74 Comments

"Where love reigns, there is no will to power; and where the will to power is paramount, love is lacking."

~Carl Jung #CW7 #Para78

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When will you stop preaching to the choir? What could go wrong has gone wrong and merely pointing out the psychological and political methods of control will not change anything. Start using your soapbox to organize events where celebrities and powerful people who agree with you can connect with those outside the choir you’ve already established credibility with.

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so many good points that its redundant to comment. The bravest lady around. Thank you

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This rotten world, I at every turn deride; Foolishly looking past, this stinking pile of pride.

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Well, a lot of people don't understand the dynamics of power, so it bears repeating. It could be added that while individuals and countries are obsessed with power over individuals and countries, they miss out on everything else. That accounts for the crap marriages and the crap state of the US. They are as imprisoned as those they would imprison.

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Thank you for this, Caitlin. I'm reading this as I listen to a neighbor scream (at her partner? her daughter?) But the desire for power manifests in lots of ways more nuanced that that. In the end, there's only one thing you can change and one thing you need to change--yourself. None of us are done with that journey.

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You are well on the path, set forth by Laozi and expounded upon by Zhuang zi.

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First of all, fantastic writing Caitlin. I agree with most of this, but I'm still not sure the end goal for humanity and life on Earth is entirely egoless, non-dual consciousness. The ego has to have evolved for a reason. I don't think it was a mistake, and I don't think it's only humans that have them. The issue is when it's out of balance: when our egos brought us to the point of feeling entirely separate from nature and other life. I think the only way to transcend the ego is to transcend *and* include it. One can view an organism as individuated and as part of a larger whole. Including both adds to the splendor and variety of creation, and I think there are important, adaptive reasons to see ourselves as individuals in addition to members of a larger planetary consciousness.

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Beautifully said. The more I make peace with the unknown and uncertainty, the more calm and centered I feel, and the kinder and more compassionate I am towards myself and others. Trying to control everyone and everything is truly pathological.

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Honestly, this piece is all you need to know. What we all have in common is the desire to feel OK: Buddhust Christian, fascist dictator. Some just need a joint or JD. Some prefer to invade Poland or fry Vietnam.

This piece is the kind that can lead you out of that mess

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"Gaining control over others gives us the feeling that we are making ourselves more safe and secure..." speak for yourself, Caitlin! Or are you practicing your version of The Malcolm Gladwell Style?

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Wow, thank you. Feeling my (controlling) shoulders relax as I read this.

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Brilliant analysis, CJ.

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Krishnamurti exemplified this very well with his teachings and his life.

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Caitlin states: “The more control you exert over your citizenry, the more likely they are to put someone else in charge at the earliest opportunity.”

If that’s true, then how do you explain the apparently successful decade-long presidency of China by Xi Jinping?

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What a fantastic analysis. CarryOn!

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