ASSESSING THE TIMES & CHANGING LANES

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THE DYNAMICS OF CHANGE IS SOMETHING FEW WANT, MANY RESIST AND MOST ARE SIMPLY UNAWARE OF. HOWEVER CHANGE IN AND OF ITSELF IS INEVITABLE. EVERY BUSINESS, ECOSYSTEM, FAMILY, GOVERNMENT AND RELATIONSHIP IS SUBJECT TO THE PHENOMENA OF CHANGE. THE WISEST AND MOST FRUITFUL OF US EMBRACE IT. WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE, UNDERSTAND, ACCEPT AND USHER IN CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGES. SIGNS OF GROWING DISCONTENT, MOUNTING CRISIS'S, UNRESOLVED PROBLEMS AND UNANSWERED ETHICAL OR MORAL QUESTIONS ARE SPIRITUAL SIGNS OF THE NEED FOR CHANGE. THROUGH THESE POSTS WE STRIVE TO PROMOTE TRADITIONAL VALUES AND PRINCIPLES, MAINTAIN INTEGRITY, HIGHLIGHT INJUSTICES AND ENCOURAGE READERS TO ADDRESS THE SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES. THIS IS WHAT THE MAGNETIC MODEL IS ALL ABOUT. MANY OF US CONTINUE TO GROW IN KNOWLEDGE BUT FORGET TO MATURE IN OUR PERSPECTIVES. WE LIVE IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING TIME. WE CAN EASILY MISREAD THE PARADIGM SHIFTS AND MISINTERPRET THE ZEITGEIST. ALTHOUGH THE PRINCIPLES GOVERNING OUR LIVES AND SPIRITS REMAIN THE SAME, SOMETIMES WE FAIL TO PROPERLY APPLY THEM. RECOGNIZING THE CYCLES, PATTERNS AND SIGNALS LIFE ALWAYS SENDS US IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF INTERPRETING CIRCUMSTANCES FOR ACCEPTING AND/OR IMPLEMENTING CHANGE. HISTORICALLY, WE CAN SEE THAT AS NEEDFUL AS MANY CHANGES HAVE BEEN, CHANGE GENERALLY MUST FIGHT THROUGH RESISTANCE. 

IS CHANGE THE NEW NORMAL OR DOES IT SET A NEW STANDARD?

Change can be both new and normal. It is much easier to embrace as a tradition. The way we define normal must allow us to embrace "change!" Normal is defined as the expected, typical and usual course of events or conditions. The only issue with that definition is that it does not include "change." Although many changes usher in slowly, happen gradually and usually bring some improvements; change generally meets resistance. Change is normal, but it is also normal to resist change. For those of us who have missed the memo; these are no longer changing times, times have changed! A "spirit of change" is upon us but few understand how these spirits operate. The "Great Resignation", also known as the "Big Quit" or the "Great Reshuffle" presented itself as a movement or trend that swept across the working economic landscape. This "spirit of revolt" or career dissatisfaction ushered in a change in attitude throughout the country. Some of us simply quit our jobs without regard for the security employment brings. This spirit emerged and spread throughout our society on the heels of a lethargic and slothful spirit that had already infected millions of workers who stayed at home and lived off of government stimulus and unemployment checks during the pandemic. The spiritual ramifications of natural and psychological changes are often described or written off as an aftermath or a byproduct by naturally minded people. Without a spiritual perspective, most people will generally see our current conditions as a side effect of the pandemic, which it is. This must be regarded as the aftermath of what we all experienced during a period of individual isolation and family sequester. The pandemic is as spiritually significant as the plagues upon Egypt were during the days of Moses. These events represent consequential changes in our natural and spiritual landscapes. Anyone who has followed these posts for any length of time knows that we repeatedly admonish our readers to be involved in, adjust to and embrace needed change. THE MOST NOTABLE ASPECT OF TODAY'S CHANGES COME IN THE FORM OF THE PACE OF CHANGE RATHER THEN WHAT IS CHANGING. As technology drives our society it accelerates change. We have recently become a data driven society and "that" has not changed. What has changed is our enhanced ability to collect, process and apply the overwhelming amount of data. The abundance of information impacting society is creating sensory overload. This additional source of stress has diminished happiness is being manifested through chaos, violence and rampages. The spiritual glue that holds the world together is coming loose. Humanity is missing the mark. Electronic networks now allow machines to do what humans have failed to do throughout history. Machines are programmed to work cooperatively and efficiently. Simply put, machines always get along with one another, humans don't. The advent and the age of machines are here and they are "capable" of doing a much better job.

