Community Brain.... Palestine and Israel

Posted by Neri Bar-On on May 11, 2008 at 10:25pm in Israel and Palestine

Community Brain.... Palestine and Israel

This a stage in a discussion created with Wael Al Saad about the concept of communal brain a term he propose "Palestine Brain". One of the questions Wael put was about the difference between Palestinian Brain and Palestine brain.

There are few discussions that relate to that them please review them too.
Palestine Brain: Our mess and the meaning to BE Palestinian

The Paradox of change - Palestine brain

Here Is reaction to that idea of "Communal Brain" where I try to investigate more deeply into the structure of communal wold views and communal processes. I focus on the Israeli/Zionist/Jewish system that I know, while I accept ignorance about the content of Arab,Palestine, Arab-Israeli.

I use the term ethno-centric to describe a world view where there is great weight on evaluation of what is good. If you fill unconformable with the term it is referrer to wiki:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnocentrism

The notion of Communal Brain as "Palestine Brain" link us to the general notion that human groups tend to create culture and process knowledge to create better life condition. Communal Brain point to the communal processes that structure the communal actions and values. This concept scheme enable us to differentiate the personal from the communal and still acknowledge both perspectives. There is one line of connection that cored in people who seek the Communal Brain and that they recognize their responsibility that exceeds their personal needs and includes the needs of the whole.

Feeling responsibility for the Whole originates with consciousness of being embedded in the community of Your People (family, tribe, culture, nation, religion, humanity etc.) And as this identity and awareness expands, it escorts one on an ever-widening journey of broadening scopes of inclusive relationship. The perspective grows and continues to widen and to encompass not only all people on this beautiful blue-green planet we call Earth, all sentient beings and non-sentient beings; everything involved in the processes and systems of life Planet Earth. Some even say this inclusive perspective can stretch even beyond our Planet to consciousness of the universe. It is from here, I believe, where we can find our way back to the spiritual roots.

We can speak of different brains. Many different brains. Palestine Brain. Israel Brain, Ethno-centric Brain, World-centric, Patriarchal Brain, Feminist Brain, Socialist Brain, Democratic Brain. Many different brains emerging from different paths. It is significant to recognize the role of life conditions in shaping the contents; stories, beliefs, outlooks, inlooks socio-economic structure and value-systems of our variant brains.

To be able to be part of a more complex level of communion, according to developmental models (and even in chaos theory and complexity sciences), one must pass through the ethnocentric stage as a foundational element in order to be able to hold worldcentric perspective and more complex inclusive views. It is a necessary developmental phase that cannot by bypassed. One cannot grow a leg without first growing bones that are structural components of a leg.

These developmental stages of awareness effect the quality of the world views of a nation. The ethnocentric brain of Israel (predominantly Jewish population) emerged in parallel with the European stages of national identity. This has resulted as both a blessing and a curse for both Israel and Palestine. Any individual can access any of the levels of views. And in the density of the community we can recognize groupings with different centers of gravity and patterns of thinking and outlook. Nationhood is a group process emergent through a historical narrative, stories we hold dear and near in our brains.

For example, one can see how the German Brain at the beginning of the 20th century developed an extreme, fierce ethnocentric view. This view meshed with the most sophisticated knowledge technological and otherwise, available on the planet ever at that time. The German Brain of the early 20th century was activated through the agency of the national-socialist movement which triggered the hubris of a group of like-minded humans and set them in a course to lead and 'serve' humanity by controlling it. Control is a normal structural feature of the National Brain in any form. In relation to our example of the German Brain, its ardent identification and Nation vision made it blind to other perspectives and thus brought World War II upon that generation.

