An Outline of the Game of Life

What follows is a greatly simplified model of the purpose of life, as set out in far greater detail, and often with considerable obscurity, in various spiritual teachings from past ages. The Snakes and Ladders metaphor used here is a practical explanation, and is not deeply grounded in research and science (although some such forms of evidence do exist).

The advantage of this simplified model is that it brings the nature of the game of life to the fore and skirts past all potentially diverting considerations of the details of its underpinnings. It is the latter area that usually bogs down in debates between those people who choose to believe in the existence of a divine judgement mechanism and those who want to see it proven beyond doubt - which is something that we might never be able to do while we are in our human form.

Even young children understand the principles of the game of Snakes and Ladders. A player moves a counter over a board according to the throws of a dice, and the aim is to travel from the 'start', at the bottom of the playing area, to the 'finish' at the top. Throws of the dice which land a player's counter on the foot of a ladder advance it to the top; throws that land on the head of a snake send the counter back down to the end of the tail.

The board-game of life can be likened to snakes and ladders, but with 'free will' operating each time the counter lands on the foot of a ladder or the head of a snake. In life we have the freedom to choose whether we will travel up a ladder or down a snake.

Usually, deciding to climb a ladder has some 'cost' attached; we have to give up something in order to rise up the board by way of a ladder. Conversely, going down a snake can bring us some form of gain, we might choose to cheat someone, or we might even decide to kill them in order to gain an advantage or to keep a secret hidden from the world.

Because we have the 'gift' of free will and are not constrained by fate in the same way that the player of a normal Snakes and Ladders game is, we can choose whether to give and do good - climb a ladder - or to take and do harm - slither down a snake.

Thus, we can strive to reach the 'finish' or we can decide to ignore that goal (often because we have no faith that there actually is a 'finish' or reward for helping others at our own expense) and deliberately cause havoc for our personal gain or satisfaction.

The people who travel down snakes of their own free will are not usually convinced that there is any divine 'score keeping' involved in the game of life. They reason that if they can escape detection or hire a skilled lawyer who is able to get them off any charges of wrongdoing they have somehow 'won'.

Only those of us who recognise the existence of a divine design and plan behind the game of life are concerned to climb ladders and reach the top of the board of life.

A perfect life is beyond most of us, we inevitably go down a few snakes from time to time. But we can all strive to finish as high on the board of life as we possibly can. In this regard it is never too late to switch from choosing snakes to choosing ladders.

The Rule of Law and its attendant judicial punishment processes universally fail to recognise this fact. Wrongdoers are either confined in prisons under conditions that make it difficult to just survive, let alone find ladders to climb, or in the case of capital crimes they are increasingly likely to be executed.

The 'justice' system ends the game and they are denied any opportunity to regret their crimes and seek to reform their lives. Paradoxically, the agents of judicial punishment who prevent wrongdoers from resuming the normal game of life are completely unaware that they themselves travel down a snake each time they take such 'legal' actions. Ultimately, they can finish lower in the game than those they judge and punish.

Teachings from the ancients and present-day shamans suggest that the board-game of life is played many times, just as snakes and ladders is played repeatedly. However, people brought up on mainstream religions that emphasise one life and either heaven or hell to follow have lost this understanding. Most of them have also given up the notion of a judgement day and consider that the end of their life is the final end - nothing exists for them beyond death.

Of course, these ideas are contrary to the teachings of the various religions, but those institutions have been progressively marginalised by the secular power of nation states and federations. All present-day religions have also been overshadowed by the materialistic cultures spawned by commerce and capitalism.

Is it too much to attribute the decline of spirituality to the growth of central governments and economies based on taker philosophies? Not at all. The Renaissance in Europe began the process of sidelining spiritualism five centuries ago.

The Reformation broke the temporal power of the Roman Church and also split its religious following. At the same time the flow-on effects of Johannes Gutenberg's mass printing technology transformed Europe into a thriving hub of commerce and conspicuous consumption. These changes laid the foundations for the present Level 3 Civilization, with its focus on the material world and the acquisition of material possessions.

History tends to happen in cycles. The second wave of communication technology is now having the same effect that mass printing did during the Renaissance; it is connecting information and thoughts in ways that are exposing and undermining the power of nation states and federations. At the same time there is a resurgence of interest in meaning, particularly amongst young people and the elderly.

Those in their middle-life stages would also be concerned with meaning, but they are so enmeshed in their repayments - mortgages, credit cards, etc - and a daily struggle to advance within a system of relentless economic scarcity, that they have little time to think about such esoteric matters as the meaning of life. Even women, who used to stay at home and raise their children on a full-time basis, are now forced to work to make ends meet. Only the very young and the very old presently have the luxury of time to wonder and search for meaning.

