uncle Bo,

On Tue, Dec 22, 2009 at 6:18 AM, <[email protected]> wrote:

Mary speaks about the social - intellectual separating moment, that it
> for some reason is important for her.and John - missing no chance -
> grabs Mary's "knowing/not knowing" as if some proof of an awareness
> that is non-intellectual . But dear John I have railed against the
> "intellect as awareness" (self-consciousness) which is SOM's "holy
> grail". Will return to that if you express some interest..
>
>
Ok, then, this is me expressing SOM interest.  It seems plain to me that SOM
is the actual kindergarten of the 4th level.  It is the very most basic
metaphysics possible, the "Metaphysics for Idiots" if you will.  Social
intelligence, that magic self/other dichotomy that prevails upon the 3rd
level patterns, reaches an "objective" point where it is fundamentally
objectified as the fundament of being - self/other; subject/object
metaphysics.  Getting stuck here is a big mistake that amateur
metaphysicians make in their youthful ignorance, and beginning metaphysical
discussion groups get stuck on because that is the nature of lowest common
denominators.


> Speaking about the social-intellectual separating moment I remember
> your dad Ken writing about some burial sites recently discovered (how
> old I don't remember) and I believe his opinion was that THIS spelt the
> bio.-socio. transition (and I agree).
>
>
Ah well, I disagree there, as I've said before  I think the bio/social
transition occurs in mammalian bonding patterns which create the self/other
dichotomy and bond it to higher brain function through chemical/emotional
reinforcement within that same brain.   Thus according to this formulation,
the 3rd level begins with Mammals and ends with SOM.  The 4th level begins
with SOM, and doesn't have any end.



>
> Scott-Peck's I haven't heard about, but his  Chaotic - Rule bound -
> Agnostic - Mystic is the SQ levels in different words. Fantastic! It
> proves that many thinkers have been on to the same notion.
> Remember Scott Robert and his  Owen Barfield (the "participation
> scheme)?
>


Umm, no.  Musta been before my time.

Scott Peck was most famous for his Pop-psych book, The Road Less Traveled,
but his most profound thinking, imo, came with two later books, A Different
Drum and People of the Lie.

For a really good example of his theory of individual spiritual development
tho, the quickest and most enjoyable route is a Bill Murray movie, Groundhog
Day.  I loved that movie when it came out in theaters, even to the extent of
seeing it four times and paying full price - a rarity indeed for a guy who
lives by the words, "Kids, we'll wait till it comes out on video."

In the movie, the main character goes through the four stages Peck
describes, almost to the letter.  It was so amazing to me that I was
convinced there must be some connection between the writer of the movie and
Peck's book.  But I've never seen any evidence so I guess it was just one of
those "perennial philosophy" things whereby different minds stumble over the
same truth.  If you haven't seen it, the main character, a local tv
weatherman, gets trapped playing out the same day over and over and at
first, after the initial denial, he decides to indulge in selfish pleasures
- eating, having sex, stealing money and just generally following the stage
one of character development of the narcissistic childishness.

When this gets tiresome, he looks outside himself for a structured
relationship and falls in love, attempting to win the heart of his co-worker
by manipulation.  This doesn't work and he despairs, entering then into the
third stage of Emptiness and even tries to kill himself, over and over.

Finally, he comes to the realization and growth of that communal/mystic
consciousness that Peck described, but Murray showed plainly.

The movie is great, the book is great.  Both together are fantastic.

Sorta like MoQ Discuss.

John
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