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DON'T BLINK...IT'S MUCH QUICKER THAN WE THINK!

Moore's law, which applied to the density of electronic components that can be combined into a single package (chip) doubled every two years making computers, electronics and phones available worldwide. This all happened within a 50 year span. Moore's law is now quickly being replaced by Neven's law. Moore's law has taken us from large Stationary electronics to small personal portable devices. The advent of quantum computing, Metcalfes law, Artificial Intelligence and robotics are already in effect. We must realize that Change is actually more than the sum of its individual actions. All real changes have spiritual dimensions. Machines, no matter how sophisticated are not spiritual. The characteristics of color such as hue, temperature, chroma, value, and brightness create feelings that only humans are capable of experiencing and expressing. Although fake manners are better than no manners at all, robots are not appreciative or thankful. We don't need to extend common courtesies to an App. Apps only "care" (that means show concern) by design. Microsoft's adoption and implementation of "ChatGPT" is an example of a significant advancement that even posses a threat to the giant Google search engine empire. Incorporating "ChatGPT" into the Microsoft's "Bing" search engine will diminish Googles competitive edge in that field. Open AI's "ChatGPT" is a controversial conversational talking robot or "chat-bot" capable of responding to any query (question) like a human would. "ChatGPT" has already passed medical exams, the bar exam and received a "B" on an MBA paper. Its adoption rate will eventually be labeled as disruptive! Here comes another way to gain an edge or another method to cheat! The technology is not perfect, it contains the human biases we see in every current existing design or invention. This is an executable program that does not have true compassion, empathy or feelings; but it can think and talk as if it does. Is it possible for A.I. to be sentient? Can they exchange feelings and affections like our pets? We can easily predict some of the effects of these technologies. How can teachers compete with robots? What effect will this have on us when it comes to jobs normally facilitated by people? "ChatGPT," a "Generative Pre-trained Transformer," has been the fastest app in history to reach 100 million users. Don't forget we have been gradually conditioned to communicate indirectly though automated devices since the advent of the answering machine back in "the sixty's." The voice prompts we've grown accustomed to will soon be full conversations. The virtual assistants of yesterday have quietly merged into the A.I. of today. The line between automation and Artificial Intelligence is being blurred more and more. In both cases data is gathered for further processing; but with A.I. data is gathered, processed, and used for learning how to devise and/or implement predetermined programmable strategies (get smarter). The strategies by design are entrusted to computer code and implemented through unsupervised independent machine learning. Machine Learning is already incorporated into every email we send, every site we click on and in every purchase we make. Machines are designed to communicate with one another in a team like fashion with a common goal. Programmable devices don't have to deal with pride, jealousy, envy or egos. They beat human beings hands down. They won't be lazy, late or lie. They can be biased (by design), incapable of empathy (despite what's expressed) and logical in an impractical manner. The trade offs favor the robots. Although humans share spirit we still can't get along. We can expect to see A.I.'s impact in transportation, security, finance, businesses, crime and war. but what effects can we expect it to have on human spirituality? Unfortunately the word "spirit" is devoid from the majority of peoples conversation although it is 100% a part of all peoples actions. It's time to be like a fish, don't blink! This is a real game changer we must be vigilant with our eyes wide open.​