But the situation will change as it becomes apparent that there are new alternatives to economic scarcity and predatory globalism. Soon, everybody will be seeking new meaning and new opportunities to climb as many ladders in the game of life as they possibly can. Once this happens a Level 4 Civilization will be assured.

2nd Renaissance -40 An Outline of the Game of Life [277]

By Lothar posted 14 March 05

Related:

The legend of the Good and the Evil, or Devil's Mischiefs
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Dump Howard, old news.....
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CALL TO ACTION of the ANTI-WAR ASSEMBLY
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Noble Cause Torture?
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Guantanamo challenge puts off Hicks trial
Australian [scapegoat] suspect David Hicks's 'military trial'?, has been further delayed due to the postponement of a separate legal challenge to the US's legal process for Guantanamo Bay detainees?

Detention Centres, Solitary Confinement
On Friday night the NSW Council for Civil Liberties awarded Sydney solicitor John Marsden honorary life membership. Julian Burnside was invited to make the speech in Marsden's honour. In the course of his speech, Burnside referred to the unregulated use of solitary confinement in Australia's immigration detention centres, criticising it as inhumane and also as unlawful.

Creative conflicts: Community Forum
NSW : The Forum on Australia's Islamic Relations.

The legend of the Good and the Evil, or Devil's Mischiefs

Once there lived on earth the Good and the Evil. The Good was keeping its goodness, and the Evil (it was also called the Devil) strived to make mischiefs to the Good. And it has always been going this way.

One day the Good got distracted from its important matters - there was an interesting programme on TV, they've been showing cartoons - and the Good likes to watch cartoons. And came the Devil who's always wearing a medal on his breast - to make everybody think he's a man.

He came to the temple - where the Good was keeping its goodness - and took advantage of the absence of the Good: the Devil sawed off the cross, tore down the bell, demolished the wall, blocked the entrance with a pile of stones, put icons and valuables into a sack, put the priest into that sack, too, shouldered the sack and carried it far away.

Meanwhile, the TV programme was over, the Good came back to the temple and saw the devastation. The Good cleared the devastation, put soldiers around the restored goodness to protect it, and went seeking for the Evil to punish it.

The Good found the Evil - it was simple enough as the Evil was hiding nearby - put it into a sack and let it down into an ice-hole. And at this very instant the Good turned into the Evil.

But soon the Evil that was in the ice-hole got out from the sack and out of the ice-hole. But the Good that wasn't Good anymore but turned into the Evil, caught the Evil another time and cast it down the ice-hole again. And it happened this way several times.

There became too much Evil; there was only Evil all around. As they were fighting, the Evil never wanted to turn into the Good, while the Good turned into the Evil several times.

It seems to me that the Good becomes tired of being the Good all the time, and the Evil is never tired of being Evil. What can be done with that? (Monologue of a 10 year-old boy at a session).

"Children with problems are closer to the modern world outlook of an artist. A "normal" group most likely implies an outdated, stereotyped approach. It's guided by the "I do it well" principle, that is, in compliance with some rules. However, it's not the matter of creativity and self-expression. It makes one ponder about that." Vadim Flyagin, artist.

"The art therapy event that took place in the "Borey" Gallery has shown quite clearly that in the creative process the opposed notions "healthy" and "unhealthy" retreat into the background. Children and adults, who were creating wonderful objects in a common space, "translated" their emotions, feelings and personal experience into the language of art. Their unification went through symbolical communication - through artistic images, music, movement." Nana Zhvitiashvili, art critic.

"The idea of integrating the socially isolated groups is an important system-forming factor capable of changing life of not only handicapped people, but of the whole society by making it more open and sensitive to needs of all its members. The concept of rehabilitation as of the process leading to restoration of personal and social significance of a handicapped person equally addresses his personal needs and the surrounding everyday landscape." Natalia Martsinkevich, child psychoneurologist.

"Every person has his own answer to the eternal questions - "Who and What am I? What is the world I'm living in?" Creativity is that very path following which one seeks answers to these questions as well as means of answering. The insight into the creative moment yields strength to overcome obstacles and solve internal and external conflicts". Olga Platonova, psychologist.

"The phenomenon of surrounding natural and everyday landscapes - seemingly so irresistibly and irreversibly fixed once and for all - dwells, in fact, within us, in our intuitive ability and readiness for the creative transformation - of both ourselves and the World. These abilities just need help to reveal." V.A. Gousev, Director of the State Russian Museum.

"All life could be framed within art." Claire Manson, founder of "The Studio Upstairs"

By Claire Manson 14 March 05

Related:

An Outline of the Game of Life
What follows is a greatly simplified model of the purpose of life, as set out in far greater detail, and often with considerable obscurity, in various spiritual teachings from past ages. The Snakes and Ladders metaphor used here is a practical explanation, and is not deeply grounded in research and science (although some such forms of evidence do exist).

