So beautifully said, Mary! Wikipedia is such a great example of how the insatiable craving for money, power and fame can corrupt a wholesome and worthy enterprise. Antisocial human urges like these have traditionally been checked by the discernment of human conscience, which is a spiritual faculty, and further encouraged by warm social connections within a stable community.
That’s the secret behind AA’s success and longevity—personal responsibility, leading by example and a solid community of peer support. These examples provide nuggets of practical wisdom to guide us on the path toward decentralization.
We can build free, peaceful and efficient communities that will sustain us as the corrupt behemoths start to crumble and get swept into the dustbin of history. Wouldn’t it be more exciting to “frolic like the Amish” and build a benevolent parallel society than to fail into despair and succumb to the powers that are passing away?
Your article is totally in alignment with current astrology, too.
We are individual and we are collective; what are the powers and talents we have as the individual that can be integrated into the collective? Our bright and beautiful sovereign selves in service of a collective, versus attempting to dominate it. It's Saturn authority and Uranus ingenuity; Venus love and value asking us to look at what we can bring forward with passion and purpose... and the baby starfish video is just breathtaking! Keep on! xxoo
You’re crushing it with these insightful essays, Mary! I just read part 1, must have missed it before.
I want to add to your starfish points with bitcoin and blockchain. An entirely decentralized, trustless and incorruptible monetary policy and information and inscription network. There will be an exponential amount of starfish coming up to shore.
Thanks, Mary, for your exploration on the past and present of Wikipedia. Seems it would be helpful for many people to understand this.
I appreciate your diving so deeply into the pros and cons of decentralization in this 2 part series.
Yes, a focus on spiritual striving in an organization can be key to maintaining integrity. And yet, materialistic thinking can creep in... good to be aware and keep this in check.
I love your ending: "Like the starfish, each of us has access to a regenerative power to bounce back from anything and make ourselves whole again. It is that divinely-originated power that makes every human being eternally relevant, a power that is amplified when we join with others to act as one community." Beautifully stated--starfish beautiful!
Thank you, Mary. I really appreciated this. Excellent insights.
"Like the starfish, each of us has access to a regenerative power to bounce back from anything and make ourselves whole again. It is that divinely-originated power that makes every human being eternally relevant, a power that is amplified when we join with others to act as one community."
Starfish are also more beautiful! Here are some more candidates for their club:
Apache Software
Falun Gong (thriving despite hideous persecution, and the well-rehearsed media-poisoning of their name, according to the tactics you outlined in 'A Story We Need'.
Bitcoin
I believe however that hierarchies and networks are both equally capable of serving positive funcitons, and both equally capable of exploiting, corrupting and being corrupted (see https://michaelwarden.substack.com/p/the-whole-and-the-part). Hence we see Schwab decentralising by seeding his WEF Young Leaders into governments around the world, where they can take his ideology forward independently – Trudeau, Ardern and Macron being just examples.
In that respect you hit in on the head when you said that the most important element is to do things for reasons other than to make money. To do, or support, things you passionately believe in. To act on the recognition that money and life are not the same thing. Not only are all the emerging starfish(es) evidence that this can be a reality, so is the fact that Substack readers often pay Substack writers even when they can have the content anyway!
You and I are humming along on the same wavelength as ever: I am working on piece about a new paradigm, some components of which are:
extended mind / distributed intelligence
complexity theory's incontravertible message that the control-freaks are causing the problems, not fixing them
the emergence of a balance between masculine and feminine principles (both of which can and do live in both men and women – who remain for the time being, nonetheless different!)
… and the mighty battle in progress between that paradigm, and its rapidly growing army of starfish-lovers, and an 'old guard', which wants none of it!
I'll mention too the 2011 book by Carne Ross “The Leaderless Revolution'. Here's a quote from it: “Governments take away something more crucial from us – our own agency. Or rather, they take away our own SENSE of agency, for in truth our control over events never left us, only our belief in its existence.”
Feeling impatient with people this morning.. the bEST solution to this mess would be if people who bought into cruelty out of their own fear would come around. And realize, with full body awareness, that they are the “good Germans”. That level of reflection could lead to a full scale abandonment of corrupt media and public health systems. (Might have watched a few too many episodes of Never Again is Now Global yesterday. It’s amazing, but.. need some sunshine and hope.)
Part 2 as thoughtful an' inspiring as part 1.... in the BIG PICTURE I love the we can be singular starfish (and shine) AND work together, in harmony, in a decentralized group effort... But (still wearin' my devil's advocate hornes'a dilemma here...) I have 2 cents ta add so here goes...
