Seth on idealists and fanatics

[Sena]

From "The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events" (Session 850, May 2, 1979):

"If you want to change the world for the better, then you are an idealist. If you want to change the world for the better, but you believe it cannot be changed one whit, then you are a pessimist, and your idealism will only haunt you. If you want to change the world for the better, but you believe that it will grow worse, despite everyone's efforts, then you are a truly despondent, perhaps misguided idealist. If you want to change the world for the better, and if you are determined to do so, no matter at what cost to yourself or others, no matter what the risk, and if you believe that those ends justify any means at your disposal, then you are a fanatic."

http://the-sacred-path.com/2007/09/24/the-individual-and-the-nature-of-mass-events/

[LenKop]

This is a great quote Sena.


I think there is confusion among many who come  across 'you create your own reality' only then to discover that 'we create our own reality' en masse. Where is the line drawn? I know I ponder this idea quite often.


Changing the world for the better seems like a huge task. As Ghandi reminds us, we should be the change we want to see, and that's lovely rhetoric, but it SEEMS like an enormous task when viewing the scope of the physical world from one human's perspective, and it's easy to go from idealist to pessimist, to despondent. And in the political climate we live in, quite many are looking at Seth's definition of fanatic as a possible solution to both local and global 'problems'.


Len

[Sena]

I think there is confusion among many who come  across 'you create your own reality' only then to discover that 'we create our own reality' en masse.

Len, I think about this when I am crossing the rather dangerous roads in Sri Lanka (vehicles often don't stop at pedestrian crossings). The consensus reality that people have (unconsciously) agreed on is that if you don't take due care you are at greater risk of being knocked down. Voting at an election is a way of consciously creating a consensus. One of the other threads on this forum is about (not) watching the news on TV. That might be like crossing the road blindfolded.

[Deb]

I think there is confusion among many who come  across 'you create your own reality' only then to discover that 'we create our own reality' en masse. Where is the line drawn? I know I ponder this idea quite often.

Good question. My take on this is that while we make our own reality en masse in collective efforts (anything affecting more than one person), even at this level we decide which reality in which we're willing to partake (i.e. the person who misses the flight on the plane that ends up crashing, another probable self that makes the flight). On a more personal level, we also make our individual reality (physical health, appearance, good day/bad day), with little or no participation of others. But regardless of whether we cut a finger while chopping vegetables or vote someone new into office, we always play a part in the creation of reality.

[Dandelion]

The different things Seth says about the "practicing idealist" are particularly helpful when working with and changing beliefs that reflect one's view of the world.

[Batfan007]

From "The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events" (Session 850, May 2, 1979):

"If you want to change the world for the better, then you are an idealist. If you want to change the world for the better, but you believe it cannot be changed one whit, then you are a pessimist, and your idealism will only haunt you. If you want to change the world for the better, but you believe that it will grow worse, despite everyone's efforts, then you are a truly despondent, perhaps misguided idealist. If you want to change the world for the better, and if you are determined to do so, no matter at what cost to yourself or others, no matter what the risk, and if you believe that those ends justify any means at your disposal, then you are a fanatic."

http://the-sacred-path.com/2007/09/24/the-individual-and-the-nature-of-mass-events/

When it's someone else's turn to make the dinner, I'm an optimist. When I feel like some booze, I'm a fanatic and when people cut me off in peak traffic, I'm an angry pessimist