This is incredible, Colin! So much resonance here. So many paragraphs I could quote. I'm reading this as if you are providing a theoretical framework for Synchronosophy... the differences between Eastern and Western cultures (I grew up in between both) the story of Baker's mind and building a forensic case around a mundane event... “Perception is not something that happens to us, or in us. It is something we do.”... Thinking beyond the boundaries of one's own culture ( or current state of mind) ... "Wisdom, in the end, is not about choosing sides but about expanding the range of one’s vision." Indeed!
Have you listened to Olga Tokarczuk’s Nobel lecture She proposes a new kind of narrator, a “fourth-person” narrator, one that transcends time and perspective. This narrator would not be bound by the myopia of the first-person or the omnipotence of the third-person, but would instead embody an interconnected consciousness, one capable of seeing the hidden threads that bind all things together. “Seeing everything also means a completely different kind of responsibility for the world,” she asserts. To recognize that “every gesture ‘here’ is connected to a gesture ‘there’” is to understand the world as a living, breathing entity. The lecture is here - https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/2018/tokarczuk/lecture/
How interesting. A 4th person narrator that transcends time and perspective. I'll definitely look into that!!!
“Seeing everything also means a completely different kind of responsibility for the world,” and “every gesture ‘here’ is connected to a gesture ‘there’” is to understand the world as a living, breathing entity."
This is WOW! this is definitely something I've been thinking about too. Never heard of Olga Tokarczuk, so thank you VERY MUCH for this link.
I just started reading one of her books, The Books of Jacob, very rich language and historic story. I watched her Nobel prize lecture several years ago, as did the whole of Poland! Last week I was reminded of her lecture when reading your essays, so read / watched it again.
Will let you know about the book when I finish reading it.
I'm especially glad the paragraphs and quotes that you mentioned resonated so much.
Your upbringing between Eastern and Western cultures sounds fascinating. I can only imagine the unique perspective it has given you on the interplay of different cognitive styles, which led to Synchronosophy.
Baker's writing and 'mind' and the forensic case example is a fascinating read, I return to it often, it reminds me to pause and see what is there.
The quote from Alva Noë about perception being something we do is a favorite of mine. It encapsulates the active role we play in constructing our understanding of reality.
I'm always eager to engage in conversations that explore the intersection of culture, cognition, and perception... which ultimately helps us create more understanding of each other. Thank you again, for such engagement and indeed inspiration.
Equal gratitude on my side!! I believe wholeheartedly that the 'next phase in the so-called evolution of consciousness' must involve less individualistic and more collective thinking/ feeling/ experiencing (the 4th person perspective?)
To this end I'd like to propose a new literary genre (beyond the utopian | dystopian narratives): Syntopian literacy and syntopian literature. What do you think?
I think Syntopian literature (and literacy) is a great idea and very relevant to current times. Syntopian would highlight the interconnectedness of various social, technological, and environmental systems. A change in one area would have ripple effects throughout the society. When people grasp that they may be more balanced?
It would encourage collective thinking (as you say) and refined perspectives, moving beyond simplistic narratives of good versus evil, utopia / dystopia. People may come to recognize the importance of "Syn" "together," "with," and "combined."
Phew! Just coming out of reading Olga Tokarczuk's Nobel Lecture 'The Tender Narrator'... thank you again for this recommendation!!
Isn't it amazing how certain information, names, people, etc. drop into our lives just at 'the right moment'? Why have I never even heard of her? What an incredible writer... and the 'world of the teapot' told in stories from the perspective of a '4th person narrator' happens to be one I can most easily relate to...
Thank you for affirming my tentative suggestion of 'syntopia' (I'm hovering over the idea of a new substack publication on this topic), of course building on the language of 'Symbiopædia' and the field of self-knowledge ~ Synchronosophy, and the concept of the symbiocene (vs. anthropocene).
It is amazing. I have just finished writing an article celebrating a scientist for International Women’s day (her work and many others should be celebrated and acted on every day… more on this tomorrow)… and the crazy thing, she lived in a small city, which I had not heard of. Then reading Tokarczuk last night the same city appears in the story! The ‘world of the teapot.’
Embracing cultural diversity enriches the world within and around us, from the mythology of origins, religion/philosophy, to food, literature and the arts. We have seen what happens when culture was rejected and homogenized under Maoist China and we are heading that way here in the US, where white/right Christian values are being pushed at the expense of all others. Like a good sourdough starter, cultures are living, breathing entities which need to be nurtured and fed, not constricted and starved. In other words, traditions should be adhered to by some, broken by others but nurtured by all, both within the culture and outwith. I did not enjoy my education growing up in the UK, but one of the biggest, most mind-bending moments for me was during my first 'scripture' class at public school when I was handed a copy of The World Bible and all of sudden my mind expanded and opened up before my eyes as I turned the pages. It opened my mind to everything else outside of my narrow existence. In my experience, the mind which embraces the myriad manifestations around it will understand The Constant Way more easily and more readily, or as a wise friend of mine once said, "The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it's open."