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TRADITIONS CAN CHANGE BUT PRINCIPLES ARE IMMUTABLE

Traditions are beliefs and or customs formulated over time and passed down from generation to generation. Traditions can become unwritten laws that we establish, inherit, and expect to see in our thoughts and behaviors. Like habits, traditions become ingrained in our subconsciousness as truths that we tend to believe whether they are true or not. Traditions are not just beliefs; sometimes we embrace them as a way of thinking. Traditions are powerful expressions. Traditions can authorize beliefs that sanction actions. The reasons behind a tradition can sometimes be lost when they are passed on. The spirit of a tradition has to be more than recited, it must be lived.  The twelve steps and twelve traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous provide guidelines and establishes purpose for the organization. Principles, statues (monuments/laws) and symbols (images) are perceived as immutable accouterments. Principles can be applied in multiple ways without altering their concepts. Permanent fixtures like monuments serve as reminders. Images and symbols represent ideals without using words. When we place principles before personalities traditions can be embraced in their proper context. Principles and the traditions they spawn go hand in hand. The principle of loosening or warming up our muscles before using them goes hand in with the tradition of bending and stretching before we exert ourselves. Even cats and dogs stretch when they awaken. The truth is that any tradition we follow must meet two criteria. Traditions must be applicable and current. All traditions should be applicable to the situation and relative to the time. It is okay to follow tradition but not to be bound by it. Being bound by tradition rather than truth is a rabbit hole that many clergy and politicians tend to fall into. Traditions often encourage us to think what "they" want us to think or what we're supposed to think, rather than what the evidence suggests. In other words, independent thought can be suppressed by tradition "JUST BECAUSE!" Principles never change. However principles should be applied to change in ways that honor older traditions by  transforming them into new ones. Long established customs, styles and ways of doing things have made traditions a part of societal practices. Abolishing traditions rather than reconstructing them may result in their continued practice even if done in secret. The best traditions have transitional values built into them. Transitory properties are not usually considered when traditions are created or passed along. "ALWAYS DID BEEN THAT WAY," is how many of us look at both family and cultural traditions. We live in a time of terrorism and contagions. Many of our traditional methods of assembly have changed. Let's face it, we are a violent and virulent society. It is evidenced in our television and movie programs. It is built into our video games and displayed in our entertainment. We can see it in wrestling and combat sports broadcasts from staged WWE events to real MMA bouts. The most abhorrent tradition that humanity continues to practice is war. War has traditions too! Unfortunately, conventional and traditional warfare has changed. The temperature and temperament of society is such that a "spirit of violence" is working to permeate every strata of our interactions. The notorious "slap" at the Oscars was just a microcosm of the "spirit of animosity" now prevalent throughout society. This is the type of "selective outrage" we are practicing in today's society. Our politicians are fighting with one another even while fending off outside attacks. Jeering at "any" president is an unacceptable practice that seems like it's becoming a tradition. As we've written in times past, even if we lack respect for the president (the man), we still must respect (honor) the presidency (the office). Our athletes and entertainers are assaulting and insulting one another in both public and private forums. Our musical artists behave more like vengeful martial artists through their lyrics. These spirits are offspring from the "spirits of violence and war." Is it that hard to see the commonality? AN ABUSIVE APATHETIC ENVIRONMENT EXISTS AMONG US. URGES NOW OVERRIDE RESPECT AND RESTRAINT. AN URGE HAS NO LOGIC OR MIND OF ITS OWN. MOST URGES HAVE BOTH AN EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL COMPONENT TO THEM. URGES MUST BE CHANNELED AND CONTROLLED! IT IS OUR MINDS THAT GIVE OUR URGES THE UNCTION TO FUNCTION. 

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WE ARE THE ONLY SPECIES CAPABLE OF CHANGING THE NATURAL BALANCE OF INTERDEPENDENCE

Globalization was actually considered to be a barrier to global conflict. A "cooperative spirit" in commercial exchange could have produced a win-win scenario but something has gone wrong. Did the  "spirit of avarice" subvert the "spirit of fair trade?" Up to the recent ongoing war in Ukraine, the nature of INTERDEPENDENT global trade helped to get us all on the same playing field, although privileges within that field was never provided equally. In a globalized world nothing happens in a vacuum. Unfortunately, the business world has continued with its scandalous practices from continent to continent. In spite of all of the rules and regulations imposed upon the banks, billionaires, countries, corporations, hedge funds and other financial institutions they are still finding ways to cheat. Today's examples include the "FTX" fiasco, the Adani group in India and even some of Ukraine's governors and officials. It appears that even in war the root of all evil, the love of money, reigns. Commerce is a concerted joint venture of connected disparate entities engaged in exchange. As we've often written before: EXCHANGE IS THE WAY OF LIFE! The traditional methods of competing to control wealth through markets that take advantage of its participants produces inequities. This form of abuse is one of the reasons Jesus whipped the money changers from the temple. The "spirit of greed," is not good! Such an attitude is sure to have a pernicious effect upon any collaborative construct. Although some of the weapons have changed the battle has not! Financial inequity is one of the biggest barriers to social equality. Our habits and tendencies to dominate and subdue is a tradition that cannot stand. Human beings are the only creature that feels it is necessary to conquer, dominate and/or defy both nature and one another. This is how bullying operates in our society and in our schools. We see this spirit (attitude) illustrated within our never ending exploration of nature's waters, wildernesses, and now even in space. This spirit is embedded in our culture and needs to be exposed and eradicated. Why is it that we cannot simply explore the "new" or the "unknown" without exploiting it? What makes us think that we must tame or conquer nature and one another? Don't we realize that we've already been granted dominion over the earth and as such are authorized to subdue it without changing or destroying it? As a planet, we had the opportunity to come together against a common enemy called "covid." After close to 7 million deaths worldwide, the most significant result was the profit made by pharmaceutical companies. Global warming is next. How are we doing?    

