Beaver 101

2007-7-7 14:43:00

Larry writes:

"If there was sufficient value to human beings in finding a better way to build a beaver dam, then I see no reason to believe that humans could not improve on the design in some respect. You are simply throwing out this example with no proof whatsoever."

JJ:

Why do I need to prove anything when we agree?

Larry:

"Given that humans have built enormous dams to generate hydroelectric power in the face of great difficult and adversity, I see no reason why human beings could not find some aspect of the beaver dam to improve, and still be within the capabilities and intelligence available to beavers.

"Certainly there is as much reason to believe that it could be done, as there is reason to believe that it could not be done. The real point is that the beavers do a good enough job given their capabilities and it would be a waste of time for humans to spend great effort improving on what beavers already do well enough. In the same respect, if there are "masters" then it would be a waste of their time to try to improve those things that humans already do well enough. However "masters" could probably improve on the things that humans do, if that were a good use of their time, although from the human/beaver analogy we see that would probably not be a good use of their time.

"So if there is a principle here, then it is a principle of appropriateness, not what one can, or can not do."

JJ:

We agree here a hundred percent. If you completely misunderstood the Beaver Principle as I presented it maybe others did too.

First I thought I made it clear that the abilities of the lower can be retrieved by the higher when I said this:

"When we become masters we will take our attention off some of the things we do well now and learn some higher things. When this happens many of our current abilities will go below the threshold of our consciousness. We will appear to lose them, but will not lose them. Abilities that go below the threshold of consciousness are not lost, but can be quickly retrieved if attention is placed upon them."

The higher has all the abilities of the lower, but many of these abilities are hidden below the threshold of consciousness. For instance, many think the natives living in jungles are more evolved than us because they have certain instinctual abilities in harmony with nature that civilized man does not. What the many do not realize is that civilized man lived close to the earth in past lives, but because he does not need all those native abilities in the cities he lets those abilities slip below the threshold of consciousness. This gives him the advantage of having the time to concentrate on learning new abilities the native cannot do.

If the civilized person where thrown back into the survival mode in the jungles he would not immediately have the abilities of the native person but could quickly retrieve them because he had them before.

It's a little like learning a language. A person may spend a couple years in a foreign country but after being home for ten years it may seem that he has forgotten all he learned. But then when he returns to that country the language quickly comes back.

When I said a human cannot build a beaver damn as good as a beaver I was speaking of the present tense. If someone told you or I to go build one right now we could not do this in the present. However all the knowledge in the animal kingdom is in humans below the threshold of consciousness and can be retrieved.

We can never just jump in and do all the animal kingdom does in the present, but could if we wanted to take some time and shift our attention away from higher learning.

Now let me restate the Beaver Principle.

All living things are limited on where they can place their attention as far as their progress and accomplishment goes. Therefore it is important that each of us place our attention on matters most beneficial to overall progress. In order to do this those with higher abilities must forfeit some work that can be done to the lesser evolved lives. In letting go of the lesser work the skill is not permanently lost, but goes below the threshold of consciousness and can be retrieved fairly quickly when needed. This relinquishing of work allows the higher lives to move forward with their own progression and learn the new.

The Beaver Principle thus spreads the work of creation evenly through the living kingdoms of the universe giving all important work and learning to do.

Example:

The president of a construction company who laid brick 30 years ago no longer works as a bricklayer but concentrates on more important work for the company. It's been so long since he lay brick that be couldn't do it in the present nearly as well as his employees. However, if he lost everything and had to start over he could retrieve his skill quite quickly.

Global Warming Enlightenment:

It is interesting to observe the difference between the sacrifice asked by the global warning true believers. The movers and shakers like Madonna (who burns 485 tons of CO₂ in four months) gets to go to Gore's concerts, have fun and tell us what we need to do while continuing with their excessive lifestyle.

On the other hand, if Gore gets his way and we reduce CO₂ emissions 80 percent without developing nuclear power the average guy will sacrifice by suffering through a great depression that will cause rioting in the streets.