Thank you Gavin, I'm grateful for your thoughtful comment and the connections you've made between cultural diversity, personal experience, and the metaphor of an open mind. I agree wholeheartedly that embracing cultural diversity enriches us in countless ways, from the stories we tell about our origins to the food we share and the art we create. Your analogy of cultures as sourdough starters is a powerful one, emphasizing the need for nurturing and nourishment rather than constriction and homogenization (I have an article about that which I will post today).
Your personal experience with The World Bible is a testament to the power of exposure to different cultures and perspectives. It speaks to the importance of cultivating a mindset of curiosity, openness, and a willingness to embrace new ideas and experiences.
I share your concern about the dangers of cultural homogenization and the imposition of a single set of values. It's essential to recognize and celebrate the diversity of human experience, allowing space for different traditions to coexist and flourish. We need to always have a spirit of respect and understanding.
Interesting about your experience of The World Bible expanding consciousness. Mine was via "Small is Beautiful" (Fritz Schumacher, 1973), Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Robert Pirsig, 1974) and The Tão of Physics (Fritjof Capra, 1975). The 1970s was the last great decade before the immiseration of the masses by neo-liberalism, the cultural output of which we see only too clearly 40 years on. I've found maintaining an open mind, and the ability to (always) be surprised, is the best way to think outside the cultural box.
Great reminder for me to revisit "Small is Beautiful" by Fritz Schumacher. Always be surprised - wonderful - this is my way of thinking about curiosity, having an open mind and always eager to learn the smallest detail - like Baker :-)
Joshua, your comment about maintaining an open mind reminds of working with someone whom Dan Millman described as Socrates in his book The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Working with 'Socrates' was a test in keeping an open mind and dodging etheric grenades which were lobbed into your life at various intervals to dislodge you from entrenched thinking and beliefs. He was the person who said, "The mind is like a parachute..."
Ah ... I remember reading that book, sometime in the 1980s I think - probably still on the shelf somewhere in our house where books provide an extra layer of insulation around the walls. Nice to know where the 'parachute' quote comes from; thanks for that.
Another great article which has been a joy to read. I try and maintain an attitude of being open to being surprised as a way of countering drowning in a narrow cultural box.
This is incredible, Colin! So much resonance here. So many paragraphs I could quote. I'm reading this as if you are providing a theoretical framework for Synchronosophy... the differences between Eastern and Western cultures (I grew up in between both) the story of Baker's mind and building a forensic case around a mundane event... “Perception is not something that happens to us, or in us. It is something we do.”... Thinking beyond the boundaries of one's own culture ( or current state of mind) ... "Wisdom, in the end, is not about choosing sides but about expanding the range of one’s vision." Indeed!
I'll need to read it again 💙 🙏
Have you listened to Olga Tokarczuk’s Nobel lecture She proposes a new kind of narrator, a “fourth-person” narrator, one that transcends time and perspective. This narrator would not be bound by the myopia of the first-person or the omnipotence of the third-person, but would instead embody an interconnected consciousness, one capable of seeing the hidden threads that bind all things together. “Seeing everything also means a completely different kind of responsibility for the world,” she asserts. To recognize that “every gesture ‘here’ is connected to a gesture ‘there’” is to understand the world as a living, breathing entity. The lecture is here - https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/literature/2018/tokarczuk/lecture/
How interesting. A 4th person narrator that transcends time and perspective. I'll definitely look into that!!!
“Seeing everything also means a completely different kind of responsibility for the world,” and “every gesture ‘here’ is connected to a gesture ‘there’” is to understand the world as a living, breathing entity."
This is WOW! this is definitely something I've been thinking about too. Never heard of Olga Tokarczuk, so thank you VERY MUCH for this link.
I just started reading one of her books, The Books of Jacob, very rich language and historic story. I watched her Nobel prize lecture several years ago, as did the whole of Poland! Last week I was reminded of her lecture when reading your essays, so read / watched it again.
Will let you know about the book when I finish reading it.
I'm especially glad the paragraphs and quotes that you mentioned resonated so much.
Your upbringing between Eastern and Western cultures sounds fascinating. I can only imagine the unique perspective it has given you on the interplay of different cognitive styles, which led to Synchronosophy.
Baker's writing and 'mind' and the forensic case example is a fascinating read, I return to it often, it reminds me to pause and see what is there.
The quote from Alva Noë about perception being something we do is a favorite of mine. It encapsulates the active role we play in constructing our understanding of reality.
I'm always eager to engage in conversations that explore the intersection of culture, cognition, and perception... which ultimately helps us create more understanding of each other. Thank you again, for such engagement and indeed inspiration.
Equal gratitude on my side!! I believe wholeheartedly that the 'next phase in the so-called evolution of consciousness' must involve less individualistic and more collective thinking/ feeling/ experiencing (the 4th person perspective?)