Dump Howard, old news.....
Fascist Prime Minister John HoWARd says he always reads and follows opinion polls and the latest survey shows the Government has a fight ahead of it.

CALL TO ACTION of the ANTI-WAR ASSEMBLY
Two years after the invasion of Iraq, there is more opposition to the war in the US, in the coalition countries, and all over the world than ever before.

Noble Cause Torture?
AUSTRALIA: The Labor Party has decided not to support a Senate inquiry into new allegations made by Mamdouh Habib that the Australian Government cooperated with Egyptian intelligence authorities who he insists tortured him.

Guantanamo challenge puts off Hicks trial
Australian [scapegoat] suspect David Hicks's 'military trial'?, has been further delayed due to the postponement of a separate legal challenge to the US's legal process for Guantanamo Bay detainees?

Detention Centres, Solitary Confinement
On Friday night the NSW Council for Civil Liberties awarded Sydney solicitor John Marsden honorary life membership. Julian Burnside was invited to make the speech in Marsden's honour. In the course of his speech, Burnside referred to the unregulated use of solitary confinement in Australia's immigration detention centres, criticising it as inhumane and also as unlawful.

Creative conflicts: Community Forum
NSW : The Forum on Australia's Islamic Relations.

The Seed

Respect, you only get out what you have put in. What about Life Skills, Communication and Conflict Resolution. Evolution, perhaps some children and adults miss the whole or part of the course. I did, and so how surprised do you think I was when I realised my parents missed the course as well. Things like Compromise, Win Win, Empathy, and Love. Invisible energy and other skills like public speaking, how to Relate, Assuming, Blaming, Forgiveness, Freedom and Discrimination. This is how I learned respect. If you don't know what it is then how do you relate?

I ran into a friend he was about 60 years of age and I asked Egor a Russian Scientist. "Why do we learn and then die? " He said you have to pass it on.

So Grasshopper, how do we plant this seed so that the bin (jail) is a school of life? a University to teach life skills. Instead of emptying out the rubbish in the bin we turn out compost and fertiliser to promote growth. Nurturers.

How do we create unless we Nurture Nature. Like cradling a baby in your arms the very same cradle swings below us when we care for all living things.

I described an injustice to Barbara an elderly lady I met at a Justice Action meeting. I said, "This is not the Australian way ". Barbara said, " Well I think it is". I went numb thinking well I did not want to hear her negative conformation.

I still wanted to believe after all I have been through and all I have done that there is an Australian way and that the majority was good. I asked her when was a conscience born? She said, "When babies can focus their eyes."

I am still learning because I was told conscience was born when our mothers smacked us about the time we threw our bottles down from the high chair. Barbara had the better idea because no violence or threat is induced to form her view.

We cannot defeat evil. We can only balance it hopefully by the greater good. Why? Because people, (human beings) only learn from trial and error. By making a mistake the thing we call evil. Like falling off a mountain some people break their arm and some people break their neck. The severity is a matter of the circumstances around the fall.

So do we punish everyone equally for his or her first error? No, we deal out just desert in relation to the severity of the crime and the enthusiasm of the crowd (the populist view) then we throw them in the bin. Human beings are not dogmatic yet we take away their ability to learn after they make their first mistake.

I asked Mr Tze a Chinese Triad I use to play chess with I said "Mr Tze how do I defend myself?" He said, " Do not strike." Why? He said, " you will Always underestimate your opponent." "If you project anger you will always get angry people in your life if you project happiness you will get happy people in your life. So dont scare just take two steps back." I know too that the cat always scratches back.

I met Jimmy doing 30 years because he was made an example of 30 years ago. Jimmy told me a myth. Once upon a time this little boy went walking up the cobblestone road where he met a man. The man said "Son go home and cut out your mothers heart and I will give you treasure." So the little boy went home and cut out his mothers heart and went racing up the road holding his mothers heart in his hand. The little boy slipped over grazing his knees on the cobblestones. Just then his mothers heart spoke to him saying, " dont worry son it will be alright". The moral to the story?

Your mother and father will always love you. It doesn't matter if you did not have the skills. It doesn't matter if you were a drunk. It doesn't matter if you were a junky. It doesn't matter if you were disabled. It doesn't matter if you suffered a mental illness. It doesn't matter if you are discriminated against or marginalized. It doesn't matter if people don't forgive you for your first mistake.

$500 thousand dollars of taxpayers money was spent on me in the Special Care Unit (SCU) at Long Bay Prison Complex for six months to learn from the best teachers in the world. As well as to learn from my own experience and my peers and my friends.

