Creative Reality Selection - Part Two
Creative Reality Selection - Part
Two
Neo-Tribalism
We live in a world that is (on the surface) fast becoming a global society. This phenomena has been made possible by the unprecedented success of ¹capitalism and commercial media. Anywhere the modern earthling travels on the planet, she/he is confronted with "icons" or "fetishes" of this global industrial mega-culture. The most hideous manifestation of the industrial culture is the sovereign nation-based war machine, which feeds off of the prevailing not-enough-to-go-around mentality. This relic of the last century serves only an elite section of earthling control freaks who run guns for profit.
A more subtle, yet ominous manifestation of the industrial culture is the strip mall. Any metropolitan center, anywhere on the planet, is sure to have been infested by one of these babies. Inside, our modern earthling will find the same cloths, the same food, the same attitude that he/she would find in any other strip mall, anywhere else on earth. This tends to program an earthling's nerve-net to a "lowest common denominator" mentality or mode.
The rise of this industrial mega-culture happened very quickly. Like a virus, it spread over the surface of the planet, eventually covering the entire globe in a skin of commonality. The speed in which this infestation occurred carries with it a multitude of consequences. The most significant result of this cultural blitzkrieg is that the skin of the industrial mega-culture is very thin. Although pervasive, the outer layer is not deep. Like an onion, the outer layer may be easily pulled back to reveal deeper layers.
It is these deeper layers of culture that concerns the modern tekgnostic. For it is here, beneath the surface of the overlying mega-culture, that life of consequence is lived. The outer layer, or the industrial mega-culture serves as a support structure or delivery system ( goods & services, e-mail, etc.) for smaller, more personal social units. These smaller units, be they geographically or locally grouped or whether they are dispersed across the planet, linked by the world wide web, are the modern or Neo-Tribes. Anarchists, Discordians, skateboarders and Pokemon card collectors are all examples of neo-tribes. Unlike the traditional tribe that was blood-line based, the neo-tribe is interest based. People brought together by a common cause or interest.
History is not without examples of interest based tribes or societies. The Eleusian Mysteries of ancient Greece is perhaps one of the most enigmatic examples of early Tek-Gnostic gatherings. Ancient analogies bring to mind the concept of Archaic Revival put forth by Terence McKenna...
"...Understanding planetary purpose may be the major contribution that we can make to the evolutionary process. Returning to the balance of the planetary partnership style means trading the point of view of the egoistic dominator for the intuitional, feeling-toned understanding of the maternal matrix."
"...I conclude that the next evolutionary step must involve not only a repudiation of dominator culture but an archaic revival and a rebirth of awareness of the Goddess."
- Terence McKenna
The reference to the dominator culture in the above quotation correlates to the global industrial mega-culture being discussed here. The double edged sword nature of Terence's dominator culture has value to the Tekgnostic in the sense that it allows contact and communication of earthlings on a global scale. The negative impact it carries is a loss of oneness with the mother... or Earth. Terence's reference to the maternal matrix is a prime example of what we call simply...
The Matrix
The Matrix is essential to Tek-Gnostics and indeed to all of creation in that it is the fabric or network that universal consensual reality is suspended in. The key word here is consensual, because we must agree on a framework in order to enjoy and reflect and commune. Our community is our family, both core and extended, and friends. Those of us who choose the path of the TekGnostic, do so not only for ourselves but for our whole community.
There is much more to say on these issues, but for now let us proceed to section two or the core teachings of Tek-Gnostics.
¹Update, January, 2010 - Although capitalism continues to "be king", the world-wide fiscal breakdown of 2009/2010 indicates that there are major vulnerabilities to the "New World Order".
