You're definitely right, Roos don't just fall into a liberal category, especially in the higher echelons of the TMO. They are often frighteningly conservative, particularly with their rigid thinking and fundamentalism. My experience among TM'ers was more so among the commoners such as the students and Fairfield residents, which were clearly more liberal in their thinking and life choices.
But at the same time, liberalism vs. conservatism is a very shady subject. I pointed out that many people are one thing in their minds but another in their actions. I've met many people whose ideology is clearly liberal, but they are hard working and self-sufficient people, which is what conservatism promotes. Then you have some people who are conservative in their ideology, but are predominantly dependent on others and wouldn't make it in this world if they didn't have others to depend on. Collectivism vs. Individualism is not always a black and white situation when it comes to the voting booth or what media outlet you prefer. A lot of people prescribe to a certain methodology but act and behave in a very contradictory way. I look at many of the higher-ups in the TMO that way. Their restrictive tendencies reflect conservatism, but their lack of accountability on so many other issues reflects more liberal ideology IMO. They will present things in a black and white manner one day, then mesh things into the blur of a gray zone the next, all depending on what suits their purpose. So, in essence, I can't really assign either ideology to the inner circles of the TMO. seekliberation --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Buck" <dhamiltony2k5@...> wrote: > > Great observation generally about the removal of moral yardstick. You > started off categorizing meditators but then stopped with the liberal roo. > The gradation within Roos is way broader than just there. If you just look > at political party affiliation and political activism of roos in Jefferson > County here you see there is a spectrum that is more complex and interesting. > However, going with your thoughts, the upper echelons of TM around the > middle of TM are way more conservative than you start off with in > categorizing about meditators and Some of them like your example of other > dictators would also like to see moral yardsticks disappear given their own > behavior. They've always been dangerous that way, like other theocratic > dictators will be. Generally I think culture will be morally vouch safe as > you see the meditating US Marines with copies of the B.Gita tucked into their > ruck packs for reading as they go out on duty. However, As a conservative > meditator I'd like to see the study of the the good old Classics brought back > to the Parsons College campus again as required core education of our young > meditators and some of the old meditators here could stand some Classic > virtues remediation in addition to all their meditating. > -Buck in the Dome > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "seekliberation" <seekliberation@> > wrote: > > > > After reading an article about California banning Yoga in schools, it made > > me think about liberalism in America and where it really stands on the > > subject of spirituality and development of consciousness. I always thought > > that of all states and all locations in America, the first one to welcome > > any form of Yoga, Meditation, and any other form of progressive teaching > > into its education or government programs, California would definitely be > > the first. The last element of our society that would promote such > > teachings would clearly be the ignorant, conservative, gun-toting military. > > Especially the Marine Corps, which attracts an exceedingly high percentage > > of conservatives. However, much to my surprise, in the last decade the > > entire US military has begun to make Yoga mandatory in its exercise program > > to include the Navy Seals, Marine Spec Ops units, the entire Army and many > > other units. Moreover, the Marine Corps just recently made meditation (not > > TM, but mindfulness meditation) a required portion of any Marine trying out > > for the Marine Corp's Special Operations Command. So essentially, it's the > > exact opposite of what anyone following spirituality in modern America > > would expect. The people liberals tend to hate the most (anyone from a > > disciplined or structured element of society) seem to be embracing eastern > > teachings more rapidly than groups that are predominantly liberal. In > > fact, my experience with people in the military is that they tend to be > > more open minded towards those types of teachings than a lot of liberal > > minded people I know. > > > > This brings me to a conclusion about liberals. I think they fall into > > different categories. You have some of the new-age spiritual types, like > > the ones who I remember from my days in Fairfield. Yes, they are all > > open-minded towards many controversial subjects such as gay marriage, and > > their views on economics leans towards socialism. But their inquisitive > > nature regarding spirituality indicates to me that they actually are an > > evolving culture in many ways. But then you have the other type of > > liberal. The purely atheist type like Bill Maher or Janeane Garafalo. > > They are likely to have the same social and economic views as the new-age > > spiritual type of liberal, but they are vehemently against spirituality and > > religion. This results in a resistance to any form of spirituality, and I > > can assure you that TM won't be welcome by such people, regardless of what > > scientific evidence you spew at them. In fact, I believe it is the > > scientific evidence that is guiding the military to embrace such teachings > > because it is logical and it works. Regarding liberals, I am beginning to > > believe that most liberals in the media and public spectrum fall in this > > category of people who are pre-dispositioned against spiritual and > > religious teachings. > > > > I think liberalism is leading us more and more towards atheism rather than > > faith in anything beyond what the 5 senses can percieve. I watch Bill > > Maher and other liberal shows often enough to know that they are > > representatives of a growing attitude throughout the country. And if you > > think about it, gravitating away from spirituality and religion is a must. > > I think it is sub-consciousness. We simply can't have a set of > > socio-economic moral guidelines anywhere in our society if we are going to > > behave in a socio-economically immoral manner. Regardless of how wrong or > > negative anyone's policies are, nobody wants to be wrong. Not even Hitler > > wanted to be wrong. If you read the translations of many of his speeches, > > they weren't maniacal, they were inspiring to a society that needed > > inspiration during hard times. He had logic that supported his decisions > > and actions. But to support the decisions and actions that Americans are > > currently disposed towards, and to feel right about it, the first step is > > to remove any teachings that provide moral guidelines that contradict the > > direction you want to move in. Hence, we must remove spirituality and > > religion from our society. Just watch Bill Maher or other popular liberal > > spokespersons and their attitude towards religion. They don't just point > > out that there are a lot of nutcases out there, they try to completely > > discredit every single religion. Sort of like throwing the baby out with > > the bathwater. You never see them attacking someone like Alan Watts or > > Eckhart Tolle. They simply expose only the weirdos, and ingores the > > geniuses. > > > > This is not in any way to say conservatives are right and liberals are > > wrong. I know many conservatives who are very ignorant about many things. > > I also know many people who believe deeply in Republican/Conservative > > politics but then they turn around and live a liberal lifestyle that is > > devoid of any personal responsibility. Hence, they are liberals in their > > actions and conservative in their minds. And many liberals I know, both > > the atheist and spiritual type are some of the most remarkable people I've > > ever met. But I still contend that the atheist type of liberal > > demographic is growing faster and is more publicly dominant in the media. > > Personally, this is not a direction I think is going to lead us anywhere > > more positive in terms of neither development of consciousness or > > materialism. It's weak on both ends of the spectrum. > > > > Any thoughts? > > > > seekliberation > > >
