Growth Online > Knowledge Base > Society's Growth  > The Role of the Pioneer Individual in Society The Role of the Pioneer Individual in Society by Roy Posner and MSS The true individual can think for himself, unswayed by the heard mentality. Such self-conception in life enables greatness and genius. It is the pioneer individual who (ironically) brings forth what the society subconsciously yearns for. He leads them by becoming is true individual self. Pioneer as Leader of Society  The Potentials of the Pioneer Society Will Try to Destroy Pioneering Effort   In this section of the Growth Online Knowledge Base, we present our original thoughts, as well as links to our original articles on the Society's Growth topic of "The Role of the Pioneer Individual in Society." (If you wish, you can see our other Society's Growth categories.)   Pioneer as Leader of Society     Overwhelming Success that Presages Emergences in Society We see how an individual's pioneering effort brings out an emerging element of the society that is subconscious to that society at the time. The vast success of Darwin's book Origin of the Species (sold out on the first day) lead the society out of parts of its folly, ignorance, and falsehood. Margaret Mitchell's enormous success with Gone with the Wind's in which the heroine is a difficult, though liberated woman presages the vast emergence of woman in 20th century. And Tom Peters enormous, unexpected success in In Search of Excellence helped accelerate the liberation and freedom of the individual in the workplace, an echo of the hippy phenomenon a few years earlier. Each was an overwhelming success, presaging the corresponding new emerging element in society. If an individual can catch the wave of the emerging element in society -- there is always one or more -- he will have an overwhelming success in his work as these individuals did. The Process of Social Development There are three essential stages in the process of development. In the first stage the society is prepared to move to a higher level of development through its surplus energies, awareness of possibilities, and its aspiration to see the possibilities through. In the second stage pioneer individuals in society express the aspiration in various ways. Finally, in the third stage the initiative of pioneering individuals are accepted, organized, and integrated in society. How a New Opportunity Taken Up Spreads [Here's how a new opportunity taken up spreads:] The pioneer, the leader, the Avatar, etc., broaches the subject to the world. It comes to be accepted long after. Some token experiments succeed. It spreads as an initial wave. Slowly either the government or the society or both take it up, give life to it and sponsor it, give support in the form of a new organisation. That has been the history of any successful social movement until now. (MSS) The Role of the Pioneer Individual in the Process of Social Development Here is the process of how society develops through the efforts of the pioneer individual: Social Preparedness -Society has a surplus of energy at the current level -Society begins to become aware of new possibilities and opportunities -Society has a conscious or subconscious aspiration to move toward new possibilities and opportunities Role of the Pioneer -The pioneer takes up some aspect of society's aspiration -The society accepts the pioneering efforts of the pioneer individual -The pioneering individual's initiatives are matched and multiplied by others in the same or similar areas.   Acceptance and Assimilation -The new initiative accepted buy society is matched by new, more complex forms of organization to help manifest the initiative -The movement of development becomes institutionalized throughout society (such as though education). -the development is further institutionalized though the culture of the family. Though the society may be prepared for its ascent to a higher level of development, there still needs to be some agent to express this in action. That is the role of pioneering individuals. They are people who are willing to break out from the existing mold and try something new. Through their conscious action, they express some aspect of the aspirations that the society is only partially or subconsciously aware of.  The Role of the Pioneer Individual in the Process of Social Development The pioneer is usually not a radical, outcast, or piranha in society, but rather shares its aspirations, knowledge and values to a large degree. Whether it be the two young men who helped start Apple Computer in a garage, setting the stage for a whole new level of technology, or the one farmer among others who dares to accept a loan to dig water wells in rural India when others are afraid to be the first ones, the pioneer breaks with the mold, yet stands within, not outside of the social environment, charting a new course or revealing a new possibility. Next the society needs to have a positive response to the pioneer's initiative. If the pioneer is too far ahead of his time, society will often act negatively or with indifference.) On the other hand, if the pioneer's initiative is in tune with society's aspiration and preparedness, it inspires others to take up the same or newer initiatives. Then the pioneer's initiatives get multiplied throughout society, unleashing a movement of development. For example, if other like-minded farmers in rural India take up the pioneer's acceptance of loans to dig water wells, development begins to ripple through the village and community. When other hackers saw Apple Computers first personal computers demonstrated at the Homebrew computer club, they were inspired to follow, developing related or even new technologies as a result. For those involved in their occupation in social development (economists, educators, politicians, planners, etc.), knowing how to create the appropriate conditions for unleashing the multiplier effect off of the pioneer individual's initiative is essential for formulating effective planned development strategies. The Pioneer who Expresses the Subconscious Urge of Society When an innovative individual captures the imagination of the world, we believe it is his genius alone that has brought about a contribution to society. Little do we realize that this pioneer individual is actually expressing the subconscious will of that society. By subconscious I mean that the society wishes something along those lines to come about, but it is not yet conscious of the fact. The pioneer captures that subtle energy wave inside as an intuitive vision that he manifests through his product, service, insights, skill, etc. Society is evolving. It is constantly seeking new avenues for that growth. It is growing materially, psychologically, mentally, even spiritually. A child of that age looks out at what is possible in the world, and perceives an opportunity for improvement along this life scale. He then goes out and creates his invention, or