Layer 434 . . . . Egypt, Mubarak, Intelligence, Human Values, Spiritual Intelligence, Knowledge and The Uprising Continued

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There was someone on Midweek (R4) this morning who said, "My mum said she wanted me to have the best possible education. And it was my mum who gave it to me. She taught me about values."

Someone else reminded us that Einstein said that imagination is more important than knowledge.

Then again, so is empathy; so is instinct; so is intuition; so is sensory feedback; etc. [Only the government, the entire political establishment, plus their civil service lackeys, think that knowledge and 'attainment' are the only aspects of human growth and development that matter. But why should reasonable people give a fuck about what THEY think?]

However, instead of getting into endless arguments about which is more important, why don't we just agree that none of these aspects of intelligence is more important than any other aspect? Lets just agree they're all equal. And lets agree to give them all equal emphasis for development within schools and colleges.

And let's remember what the Dalai Lama said about knowledge -

Scientific knowledge alone cannot provide the happiness that springs from inner development, the happiness that is not reliant on external factors. Indeed, though our very detailed and specific knowledge of external phenomena is an immense achievement, far from bringing us happiness it can actually be dangerous. It can cause us to lose touch with the wider reality of human experience and, in particular, to overlook our dependence on others.

 http://oxzen.blogspot.com/2008/04/layer-16-ancient-wisdom-modern-world.html

 http://oxzen.blogspot.com/2008/05/layer-34-iq-sats-and-other-complete.html

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Talking of intelligence - you can't help being struck by the intelligence and decency of the anti-Mubarak protesters. Their humanity and their values shine out of their faces and their voices every time you see them interviewed on TV. These are clearly decent, thoughtful, aware, brave AND knowledgeable people.

By contrast, we saw today the pro-Mubarak scum emerge from their holes and sewers and start to attack the anti-government crowds. They rode into them on horses and camels, and they charged them on foot. They were beating and clubbing anyone they could identify as anti-Mubarak.

These people - as you could tell from their faces, their expressions, their language and their actions - were clearly fucking morons and thugs. Some were the plain-clothes fascist secret police, some were friends and family of the regime and its hired goons. You wouldn't want to meet any of these people on the street in any circumstances. They were seriously scary. They were the Egyptian equivalent of the BNP.

And yet they were confronted, challenged, and eventually driven away by the masses who pulled the bastards from their steeds and gave them a well-deserved kicking. Not that I condone violence by anyone - unless it's done, as here, in self-defence, and it's in order to prevent even greater violence and suffering: what I'd maybe call the Samurai principle.

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2011/feb/02/egypt-protests-live-updates

Human Values - truth, love, peace, conduct and non-violence:

http://oxzen.blogspot.com/2008/04/layer-12-spiritual-intelligence.html

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