Spiritual Shift in Consciousness?

[lindsay7]

When Obama was elected so many people all over the world were celebrating, it felt great to have that world-wide joy and unity. It got me wondering, are we at the beginning of a spiritual shift in consciousness? As in more peace and unity, less greed and selfishness? I'm not referring to belief in God, I mean a shift that involves everyone from all religious beliefs or lack there of.

This guy thinks so...

John Zogby, famous for his political polls, predicts that by 2020, we're going to be more Zen-like, less materialistic, and more tolerant. If that sounds overly idealistic, consider this: In one of his surveys, over one third of respondents said they believed they could achieve the American dream through spiritual fulfillment rather than material success. And since 2001, the percentage of people who say they intend to spend less on Christmas gifts than the previous year has been growing. To Zogby, that suggests that for more people, "The test is how fulfilled we are spiritually. Their quest isn't for bigger houses and more cars; it's an inner search, a quest for spiritual meaning." He calls such people "spiritual secularists."

Pollster Predicts a More Spiritual Shift - US News and World Report

What do you think? Is a shift happening? Are we going to see more peace, joy and unity, and less selfishness and greed in the years ahead? Will this bring about more world-wide cooperation, less war and better economic times?

[Jack]

As one who could be realistically described as a spiritual secularist I would like to think this was the start of a less materialistic, more compassionate period for humanity. Then I remember I thought the same thing in the 60s.

While I'm doing what I can to encourage a change like this, I'm less optimistic than Zogby. I would like to be wrong, but only time will tell.

[lindsay7]

As one who could be realistically described as a spiritual secularist I would like to think this was the start of a less materialistic, more compassionate period for humanity. Then I remember I thought the same thing in the 60s.

While I'm doing what I can to encourage a change like this, I'm less optimistic than Zogby. I would like to be wrong, but only time will tell.

I agree with Zogby's assessment that the 60's hippie culture was really about selfishness and that this time is different.

I also think that the more people who believe that this is possible and that it's happening, the more it will happen.

[grandpa]

I agree with Zogby's assessment that the 60's hippie culture
was really about selfishness and that this time is different.
I also think that the more people who believe that
this is possible and that it's happening, the more it
will happen.

I think selfishness is by far our greatest problem. But really, why does the author believe this is changing? Because of a few opinion poll results?

Anyway, the thing about "the self" is that it changes. It can be reasonably seen and cross checked by those who have
the evolutionary ability to modify their objective reasoning.

Grandpa h.

[ItsDarts]

John Zogby, famous for his political polls, predicts that by 2020, we're going to be more Zen-like, less materialistic, and more tolerant. If that sounds overly idealistic, consider this: In one of his surveys, over one third of respondents said they believed they could achieve the American dream through spiritual fulfillment rather than material success. And since 2001, the percentage of people who say they intend to spend less on Christmas gifts than the previous year has been growing. To Zogby, that suggests that for more people, "The test is how fulfilled we are spiritually. Their quest isn't for bigger houses and more cars; it's an inner search, a quest for spiritual meaning." He calls such people "spiritual secularists."

This could be an easy prediction to make, since we will all be out of jobs by 2020. Without jobs, there is no materialism. Since 2001, jobs have been steadily declining, thus leading to less and less being purchased at Xmas time. I want to know what "The American Dream" that he refers to, means. I want to know what he means by "Spiritual Fulfillment".

What does spiritual mean in this context? Consciousness is nothing more than awareness of ones self and ones surroundings. So what does spiritual mean? As for this unity felt by the country/world over Obamas victory, it was very short lived. Hate has reared its ugly head all over the country since Nov 4th. After reading this article, it made feel ashamed at my own race, but then we saw this kind of hate shortly after 9/11 as well, when whites and blacks came together to hate muslim looking people. How quickly we forget.

[t3tsubo]

hey, if you want to see what the world would be like in 2020, ask you children what their world views are and subtract the influence of all the (now dead or senile) baby boomers.
It's not like the spiritual shift has a lot to do with current events changing fully grown people, it has more to do with it shaping the youth and the new generation replacing the old one.

[Piscean]

If Obama is all that I'll be pleasantly very suprised.

[troywonders]

hey our streets are full of crime and depression the shift is well under way it started in the 60s with free love and all that peace stuff well those same hippies are now selling out your generation and want you sex crazed,consumer driven ,selfish and self centered ,the funny thing is young people dont even know they been shaped and molded since the day they first saw a tv and look where we are today

[troywonders]

also i believe for the world to play out the way the bible says since the jews returning to there homeland after 2000 or so years just like the bible says either america cracks and becomes just another european state or is removed from power somehow. i think it will lose its power and influence economically and millitarilly and then watch what happens one world goverment with a new spirituallity of conform or die just like the catholic church did from 538-1785 roughly the sametime napolean broke there ironrule

[Piscean]

The U.S.'s arrogance is gonna get it swatted off the face of the earth onna these days.

[troywonders]

you think there the bad guy look around the planet we have freedom for all our problems we the best place to live and everyone knows it why do people come from allover the world to become us citizens.where do you live

[Piscean]

you think there the bad guy look around the planet we have freedom for all our problems we the best place to live and everyone knows it why do people come from allover the world to become us citizens.where do you live

People come from all over to live here because the tv tells them it's the best here (the same reason you believe it). I live in the U.S. end every day I'm free to make less decisions for myself because some cry baby made a law against another thing I used to be able to do because someone got hurt.

I like living in the 3rd world countries I've been to more than here. Because I can make my own choices, do what I need to do without some nosy neighbor or a cop stopping to harass me every time I'm not walking in a row like a good sheep. I'm not saying there isn't worse places to live. I know there are plenty. My post however was about the arrogance of this country thinking it has some B.S. divine right to go around the world forcing it's way of life on others. I know what some of the other countries watching us are thinking. "When he trips let's kick him while he's down til he can't get up again". It's easy to call anyone who opposes the U.S. terrorists and vilify them so we can keep telling ourselves we are the good guys. However if we call them terrorists I can only imagine what they call us and how easy it'd be to want to destroy the U.S. if your looking at it from somewhere else.