issues forth a new theory, etc. and the world around him perks up, lifting that object or idea to the masses. It does so because subconsciously the community was already predisposed to it. Now however that subtle social intention has coagulated into something tangible through that individual’s efforts. The possibility gets further organized, it hits a critical mass, and it is then fully embraced by all facets of society. Let me provide several examples that will illustrate: The Internet -- Man is mental -- or at least he is moving in that direction -- as he begins to shed his lower nature and embrace rationality, which is the perception and acceptance of the many-sided truth of things. As that movement toward rational mentality has matured, he is ready to be filled with the knowledge of the world, including organizing mechanisms that can provide, distribute that knowledge. That organization has come to us as the Internet. I.e., man who is organizing his consciousness by embracing the multiplicity of truth, now subconsciously yearns for a mechanism to serve its purpose. The Internet comes along and fulfills that yearning. The pioneer individuals who saw opportunities to deliver it -- such as Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web -- are expressing the subconscious will of society for an ultimate tool to organize and distribute the multiplicity of knowledge it is now ready to embrace. Overnight Shipping -- The world is moving faster and faster. In that process it has begun to fall over itself. Society subconsciously wants to move forward in a more harmonious manner. Because the society is becoming mentally aware, it yearns for tools to organize this rapid speed up of life. A pioneering individual Fred Smith comes forward and advocates a seemingly irrational way or organizing express packaging. It is the overnight approach. You bring all the packages to one point and then redistribute for one-day delivery. On the surface, the world doubts it can be achieved, yet as pioneer he does not listen to the doubting herd and pushes forward. Through vision, will, and perseverance, an organization -- Federal Express -- takes shape, enabling the businessperson, or any other individual or organization to maintain harmony and efficiency is a sped up world. In fact, it enables even greater success.  ‘The Secret’ -- Life has evolved on earth materially, particularly in the West, and increasingly in the East.  Inwardly – i.e. emotionally, psychologically and spiritually -- it has made far less progress. It has exhausted the materialistic, mechanistic view of how life unfolds, and subconsciously yearns for a deeper understanding. From time to time – as in the Hippy era – there is a breakout of a new understanding, and then it closes up. Rhonda Byrne now circa 2007 steps forward and creates a DVD and book ‘The Secret,’ which shows us how we can instantaneously attract the object of our desire. It is based on a cosmic principle known as ‘The Power of Intention.’ Other books, like ‘The Miraculous Phenomenon of Life Response’ by this author go many steps beyond, showing us an entire new way of living based on perceptions of the subtle workings of life. Pioneers have once again forged a new possibility; one that has been there lurking below the conscious layers of society. He or she captures the wave, which appears to that individual as a vision or opportunity, and runs with it. If it is not too in advance of or radical for the society -- it is embraced fully through organizations that become the means of its mass distribution. Now that the global community is exposed to this new reality, it uses it for own benefit, which in turn enables its further progress, releasing new subconscious possibilities. The society then ‘awaits’ the next pioneer to take up the quest to bring about what it subconsciously yearns for. There is something even beyond this dynamic. Behind the collective aspiration is a universal, cosmic Intent that aspires for earth’s progress. Its Desire is fulfilled in society through the effort of pioneering individuals. In that way, the individual, the collective, and the Divine power behind work hand in hand for progress and evolution in the cosmos. Role of Pioneer Individuals Every new developmental activity is initially conceived and introduced by one or a few pioneers. The pioneer is one who sees, believes in and acts upon an opportunity which others fail to see or believe in or lack the energy or courage to pursue. The pioneer exhibits a new understanding, new attitudes, new skills and behaviors different from those prevalent in the community at the time. If the pioneer’s initiative is in tune with the social aspiration and social preparedness, it inspires and encourages other dynamic individuals to imitate or improve upon the new initiative. Pioneers play a crucial role wherever a new activity needs to be seeded in the community for the first time. The first farmer in a village to shift from rice cultivation or sugarcane to growing fruits or flowers for export; the first teacher in a rural town to leave the security of a salaried job to establish a private tutorial institute, and the first industrialist to acquire a new manufacturing technology from overseas all serve as role models and catalysts for development in their respective fields of activity. Viewed from the perspective of the individual, it is the pioneer who initiates the collective process. But viewed from the perspective of the society, it is the collective that expresses its intention and aspiration through the initiative of the pioneer. The role of the pioneer is vital to development, because the next stage of social progress almost always remains unseen by the collective. It is the free thinking, far seeking individual who dares to imagine or conceive what the popular mind is unaware of and then translates that vague possibility into a reality which all can see. Henry Ford became a pioneer and model for American industry early in this century by popularizing methods for mass production. Fred Smith, founder of Federal Express, pioneered creation of a new industry, the overnight parcel delivery business. The pioneer is usually not a rare exception or anomaly in society. He shares to a large degree its aspirations, knowledge and values. By acquiring one new or different attribute or behavior, he charts a new course and reveals a new possibility, all the time basing himself on the society’s present accomplishments and in most cases moving in a direction which the society has already indicated. ---------- It does not really matter whether pioneers come forward on their own internal prompting or in response to an opportunity or demonstration created by government. In either case, the individual embodies and represents the social initiative. What does matter is the response of the society to the pioneer. Often the early pioneer meets with a response of indifference, resistance, contempt or hostility