WCHAP.I

(9/6/98)

CHAPTER I

LEVELS OF MEMBERSHIP IN A WISDOM GROUP

HOW TO BECOME A WISE PERSON

As discussed in VOLUME I, Chapter Two a Wisdom Group is the initial organization set up to establish a Science of Religion and a Religion of Wisdom. However, it is difficult to know how to organize such a group. I believe that levels of membership might be the key to successful Wisdom Groups. As a Wisdom Group grows and develops, it would set up a Center for the Practical Application of a Science of Religion (CPASR). These groups would grow to develop all the resources possible to produce a Wise Community made up of Wise Persons. Also, it would support in every way possible the development of a Science of Religion and a Religion of Wisdom.

Below is an examination of levels of membership, its disadvantages and its advantages. The Wise (Most Desired) Community and the Wise (Most Desired) Person are key concepts relative to levels of membership.

A. Because levels of membership has many critics and few supporters, it seems important to subject it to the most careful analysis possible. There is some danger that what I am trying for is not what this process will achieve. Many of my proposals are the exact opposite of those made by John Stuart Mill, George Orwell, the American Civil Liberties Union, and myriads of other thoughtful people. These differences cannot be lightly shrugged off.

To keep an open mind is never easy. Individuals are normally so sure that they know what is best for everyone else, there is a real tendency to rule by decree when this is possible and to the degree it is possible. On the other hand each person is very resistent to personal change. However, a Wisdom Group must avoid making decisions for individuals. It must trust the basic wisdom of members and recognize that when they do not do what the Group wishes, it may be "what the Group wishes" that is in error rather than the individual. A Wisdom Group must then be careful to avoid placing undue pressure on those who disagree with it. So, in this context, What are the disadvantages of levels of membership?

1. This approach seems very elitist, or could readily become so. Those making rules and decisions can easily make mistakes and allow power seeking individuals to achieve control of the process and corrupt all the good intentions included in a Science of Religion and a Religion of Wisdom. Under the veil of purity they could develop a more insidious and corrupt regime than has ever existed before.

2. In the practical world people can make good decisions without requiring some higher level of development. As a result of this restrictive process many important ideas will be weeded out and not become available for solving problems.

3. All these grandiose ideas may sound good on paper, but we have no evidence that they are true, and certainly no evidence they will work. It becomes more likely that silly and self-defeating rules and procedures will be established that will become just another way to exploit the weak and naive.

4. Humanity has throughout human history endured "evil" and corrupt leaders. They may even have been necessary to achieve difficult goals in the world that "nice" people couldn't have accomplished. How could a sensitive, compassionate person win a war, build a pyramid with only hand labor, or lead a revolution against entrenched tyranny?

5. People learn by doing. Enthusiasm is often more important than knowledge. Frequently, things get done because the person doesn't realize the experts believe it to be impossible.

6. Levels of membership looks like just one more way to manipulate and exploit the gullible. Persons can achieve the most if other people get out of their way and let them use their creativity, drive to achieve, fear of failure, etc.

7. Hard decisions require hard personalities. These people may not be "healthy," "nice," and the kind you like to be around, but they get things done. We need people like this in the world if humanity isn't going to sink into a fantasy world of easy living, and "wimps."

8. Really creative, dynamic, doers are not going to put up with such a fuzzy-headed process. Therefore, the best of humanity will function outside these structures, thereby leaving CPASRs to the mediocre, authoritarian, hypocrites.

B. What are the advantages of levels of membership?

1. Levels of membership would make it easier to admit all persons who desire to join a CPASR. Anyone could thereby immediately be welcomed into an accepting community in which to grow and develop. The foregoing are essential preconditions for anyone to engage in the pursuit of real knowledge and understanding. However, growth can be painful. It is sometimes difficult to recognize and/or acknowledge that we still have erroneous and inconsistent ideas that stand in the way of our growth and development. We all reach a certain level of comfort or plateau of understanding that seems satisfactory. Outside resources are necessary in order to advance beyond the foregoing. Levels of membership might provide the help and guidance to move ever further along the path to self improvement.

