Well met, all ye watchers of the Paradigm Shift!
You are probably sick and tired of the constant repetition for two and a half weeks in media of standard phrases and the same images to cover the emblematic peaceful Egyptian revolution. Don´t worry; I´m not going to join the choir. But this event is not only emblematic; it´s paradigmatic, and that means it´s right in my own playground. And, yes, paradigmatic is really an appropriate word, that I just invented!
On Friday February 11, the Egyptian people seemed to have won the battle, when Mubarak finally threw in the towel and resigned. Even if we don´t know what will follow now – considering that the Military is in charge of the country – so far, this has been a wonderful illustration of people power, and of the strong current of Aquarian consciousness and ideals, that I have been analysing and predicting in my book PARADIGM PULSE – SENSING THE SURGE OF CHANGE.
There are several typically Aquarian features to this revolution. First of all, it seems to be a spontaneous popular uprising, based on the Aquarian ideas of freedom, equality and democracy. A case of the collective, the masses, and a powerful idea winning over autocratic power.
Second, this Aquarian revolution was successful only thanks to a series of typically Aquarian technological and social features, namely electronic interactive communications at the fingertips of the common people. Media acknowledged that the reason this movement could spread as fast and widely as it did, was the ability to communicate by mobile phones and social networks, especially Facebook and Twitter. As anyone knows who has read my book, these are chacteristic – indeed emblematic – of the Aquarian Paradigm and its recent acceleration into an irresistible global force. It´s interesting to note that Mubarak´s government tried to shut down these means of communications, yet failed to stem the flood of protests.
It´s also interesting how Egypt followed closely in the tracks of the similarly generated, also basicly peaceful revolution in Tunisia, and how media immediately saw a larger trend spreading throughout the entire Arab world.
Now, that may not necessarily happen at this time, because of the differences in political structure, culture, religious fervor, and level of education between different Muslim countries. But there´s no doubt that all dictatorships will be under attack during the present Aquarian decade. To what extent they will fall and make room for true democracies is another question, that depends on the people in each case. – Does that mean YOU?
This automatically raises the question: What makes a TRUE democracy? – Are there even any true democracies? Strictly speaking, the answer is NO. The idea of a democratic state is really an illusion, that can never be fully realized in real life. But it´s an illusion that has been used with great success to deceive and manipulate people into falling in line, thinking that they have a say in government through their vote.
Having said that, we must obviously go into more detail and recognize that there are a number of different degrees or shades of this illusory “democracy”. There are those with just a democratic label, behind which there is a brutal dynastic dictatorship with periodically staged and faked “elections” to justify it. And at the other end of the spectrum, there are societies that offer a real division of powers, free honest elections, and true freedom of expression and opinion.
So, why do I say that there is no such thing as a true democracy in today´s society? As I elaborate further in my books, it is an impossibility that every citizen, however intelligent and well informed, can be knowledgeable enough to have a valid informed opinion in every question concerning the government of his or her country. Nor do they have the time, since most have to make a living and have no secretariat or staff to help them. Therefore “the people” can never rule.
But even the idea of governing by representation and trust, necessarily becomes an illusion on most levels in modern society, and especially so on national levels, because the people who vote cannot possibly know the people they vote for. Nor are they able to judge their performance or hold them accountable for their management “on behalf of the people”. People have to vote based on propaganda through media, or occasional live mass meetings with the candidates, where these put on an act to be elected, usually with the primary, if covert, motivation of stuffing themselves with money and the sweetness of personal power over others.
As for free expression, it sounds great, doesn´t it? But how does it work in old-paradigm society? Only those in charge of a media outlet, or with enough money and influence to ensure being published, can reach an audience through traditional media. The rest of us could never have our views published, and we would have to content ourselves with reaching our immediate family, friends and neighbors with our ideas and opinions.
The whole system is set up in such a way as to reward wealth, self-interest, lies and deceit, and it is self-perpetuating. Should, accidentally, someone honest be elected who is in it to really serve the people and make a difference, and who is incorruptible and uninterested in personal power or gains, then the system has ways of quickly ridding itself of this dangerously incongruous oddball on the political arena.
Therefore, the only way to achieve a true democracy and realize this important Aquarian ideal, is to completely transform the whole system.
Now, how on earth can that be done?, you might ask incredulously, and perhaps fearfully. Most people respond to talk about transformation of familiar things and circumstances with a feeling of insecurity and fear. An effect of paradigm conditioning, or paradigm blindness.
Actually, though you might not have noticed, the transformation I am talking about is already well under way. For one thing, anyone can now reach a world-wide audience via the Internet. Without owning a newspaper or radio channel, and without paying a load of money for it. This is a totally new paradigm in media and communication.
And what about true participatory democracy?
To give you a clue: It´s lined up to happen through a combination of the same kind of Aquarian features, enabling instant, personally interactive communication. In other words a further development of what is already occurring both technologically and socially, as exemplified by the social websites and mobile telephony that spawned the recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. Expect frequent Internet-based polls and plebiscites on “hot” political issues to pave the way for true interactive democracy with transparent politicians.
Till next week, watch out for more paradigmatic news!
Yours,
Dr.Jens