from the community around him, especially when his actions represent a radical departure from the status quo. This usually occurs when the pioneer comes too much before his time, before the society is fully ready to act on its urge for something new. At other times the successful pioneer is actively admired and respected, yet no one else comes forward to imitate his success. In either case, the pioneer’s initiative fails to catch on. If the pioneer pushes through change before the society is fully prepared, the change comes abruptly in the form of a revolution. If the society is fully prepared to accept and follow the pioneer, then the change occurs by a smooth evolution. Revolution is premature evolution. Under appropriate conditions, the success of the pioneer leads to active imitation by other adventurous individuals who in turn serve as models for still others to imitate. In this case, the initiative of the pioneer gets multiplied over and over, rippling through the society and unleashing a development movement. The establishment of the first retail photocopy shop at a prominent location in New Delhi in the late 1970s by the owner of a typing service was an initiative whose time was right. Competing typing companies in the city quickly imitated the pioneer. Within three years the new business had spread like wildfire throughout the country. The adventurous farmer who dug the first successful borewell in a poor, backward South Indian village was initially an isolated example that others refused to follow. But when other farmers in the village saw how the pioneer’s social position was elevated by his new-found wealth, every other farmer in the village rushed to emulate him. Within two years, 440 new wells had been dug in ten surrounding villages. When India’s first software export company was founded in the 1970s, it was difficult for anyone to conceive that within a short span of time hundreds of companies would follow its example. Today India has become a world class competitor in software services with exports projected to exceed $6 billion by year 2000. Knowing how to create the appropriate conditions for unleashing the multiplier effect is essential for formulating effective planned development strategies. (MSS) The Individual Who Reaches a Wider Dimension of Life Only the explorer, the leader, the pioneer, those who court danger and adventure reach a wider dimension of life, if only for a short period. (Paraphrase of MSS) Untitled The people who have the aspiration, the need to know, are the key in the evolution. (Paraphrase of The Mother) The True Individual as Pioneer The true individual can think for himself, unswayed by the heard mentality. Such self-conception in life enables greatness and genius. It is the pioneer individual who (ironically) brings forth what the society subconsciously yearns for. He leads them by becoming is true individual self. The Process of the Collective Creating an Organisation in Society The process of the collective creating an organisation has a subordinate action where the collective subconscious experience matures in the pioneering individual as conscious knowledge ready for action which when the society at large endorses is accepted as a way of life by the whole society, thus creating the psychological basis for the birth of a social organisation. In the measure this new organisation that is born by the psychological growth and sanction of the entire society draws upon its roots to convert that sanction into laws, rules, procedures, customs, usage, belief, social system and social culture, that organisation takes root in the society. (MSS) Process of the Emergence of New Leader Reflecting Undercurrent Change in Society Subconscious collective society in its self-conceptive self-determinism throws up a conscious leader when it is mature, having changed its old attitudes into new ones, so that it may move from its physical vital experience to mental comprehension by its own conscious awakening of discarding its anachronisms. (MSS) Gandalf in Lord of the Rings as Pioneer Perhaps we can say that Gandalf is the pioneer who perceives the problems that are emerging, and wishes to undertake a great initiative to combat it. He is not unlike Churchill who meets with great resistance, and yet eventually convinces. As pioneer Gandalf is especially great because he has organized the undertaking in great detail. Like Churchill who made his case before Parliament, Gandalf is wise to gather the tribes of peoples together to discuss the issue, to convince them of the impending doom. From out of that meeting come the members of the fellowship, with representatives of the major races of Middle Earth, excluding Mordor and a few other allies. Gandalf has organized the convincing stage of his effort, even before he has organized the actual effort. Many pioneers are simply at the mercy of society's acceptance in the first place; whereas he has organized the acceptance. He is following the most positive process of success at the level of the pioneer. He has inner powers to help him in that regard. That is a valuable asset and resource for Infinite success, which is what is almost required in this story. Pioneer in Personal Growth, Social Development, Creation of the Universe When we try to evolve ourselves it is an internal pioneering act, mirroring the efforts of the pioneer to steer society in a new direction, itself mirroring the process of Creation of the universe from a Divine source, the ultimate pioneering Act. There is thus a similarity between the pioneer act of personal growth, society's growth, and Cosmic Growth. Or to put it another way, the process of growth -- i.e. through a pioneering element -- is the same at all planes. The Pioneer who Expresses the Subconscious Urge of Society When an innovative individual captures the imagination of the world, we believe it is his genius alone that has brought about a contribution to society. Little do we realize that this pioneer individual is actually expressing the subconscious will of that society. By subconscious I mean that the society wishes something along those lines to come about, but it is not yet conscious of the fact. The pioneer captures that subtle energy wave inside as an intuitive vision that he manifests through his product, service, insights, skill, etc. Society is evolving. It is constantly seeking new avenues for that growth. It is growing materially, psychologically, mentally, even spiritually. A child of that age looks out at what is possible in the world, and perceives an opportunity for improvement along this life scale. He then goes out and creates his invention, or issues forth a new theory, etc. and the world around him perks up, lifting that object or idea to the masses. It does so because subconsciously the community was already predisposed to it. Now however that subtle social intention has coagulated into something tangible through that individual’s efforts. The