1. wull, it ain't totally fair ta conflate bad/wrong/inhumane greedy resuts by pickin' as examples the very WORST "centralized-command" organizations out there--eg. Microsmurf, Scamazon, etc.... Such MegaCorporations arguably (if this country was operatin' as it should...) would trigger anti-trust / anti-monopoly suits and by all sane measures should be sanctioned, broken up, fined, etc etc... But what about BETTER examples of centralized organizations or efforts? How' bout the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy telethons? Without him....? Never.... What about Desi-lu Productions? Lucy later took over the entire helm and not only were her great productions (I Love Lucy!) part of the golden age of American Television (family friendly too!) but she fought like a wildcat for artistic integrity to produce such marvelous series as Star Trek (the original). A fiery New Yawker who often had to go head to head with the "board" (one famous time is when she wanted to be "preggers" on teevee because it was NOT indecent!!!!)--Lucy had vision and nearly all her productions were successful--and I hear crew and others were "treated right" (despite it bein' a cut-throat in-dust-tree). Just' mentionin' a few--there are MORE fer sure...
2. both Craigslist AND Burnin' Man (which DID have decentralized bonafides (and initially were really public/ group efforts), with the former indeed bein' "less" prone to corruption) have both LONG been co-opted to varyin' degrees... fer the worse (I hate to bust some bubbles here...) -- though I cain't say if corruption or other things (like you cited, the temptation for fame n' fortune) were their downfalls...
a. We know artists (real ones!) an' some freewheelin' "famblies" who frequented the "original" Burning Man (in one artist's case he started goin' there in the late 1980s and with the other and with the families it was in the late 1990's... long before things got WEIRD). Weird, how? Well, it went from some folks doin' some drugs but other spaces "clean" to a hotfest of...you'll not like this... underage sex / trafficking and RAPE (the families stopped goin' due to this--some young'uns drugged and then taken advantage of as creeps started to come--and hippies and real artists stopped comin') and also the art turned to FAHRT (or Fart--fake art).... It started that anything was art--your spray-painted weird wonder OR legit artists with gallery representation just wantin' to put it out there with a new audience--but then wannabees who had no real artistic yearnin's (MBA-types / Hunter Biden types) were showin' up with showy "bull-shite".... This per the two artists we know--and they got disgusted. Miami and NY Gallery owners were competing for finding new talent and it got.... ICKY. All the folks we know that used ta go---stopped. Again, maybe it had nuttin' ta do with consensus... but puhlenty non-consensual was goin' on there...
Craigslist... in brief, at least in the big cities like New Yawk...became a criminal enterprise for much stuff.... though small ticket items (a cheap Ikea table) would not be an issue...I'll 'splain a bit...
a. higher ticket items (stereos, better computers, teevees, appliances, couches, etc...) ended up attractin' bait and switch con artists--the "in great condition" well--priced nice item shown in a home was always a FAKE--you'd email or call and sorry it was sold but they had OTHER ITEMS--some of these were "it fell offa truck" fence places--some of these places would email you DAILY and share your info... it became a GIANT con and many folks started stayin' away in droves once this happened...
b. skeevy people seein' a "nicer" apartment with nicer items--used the service to "case the joint" online or in person (comin' to "see" the item but not buyin' it...)--THEN these folks were robbed--skeevy folks came BACK
c. Russian Goils and other type'a hookers were bought / sold / advertised on Craigslist under nanny and babysitter and preschool teacher listings--some LEGIT nice girls got scammed into some of these situations... also a lotta "film shoots" and "photo shoots" were porn or worse....
d. there were money laundering scams that they cracked down on in NY (City at least...)
Long story short--Craiglist OUTSIDE of NYC and other large cities (Chicago, LA, etc) MAY still be a wunnerful decentralized cool way ta git cheap used stuff.... but wolves took over this pop-stand and I've no doubt some of them are the Alphas runnin' Craigslist as a purdy big scam show... jus' sayin'....
I don't have a clue how to keep starfish "joints" bullet-proof or the BETTER centralized set ups "good" When we carve out new spaces an' places fer us in this mess--I think we have to be open to meetin' NICE Spiders (we know one named Iggy!) and should be ready ta nurture them Special Starfish--as they too are prone there, lyin' on the beach. Meanwhile...surfs up--either way, gotta git our toes wet in some NEW waters!
Thanks for all the new "thinks" Mary--got my noggin' goin'!