2. People should be allowed to affiliate themselves with a CPASR before they have totally worked through their philosophy, integrated it into their life and become Wise Persons. In fact, most persons may not be able to achieve the foregoing until they become part of a focused, effective, supportive group. By the same token a CPASR has a responsibility to help its members become Wise Persons. Therefore, it would be valuable to utilize levels of membership as a tool that acknowledges and encourages that growth.

3. It would permit persons to function at their level of commitment. As the person's level of commitment grows their level of responsibility, involvement, and development would grow accordingly.

4. Another important result would be the accumulation of experience with levels of membership. Wisdom Groups would be forced to study and either define, improve definitions, or discard the following concepts: a Wise Person, a Wise Community, good mental health, maturity, development, and commitment. Their definitions could not be rigid, nor exploitative, but must be warm, satisfying ways that work. The Wisdom Group would exist to help persons achieve their full positive potential. Unless it became corrupted it could not exploit them in any way nor interfere with their potential to develop in a positive direction. When a Wisdom Group is working properly, it should want the same thing as its members. There is no conflict between a Wise Community and a Wise Person. The challenge is to find ways to develop Wise Communities, and Wise Persons.

5. If CPASRs are to help all persons achieve a Sustainable Feeling that one's LIfe Has Meaning (SFLIHM) they must find ways to reduce organizational decision making by individuals who interfere with progress toward developing a Wise Community. It is assumed that anyone who is not yet a Wise Person will to some degree represent such an interference. To the degree that my Science of Religion and Religion of Wisdom are valid, to that degree will it provide solutions to the following problems:

a. Much of the "evil" of the world exists because individuals have become leaders for the wrong reasons and they interject their "sickness" into the rest of society through the power their leadership position gives them.

b. Or, the candidate may lack the experience to know how to use the resources of the CPASR to achieve enlightened ends. Being given a position of power in the group could allow them to misuse or misdirect the CPASR. Misuse of power has been an ongoing problem of leadership since the dawn of history. Often the foregoing condition is aided or even produced by followers who also have "unhealthy" goals and personalities which seduces a poorly integrated leader and leads them in self destructive directions.

c. There needs to be some mechanism to help all persons making important decisions for society reach the necessary level of healthy maturity, intellectual development, and commitment. Levels of membership would appear to be the most desirable way of doing this.

6. It seems to me that the best decisions can only be made by Wise Persons. If this is true than we need to do whatever we can to help everyone become a Wise Person. This is another reason to develop clear ideas of what a Wise Person is and dependable ways to help all who desire to become Wise Persons.

7. If there is in truth no conflict between a Wise Person and a Wise Community, then anything that would lead a person to "take over and corrupt" the group is against their own best interests. So the core issue is to establish procedures that ensure that any kind of hypocrisy, dishonesty, lying, secrecy, deceit is not encouraged, or even possible. Only such a process can in fact move the individual towards becoming their best self and moving society toward becoming a Wise Community.

8. Although it may appear that good decisions can come from Not-Yet-Wise Persons, I think that analysis would show that most of these decisions have serious deficiencies. Preventing such persons from being able to control others will be a plus not a minus.

9. Certainly, it is true that objective, empirical evidence does not exist to prove the ideas making up levels of membership. And such evidence is essential before any firm commitment to the process is made.

10. Any decision that can be made by Not-Yet-Wise Persons can be made in an even better way by a Wise Person. In an imperfect world it may be necessary to make imperfect choices. Choices may need to be made that are in conflict with those that would be made under better circumstances. But a key characteristic of these decisions would be to move society toward becoming a Wise Community and all individuals toward becoming Wise Persons.

11. A Wise Person should have more enthusiasm, more willingness to act without all the information than a Not-Yet-Wise Person. But more importantly one of their prime goals is to develop processes to gather necessary data. This information would ensure that the decisions made do not cause unnecessary pain and suffering nor increase the potential for disaster.