possibility gets further organized, it hits a critical mass, and it is then fully embraced by all facets of society. Let me provide several examples that will illustrate: The Internet -- Man is mental -- or at least he is moving in that direction -- as he begins to shed his lower nature and embrace rationality, which is the perception and acceptance of the many-sided truth of things. As that movement toward rational mentality has matured, he is ready to be filled with the knowledge of the world, including organizing mechanisms that can provide, distribute that knowledge. That organization has come to us as the Internet. I.e., man who is organizing his consciousness by embracing the multiplicity of truth, now subconsciously yearns for a mechanism to serve its purpose. The Internet comes along and fulfills that yearning. The pioneer individuals who saw opportunities to deliver it -- such as Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web -- are expressing the subconscious will of society for an ultimate tool to organize and distribute the multiplicity of knowledge it is now ready to embrace. Overnight Shipping -- The world is moving faster and faster. In that process it has begun to fall over itself. Society subconsciously wants to move forward in a more harmonious manner. Because the society is becoming mentally aware, it yearns for tools to organize this rapid speed up of life. A pioneering individual Fred Smith comes forward and advocates a seemingly irrational way or organizing express packaging. It is the overnight approach. You bring all the packages to one point and then redistribute for one-day delivery. On the surface, the world doubts it can be achieved, yet as pioneer he does not listen to the doubting herd and pushes forward. Through vision, will, and perseverance, an organization -- Federal Express -- takes shape, enabling the businessperson, or any other individual or organization to maintain harmony and efficiency is a sped up world. In fact, it enables even greater success.  ‘The Secret’ -- Life has evolved on earth materially, particularly in the West, and increasingly in the East.  Inwardly – i.e. emotionally, psychologically and spiritually -- it has made far less progress. It has exhausted the materialistic, mechanistic view of how life unfolds, and subconsciously yearns for a deeper understanding. From time to time – as in the Hippy era – there is a breakout of a new understanding, and then it closes up. Rhonda Byrne now circa 2007 steps forward and creates a DVD and book ‘The Secret,’ which shows us how we can instantaneously attract the object of our desire. It is based on a cosmic principle known as ‘The Power of Intention.’ Other books, like ‘The Miraculous Phenomenon of Life Response’ by this author go many steps beyond, showing us an entire new way of living based on perceptions of the subtle workings of life. Pioneers have once again forged a new possibility; one that has been there lurking below the conscious layers of society. He or she captures the wave, which appears to that individual as a vision or opportunity, and runs with it. If it is not too in advance of or radical for the society -- it is embraced fully through organizations that become the means of its mass distribution. Now that the global community is exposed to this new reality, it uses it for own benefit, which in turn enables its further progress, releasing new subconscious possibilities. The society then ‘awaits’ the next pioneer to take up the quest to bring about what it subconsciously yearns for. There is something even beyond this dynamic. Behind the collective aspiration is a universal, cosmic Intent that aspires for earth’s progress. Its Desire is fulfilled in society through the effort of pioneering individuals. In that way, the individual, the collective, and the Divine power behind work hand in hand for progress and evolution in the cosmos. MSS Article on Pioneer and Reactions of Society   The Potentials of the Pioneer   Overview Knowing the Social Boon Enables Further Boon When we are born the society gives each of us a great boon of riches. To know what the emerging boon has been and is now enables us to avail of the NEXT HIGHEST level of boon. In that way we all have the opportunity to become pioneers. An Individual's Expanding Horizons Education widens the horizons of the human mind, while travel and experience enlarge one's personality. The advancement of society compels him, though gently, to rise to greater heights of personality. Only the explorer, the leader, the pioneer, those who court danger and adventure reach a wider dimension of life, if only for a short period. (Paraphrase of MSS) The Future is for the Pioneer The future is for the pioneering individual, not for the superstitious tradition. (MSS) Opportunities for the Pioneering Individual The Pioneer and Emerging Society One who draws on the emerging social forces that is subconscious to the society becomes the great pioneer, and great achiever. The business who that has an ear to the ground of the emerging social forces, and implements it as new products will explode in sales and profits. The same opportunity is there for the individual, institution, or any collective unity of the society. The Market is There for the Unselfish Thinker The quest for knowledge [in the world] is there in a greater measure than before, in an unprecedented measure. It is a valuable market for those who are willing to exert themselves to cater to that market. That market is ubiquitous. It cannot be known from the textbooks or college courses. It has to come out of one’s own thinking based on his own observation of others’ needs. For such a person, an unselfish THINKER, there is an ever-expanding market in every sector. He who discovers it is the pioneer in that field. Even a new packaging - the sachet - brought about revolutionary potentials. Think, you can live better. (MSS) Reconciling Material Prosperity and Spiritual Realization in the World The world fulfils itself by relating the two ends of Material Prosperity and Spiritual realization. It is its destiny. The spiritual realization of India which was at one point partial has become whole in recent decades as a result of the evolutionary realizations of individuals such as Sri Aurobindo that took India beyond her static spiritual wisdom. The practical organization of the US is currently physical which enables material prosperity. However, the practical organization of the US must rise from its physical basis to a spiritual basis. One or more individuals, by living a life that includes both, can build the bridge between, reconcile the two worlds of material prosperity and spiritual realization. Such individuals can then develop their shortest method into The Formula of life, which the whole world can then readily follow, fulfilling its purpose and destiny. (Paraphrase of MSS) Process of Intuition of Next Great Thing by Pioneer in the Organization The founder of