Thursday, October 09, 2003

Although progress is deemed dynamic, at times unstable and complex, it nevertheless requires some degree of harmony. An orchestra is a complex dynamic whole: despite the kinetic contribution of each member, the emergent sound - in a functional orchestra - is harmonious. Just as in a balanced and functioning individual, both the left and right hemispheres should be in a balanced relationship. Both sides of the brain should be transferring signals, information, and be actively participating.

When great thinkers have stated that we should 'bring the wisdom of the East into the science of the West', they are symbolically referring to the entwining capacities of the brain hemispheres, such that the abstract wisdom teachings of Eastern traditions (which work upon activation of the right creative hemisphere) should be aligned with the linear, rational and analytic left-brain activity. Thus, the overall capacity should be greatly increased since the brain can function under emergent properties of a dynamic whole. EEG scans validate this as they show that participants undergoing meditation display a mirroring of brain waves between the two hemispheres: ie. they are in communication and alignment. This is what creates a sense of well-being in the individual.

If we are to examine the global brain metaphor of global communication technologies as mirroring the functioning of a biological living system in the capacity as the nervous system, then the left-right brain scenario could be said as representing the 'West and the Rest' - or the 'West-East' generalised split. Like a brain that is not functioning to true/full capacity, or even with a tumor?, it can be seen that unless the developing world is brought into line with the progress of developing countries a harmonious dynamic whole will not be achieved.

In a global body, all organs constitute a working network of interdependent participants. Would our hearts deny to pump blood to our lower regions because they couldn't afford the asking price? Would the stomach stock-pile food rather than donate it to less fortunate areas of our bodily metabolism? This would be absurd as it would affect the health of our entire body.

Yet in a global environment we do just this. The well-being of our whole planet, and our species, is being jeopardised by the greed of mechanistic thinking.

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