Building Material: Our Egoism

Question: There is concern that a person who is mentally included in the general integral system will stop applying regular physical effort, and it is possible to say that he will turn into an abstract slacker. Will there be place for linear human efforts in the integral world?

Answer: We were evolving throughout human history under the influence of the egoism developing in us. Egoism was going through various stages: physical egoism, food, sex, and family and egoism that directed us towards wealth, fame, power, and knowledge, but today, we have reached an impasse and need something higher.

The attracting force of the past egoistic development disappears; a person rushes to something, but where, it is unknown. That is why we have all these spiritual methods, techniques, manipulation, New Age, and the like. People are suddenly become attracted to religions again; truly, it seems “back and forth,” but in reality, it is a search that will pass quickly.

We enter into the integral. That is, now humanity will begin to understand that our next state is the creation of an integral society.

And what is wrong with our egoism?

Today, we have reached the line, and from here, we will start building an integral system or become like the integral system, nature, which is the same.

How do we do this? We do this with the egoism that grows in us.

What does it mean growing; we have said that it no longer grows?

It begins to grow so that you will transform it into integral. This is a completely different egoism, which will oppose and hinder your becoming integral. And on the basis of it, looking at it, you can change yourself because you will be able to see all the negative disturbances, this breaking in this mechanism, and how to correct it and become integral.

Why do we need this system?

We need it so that through all kinds of breakdowns, failures, suffering, various conflicts, the lack of understanding, and egoistic rejection of other people, my egoism dragged me away again.

Why do I need, on the basis of it, to try through my efforts to enter into the integral system with everyone?

Because then I obtain skills, learning like a pupil who does exercises. A pupil is given homework all the time; he should feel: correct or incorrect. The incorrect turns into the correct, it is said: “The experienced one is better than two inexperienced.” “The experienced one” is the one who realizes his transgressions, mistakes. That is, we are constantly analyzing our mistakes, but they are not our mistakes; thus, our egoistic nature is specially developed in us, not because we want this, but in order that we rise above it and create an integral community.

That is why egoism is growing, but this is an entirely different egoism, directed against the community.

This is another kind of work. If earlier I used egoism linearly and through it constantly advanced, developed egoistically, now I consciously, pushing against it, transform it into integral unity, connection with others. Today, it is building material for me; I build with its help.

Comment: So, for egoism to be manifested, do I have to interact with the world physically, do I have to be in this world?

Answer: Our world was created this way for this purpose because in it we can be simultaneously in egoistic and in higher qualities.
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From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 5/30/12