the company has the pioneer vision and intuition of something revealing itself as a new possibility in the society. Even if you are not the founder, you can act in this way as if you were the founder. Then how does this intuition come about? This process of having the right intuition of what is the next great thing comes to you when you have a wider view, wider than your industry. If you are at the level of the factory, then you must see things from the level of the industry, if at the industry perceive at level of the opportunities in the economy, and from it to the nation as a whole. This will ensure intuition of the new possibilities appearing to you as a vision or revelation. In essence what is occurring is that you are seeing things from a wider perspective, not from the limited part you now know but from the wider whole. Intuition in essence arises by looking at the part from the view of the whole. (Paraphrase of MSS) Success is for Those Who Dare and Act in An Aggressive (Seemingly Oppressive) Market Work goes to China from USA in pursuit of low cost. Jobs are lost in the USA. The small US manufacturer goes out of business. The nation faces this crisis. The national association of tool manufacturers is called NTMA, National Tool Manufacturing Association. They are of all sizes, from $2 million to $20 million. A few of the companies are worth between 70 and 100 million dollars. In the view of the NTMA members, this crisis is a disaster and a misfortune. We see it as the greatest opportunity for the members. How can that be told to them? Even if we manage to speak it out to them, of what use is this sterile philosophy? Can we make them see that this is an opportunity and inspire them to act on that basis? The facts are on our side. We addressed their conference five years ago and earlier seventeen years ago. Out of the 2000 members, we have interviewed 40 or 50 of them. Several of them who were doing 2 or 3 million five years ago are now at 7 or 10 million dollars. That is a fact. But there is another side to that fact. Several others have closed shop. Many others are frightened of the prospect of closing. The interviews clearly show that the MARKET is aggressive, but expanding. Those who rise to the occasion of aggressiveness are caught by the wave of expansion and move from two million to ten or twenty. Those who are timid, and cling to their old ways are wiped out by the aggressively changing market. Success is for those who dare and act. (MSS, edited) Examples of Great Pioneering Efforts The Gorbachev Miracle Gorbachev single handedly ended the Cold War. He also did something unprecedented in the history of the world; he enabled a revolution that reversed things to the opposite while in power, while representing that old system which he destroyed. And he did it bloodlessly, which is perhaps even more remarkable. It is a sign of the Force at work for sure, which creates always in entirely new, unprecedented ways. Churchill, England's Courage Saved the World; Using the Force When all Europe capitulated to Hitler, he expected England to hasten to surrender. What happened was the opposite. Churchill declared, “We shall fight, fight to the end. We shall fight the enemy on the land, let us fight him on the high seas. Let us give fight in the air. We shall fight him in the streets, we shall fight, fight and die fighting.” It inspired every man in the factory, every woman in the kitchen. England won, NOT Hitler. England won FREEDOM. England saved democracy. England saved the world. That is the courage of the collective. Churchill received the SPIRITUAL FORCE from Sri Aurobindo and exhibited spiritual courage, which spread all over England and all over the world. It is true not only in the subtle plane but in the warfront too. (MSS)   The Evolutionary Being The Evolutionary Being Who Moves Society The evolutionary being, i.e. one who directly effects the world or the world around them is marked by a single-mindedness, whether the single-mindedness of a Napoleon or the single mindedness of purity of love that Sabrina had for Linus. The former is a conscious instrument of evolution; the latter is a non-conscious instrument. The several requirements to be an evolutionary instrument are:   1) conscious awareness of the role. 2) releasing not psychological energy but evolutionary energy. 3) giving not a romantic direction but an evolutionary direction. 4) organizing oneself as an evolutionary power, not a social power. 5) reaping the evolutionary results, not a mere romantic fulfillment or an upward social movement.  (MSS) Original Thinkers, Genius and Pioneering Number of Original Thinkers The maximum number of original thinkers the world has produced will not exceed 100, maybe only half of that. They are the pinnacle of Mind. (MSS) Also See Thoughts on the Enabling of Genius, Intuition, and Original Thinking   The Psychological and Spiritual Individual and Pioneering The Individual Determines the Society Social determinism is Self-determinism. [Examples of such individuals:] Avatars [i.e. those who bring about the next stage of human evolution] have aspired for the abolition of suffering. Great leaders have worked for the abolition of slavery. Thinkers were dreaming of Prosperity, equality, and happiness for all mankind. (MSS) Man Should Realize His Own Value as a Psychological and Spiritual Individual Man does not see the VALUE is his, his own. To whomsoever he gives that value, his value rises. Coming nearer home, it is MAN who is the unit of the society. The value of the society today is the value each individual gives to the society. In reality, society looms large in his imagination and is oppressively sitting on his psychological life. It is time Man realises his value, his value to the society, comes into his own, becomes an Individual, and sheds the artificial value he has for the society. Should Man discover himself as a Spiritual Individual, he must first discover himself as a Psychological Individual who can act on his own. To do that, he must overcome the phobia of the society which haunts him as a dark shadow. It is Man the individual, the pioneer, who should lead the society, not the society the individual. For anyone to make it in social life, to make a mark, this inversion is essential. (MSS) One's Spirit Connecting to Society's Spirit Enables Boom When a writer or the leader or other skilled individual has touched the Spirit in his own inspiration in his field, it touches the Spirit of the population also. This individual Spirit calling the social Spirit creates a live ever-increasing movement, a boom, e.g. of sales or popularity. Anyone who is patient enough to invoke the Spirit in his own life, who acts on his own faith in Spirit rather than his own individual capacities to succeed, will witness such a boom in his own life. How far it will rise depends upon how far he is in tune with the Spirit of the Times. With the spiritual Force ever-increasing in