vary as per the amount of sorrow.Psychological insecurity has necessitated the invention of political and religious ideologies. They are flourishing only because of this distorted state of intelligence in mankind. Though organically, the same insecurity is causing suffering to whole mankind, it has only given rise to different types of ideologies in different parts of the world and consequent dependence on them. When these ideologies are merely questioned, negated or ridiculed, it unmasks the insecurity and results in consequent violence, which is being covered by the pleasure of ideology.
Though whole of mankind is said to be striving for peace and happiness of all, conflicts between different persons or groups have been increasing not because of different ideologies adopted by each one of them, but only because of the illusion of insecurity prevailing in them. Ideologies are basically the knowledge or perception of its leaders or founders. Protagonists of knowledge have been offering and advocating that mankind could achieve peace and happiness with the help of ‘knowledge’. Many religious texts also claim that ‘true knowledge’ liberates mankind from misery.
It may be interesting to study the anatomy of knowledge, before proceeding further. Knowledge is merely lifeless recorded information and human intelligence uses it only as a tool for meeting its objectives. Interestingly, even the objective invented by a distorted intelligence is distorted and can't be natural or accurate. Obviously the means and methods also will be distorted and inaccurate.
Though to a certain extent, quality and availability of knowledge have increased in the last millennium, quality and intensity of peace and happiness haven't increased appreciably. It is because mere receiving or assimilating of knowledge can’t change the state of mind. This gives rise to doubt whether the ultimate or ‘true knowledge’ has arrived, or ‘knowledge’ per se can ever free mankind. It is undeniable that knowledge is indispensable, as most of the present human activities are intellectual or ‘knowledge coupled’. Meditation can be said to be the only (in)activity of man, where ‘psyche’ voluntarily keeps away it's knowledge in memory to relax and remain free, natural and dynamic, that too whenever desirable.
However, it may be interesting to note that the natural improvement, if any, in the quality of human behavior in the last millennium isn't due to the improved perception and spread of knowledge. It is only due to the reduction of the errors in upbringing of children worldwide, which is neither observed nor considered important. What the author likes to state here, is that primary human behavior isn't molded or moldable, by knowledge or education. For instance, fear, anger and jealousy etc., are part of primary behavior, which can't be eliminated by knowledge or education. Only secondary behavior to be apparently sophisticated and courteous can be cultivated by knowledge or education.
6. LIMITATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE: The objective of this article isn’t to berate or underestimate the value of knowledge, but only to put ‘knowledge’ in proper perspective. In layman’s words, it is only to show knowledge, its due place. Knowledge is undoubtedly essential for day today human life. However, when one examines deeply, one surprisingly finds that knowledge isn’t life itself, but knowledge is only a tool for all the activities of life. The intelligence or the psyche is the master and user of this tool.
Human problems are basically conflicts of perceptions and they existed even before the commencement of knowledge or civilization. Knowledge has grown so far enough only to communicate and analyze conflicts, but not to prevent the cause of conflicts. Knowledge can neither cause or remove sorrow, but can only stimulate any of them depending on the vulnerability and instability of the psyche. True knowledge or the ultimate knowledge has to be the ‘absolute truth’ that is undeniable, non-controversial and universally acceptable, which also obviously has to end all problems of mankind.
Peace and happiness are merely the external manifestation of the normal or natural states of the human minds. They can’t be produced or induced by effort or practice by self or others, as they are only the characteristics of the natural state of intelligence. On the contrary, the ‘disquiet and violence’ arise due to fragmentation or disturbed state of the human mind. Hence, when the fragmentation is eliminated, there won’t be any motivating part and the psyche would perceive and respond naturally and uniformly in all human beings, which means there won’t be any conflicts at all.
This author was inspired by the great philosopher, Jiddu Krishnamurti, who first declared that present turmoil in the world is only due to prevalent disturbed state or the fragmented state of psyche in mankind. JK’s teachings are his perceptions and responses, that are unparalleled and unsurpassed so far, because of their naturality. A natural mind gives out natural responses, which can be termed as ‘true-knowledge’. However, this author humbly contends that it may not be possible for a unnatural, disturbed or a fragmented state of intelligence to transform itself to its natural state, merely by analyzing or memorizing of true knowledge.
Though JK’s teachings are unable to transform the minds of all his readers, his discovery of the fragmentation of intelligence can be considered as the 'first step in the right direction' in the long search of mankind. Now the serious and the discerning persons have to advance the findings further in two ways. Firstly, to scientifically help prevention of permanence of fragmentation of intelligence in children, and secondly find ways to help eliminate or remove fragmentation of intelligence in adults and thus help them return to natural state of intelligence.
Claiming to have researched considerably in this area, with due respects and humility, this author feels that the misunderstanding of the role of knowledge is also one of the major obstacles for the liberation of mankind. Knowledge is static, recordable and transferable, where as emotions are dynamic and not transferable but can provoke emotions in others according to their vulnerability. Emotions sway and often dominate the major part of intelligence, as they are only fragmented or break away part of intelligence itself.
