The following is a summary of the presentation given to Humanists of Utah by Jan Tyler September 19, 1991.

We are living in a time where there is a Crisis of Perception, where the most pressing issue of our day are not being addressed by our leaders, because their current mode of thinking consists in looking at the parts of problems, not their whole.

Society is now looking at the whole. We are seeing how one part of our world can influence the rest. A good example is our rain forests. We are realizing that if we do not preserve our natural resources, then they, and eventually we, will cease to exist, because of our interconnectedness.

The problem lies with our "leaders." Society is ahead of the decisions our "leaders" are making. "Leadership" ideas need to move from a mechanistic mode to an organic way of thinking and behaving. We need to take responsibility for the universal well-being of the earth and its people everywhere. Each one of us is an earth-mate going through an earth-walk.

Becoming aware of our interconnectedness is a personal decision, and as Carl Rogers has said, "That which is most personal is most universal." If I am feeling something is amiss, then it is usually felt universally.

There is a need to shape society using the premise of the power within, not the power over. Our leaders should have or acquire the interconnected systems orientation.

We are presently in the insanity mode, which in effect means doing the same old thing over and over again, expecting different results. A way out of this mode is to move from looking at the parts to looking at the whole, and seeing things from a different perspective.

The twentieth century will remembered as the egocentric, traditional period of time where the parts, not the whole, were mainly considered; where people were confused by paradox; where society polarized and separated, and people felt alienated. This century will be marked as a "fear-based" time period.

Hopefully, the twenty-first century will have a shift in patterns. It will be "love-based" in nature. A unitive, rather than a dualistic mind will transpire. We will see the whole, contextually. Societies will understand and resolve paradoxes. The world will deal with dichotomies. It will integrate and unify. And as a result, people will feel part of the larger whole.

Many of today's college students are reflecting the 21st century love-based philosophy because they are challenging the systems that are fear-based.

The bureaucracy in the state of Utah reflects a substantial amount of religious addiction which manifests in fear-based power addictions. within the government, there is the "King and I" syndrome. This is the practice where no one is allowed to have his/her head higher than the king's. There is an intellectual and institutional inbreeding where no one dares to cross the "leader," and an elite remains an elite because of this. This inbreeding over a long period of time creates imbeciles. Our leaders surround themselves with the "incestuousness of imbeciles." With this overlay of religious power and addiction everyone loses out on the richness of our diversity here in Utah.

The fear-based mind is threatened by differences, for to be different means to be wrong. The fear-based patterns take on judgmental roles which are generally negative in nature. The need to control is the main dynamic, and scarcity is the result.

The unitive mind, on the other hand, is love-based. It is self-determining, enjoys diversity, and celebrates it. The focus is on abundance and freedom - the right to make choices. It is self-defining and self-governing.

Cult behavior is prevalent in our American society, and it runs congruent with the religious and power addiction. A cult offers a feeling of belonging. It attracts those who have experienced a crisis in their life such as the loss of a loved one, or a divorce. Cult leaders capitalize on the vulnerabilities of people. The first major characteristic change that takes place when one joins a cult is the subjugation to group compliance. Second comes the fostering of allegiance to the leader. Third is the devaluing of outsiders. And fourth is the avoidance of dissent. And, if a member decides to leave the cult, s/he pays a dear price in emotional distress. Religious addiction can even become toxic.

The dominant theme in cult behaviors and addictions is the defense mechanism called denial. The "leaders" deny the experience the victim is having, so the control and abuse continue.

One of the ways to change ourselves is to become aware of our own addictions and patterns; to be mindful of the here and now, and conscious of the interactions with others. As we grow in awareness we can change. We can become cognizant of our behavior and language and ask ourselves, "Does it leave people out, and/or put people down?"

We need to empower people at the young age, so they can develop the social tools to defend themselves. We need to give them a type of mental karate. And we need to pay attention to our own responses, and not retaliate like our aggressors have done.

We can change our attitude from power over others to power within ourselves. We can move to a partnership philosophy wherein our community becomes inclusive, and our boundaries are soft and nurturing. We can move beyond democracy with the freedom to speak out and buck the trends we see as being unproductive. We can move from the unconscious to the mindful. And as we become self-determining in our behavior, then others will see this and emulate it.

--Nancy Moore