Life conditions rendered by WW II and evolving notions of Nationalistic forms in Europe, the Soviet Union at the time indeed had a seminal shaping effect on the emerging "Zionist Brain". The Israel Brain is rooted in the 19th century Jewish Brain (the national identity part) which we can recognize as Zionist Brain. The Zionist Brain is a set of ideas and world view that was captured by many. Zionist Brain processes were manifested in literature and activities that were focused on creating a national state for Jews. This group managed to organize "national state" organizations even before Israel declared in 48. These organizations (social organizations responsible for health and work, armed defense etc.) were later strengthen the power of the Jewish-Zionist to manifest Israel from 1948. This was a crucial combination of factors that stimulated a group of people rooted to the Jewish Brain to mesh and culminate in the energetic thrust that created Israel … and create the Naqba.

Looking at this more deeply, The Zionist Brain is a product of the Jewish Brain that is here for 5,000 years.

I think not many noticed how the Jewish brain formed, and the simplicity and beauty of the process recorded in the Old Testament. When there is a sacred ritual that is essential part of makes you Jewish – you must tell the story of the exodus from Egypt every year. This story kept in the Jewish brain (tradition) feeds the Jewish identity and enabled it to survive in the world of other identities. The Jewish traditional practice of the last 2000 years to study enriched humanity as we can find statistically significant many Jewish originate people involved in breakthrough. The Holocaust is significant event in the forming of the Jewish brain and it tide most of its energy toward the creation of Israel. Sadly from the circumstances of the time, the dominant view was nationalist hence the Jews invested in an ethno-centric creation.

As we know this Zionist project succeeded in creation a modern relatively strong state. Israel security issues continue to exist and present threats from the "terrorists" or "atomic bombs" that continue question Israel survival. This pushes the Zionist brain see as it is the Jewish brain and reject more world-centric identity. There exists deep expectation from all Jews to support Israel and identify with it. A lot of Israelis think of Israeli as Jewish and blind to the Arab part within Israel (20% of the populations are Arab). From a world-centric Jewish identity we can see how the international Jewish communities now try to support Arabs as well as Jews. While we have the Palestinian problem the attraction of the Zionist view of Judaism is very strong. This is one of the lines within the Jewish-Zionist that directly affected by the Palestinians, Israelis and the Zionist brain is working to justify itself as it is attacked by the ideas of Palestinian identity.

The Palestine Brain exists for some times, it has strong roots in the Arab world that I am too ignorant to describe in details. Its venues and narrative path are vogue to a person like me, but from what I have studied the Arab wisdom has no inferiority from the European – Jewish structure. Its focus is different values then the Jewish one and its path different in many ways. Palestine brain is an Arab brain driven by the sting of the Naqba. And this brain is about to get independence and while It is forming to manifest itself it can access technology and knowledge that even the Zionist did not have. The Palestine brain has the capacity to forge a path of peace into the Arab brain. As in this generation many Palestinians in the western world are more educated and wealthier. The Jordanian state (kingdom) shows strength and open spirit that can support this nation going though its hard transition from oppressed population to of becoming autonomous successful state as the Palestinians deserve to be.

As the Palestine Brain forge now the Palestine future it has many advantages for development. While the Atmosphere of the 19th and beginning of 20th century were strongly influenced by National emergence the Palestine brain has capacity of perspective the Zionist brain could not hold. With the Technology we have today the Palestine Brain has access to communication and knowledge sharing technologies that were not in any one dream till 50 years ago and ideas that recognize the global forces that has much more direct influence on individuals.

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Tags: communal brain, israel brain, palestine brain, spiral dynamics intgral, zionist brain

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jafra W. on May 12, 2008 at 11:03am: for now I just want to include one slide of my presentation .. I still do not know what to add more. I am thinking about it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Neri Bar-On on May 12, 2008 at 12:26pm: I am translating this into the discussion, it like saying that we have embedded structure of Brain, I guess that more accurate Brain metaphor my show we have many different relationship and "Brains" in different level of complexity.

The Palestine Brain is a relationship internally with different Palestine Brain that have different rule and activate different communal behaviors. and it interact and relate to different parallel world views.