12. Persons with awareness of their healthy needs and true self interest will want to take reasonable and prudent steps toward fulfilling those needs and interests. To the degree that evidence supports the value of levels of membership, reasonable persons who have a nurturing support group must accept the process. Of course many persons have been taught values that are self-destructive. Unfortunately, they have been convinced that these values have benefits for them. They would rather die than live a happy life.

Self-destructive values include such things as:

a. The idea that physical affection (particularly of a sexual nature) is wrong.

b. The idea that questioning authority is wrong.

c. The idea that violence toward others is necessary (as required by some gangs and terrorist groups).

Until the individual recognizes the errors in teachings such as the foregoing, they will not be able to self correct.

To a high degree the hope is with the children. It is critical to provide an environment that genuinely moves individuals toward becoming Wise Persons. To the degree that others recognize this change and see it as an improvement, to that degree will increasing numbers of individuals be willing to align themselves with this process.

13. A Wise Person is neither a "wimp" nor driven by idealistic fantasy. They are in touch with reality and true values at the deepest level. They can make hard decisions, but those decisions will not exploit the trust and needs of the rest of humanity. They will take part in the difficult decisions in such a way that all concerned have the chance to share in the difficulty and make whatever sacrifices the circumstances warrant.

14. Many honest, well-intentioned individuals will oppose the concept of levels of membership. Certainly this issue must be open to in-depth discussion, exploration, and study. However, if the Wise Person concept holds up under study then ways to achieve it are essential. I believe that Wise Persons are needed to fill all decision making positions in society. Therefore, it seems critical that a means be developed to help interested persons become Wise Persons. Everything related to Wise Persons is based on good mental health and nurturing love. As a result it seems important to find ways to reward and acknowledge those characteristics and to help them develop. Levels of membership would provide a mechanism to encourage good experience, test theories, establish processes to develop Wise Persons, etc.

All who are searching for a SFLIHM should be invited to affiliate with a CPASR. But they need to demonstrate that they understand the essential ideas and have integrated them into their lives before they hold office and in other ways represent a CPASR.

Perhaps, levels of membership is not the best answer. At any rate we should keep a totally open mind on alternative answers. All ideas for ways to raise humanity's level of ethical thought, religious and philosophical understanding, or humane behavior needs to be examined.

What might levels of membership involve? Below are some thoughts on levels of membership for a CPASR. These ideas are presented to get discussion and analysis started. They are tentative suggestions that need to be critically analyzed by all interested persons. They are not meant as final proposals to be accepted and followed. Anyone with relevant experience is especially encouraged to join in the discussion. Levels of membership must be an open ended dialogue.

If after complete study -- including setting up experimental groups using it -- levels of membership is adopted, the process must continue to be open to change. Changes must be made as those directly involved in the process gather experience. As they delve deeper into the issues and learn more they can bring that experience to bear on the matter.

A. The Wisdom Group's Role in Membership: Sets the standards for CPASR membership. Establishes when a member is ready to move to the next level. Made up of Level 8, 9, and 10 members -- See C. below. -- except initially before CPASRs have such members. Responsible for providing all the help possible for persons who desire to progress through the various levels of membership.

The Wisdom Group will begin with very fuzzy guidelines and ideas of what is necessary to help persons advance in self-growth and movement toward competence, maturity, and commitment. A Wisdom Group must continue to experiment, change approaches, guidelines, etc. as it learns more and becomes more aware of the difficulty of what it is trying to do and its own ignorance of how to accomplish its goals.

Also, as a result of Group decisions, mistakes as well as successes, a better understanding of the problems will be achieved. At the same time the Group must never become a static committee with simplistic standards and elitist solutions. The goal is to produce human beings who can live joyful, loving lives, bonded to the rest of humanity. As a result Group errors that slow an individual's advancement to the next level should be of small consequence compared to successes in moving mature, mentally healthy persons into positions where they can act effectively. The foregoing is particularly true, if the Group can nourish love, enthusiasm, creativity, effectiveness, and humility. It is equally important that the Group ensure that the foregoing goals never become lost. Also, methods must not be used that are inconsistent with these goals. Hypocrisy is such a widespread behavior in human society one would be justified in feeling skeptical about whether or not it can be eliminated. But hypocrisy like other forms of lying and deceit seems to me to be a defense that individuals use when they are in a threatened situation. If we could build communities that first and foremost nurture all individuals and furthermore do not threaten them, then it seems reasonable to expect that honesty in all ways might be possible. Can we build such societies? That is the challenge!