7. THE NEED FOR KNOWLEDGE:
Mankind needs knowledge only to meet two basic needs, viz., physical and psychological. It may be noted that the psychological needs are unnatural and unnecessary and vary from person to person. Needless to state, happier is that man, whose psychological needs are less. Unbelievably, the psychological needs are so strong, that they make the intelligence to satisfy them first, like for instance, commencement of any work can't begin without worshipping Gods. Many people and countries remain poor and violent only because, the psychological or emotional needs constantly obstruct and ensure that the operating intelligence falls short of even ensuring physical prosperity.The over all situation in Developed Countries indicate that more people with more than average intelligence or with less psychological needs are in Developing Countries. Hence, it is important to understand that people in Developing Countries are unable to even imitate the people in Developed Countries, whether in their daily life or in the system of governance. This only goes to state that 'self esteem' can't be copied and has to be merely allowed to naturally remain in children. Parents and elders are removing this natural characteristic in children by an error in upbringing caused unknowingly and involuntarily.
In brief, it may be true that the knowledge available in the world today is neither accurate nor adequate nor people are able to make use of it, even if it is available. Hence, two big tasks lie ahead of mankind, firstly to improve the quality of available knowledge and secondly and perhaps more importantly to increase the ability of people to understand and make use of it fully. Understanding isn't imitation.
8. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Scientifically speaking 'experience' is primary and direct, while 'knowledge' is secondary, indirect and coded. For instance, one experiences 'hot', when one touches the radiator. This is a direct experience. For instance, when one says to another that 'radiator is hot', the knowledge or information is passed on and intelligence in the receiver correlates with the memory of experience of ‘heat’, which has been conceptualized and thus understands the meaning. Similarly, when one is reading a story, one goes on 'experiencing it intellectually’ and not actually. Knowledge is nothing but the coded form of experience. Knowledge is generally in the form of pictures and sounds, like the letters and pronunciation, which causes re-perception of the experience, which is earlier recorded.9. WHAT CAN BE DONE NOW?
Intelligence in each one may use the most appropriate ‘knowledge’ to do or not do something, which in turn may enable mankind to protect or help retain the natural state of intelligence in newborns. However, it may not be easily possible for intelligence in adults to return to Natural State of Intelligence on its own, easily or in a descriptive or imitable fashion in all or even in some of the human beings. If it was possible, whole or part of mankind would have returned to the Natural State of Intelligence long ago, and this article couldn’t have appeared now.By now, it may be clear that, mere receiving of 'true knowledge' may not be able to return mankind to the natural state of mind.
However, true knowledge should be able to indicate what has gone wrong and where, in case of human happiness and also what can be done now to restore its natural state. Only that can help mankind to retain the Natural State of Intelligence, in the new or coming generations, to retain peace, happiness and prosperity and for ever.Nature doesn’t make discrimination in the levels of intelligence among newborn children. Hence, it is also logical to think that an error of elders during early upbringing may have caused permanent distortions or loss of the natural state of intelligence. Since different parents of different dispositions, interact differently with small children, the error may be taking place in different proportions resulting in different states or levels of intelligence. It is to be noted that this is clearly plausible, since the neurologists say that human brain grows over a long period of time, viz., child arrives in this world, with just first 25% of the brain, at the time of birth. Second 25% grows by 6 months. Third 25% grows by 2 ½ years. The last 25% grows upto 5 to 7 years and thereafter there is no growth of the brain.
During the course of his independent research, the author observed that the nascent intelligence in babies and little children was capable of getting permanently damaged or distorted by a simple and avoidable error during upbringing. The observations are briefly presented as follows. Intelligence is weak and unable to bear high intensity physical hurts, as it is growing during the growing years of the brain. Any physical hurt of high intensity or an unperceivable hurt on the child’s body sends massive signals to the perception centers of the brain, which may not be able to bear or perceive fully. Such hurts could cause unconsciousness or at least a shock or fragmentation of intelligence for a while.
The growing intelligence gets fragmented or temporarily damaged during every ‘unperceivable physical hurt’ or a high intensity hurt. The natural characteristic of intelligence is to return to normalcy or the undivided state, if left on its own. However, if the parents or elders panic at the mere crying and begin pampering the child to stop its crying, then the fragmented or the divided state of intelligence becomes permanent. The author intends to convey that timely medical treatment must be invariably provided, but pampering may be postponed. Since pampering provides a new event, the natural process of delayed perception of the previous hurt is stalled and the unperceived state remains permanently throughout life. This state always remains and replays as duality, confusion, conflicts etc., throughout life.
These findings of the author are buttressed by the fact that moderate parents have moderate children. Even the upbringing of children in the developed countries is significantly different where the state intervenes to protect children from violence. The astounding observation of the author is that those who beat the children most are also those who pamper most. Surprisingly, pampering causes more harm than beating and hence both have to be avoided.
10. A SIMPLE FORMULA THAT CAN HELP SAVE MANKIND:
Finally, before concluding, the author presents a simple formula for new and prospective parents and grand parents worldwide, who may be looking after the newborns. Implementation of this formula can help ensure retention of the Natural State of Intelligence or the Intelligence Dominant State, which in turn can usher permanent and lasting peace, happiness and prosperity to whole of mankind."At least till 2 ½ years of age, do not pamper children when they are hurt, but treat the injury medically."
If pampering is irresistible, it may be postponed, till the child stops crying. Then pampering won’t have its bad effect.
Just Postpone Pampering and Raise Rich and Happy Children.
Mere implementation of this formula can save
millions to the coming generations on poverty alleviation, wars and crime control, unnecessary religious and political propaganda and lastly suffering and expenses on psychological problems. Children when raised like this would grow up as intelligent and co-operative persons, who can transform this world into heaven.Even the propagandists of knowledge are unaware of the fact that mere receiving or assimilation of knowledge, can't help bring peace or happiness to mankind.
Email: natmind@yahoo.co.in naturalmind@vsnl.net
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