To this end I'd like to propose a new literary genre (beyond the utopian | dystopian narratives): Syntopian literacy and syntopian literature. What do you think?
I think Syntopian literature (and literacy) is a great idea and very relevant to current times. Syntopian would highlight the interconnectedness of various social, technological, and environmental systems. A change in one area would have ripple effects throughout the society. When people grasp that they may be more balanced?
It would encourage collective thinking (as you say) and refined perspectives, moving beyond simplistic narratives of good versus evil, utopia / dystopia. People may come to recognize the importance of "Syn" "together," "with," and "combined."
This is missing in my view and YES - much needed.
Phew! Just coming out of reading Olga Tokarczuk's Nobel Lecture 'The Tender Narrator'... thank you again for this recommendation!!
Isn't it amazing how certain information, names, people, etc. drop into our lives just at 'the right moment'? Why have I never even heard of her? What an incredible writer... and the 'world of the teapot' told in stories from the perspective of a '4th person narrator' happens to be one I can most easily relate to...
Thank you for affirming my tentative suggestion of 'syntopia' (I'm hovering over the idea of a new substack publication on this topic), of course building on the language of 'Symbiopædia' and the field of self-knowledge ~ Synchronosophy, and the concept of the symbiocene (vs. anthropocene).
Any 'symbiogenic' suggestions welcome 🙏 ✨
It is amazing. I have just finished writing an article celebrating a scientist for International Women’s day (her work and many others should be celebrated and acted on every day… more on this tomorrow)… and the crazy thing, she lived in a small city, which I had not heard of. Then reading Tokarczuk last night the same city appears in the story! The ‘world of the teapot.’
Looking forward to read more on your ideas.
Embracing cultural diversity enriches the world within and around us, from the mythology of origins, religion/philosophy, to food, literature and the arts. We have seen what happens when culture was rejected and homogenized under Maoist China and we are heading that way here in the US, where white/right Christian values are being pushed at the expense of all others. Like a good sourdough starter, cultures are living, breathing entities which need to be nurtured and fed, not constricted and starved. In other words, traditions should be adhered to by some, broken by others but nurtured by all, both within the culture and outwith. I did not enjoy my education growing up in the UK, but one of the biggest, most mind-bending moments for me was during my first 'scripture' class at public school when I was handed a copy of The World Bible and all of sudden my mind expanded and opened up before my eyes as I turned the pages. It opened my mind to everything else outside of my narrow existence. In my experience, the mind which embraces the myriad manifestations around it will understand The Constant Way more easily and more readily, or as a wise friend of mine once said, "The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it's open."
Thank you Gavin, I'm grateful for your thoughtful comment and the connections you've made between cultural diversity, personal experience, and the metaphor of an open mind. I agree wholeheartedly that embracing cultural diversity enriches us in countless ways, from the stories we tell about our origins to the food we share and the art we create. Your analogy of cultures as sourdough starters is a powerful one, emphasizing the need for nurturing and nourishment rather than constriction and homogenization (I have an article about that which I will post today).
Your personal experience with The World Bible is a testament to the power of exposure to different cultures and perspectives. It speaks to the importance of cultivating a mindset of curiosity, openness, and a willingness to embrace new ideas and experiences.
I share your concern about the dangers of cultural homogenization and the imposition of a single set of values. It's essential to recognize and celebrate the diversity of human experience, allowing space for different traditions to coexist and flourish. We need to always have a spirit of respect and understanding.
Interesting about your experience of The World Bible expanding consciousness. Mine was via "Small is Beautiful" (Fritz Schumacher, 1973), Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Robert Pirsig, 1974) and The Tão of Physics (Fritjof Capra, 1975). The 1970s was the last great decade before the immiseration of the masses by neo-liberalism, the cultural output of which we see only too clearly 40 years on. I've found maintaining an open mind, and the ability to (always) be surprised, is the best way to think outside the cultural box.
Great reminder for me to revisit "Small is Beautiful" by Fritz Schumacher. Always be surprised - wonderful - this is my way of thinking about curiosity, having an open mind and always eager to learn the smallest detail - like Baker :-)
Joshua, your comment about maintaining an open mind reminds of working with someone whom Dan Millman described as Socrates in his book The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. Working with 'Socrates' was a test in keeping an open mind and dodging etheric grenades which were lobbed into your life at various intervals to dislodge you from entrenched thinking and beliefs. He was the person who said, "The mind is like a parachute..."
Ah ... I remember reading that book, sometime in the 1980s I think - probably still on the shelf somewhere in our house where books provide an extra layer of insulation around the walls. Nice to know where the 'parachute' quote comes from; thanks for that.
Books are excellent insulators from both the cold and from stupidity!
His real name was Michael Bookbinder.
Another great article which has been a joy to read. I try and maintain an attitude of being open to being surprised as a way of countering drowning in a narrow cultural box.