The Wisdom Group could begin by helping candidates lay out a plan for their own self growth. This self growth might start with each individual focusing on the things they believe are their biggest barriers interfering with their growth toward becoming their best self. These barriers might involve inadequacies, areas of ignorance, limited social skills, health problems, bad habits, inadequate job skills, lack of close relationships, limiting beliefs, etc. Also, numerous diagnostic tests need to be adapted from existing ones, plus utilization of currently available tests as appropriate. Once it is clear where change is needed it will usually be clear what steps must be taken to achieve the desired development. Steps might involve psychological counseling, growth workshops, a reading program, massage training, special work activities, etc. Candidates might need to take college course work or other academic/skill training. The procedure could include breaking down a problem into smaller parts and setting very specific intermediate goals and time frames for progressing toward solving the problem.

Achieving good mental and physical health as well as development of each individual's intellectual abilities would be the goal and strength of the group. As persons moved through the stages of membership their progress should show up deficiencies, errors, blind spots, etc. in the process. This experience would then be used to change and improve the functioning of the Group. In the early stages some goals and requirements would probably be completely reversed as the result of the suggestions and experience of the various candidates. This process would probably always be in flux. As society and the total environment change, the developmental needs of the individual would change. As a result everything relating to these key issues must also be changed. The procedures used to introduce changes must be constantly examined to ensure that the mechanism does not ossify and have its relevance diminished.

B. Levels of growth toward a SFLIHM. (A tentative formulation. Your input is requested. Research projects also will be needed.)

There must be effective feed-back loops between individuals and their community in order to build/maintain a Wise Community in which everyone can become a Wise Person. Today, no Wise Community nor Wise Persons exist. Neither can be produced in the absence of the other. Successive approximation, repeated over and over must be the process for achieving both. Each step forward by either helps the other move another step forward which helps the other, etc., etc., etc. First and foremost we need a model of a Wise Community (see Chapter III) that is widely accepted as something desirable to have. A similar model for a Wise Person (see Chapter II) is also needed.

The below ideas represent a first effort at clarifying the characteristics of a Wise Person and proposing a structure to encourage and ensure growth toward that goal. A CPASR would provide an experimental model for producing a Wise Community and Wise Persons. Each CPASR should function as an independent entity. However, each might be "accredited" by an independent body to reduce the likelihood of significant harm if Not-Yet-Wise Persons gain control of a Group and re-directing it in inappropriate ways. Groups would, however, all benefit by setting up loose affiliations in order to share experiences, insights, theories, research, ideas, goals, etc. Nevertheless, each would pursue their goals independently, increasing the likelihood that organizational inertia at one location would not prevent other groups from moving rapidly toward useful models for the Wise Community and the Wise Person.

When any CPASR achieved significant success, their accomplishments should begin to impact the bigger society and move it toward becoming a Wise Community. As more and more people become tenth level members of CPASRs and are able to fill responsible positions having power and prestige in the bigger community, the speed of movement of the whole society toward a Wise Community should be increased.

As individuals work to develop the characteristics of the Wise Person it will become clear that the ideas and model presented here are inadequate, and/or not stated clearly enough to be achievable. In fact before the first step can be taken to set up a procedure such as the one here proposed, a much clearer and more detailed statement of the goals is needed. It will most likely be found that many essential initial steps have been left out, or the order needed may be quite different from the one proposed. Or, as discussed earlier different personality types may need to follow different paths toward becoming their best self. All of these changes must be made as the need for them is uncovered.

However, the primary goal is to help those who desire to move as far as they want toward becoming their best self. Every difficulty encountered must be attacked with all the resources the Wisdom Group and the individual can bring to bear to do so.

Below is my best thinking to date about the necessary steps any person needs to take to grow and develop in the direction of becoming their best self:

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