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What is the essential difference between humans and other creatures in nature? The abilities of other creatures change very little over hundreds or even thousands of years, whereas humans advance significantly from generation to generation.
Why is this the case? Would it not be sufficient for one generation to replace the previous, and so life would continue on Earth? We observe that a newborn must grow and develop to live a full, productive life, achieving goals, starting a family, and bearing children. This is true of animals too, but unlike them, we do not merely continue to survive, but we also evolve. So the question arises: what is the purpose of this development?
Perhaps there is a parallel between humanity and a single infant. Just as a newborn is still unfit for life and must develop wisdom, strength, and emotional depth to understand and structure their life, then maybe the same applies to humanity as a whole? It could be that humanity’s evolution over dozens of thousands of years corresponds to the evolutionary stages of a single person—from infancy to maturity—only that in our case, each stage lasts several years.
When we raise children, we know what kind of development they require. We understand how to provide them with toys, games, learning tools, and exercises to support their growth. But as a collective human species, we lack an understanding of where we are headed. As a result, we pay little attention to how humanity evolves.
It can be likened to parents who have no idea what to do with their child: how to educate them, what exercises to give, and whether to integrate them with other children. A child cannot develop solely through natural instincts. Parents must give them knowledge, emotional engagement, music, art, and literacy, various essentials for life. If we did not surround children with these educational additions and build a fitting environment for them, they would grow up like animals, not as humans.
But what about humanity? As it evolves from generation to generation, is anyone ensuring it is developing optimally? Indeed, look at where we are. On one hand, we progress technologically, scientifically, and in other areas. On the other hand, people seem increasingly sad and lost with each successive generation. Today, we increasingly find ourselves asking, “What have we actually achieved? What has all this development really given us? We can do almost anything on Earth, but what does it matter if we don’t know how to make ourselves happy?”
If we view human history as the life of a single infant, it becomes evident: humanity lacks “good parents” to care for, guide, and educate it in an optimal direction. Yet we find that nature itself contains wondrous wisdom, guiding the development of every individual.
Lessons from Nature’s Development
To better understand our situation, let us compare our development to other natural processes. Consider an apple growing on a tree. In its early stages, the apple is bitter and sour. Only after ripening does it become sweet, beautiful, and edible. Before that, it is unripe.
Now think of a newborn animal, for instance, a calf compared to a human infant. A calf can already stand, walk, see, eat, and protect itself within a day. In contrast, a human baby appears helpless and weak, acquiring basic abilities only over many years. It takes fifteen to twenty years for a human to be fully functional, and eventually capable of transforming the world. That same calf matures quickly and remains relatively unchanged. It lives by instinct and does not transform itself or the world.
So perhaps we are like the growing fruit on the tree? Perhaps humanity, too, has not yet completed its development. It has not ripened, and that is why things seem so bleak?
The Human Species as a Work in Progress
Let us again view humanity from a higher perspective. Humans are the most advanced beings in nature. Therefore, it makes sense that our development is the longest, with the most extreme phases. It is only because we know how an apple finishes its growth that we recognize the value of its full development. We see how nature’s wisdom shaped it into something delicious and beautiful.
How, then, do we develop? We can learn from individual development and apply its principles to humanity as a whole. As noted, a child does not develop properly with instinct alone. Without external stimuli and social influences, they would grow like animals. However, when parents provide preschool, school, a community, and guidance, the child learns social skills, cooperation, and empathy.
Thus, two developmental forces exist. One is a pushing force, i.e., natural urges and instincts that push the child from behind. The other is a pulling force, i.e., positive influences from a supportive environment that attract and accelerate development.
Can we apply this same principle to ourselves, the adults? Perhaps we can create for ourselves a nurturing environment that pulls us forward, thinking of ourselves similarly to ripening fruit, so that we transition from poor conditions to better ones. This would let us progress more easily, sparing us the suffering of being “pushed from behind.”
The state of the world today shows how humanity does not know what to do with itself in order to blossom its children into happy and satisfied adults. We are like babies standing in the middle of a room, feeling abandoned, wondering, “What about me?” Humanity’s leaders gather at countless summits to seemingly solve the world’s problems, but they do not know what to do. They have no real recovery plan.
Therefore, why do we not take matters into our own hands and make intelligent use of the pulling force? For our children, we have built vast systems for development: games, books, enrichment programs in sports, arts, science, technology, and languages. It took generations to realize how worthwhile it is to invest in children’s growth, but now everyone gets it.
Our current reality clearly shows that we need to invest not only in children but also in developing ourselves and the whole of humanity.
Just as we use incubators to accelerate egg-hatching or greenhouses for crops, we can build tools for optimal and rapid human development. This would spare us from many future problems. Like a child growing up in a family with ideal conditions at every stage, we too could evolve uninterrupted.
Crisis as a Signpost and Opportunity
The uniqueness of today’s crucial state of the world is that it points us toward the right direction for growth and offers the means to achieve it. On one hand, it is global, affecting the entire world. On the other, it connects us all within it.
We are increasingly interdependent and interconnected, yet unable to realize this connection positively. This forces us to recognize the need for a new socio-educational system, a positive environment where everyone learns how to relate positively to one another.
Many around the world already understand this evolutionary trajectory that we find ourselves in, and can lead this social-educational process. A globally-interconnected world demands global, integrated education for both children and adults.
If we begin acting in this direction, we will make wise use of the pulling force, letting positive development take flight. There is no point in waiting passively. Nothing positive will take place on its own. It is better to quickly create a positive environment for ourselves, guiding us step-by-step along a smoother, obstacle-free path.
Parents already understand the value of such an environment. Who would not want to place their child in a society where kids are encouraged to connect, learn mutual respect, and feel safe? Where there is no fear of violence or humiliation?
A society that offers a warm nurturing place lets every individual open up and develop all of their abilities. In such conditions, we become capable of anything. Such an environment could give each of us the power to grow and thrive, the very force so desperately lacking in today’s society.
Based on episode 2 of “New Life” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on December 28, 2011. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
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