the atmosphere, this phenomenon of interrelated Spirit is ever-more likely to burst out into boom. (Paraphrase of MSS)   Spiritual Pioneers The Avatar The Avatar is one who comes to open the Way for humanity to a higher consciousness. (Sri Aurobindo)   Avatar, the Divine, and the Vibhuti -The Avatar is necessary when a special work is to be done and in crises of the evolution. The Avatar is a special manifestation while for the rest of the time it is the Divine working within the ordinary human limits as a Vibhuti. -The Avatar is one who comes to open the Way for humanity to a higher consciousness -One can be a great man without knowing such things as that. Great Men or even great Vibhutis need not be omniscient or know things which it was not useful for them to know. -An Avatar or Vibhuti have the knowledge that is necessary for their work, they need not have more. There was absolutely no reason why Buddha should know what was going on in Rome. An Avatar even does not manifest all the Divine omniscience and omnipotence; he has not come for any such unnecessary display; all that is behind him but not in the front of his consciousness. As for the Vibhuti, the Vibhuti need not even know that he is a power of the Divine. Some Vibhutis like Julius Caesar for instance have been atheists. Buddha himself did not believe in a personal God, only in some impersonal and indescribable Permanent. (Sri Aurobindo) The Avatar as Ultimate Pioneer The Avatar is Indian term for the ultimate pioneer in that he/she brings out something spiritually new that the world is now ready for.  He is one who changes the course of human evolution; such as Buddha, Krishna, and Jesus. Spirit-based Individuals, Avatars, Vibhutis, Geniuses, et al; Levels of Spirit that We Can Become Evaluation of Known Spirit-Oriented Individuals Saints, sages, realised souls, vibhutis, and even Avatars are not recognised in their immediate environment. Usually they are recognised after their lives. Persecution is the rule, recognition is the exception. Most of the saints who were exceedingly popular during their lives are easily forgotten by posterity because their popularity was due to their personality and not due to their spirituality. How can we evaluate the spiritual worth of a person? There are two ways. One is to know them by what they are. The other is to know how they impact on our own human lives. Avatars and Vibhutis Avatars, vibhutis, minor emanations, geniuses, heroes, leaders seem to be the order. Avatars are known to be messiahs who come down from heaven to deliver a message of God to men. They are charged with a mission by the Godhead. Buddha, Krishna, Rama, and Jesus are called avatars. Avatars can be major or minor ones. A single aspect of a godhead entering a human soul makes him a vibhuti. They appear on earth once in a few centuries. They bring about a revolution in the ways of human life impacting minds or lives. Shankara, Shivaji, Caesar, Alexander and Napoleon have been described as vibhutis or God’s emanations. Napoleon said that a man like him appeared once in three or four hundred years. He came to consolidate the gains of the French Revolution and offered the rule of law to the whole of Europe. The legal as well as administrative system of all the European nations today is what Napoleon originally devised. Even here, it is customary to speak of major and minor vibhutis or emanations. How We Become a Genius through Spirit in Mind, Powerful through Spirit in Vital, Son of God through Spirit in the Body Man becomes a genius when the SPIRIT touches his mind. Mind has objective knowledge, i.e. the knowledge of what it sees outside. The higher, wider, completer knowledge belongs to the Spirit. It dwells inside. Man goes inside and touches the Spirit. It comes out of his mind. In the mind, the Spirit emerges as genius. Spirit emerging through the vital - the nerves - makes MAN a Caesar or Shivaji. The Spirit emerging through the vehicle of the body renders man the Son of God. (MSS, with headings added) Creation of Universe is Ultimate Pioneering Act The universe in its emergence from a Divine Source -- i.e. the process of Creation -- is the "pioneer" movement from pure Spirit to embodying the Spirit in a multiplicity of forms in creation, including ourselves. The creation of the universe itself is thus the ultimate pioneering act. Our Own Creativity is Ultimately the Creativity of the Divine Creative personalities create unique products, but their theme is social, what all society happily receives and endorses. A writer feels that what he writes is his OWN thought. Yoga says thoughts are not ours, they are universal and they pass through our minds. (MSS)   Society Will Try to Destroy Pioneering Effort   MSS Article on Pioneer and Reactions of Society   The Pioneer's Effort is Accepted Long After The pioneer, the leader, the Avatar, etc., broaches the subject to the world. It comes to be accepted long after. Some token experiments succeed. They spread as an initial wave. Slowly either the government or the society or both take it up, give life to it, sponsor it, and give support in the form of a new organisation. That has been the history of any successful social movement until now. (MSS)   Society's Preparedness and the Rise of the Pioneer Unless the whole society unconsciously prepares for something, no single pioneer can rise anywhere. (MSS) The Pioneer and the Reaction of Society It is the Individual pioneer who leads the society. Not all take to that individual for a long time. In any sector, a time comes when the whole population rushes for it. Even after that the left over of a small percentage has great work for the collective and for the creative entrepreneur, it is a richer field than usual. To abridge the time between the appearance of the first individual and the exodus of the population towards that is social development. In any established field of excessive competition, this area offers a richer pasture for the creative enterprising individual. After the pioneer or pioneers appear on the scene, the masses hesitate to avail of the social opportunity – education, insurance or phone, etc. The non-pioneers can benefit by the social support. The society by offering that support enables the individual to grow, which is social growth. (MSS) Pioneer and Sanction of Society A pioneer individual can make a breakthrough in the society so long as he has the conscious or subconscious sanction of the society. If he is too far ahead, he may go nowhere, or even cause a backlash against him. Pioneer and Society The pioneer individual initiates for the society that which it is unconscious of.   When the pioneer initiates and evolutionary movement, the society tries to do everything to tear it down, including through individuals. The greater the anachronisms in the society (and they can be found everywhere), the greater the resistance.   