So beautifully said, Mary! Wikipedia is such a great example of how the insatiable craving for money, power and fame can corrupt a wholesome and worthy enterprise. Antisocial human urges like these have traditionally been checked by the discernment of human conscience, which is a spiritual faculty, and further encouraged by warm social connections within a stable community.
That’s the secret behind AA’s success and longevity—personal responsibility, leading by example and a solid community of peer support. These examples provide nuggets of practical wisdom to guide us on the path toward decentralization.
We can build free, peaceful and efficient communities that will sustain us as the corrupt behemoths start to crumble and get swept into the dustbin of history. Wouldn’t it be more exciting to “frolic like the Amish” and build a benevolent parallel society than to fail into despair and succumb to the powers that are passing away?
Thank you, Mary!
Your article is totally in alignment with current astrology, too.
We are individual and we are collective; what are the powers and talents we have as the individual that can be integrated into the collective? Our bright and beautiful sovereign selves in service of a collective, versus attempting to dominate it. It's Saturn authority and Uranus ingenuity; Venus love and value asking us to look at what we can bring forward with passion and purpose... and the baby starfish video is just breathtaking! Keep on! xxoo
You’re crushing it with these insightful essays, Mary! I just read part 1, must have missed it before.
I want to add to your starfish points with bitcoin and blockchain. An entirely decentralized, trustless and incorruptible monetary policy and information and inscription network. There will be an exponential amount of starfish coming up to shore.
Thanks, Mary, for your exploration on the past and present of Wikipedia. Seems it would be helpful for many people to understand this.
I appreciate your diving so deeply into the pros and cons of decentralization in this 2 part series.
Yes, a focus on spiritual striving in an organization can be key to maintaining integrity. And yet, materialistic thinking can creep in... good to be aware and keep this in check.
I love your ending: "Like the starfish, each of us has access to a regenerative power to bounce back from anything and make ourselves whole again. It is that divinely-originated power that makes every human being eternally relevant, a power that is amplified when we join with others to act as one community." Beautifully stated--starfish beautiful!
Thank you, Mary. I really appreciated this. Excellent insights.
"Like the starfish, each of us has access to a regenerative power to bounce back from anything and make ourselves whole again. It is that divinely-originated power that makes every human being eternally relevant, a power that is amplified when we join with others to act as one community."
Yes and yes and yes!
Hi Mary!
Starfish are also more beautiful! Here are some more candidates for their club:
Apache Software
Falun Gong (thriving despite hideous persecution, and the well-rehearsed media-poisoning of their name, according to the tactics you outlined in 'A Story We Need'.
Bitcoin
I believe however that hierarchies and networks are both equally capable of serving positive funcitons, and both equally capable of exploiting, corrupting and being corrupted (see https://michaelwarden.substack.com/p/the-whole-and-the-part). Hence we see Schwab decentralising by seeding his WEF Young Leaders into governments around the world, where they can take his ideology forward independently – Trudeau, Ardern and Macron being just examples.
In that respect you hit in on the head when you said that the most important element is to do things for reasons other than to make money. To do, or support, things you passionately believe in. To act on the recognition that money and life are not the same thing. Not only are all the emerging starfish(es) evidence that this can be a reality, so is the fact that Substack readers often pay Substack writers even when they can have the content anyway!
You and I are humming along on the same wavelength as ever: I am working on piece about a new paradigm, some components of which are:
extended mind / distributed intelligence
complexity theory's incontravertible message that the control-freaks are causing the problems, not fixing them
the emergence of a balance between masculine and feminine principles (both of which can and do live in both men and women – who remain for the time being, nonetheless different!)
… and the mighty battle in progress between that paradigm, and its rapidly growing army of starfish-lovers, and an 'old guard', which wants none of it!
I'll mention too the 2011 book by Carne Ross “The Leaderless Revolution'. Here's a quote from it: “Governments take away something more crucial from us – our own agency. Or rather, they take away our own SENSE of agency, for in truth our control over events never left us, only our belief in its existence.”
Another fine job – power to you!
Feeling impatient with people this morning.. the bEST solution to this mess would be if people who bought into cruelty out of their own fear would come around. And realize, with full body awareness, that they are the “good Germans”. That level of reflection could lead to a full scale abandonment of corrupt media and public health systems. (Might have watched a few too many episodes of Never Again is Now Global yesterday. It’s amazing, but.. need some sunshine and hope.)
Part 2 as thoughtful an' inspiring as part 1.... in the BIG PICTURE I love the we can be singular starfish (and shine) AND work together, in harmony, in a decentralized group effort... But (still wearin' my devil's advocate hornes'a dilemma here...) I have 2 cents ta add so here goes...