This image clearly show the Brain within a Brain but I guess any circle is a complex social-network activity tht operates as inter-relation within "Brains". another component to think is the exterior, where "Jewish Brain, Zionist Brain apear.

Your presentation id focus of the technical and infrastructure that can empower and support the inter-relationship that support emergence and power of communal Brain.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jafra W. on May 12, 2008 at 2:37pm: yes, I was trying to describe communal-centric interconnectivity:

In my model the 6 communication layers can be used for any purpose: indigent (cultural heritage), communal interests, global sense, ..

A Palestinian in Japan will be also interconnected with his municipal administration in Jenin for example, his local cultural stream channel etc. beside any local interaction-community, any global brain area of focus ..

(just to give a feeling about possible emergence tools); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Neri Bar-On on May 12, 2008 at 3:29pm: I visited few times in Kyoto Japan ... The Japan Brain is magnificent. (not like you, I love sushi)

our technology and the structure you present enable to have "meta-geographical" dimension that will enable to communicate and continue to co-create when distance and time separates us.

There is internal dimension that you need to take into acount and I think it has something todo with the Hardship your Palestinian brothers put in front of your initiative.

Spiral Dynamics Integral propose a set of evolving components of world view and it show how within the communal activity and processes there are different combinations of world view (we call them VMeme - value meme). The practicality of this is that we can use this framework to defuse the racist/religious/national categories and describe culture developmental flew and analyze life conditions.

In some sense their is a parallel with the brain structure where we can find the history of the evolution of our brain from its pre-historic layers of a reptiles to the most resent structure that make us human. Same goes to the communal brain, it includes its historic structure and need them to function as well.

In the Spiral dynamics you will find this components:“The states… described are bio-psycho-social systems that include neurology and physiology, cognitive processes and experiences, even a spiritual component. They are deep values containers; surface values and hidden values are the contents. Deep values are alive, so spiral dynamics blends the notion of a growing spiral of thinking with dynamic forces of change. Living with the problems of human existence activates built-in mind/brain systems to produce a series of evolving deep values. There are eight zones along the spiral thus far. They are designated as: beige, purple, red, blue, orange, green, yellow, and turquoise. Each is flanked by an “entering” phase, which carries some of the previous thinking forward, and an “exiting” phase, which recognizes the problems of existence coming next. Deep-values systems almost never appear alone - most of us have several of them ebbing and flowing situationally. They brighten and dim as external circumstances and internal states change. Each represents its own reality no better or worse than another, only more or less appropriate to the circumstances. Deep values emerge up the spiral and shift in focus from “me” to “we” and “inner” to “outer”

CHECK THIS:
Global Brain, Spiral Dynamics, and Memetic Evolution: Transformatio...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Roger Eaton on May 17, 2008 at 5:40am: Omigosh, that mandelbrot is photoshopped in there, isn't it? I mean in the photo of the ripply waves.

That aside, if we are going to create a post-war world, the internet is surely a major tool, and designs such as Wael's play a part in thinking how best to use the internet.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by mary rizzo on May 14, 2008 at 3:34pm: I have not had time to read this all.. I have merely skimmed on it, as you forwarded me here when I asked a simple question as to the values of and what precisely you refer to as (I'm forgetting the term now... this is lack of sleep) Humanist Zionism, maybe. Not Cultural, it was another term. Well, I looked for the section on Zionism and this jumped out at me:

"As we know this Zionist project succeeded in creation a modern relatively strong state. Israel security issues continue to exist and present threats from the "terrorists" or "atomic bombs" that continue question Israel survival."

First of all, we don't "know" unless you mean, "as we think we know or as we are told". The state is "relatively" Strong? That seems incredible to me. It is probably weak economically if it were to sustain itself, but as far as getting support in every way, militay, economic, political, it is one of the strongest states that the world has ever known. These security issues are indeed issues for every country. Every country needs to have security, why does Israel, which has not been attacked as have many other nations, right next door to it, have been (by Israel itself) have special or superior needs? Doesn't Israel possess the atomic bombs in the region? Aren't they quite the threat rather than the other way around? Can the IDF be interpreted as doing anything but terrorism when they carpet bomb Lebanon or raid Gaza?

