The world is changing very quickly, and the pace seems to be growing exponentially.
On the one hand, each new technology, and there are countless of those, promises to make the world a better place. On the other hand, new technologies are used almost invariably to exploit other people, deplete the earth of precious metals and other valuable materials, or pollute the air, water, and ground that sustain all of life on Earth, including ours.
Nevertheless, change is happening and we cannot stop it. The climate is becoming increasingly erratic and indignant, wars are breaking out around the world, some of which with potentially catastrophic consequences, and economies are crashing as prices skyrocket and shortages loom. To understand what is going on and how to deal with it, we need to understand the purpose of the changes.
“If we understand the direction of evolution—toward balance, or evenness—we will also realize that this is the purpose of everything that happens: to lead us toward balance. Because there is a clear direction to evolution, and reality is not yet there, nature keeps pushing toward increasing balance. As a result, the only thing that is guaranteed in reality is that yesterday is not as today, and today will not be as tomorrow. Change is the only certainty.”
Before we understand their purpose, we must recognize their direction. The changes are leading to what looks like entropy, which is a scientific term for “total disorder.” In fact, however, things are moving toward equilibrium, toward a state of balance, with equal pressures and equal density. Particles, all particles, and humans are particles, as well, are spreading out more evenly. Just as the wind calms when the air pressure decreases because the air density has become more even, so particles are evening out across the global system. Therefore, what scientists define as entropy is actually increased order.
The universe began at the moment of least evenness. At some point, the pressure was too great to contain, so the dot that was the condensed universe exploded. Since then, things have been moving toward increasing balance, or evenness.
If we understand the direction of evolution—toward balance, or evenness—we will also realize that this is the purpose of everything that happens: to lead us toward balance. Because there is a clear direction to evolution, and reality is not yet there, nature keeps pushing toward increasing balance. As a result, the only thing that is guaranteed in reality is that yesterday is not as today, and today will not be as tomorrow. Change is the only certainty.
The reason we feel the world as chaotic is that we are resisting the process. Our ego wants the familiar to remain, and the changes to be safe and under control. Since the world does not behave the way we want, we try to change it. When we fail, we feel that the world as hostile. We fight against nature, but nature will not yield. When we try to detain nature’s progress, it accumulates pressure, which ultimately explodes in our faces. If we let the changes flow at their own pace, we would not feel them as hostile.
“Balance and evenness are the last things our ego wants. It wants sovereignty and uniqueness. It wants everything to concentrate around the self. This, again, contradicts the flow of nature toward evenness and balance, and puts us at odds with reality.”
Additionally, balance and evenness are the last things our ego wants. It wants sovereignty and uniqueness. It wants everything to concentrate around the self. This, again, contradicts the flow of nature toward evenness and balance, and puts us at odds with reality.
However, nature will force human society to play by its rules, as well, and become balanced. The concentration of power in the hands of exploitative few contradicts the flow of evolution and is therefore bound to vanish. It is not a question of who will rule, but of the very purpose of ruling. Exploitation does not exist in nature, and therefore cannot exist in human society. All that exists is balance, harmony.
If we adapt human society to the fabric of nature, we will feel that it supports us, and life will be an effortless ride. If we continue to rebel against nature and try to exploit each other, our struggles against nature and our wars against each other will grow increasingly intense until whoever is left in the aftermath of the mayhem relinquishes the ego’s dominance and agrees that balance is the only sustainable way.