When the pioneer achieves for the society, the society often takes all the credit, and ignores or even scorns the pioneer who enabled it in the first place.   Society's Reactions to the Efforts of the Pioneer Individual Society progresses through the pioneering efforts of certain individuals. That individual takes up the conscious or subconscious will of that society, and then embraces the new way, enabling it to spread throughout the collective. Sometimes the society attempts to destroy the emerging new influence, idea, product, etc. that the pioneer brings, especially if it is out of step with what is commonly accepted. The church attempted to destroy Galileo for his heliocentric view of the universe, and the reactionary forces in ancient Greece forced Socrates to take to Hemlock poison. In later times, of course, what they brought to bear, and who they were as personalities were acknowledged as great. One way they destroy an emerging pioneer is through the chink in his or her armor, such as a psychological defect or some other weakness. Jesus brought pioneer Love to the world, but the Romans destroyed him too because he did not have the spiritual strength that would have avoided persecution. Hamlet brought a new evolutionary urge of the Mind on the social collective, but the society too tried to destroy him because of limitations in his vital/emotional being. The same perhaps could be said of a Kennedy, a Clinton, and many others. When one brings a new insight or evolutionary urge into the world, one must be prepared for the hostile reaction. It is the mischief of the dark side that opposes the light. If one has the strength, and the purity of consciousness, the hostility can be overcome. Such hostility comes when the change is vast or radical and is decidedly out of step with the society. Sometimes it is concomitant with society, poses no threat, and is still very helpful, such as those efforts of a Henry Ford or a Bill Gates that brought further developments in the areas of economic and organizational change. In these cases, they are swept up and adopted in full by the society, who are fully ready to move forward in that direction. When we take to a decided change, we need to measure the forces around us who seek to help us or bring us down. We must also be aware of our own weaknesses, for it is through that point that the world will test us. Even if we are trying to be our own personal pioneer by moving to the next level of success in life, we also have to be aware of the mischief of the darkness and limitation that resides within our own selves. Still taking to the new, especially rising the next evolutionary wave of society, though an idea or a product or service, etc. is open to everyone at any level in the 21st century.   How the Collective Killed the Pioneering Effort Long Ago When the Mind thinks, the body acts. The act yields results. This is not how Man has created our civilisation. He worked, and so his body learnt. That alone was the route Man knew in earlier millennia. As years passed, the human mind awoke. It began to think. The thinking of the Mind that was awake inspired the Mind. One man’s thinking provoked an opposition from other men. The collective killed the pioneering thinker, offering him hemlock or throwing him behind bars. When everyone saw the sun going around the earth, one man’s mind understanding that the sun does not go around the earth but the earth goes around the sun, landed in jail. His mind awoke and saw, but it remained in his mind. (MSS) Society Opposes Non-Routine Idea Society opposes the good idea when it is not an accepted routine. (Paraphrase of MSS) Idealism that is Crushed Idealism that is counter to the cherished beliefs of the present will be destroyed physically, however justified and noble it is otherwise. (MSS) See MSS Article on the Film 'The Verdict', discussing the Reaction of Society to the Hero's Attempt to Bring Justice The Courage to Take up Society's Opportunities Society is constantly throwing up new opportunities. But individuals in the society have no courage to resort to the new opportunities created by the society because the very same society will condemn such a pioneer effort. So we must learn to have the courage to take up the opportunities despite what society says. This applies to the average individual in his or another field, the leader of the company or of the nation, etc. Sometimes we must take up such pioneering efforts outside of or in spite of the normal bounds of the current organization or structure. People see the results of opportunities taken up, but not the opportunities that arise. (MSS) World is Unreceptive to New Ideas: We Can Find out Why -The world is not receptive to new ideas, particularly new boons. If one goes on the Internet and learns how the major discoveries were received by the world, one will be appalled at the treatment they had received. The world was conservative. It is conservative to the core today.   -Man is conservative, traditional and will oppose tooth and nail every good thing that develops.     -It will be a GREAT project for a PhD student of an advanced university if he lists all the BOONS at our doorstep - organisational, political, technological, educational, social, etc. - and evaluates them in terms of their contribution and records the reception they get at various levels of the society. Man's dire need is AWAKENING to the new world that is springing up around him. (MSS) On the Character of Howard Roark in Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead How the fraternity of architects treats him, how the unthinking social mass disowns him, how much he suffers are all in character – what every pioneer or sage has undergone without exception. Organization Turns Ideals Into Falsehood It is sad to see how the ideals and truths of great men and movements are turned into falsehoods through an organization established for the ideal. The true power, strength, and truth of the ideal comes from the individual, not the institution set up to organize the ideal. The organization corrupts it, ruins it. (E.g. the UN itself is undemocratic, in its Security Council, as it values democracy and equality; Napoleon turns away from his mission and puts relatives in place as he resorts back to organization of government; the USSR creates false government structure to implement its social values; a guru's or thinkers profound insights turn to falsehood through the organization created, etc.)   The truth of the Force of evolution that is behind the emerging of new great forces and developments in the world manifests through the ideals of the awakened Individual, not through the falsehood of the organization that is set up to further the ideal, which corrupts it.  (Paraphrase of MSS) Hamlet as Symbol of Emergence of the Mental Individual in the Human Collective Hamlet represents the beginning of a new phase in the evolution of Western society – the birth of thinking mind and the emergence of mental individuality in the human collective. Instead of immediately seeking to revenge his father’s death, Hamlet begins to contemplate the nature of human existence. He perceives the pretense and falsehood of society. He becomes conscious of his own personal defects. He comes to question the very purpose of life and action. All this is possible, because the thinking mind has been born in Hamlet and that mind is giving shape to his individuality. … Hamlet is a symbol captured in fiction of a real historical phenomenon that was occurring at the time the play was written – the collective development of thinking mind and mental individuality in Europe. (MSS) Social Forces Working to Destroy Hamlet's Mental Progress The existing social forces are covertly working through subconscious life channels to weaken or destroy the nascent mental consciousness in Hamlet by presenting it in its weak condition with an intolerable burden. It is the same movement that overtly confronted Socrates, Copernicus, Jesus and innumerable others who represented in themselves some new manifestation. (MSS) Hamlet Represents Something New to Society, But They Feel Threatened The situation in consciousness expresses literally in life. Hamlet has grown to manhood, his faculty of knowledge is developed, but he is excluded from the throne which is the true power for action. In this respect he is not merely an individual but a representative of a growth in the society as a whole. He is part of and represents the royal house of Denmark, the central will (“head”) of the state. Not only is his birth a new development in the society, but it threatens the existing social consciousness and evokes a response of fear and hostility from it. In other words, his birth marks the appearance of a greater possibility, a greater power of consciousness, to rule Denmark. Because it is a higher development it has a power over the existing society and also poses a threat to it. But because it is young and not yet integrated with the present achievements of the civilisation, it is awkward, unbalanced, weak and its appearance creates a temporary disequilibrium or gap in the consciousness of the society. This gap is a weakness which invites a challenge. The challenge comes from Norway as war. But the vitality of Denmark embodied in Old Hamlet is strong and the result of the threat is an expansion of Denmark’s sovereignty over a far greater area. In life, a new emergence usually brings with it an upset, accident or temporary difficulty. But where the basis is firm and the new element positive, the net result is an expansion and progress. In this case Hamlet’s birth marks the rise of Denmark as a greater international power. (MSS) Social Forces that Support and Oppose Hamlet's Evolutionary Advance At a deeper level the positive support for Hamlet reflects the readiness and willingness of the country for an evolutionary advance, namely, to develop a governing mental consciousness. The resistance to this advance comes from the old established order, not the wider collectivity and we find the forces of the social life constantly fostering the movement. (MSS)   Unpopularity of Pioneer in Hometown As a rule, great men are unpopular in their own hometowns. That continues to be so even after they attain national or international fame. (It indicates the smallness and meanness of people there.) (Paraphrase of MSS) [Gorbachev was unpopular in Russia after saving Russia and the world. -editor]   Threat of the Negative The positive cannot accomplish at a higher level without overcoming the threat of the negative. Individuals as well as society achieve only when the strength is Organised to contain the mischief of the negative. (MSS)   Reaching the Next Highest Positive Level The positive cannot accomplish at a higher level without overcoming the threat of the negative. E.g. a man was meant for higher accomplishment. As the opportunity emerged, his own dark past rose and confronted him. His ability to handle it successfully was essential for his further progress. (Paraphrase of MSS)   A Principle of Life Within the same plane, initiatives generate results with lesser or greater difficulty. They meet with resistance in the measure the initiatives involve an upward movement within the plane or require energy and capacity beyond the endowments of the individuals involved. The difficulty is in proportion to the distance.   Idealism and How Life Responds Life sometimes brings a great result to the idealist. Other times just the opposite occurs. The latter may be the case when one's ideals are not matched by his other beliefs and actions in life, thus attracting no positive, or even negative results.   Resistance to New Invention Orthodoxy, conservation, tradition are the old ways of life summarised by the modern term ‘Establishment’. That the old strongly resists the new is the order of the day. The old ways of life are so strong, that they can come back sooner or later, even if removed effectively. After the French Revolution, Napoleon made himself the Emperor. Later the royalty was restored. The same thing happened in England earlier. Even in democratic countries, the President of the nation behaves like a Monarch and people at all levels treat him as a King. The old is strongly entrenched, not easy to remove. As late as 1930, the US public opinion was not in favour of Darwin’s theory of evolution being taught in the schools. There was a famous case at that time against a teacher who taught the principle of evolution. Those who stick to the old methods won’t permit a little change of any description. About 170 years ago the Railways came into existence. Christians who believed in the sanctity of the Sunday Sabbath would not allow the Railways to operate on Sundays. For several decades that rule prevailed. In Scotland it was there for a longer time than in England. Every innovation - the steamship, the telegraph, the phone, the radio, etc. - met with the same type of resistance. Science called it superstition, but later science developed its own orthodoxy. As recently as 1960 when Eisenhower was President of USA, he disliked the use of phones, though his position compelled him to use them frequently. Industrialists introduce new technologies, but try to operate them in the old way, thereby getting the minimal benefit. (MSS)   Forces that Oppose Pioneering Act for the Individual, Society, and the Creation of the Universe When an individual tries to grow, that pioneering movement is thwarted by the various limiting tendencies of his character and being. When the society tries to grow through the pioneering efforts of individuals, the society may try to oppose it, When the universe was created, dark forces came about in response to the pioneering effort of the ultimate positive Act of creation.   Also See Thoughts on the Opposition One Encounters When Moving to a Higher Plane and the Influence of the Atmosphere, Society   Also See Thoughts on Anachronisms in Society   Growth Online Contact Us