It seems to me like the Zionist mind is based on denial. Nothing good comes out of denial.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jafra W. on May 14, 2008 at 4:26pm: before we continue discussion, there is a major fact every one should "believe" in. THE CONSCIOUSNESS EVOLUTION

if each is honest with himself, we can notice without reading books or essays, that all of us experienced this evolution. The last decades have given us the biggest shift, especially through the invention of www.

The lecture about the mayan calender had helped me to understand this evolution properly. There is sure better material .. pls feel free to share.

Part 1 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8689261981090121097
Part 2 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-567329528148516232

Individuals has there own consciousness development story (or not, when they are blind fanatics). here is mine
http://internettime.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=656824%3ABlogPos...

What does this has to do with Zionism?
In the last centuries, after the industrialisation of societies, colonialism, .. etc, national power established the mentality of political action-reaction. Threat, Empowerment, Strong Leadership was the language ..
Those elements has established our current formal political structures.

through the development of our communication and interaction mediums, after the dramatic wars, 9/11 attacks, .. millions of people became to share same consciousness levels. The Ethic society, social networks, informal possibilities and other elements open for us other measures for change as individuals. Co-creativity increased. But still, the global political structure and "classical democratic" institution act with the same mechanism of the power-age.
Even some countries are managing to emerge there political systems, but so long we have Veto , not reformed UN , other totalitarian institutions, we can not say, our global politics has been emerged.

Every open civil society has been influenced by the consciousness evolution taking place and for sure Zionists.

The equation of consciousness evolution is a human one. It is related to man's brain, mind, spiritual ..

So I can understand Neri, when he speaks about "human Zionist" and that those guys are changing too.

The power of Zionism has been build through "Threat" in the middle of power-age.
We can not use same measures to "compete" Zionism.
If we use threat, the classical part (power - equation) will gain more aggression power.
If we concentrate on the common human development in Zionism consciousness and interconnect them with Palestinian one, we can build new development of de-escalation and moving the "threat language" into co-creative language, can be developed.

The way has been used till now is not a future based one.
If we want to build a new future for all of us, we have to use the language and essence of that future, which is indeed NOT POWER.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Khaled Islaih on May 15, 2008 at 3:45am: We now live in a post-human age, our future and destination is determined by post-human dynamics. The only way to influence and connect with post-natural forces is through intentions (focus and attention and may be imagination). I don't think that the accelerated post-national / post -human changes will give Zionist brain any time to do its traditional fabrication. Post-human sciences show us that injustice inflicted by Zionists was not limited to Palestinian only. Zionist destruction and injustices went beyond Palestine's borders to reach many corners of the world. Therefore, I see a universal revolution is emerging against all forms of closed systems created in the industrial age. This revolution will lead to the ultimate meltdown of traditional national concepts including (Zionism) and national states (including Israel and Palestinian Authority and PLO). Many societies now suffer identity crisis (including Israeli society).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul RETI on May 17, 2008 at 8:16am: Hi Khaled,

You wrote "Zionist destruction and injustices went beyond Palestine's borders to reach many corners of the world."

How is that really so?

That statement may be partially true about (the intentions of or for) the Caliphate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Califate), but about Zionism?

Be well...
Paul RETI
Sydney OZ; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul RETI on May 17, 2008 at 8:30am: Hi Mary,

Who is denying what?

Please read the 40 year old Israel's Peculiar Position -- by Eric Hoffer (LA Times -- May 26, 1968) at http://www.mepeace.org/profiles/blog/show?id=661876%3ABlogPost%3A55747 .; ▶ Reply to This