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Sunday November 11, 2001 01:49:13 PM -0400

The following excerpt comes from Ken Wilber's new essay entitled "The Deconstruction of the World Trade Center: A Date That Will Live in a Sliding Chain of Signifiers." As academic and boring as this may sound to some, in its entirety this essay outlines a basic theory of integral politics that I recommend to anyone interested in modern day activism, politics in general, environmentalism, fundamentalism, spirituality, economics, sociology, education, et al. It must be remembered that this excerpt is drastically taken out of its original context, and must be read within the body of the essay to really understand its powerful and exceptionally humane message.

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"Very briefly, here are the basic needs of the major waves or memes ["levels of awareness"] and the types of responses to the attack [on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001] that they might prefer:
[Wilber is not necessarily advocating any of these worldviews]

Beige--physiological necessities, water, food, shelter, safety; needs to reestablish basic physical security disrupted by the attack.

Purple--emotional bonding, vital needs, organic identity, tribal or familial; needs to reestablish emotional 'us' versus 'them'; will retaliate to do so.

Red--dominance, control over rival groups; would like to kill the terrorists, period. Any reason will do, just kill the bastards, which will reestablish my control.

Blue--need for certainty and stability (not merely physical, but in terms of values and principles); the terrorists threaten eternal truths and need to be vanquished; a crusade against evil-doers; rally around the flag, around God, around nationalism: united we stand, divided we fall; this is a simple case of good versus evil--the terrorists need to be removed because the attack on the good demands retribution; only by 'bringing them to justice' can the one good and true way be reestablished.

Orange--need for individual achievement, excellence, progress, profit. The attack was an attack on civilization itself and an attack on freedom itself; the terrorists need to be apprehended; whether we actually kill them or not is less important than the fact that we strategically reestablish free market, business, democracy, industry, progress, profit.

Green--need for caring community, sharing of feelings, subjective bonding, self-expression, trying to honor multiple viewpoints; the attack is an opportunity to join together to reestablish community and reaffirm peace and nonviolence, which is the only correct stance. We should have love in our hearts, not military retaliation, which will only increase oppression and further aggravate the problem.

Second-Tier--acting with a view of the patterned whole, how can I best facilitate the health of the entire Spiral? Act to support and promote actions based on the Prime Directive--i.e., actions that promote the greatest depth for the greatest span. Will support military action if in support of the Prime Directive (i.e., it takes Krishna-Arjuna's view of military action if warranted, as does Third Tier).

Third-Tier--in the basic All Rightness of the Kosmos, all things arise exactly as they should; and therefore, paradoxically, I must work even harder for the health of the entire Spiral. There are no others to save ; therefore, I vow to save them all . In practice, supports the Prime Directive. "

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If you're curious but confused about the above excerpt, remember that it was abstracted from a comprehensive, compassionate and highly relevant essay which can be viewed in its entirety at www.worldofkenwilber.com.

taylor

SPECIAL RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE OVAL OFFICE - November 2nd, 2001*

FREEDOM IS THE PRICE OF LOVE

The crowd is restless. The cigarettes are running out and the drink can go no more. We are mutating ourselves. Just hold on, make yourself comfortable and try to forget where you are reading this perhaps in a wooden chair, a train, a plane, a car, or the backseat of a tandem motorcycle. A pram or bus. Pay brief attention

ok, because we live in a consumer society one is not judged by the content of their character but by the cost of their clothes, cars, currency, career.

have you ever seen The Price is Right? half the time its wrong my friends. Brand name dishwashers are not the average of misplaced enthusiasm

if, as a friend of mine once said, what you wear is a uniform for who you are, then the only way to defy that notion is to wear the wrong uniform.

"Boredom is counter-revolutionary"

After the clouds clear and the fence comes down,
here stands a generation radicalized, which is
part of a population outraged by what they
experienced in Quebec or shocked by what
they heard from those who came here.

We are the first generation in this country that knows the taste of teargas.
They have attacked us with the worst they have
and it has only strengthened our resolve…."
-- From the FTAA Diary

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