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> The Foundation of Prometheanism
The greatest, most
fundamental principle at the heart of Prometheanism is that life
is
the ultimate value and highest standard. This means more than survival.
It means living more fully, to the greatest potential. The advancement
of life, to further the integrated strength and vitality of life,
is
the great Promethean cause.
These interconnected,
inseparable core beliefs of Prometheanism are essential parts of the
idea of the advancement of life:
The Individual Nature
of Life
We live
individually. Life is I, for you, and for everyone. Each person’s
experience of living life in mind and body is subject to their
own unique,
individual
perspective. For every person, their life is life - it is everything.
And what matters most? The greatest, most fulfilled expression
of
that life, according to who they are, what they can do, and what
they choose to do.
Self-Expression
The key to unlocking
the potential of every life is self-expression. Really expressing
oneself in thought and action, whatever this must mean for a given
person, makes that person more or less alive according to their
potential
and the nature of who they are. We should all endeavor to live life
to the fullest of our potential, maximizing self-expression. This
means: get the most out of life. Live as strongly, confidently
and
as satisfied as you can, and take chances - but define this for yourself.
People must explore what self-expression means for them.
Integrated Strength
By
self-expression the
integration of strengths, or integrated strength of a person can
be augmented, or likewise weakened by inhibition of thought or
control
over action. When we express
ourselves, we live more, and we become (metaphorically) stronger.
We become more accustomed to express ourselves, and we also become
more able to cope. That
powerful strength, that greatness, is not something to avoid or
fear. We don’t
need to be controlled or prevented from strength – when we
are strong people in that holistic sense, and feel confident and
complete
as who we are, we treat each other
well
quite naturally. We have a respect for life. We no longer wish to
cause harm to ourselves or others consciously or unconsciously,
and
only
really hurt ourselves or each other by accident or out of ignorance.
Integrated strength, which feels like fulfillment to oneself,
appears
as real nobility to others. Psychological
weakness and need, on the contrary, induces us to harm
others. (If we feel strong
and self-sufficient and we feel thoroughly powerful, what need
have we of doing harm? In such a case we have "integrity.")
It is a lack of cohesive, integrated
strength which catalyzes most of our horrible problems
(combined with
misunderstanding ourselves and other people).
Self-Interest and
Individualism
When we listen
to ourselves about what we want and try to achieve it, our thoughts
and deeds (our self-expression) can be said to follow our self-interest.
There is nothing perverse in this. In fact, following
our own way is
the only chance we have to reach our potential and achieve what
would really advance our lives. How much following our self-interest
will really advance our life
or
harm
it, and
the
effect it will
have
on others,
depends
not only on our capability but also on our integrated strength, because
our desires will become more noble and more considerate the stronger
we
are. At its best, self-interest is another name for what guides us
as we become more alive by expressing ourselves in thought and
action.
When individuals live by following self-interest, it is also known
as individualism, and Prometheanism endorses this way of life.
To follow this way, we each can make
our own path, and really there are no dependable substitutes for
determining one's own path of advantage to be had from others -
not from merely
copying what others do, nor from merely reacting against their
influences, according to simple instincts and habits of conformity
and differentiation.
Rather we can authentically guide ourselves only by judging for
ourselves what to
imitate,
react
against,
or
create anew, in rich recombination.
Deep Individuality
and Complex Diversity
There are a great
many paths self-expression could take. There are a great many
forms
of self-interest. There are a great many different
kinds of people. Even from moment to moment one individual can
change quite unpredictably. Really looking at individual people,
we see that while all nature displays complexity in variations
and interconnections, humans display complexity
in a particularly individuated way. Humanity is an amazingly diverse
species by nature, meaning more than just in simple categories
like culture,
color
of skin,
gender,
occupation,
or even rough descriptions of the complexity of our personalities.
Each person is special and different in personality and mindset
from
a complex combination of individual genetics and individual experience,
including cultural influences such as ideas. And, the stronger
we are as individuals, the more independent and
exceptional
we may tend to become. There is tremendous value in this complex
diversity of individuality, which suggests both cultivating individual
depth, and
providing for free flowing and sophisticated interpersonal interaction.
As long as each person is allowed to express themselves
and
interact
independently and organically, every one is likely to become
richer for it.
Subjectivity
Another way of
saying life is subject to individual perspective is that everything
in life is subjective. Nothing can be proven absolutely – there
is no completely objective right and wrong, or true and false, separate
from who we are and how we experience life as different individuals.
There are only practical truths, and contextually useful ways of
thinking. Objectivity only has meaning in context,
and
should not have power to dominate our thoughts. However, we can assert
and believe useful and helpful things, and agree on them in context.
Beliefs and Ideas
So ideas are
very important - they are the only foundation we have to live
by that we
can use to change, having received everything else basic (and many
of our ideas) by being born and growing up.
Ideas are
the most
fundamental means of communication,
exchange,
and influence between individuals. Ideas rule. We need to believe
ideas which are useful and beneficial when measured by the standard
of life. The
most important idea by any wording is the value of life, the belief
in our ability to advance our lives, to improve them, broaden them,
and
take them
further.
Other important
principles of Prometheanism follow from these core
beliefs, when applied to important questions and combined with
other profitable ways of thinking and models of interpretation.
See also: The
Promethean Trilogy and especially The
Promethean Manifesto: 2. Foundations, Self-Expression, On
Conformity, and other material at Promethea.
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composed by Phoenix
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updated
January 2, 2004 4:52
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