1. wull, it ain't totally fair ta conflate bad/wrong/inhumane greedy resuts by pickin' as examples the very WORST "centralized-command" organizations out there--eg. Microsmurf, Scamazon, etc.... Such MegaCorporations arguably (if this country was operatin' as it should...) would trigger anti-trust / anti-monopoly suits and by all sane measures should be sanctioned, broken up, fined, etc etc... But what about BETTER examples of centralized organizations or efforts? How' bout the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy telethons? Without him....? Never.... What about Desi-lu Productions? Lucy later took over the entire helm and not only were her great productions (I Love Lucy!) part of the golden age of American Television (family friendly too!) but she fought like a wildcat for artistic integrity to produce such marvelous series as Star Trek (the original). A fiery New Yawker who often had to go head to head with the "board" (one famous time is when she wanted to be "preggers" on teevee because it was NOT indecent!!!!)--Lucy had vision and nearly all her productions were successful--and I hear crew and others were "treated right" (despite it bein' a cut-throat in-dust-tree). Just' mentionin' a few--there are MORE fer sure...
2. both Craigslist AND Burnin' Man (which DID have decentralized bonafides (and initially were really public/ group efforts), with the former indeed bein' "less" prone to corruption) have both LONG been co-opted to varyin' degrees... fer the worse (I hate to bust some bubbles here...) -- though I cain't say if corruption or other things (like you cited, the temptation for fame n' fortune) were their downfalls...
a. We know artists (real ones!) an' some freewheelin' "famblies" who frequented the "original" Burning Man (in one artist's case he started goin' there in the late 1980s and with the other and with the families it was in the late 1990's... long before things got WEIRD). Weird, how? Well, it went from some folks doin' some drugs but other spaces "clean" to a hotfest of...you'll not like this... underage sex / trafficking and RAPE (the families stopped goin' due to this--some young'uns drugged and then taken advantage of as creeps started to come--and hippies and real artists stopped comin') and also the art turned to FAHRT (or Fart--fake art).... It started that anything was art--your spray-painted weird wonder OR legit artists with gallery representation just wantin' to put it out there with a new audience--but then wannabees who had no real artistic yearnin's (MBA-types / Hunter Biden types) were showin' up with showy "bull-shite".... This per the two artists we know--and they got disgusted. Miami and NY Gallery owners were competing for finding new talent and it got.... ICKY. All the folks we know that used ta go---stopped. Again, maybe it had nuttin' ta do with consensus... but puhlenty non-consensual was goin' on there...
Craigslist... in brief, at least in the big cities like New Yawk...became a criminal enterprise for much stuff.... though small ticket items (a cheap Ikea table) would not be an issue...I'll 'splain a bit...
a. higher ticket items (stereos, better computers, teevees, appliances, couches, etc...) ended up attractin' bait and switch con artists--the "in great condition" well--priced nice item shown in a home was always a FAKE--you'd email or call and sorry it was sold but they had OTHER ITEMS--some of these were "it fell offa truck" fence places--some of these places would email you DAILY and share your info... it became a GIANT con and many folks started stayin' away in droves once this happened...
b. skeevy people seein' a "nicer" apartment with nicer items--used the service to "case the joint" online or in person (comin' to "see" the item but not buyin' it...)--THEN these folks were robbed--skeevy folks came BACK
c. Russian Goils and other type'a hookers were bought / sold / advertised on Craigslist under nanny and babysitter and preschool teacher listings--some LEGIT nice girls got scammed into some of these situations... also a lotta "film shoots" and "photo shoots" were porn or worse....
d. there were money laundering scams that they cracked down on in NY (City at least...)
Long story short--Craiglist OUTSIDE of NYC and other large cities (Chicago, LA, etc) MAY still be a wunnerful decentralized cool way ta git cheap used stuff.... but wolves took over this pop-stand and I've no doubt some of them are the Alphas runnin' Craigslist as a purdy big scam show... jus' sayin'....
I don't have a clue how to keep starfish "joints" bullet-proof or the BETTER centralized set ups "good" When we carve out new spaces an' places fer us in this mess--I think we have to be open to meetin' NICE Spiders (we know one named Iggy!) and should be ready ta nurture them Special Starfish--as they too are prone there, lyin' on the beach. Meanwhile...surfs up--either way, gotta git our toes wet in some NEW waters!
Thanks for all the new "thinks" Mary--got my noggin' goin'!