Re: virus: Consciousness

Eric Boyd (6ceb3@qlink.queensu.ca)
Fri, 14 Jun 1996 19:12:37 -0500


Robin Faichney wrote:

> >Now, this all links to level 3 in a nifty way. Level 3 can be seen as
> >the application of consciousness to alleviate the burden that
> >consciousness has placed on us. By being continually aware of the
> >responsibility that consciousness has given us, we can avoid the evil.
> >After all, it was knowledge of /good/ and evil. It's just a matter of
> >consciously doing good instead of acting on the bad. Thus level 3 is
> >about using the "curse" of consciousness to remove itself.
>
> Rather, about removing the curse of *self*-consciousness. But not
> by doing good while avoiding evil. That's Level 2, isn't it? What we
> have to do is to transcend the good/evil dichotomy, along with that
> of self/other.

Having looked back, I think I was misguided in thinking that what I was
talking about yesterday was "level 3". Level 3 is _about_ the conscious
awareness of meme's and using them, rather than letting them use us. As
such, what I talked about yesterday was only a small facett of level 3.

As to transending the good/evil dichotomy (hmmm.. seed?) I'm not sure
that such a thing would be desirable. Understand that the terms are
relative and only defined within a society (will change with differing
societies). Understand that evil only has meaning when juxtaposed with
good. Understand that any so called "absolute" moral or ethical system
is ultimatly resting upon an authority who, in order to make the system
absolute, has to be absolute him/herself. (think a God). Understand
all of this, and although you haven't transended the good/evil dichotomy
(in that you must still work under it, or face the consequences) you
have put yourself in a much better position to deal with the issues
around morality.

> No?

No and yes and maybe. :)

ERiC