WE NEED TO BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE

This is a time of transition that should not be compared with times in the past. Today's unparalleled speed of change and influx of inventions is occurring faster then we are capable of dealing with. This is more then a warning. We are serving notice; not that it's coming, but that it's here! The Bible admonishes us to work while it is day. We have traditionally ascribed three unique attributes to God. They are omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience. Is not God all powerful, everywhere at the same time and all knowing? We must be aware that in the realm of human endeavors computer technologies are becoming so widespread and so rich in knowledge (information) that their ability to seeming be all knowing and all present is akin to mimicking God. In time, the overall effect of today's changes will be measured socially, psychologically and spiritually. It is not the technologies themselves that are in question. It is their use, rather the abuse, of new technologies that must be regulated. Both A.I. and genetic engineering pose an existential threat to our spiritual well being. HERE ARE SOME HARD SAYINGS! In today's world we have created a parallel pseudo-spiritual universe through television, the internet and gaming! As a result even religious institutions have to established a virtual online presence as a part of their ministry. Is it necessary to bring spiritual values into today's alternate virtual world? Aren't there ethical, legal, moral and spiritual ramifications associated with the implementation and use of today's technologies? Data is destiny! The more biased the data set and the data set authors, the more bias the results will be. In a systemically racist society the creators of the new systems will naturally install their implicit biases within these systems. Today some of our biggest threats are algorithms. Most of us are unsure of what they are or how they work. Algorithms are not friends or enemies, they are "impartially biased." These predatory programs can exploit our desires or deliver our dreams with no regard for our psychological fragility. Their original design was to help us solve problems and complete tasks. The algorithms of today use other algorithms and can easily finagle the information we feed it without ethics, morals or feelings. Can we redefine morality and eradicate the values of others like we tried to do with indigenous populations? The fact remains that there are and will continue to be unknown effects and implications similar to the effects of slavery, the industrial revolution and the advent of the internet. THESE ARE SOME HARD SAYINGS! Each of these examples of traditional practices and systemic issues came through institutions. It is up to us to form institutions that are righteous and fair. Slavery was already institutionalized by the time the first civilizations emerged and dates back as far as 3500 BC. Ancient slavery consisted mostly of debt-slavery, punishment for crime, prisoners of war, abandoned children, and those born into slavery. This institution was deemed to be acceptable under these conditions. However traditional slavery became chattel slavery! Chattel slavery practiced in the U.S. defined slaves as legal property bought, sold and owned forever. Slavery in any form is wrong, but it was the abuse of the institution that made it downright evil! The atrocities of Chattel slavery included abusive acts of beatings, breeding, castration, experimentation, exploitation, rape and multiple ongoing acts of dehumanization. The "spirit of apathy" was so compelling that people were able to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to it. It wasn't slavery itself that was so bad, it was the abuse of slavery that made it reprehensible. Likewise the industrial revolution changed society from an agrarian and handicraft economy to an industrial machine manufacturing one. At that time although there was nothing wrong with mechanized labor, the reality was that it cost many workers their jobs. In England, the textile industry endured a regional rebellion by the Luddites who feared that their skills would no longer be needed as machines replaced their role in the industry. The "spirit of animosity" was so bad that mill and factory owners shot protesters. Eventually the movement was suppressed with legal and military force, including execution and penal transportation of accused and convicted Luddites. The information/internet age is once again challenging us. MANY WILL REJECT THESE HARD SAYINGS! This period of time is characterized by a rapid shift from the traditional Industrial Revolution techniques to an economy centered around information technologies. A "spirit of inclusion" sanctioned by us is required to insure equal access. We realize that greater profits can be derived from maximizing efficiency. That fact alone has the capacity to eliminate the necessity of many traditional human controlled jobs. Fear and uncertainty are expected to appear as by-products of this new advent. Balancing human needs before profits must be the first criteria in programming. The human spirit must be nurtured in spirit and in truth; but there are no algorithms or machines capable of that!  This is our opportunity to create the future and to "be" the change we want to see. As the "salt of the earth," we are obligated to keep the earth balanced and seasoned in spite of its tendency to self destruct.

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