I majored in humanities in the University of hard knocks. Psychology, Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry, Criminology, Parent Effectiveness Training, Life Skills, Conflict Resolution, Communication, Musicianship, and Law. Most people in jail never saw light of day of that unit or anything like it only because I was bright enough to challenge the systems ideology. Then why is it I am not regarded by the authorities or some beauracrats and agencies when I make a comment? Same flawed system decided you're worthless and broken. Spoilt and disposable because I made a mistake once.

What can we make out of him? A Goose? A Pawn in an Election Campaign? A Monster? Dangerous? Or just plane Bad? A law for one man perhaps? Or lets just spend $500.000 and trip him over again while he is not looking? If the taxpayers of this state worked out how much money the government spent on my good self so far it would be in the tens of thousands. Possible more than a million dollars.

Now I would like you to help me plant the seed. A human being is priceless and unique. The money has to be spent on education not on bins. That education can be provided without maximum security at a reasonable cost. Medium Secure Education and life skills will help our children grow. Leaving the State and Country less inflation like trying to teach doctors how to communicate with their patients years after they learnt how to be doctors.

Now! Who is bad?

By Gregory Kable 5 April 2002

Related:

CRC funded reports 1983-1984

Evaluation of the special care unit (at Long Bay Gaol, New South Wales)

Grantees: Dr D W Porritt, Research and Statistics Division, NSW Department of Corrective Services

Criminology Research Council grant ; (8/85)

The Special Care Unit (SCU) is a 20-bed self-contained unit within the NSW Department of Corrective Services which opened on 1 January 1980. It has a short-term goal of assisting inmates with behavioural/psychological problems to adapt to the prison environment and a long-term goal to facilitate their rehabilitation back into society. The research was designed to evaluate the short-term goal, and to provide feedback on staff and prisoner perceptions of the benefits and/or problems of the unit.

A total of 140 inmates were interviewed either at entry to the unit, at exit or at three month follow-up, as well as 24 inmates in a comparison group. Several psychological tests were also administered including the Interpersonal Behaviour Survey, Jessness Behaviour Checklist, Lovibond's Self Analysis Questionnaire and Spielberger's Tait Anxiety Scale. Interview results revealed that inmates had learnt to overcome initial apprehension about therapy groups with prison officers and were able to discuss themselves and their problems openly with most staff (including prison officers). They reported heightened self awareness and an improved ability to relate to other inmates and prison officers after leaving the unit. The results of psychometric tests showed statistically significant differences between groups but these did not have any clear interpretation.

Data were also analysed for a total of 45 questionnaires and 28 interviews from staff who had worked in the unit between April 1984 and June 1986. Staff reported enhancing their skills in working with inmates and particularly in dealing with angry or distressed prisoners.

More generally, other benefits and/or problems were reported by both staff and prisoners. The reported benefits appeared to derive from the unique environment created in the SCU when compared to the main gaol system. For instance, the high degree of mixed staffing was rated as having a 'positive effect on inmates' by 70 per cent of the staff, and none said that this had a negative effect. Some staff also reported that they felt that working in the SCU improved their prospects for promotion and improved their interpersonal and communication skills. Some staff also said it improved their communication with their families. Inmates said that the unit offered them better conditions than the main gaol system (for example, more visits and phone calls, opportunity to wear their own clothes) and claimed that they enjoyed greater freedom in the unit.

Some of the problems mentioned by staff were difficulties adjusting to the unit, the location of the unit inside the walls of a larger prison, the selection of staff and inmates not being stringent enough, and lack of training resources for staff. Staff also mentioned that they felt inmates should be provided with more support after leaving the unit. Some of the inmates said that they found it difficult to make the transition from the unit back to main gaol and would have liked more support. A few inmates mentioned that they felt the SCU program itself was very hard for them, because they found group counselling too confronting or they felt uncomfortable talking openly in a group. Many of the inmates who had these difficulties did not complete their stay in the unit. More generally, a high non-completion rate was a continuing problem for the unit with a non-completion rate of 48 per cent for the period of this evaluation. Many inmates were expelled from the unit for non-work or drug use.

In short, the research provides some support for the conclusion that the SCU achieved its short-term goals; to enhance the ability of troubled prisoners to cope with the gaol environment through improved staff-to-prisoner and prisoner-to-prisoner relations.

The report makes recommendations based on the research findings to:

improve on the number of inmates who complete the program;
help inmates with stress imposed by the program;
support inmates and staff leaving the unit;
enhance the network of available programs;
implement a procedure to provide feedback on post-exit functioning of inmates;
provide a standardised assessment for staff in the unit; and
implement performance indicators for the unit.