FINDING OUR PURPOSE - PART 8 - Final Part

Fortunately, we are in a position to proceed consciously in building a future globalized world that marginalizes no one. Will we do it?

There are populations in the world today that feel culturally threatened. They feel that their very identity is being eroded by mechanisms of cultural imperialism. The purpose of those who perpetrate these things is simple – to make money – to amass wealth through export of culture regarded as a commodity. Presumably this has its roots in the need for economic security. And yet the exports occur from some of the wealthiest parts of the world to some of the poorest.

This is contrary to the pre-globalization model, where in former times the poor, perhaps with time on their hands, generated culture that the wealthy patronized! In that earlier model, the cultural exchange took place entirely within a geographic region, and although the trade was between classes, the base culture was the same.

In the globalized model, the export of culture, electronically, tears at the social fabric of foreign lands, since their economies cannot afford the things they are being shown, and the trappings of a foreign culture are overlaid upon a complex matrix of lifestyle, taboo, religion, and social behavior. The result is breakdown of families, of nations, and the rise of terrorism – all because a seemingly logical purpose – make money – is extended into a situation without thinking or caring about the implications.

When purpose is drawn from the ego aspects of the self, it tends not to be harmonious. When purpose is to build, to grow, to expand, this is part of the inner Life that drives human desire. When this desire is simply for profit, or when desire is uncaring of consequences, then our purpose has been overtaken by the demands of our ego, which speaks to us of need, of lack, of fear. How often these motivations go unrecognized by us! We are not educated, for the most part, to sort out our inner reasoning. We proceed unaware, and bait the snare in which we ourselves will be caught.

Our fundamental purpose is to function as the viewpoint from which Spirit looks out upon Itself, in all Its many forms. We do this by having an active interest in the world around us; we do it by embracing the world, not hiding from it. We do it by succeeding, not by failing. We do it by drawing through our conscious awareness all of the good that we can imagine Spirit to consist of, and letting it guide our life. The rewards are many: they are peace, joy, and harmony, to name but few.

Building an enlightened awareness, and using that to align our individual and collective purpose, will be the key to developing a world filled with variety, prosperity, and security for all.