Why the longing for a "hive mind"?

[Professor Jumbo]

It seeems recently that folks here are becoming enthralled with the concept of hive mind society. While it is an interesting concept it is also a fairly disturbing one. All this talk about oneness and togetherness and such. Well that is all well and good but such things would have no practical meaning in a true hive mind. In a hive mind your consciousness would be entirely subsumed by the greater mind. There would be no such thing as mental privacy, all thoughts would be everybody's thoughts, none of them yours since there would be no you. "You" would have no individuality, no uniquness, no creativity. "you" would be a cookie cutter drone, cheap, expendable, forgettable. Like an ant or a bee, or perhaps like a single braincell. You could forget about anykind of feelings of your now, as those would be the property of the greater mind. You could forget about doing anything other than what you were commanded to do by the greater mind. Sounds great to me, where do I sign up?

So why do so many folks seem to want this kind of thing? To me it sounds at best like prison and at worst like hell.

[Phrensied Rabbits]

No one is expendable in a 'hive'...

This sounds a lot like Star Trek's twisted view on communism...
(Yeah, I've seen an episode or two, so shoot me <(^_^<) hehe)

[pop_terror]

"Hive mind" might be a false way of putting it. It gives the impression of a repulsive hoarde of bees.

If it is true that we are essentially One, should we never accept that, then? And how can we not if we're searching for the truth and discover it to be so?

I like the idea because I think it will be just the opposite of Hell. I think all of this secrecy and distance between people is more like Hell. Your privacy may disappear somewhat, but if it really is true that we're One then what is hidden anyway?

I don't see what's Hellish about understanding that you're not better or worse than anybody else. That we're all really facets of one another. And I don't think it would kill our individuality. I don't think we'd begin sharing an objective viewpoint remote from our bodies; we'd still inhabit our unique bodies and see what our eyes see and create what we choose to create. Only we would have nothing to hide thereof, so our creations would become more true.

I also wonder just how powerful the human imagination is, and if it can be unleashed I would love to see that happen. I don't think it's impossible that, were it, we could live in a virtual dreamworld. But everyone being one it's not going to happen when so many people refuse to imagine it at all.

[BlackBillBlake]

The longing for a 'hive mind' comes from the 'we are all one' type of idea.

However, although no doubt we are all connected at subtle levels, it is more accurate to say we are all individuals.
The urge toward a hive mind seems to me an anti-evolutionary notion. Progress only comes through individuals who are ahead of the 'hive'.
Primitive tribes etc already have that to some extent, and it often finds a modern echo in nationalism, narrow and exclusive religion etc.
A hive mind would also be a quick fix - as the individual would no longer be 'responsible'. It is in my opinion, a fantasy.

[TrippinBTM]

I'd never go as far as "hive mind." first, I doubt it's obtainable by humans, an insect has like, no brain, and can be ruled by selfless instinct. Notice hive members never breed, only the "leaders" do. So they are expendable, as their DNA will never be passed on. Humans are far too different. However, the idea of us living "as one" wouldn't be a terrible thing. Like what Pop Terror was saying, it would be nice to rid ourselves of much of our fear and distrust of others, and truly come together for a common purpose. Could be a wonderful thing. If we wanted to, we could have this world cleaned up in no time, socially AND environmentally. But not while we continue to give most of our resources to resourse extraction (rape) and wars.

[Phrensied Rabbits]

I'm having a little trouble grasping this idea of people being drones.
Where did that come from?
That seems like a pretty big leap, there.
I mean, it'd take some pretty heavy brainwashing to do that,
and that's not what this is about at all~
a new level of honesty- of love and trust with your neighbours,
could only HELP individual creativity, right?

[GanjaPrince]

THE HIVE MIND WON
http://www.thebody.com/bp/jul04/images/hive.jpg
A bunch of BEs, BEING HERE NOW, and GETTING THE HONEY OF LOVE AND PEACE AND PROSPERITY!

GIVE UP, LOSERS!

[Phrensied Rabbits]

Sounds like we should stage another Human Being...

[r33f3r_m4dn3ss]

Well first you have to rid yourself of the human being a bee though. The hive is merely a metaphor of everyone working together for one common goal. Of course there would be a queen and leader, but the queen and leader would also be making decisions that would benefit the hive, nothing outside the hive. We are the bees, we are also the queen, and the leaders in the hive. We are the hive.

[Phrensied Rabbits]

Sounds like a spiritual form of communism.
That kicks ass...

[GanjaPrince]

Our Hunter quoting friend, gets it! Wohooooo!

[dd3stp233]

Even as you mentioned, the weak minded/weak willed would be consumed by it. Sounds just like how things aready are. This still wouldn't work out for the best for everyone. No system will ever be perfect because people are not perfect. This makes for independent minded and the smartest types will tend to be persecuted and/or ignored for not going along with the group. The strong minded/egotistal types will take advantage of the weaker minded. The hive mind would be the easy way. It sounds like it will end up like insect hives which are not progressive or creative. Some people might like that type of stability but I think it is generally anti-human. Without intelligence and creativity humans are no different then other animals.

[GanjaPrince]

The hive mind is progressive, creative, filled with diversity and the illussion of individuality... It's not like the individual dies in the intial forms of the hive mind, the individual is just approach from a different unitive perspective... One could say that bees in a hive are not perfect either, but by WORKING AS ONE for the QUEEN, they survive... the question becomes do you want to survive... to survive on earth, we will all begin to tune in to the hive mind, and work in its progressive direction... yes it will take a while, yes many in the hive have issues... but through this process in hundreds of years, you will be amazed at the progress humanity has undertaken... it does require patience my friend...

[tikoo]

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the hive mind is human-centric and
thus limited in its ideal of Oneness
as an exclusive , selfish reality .

[GanjaPrince]

Yes it is limited, but an important step for our expansion into deeper oneness...


Baby steps my friend... it seems you want to go further before we even get here now.

[tikoo]

we are not here and now ? surely we are . to be here and now is not a progressive striving ; tis the only reality we can share .

admonitions 'to be' are redundant .

[dd3stp233]

The Gaian mind sounds a lot more interesting. Total eternal symbiosis with the universe.

[GanjaPrince]

If you think to be is redundant, you do not know who you are... the power of our very recognition of our being in the here now, is the most powerful centering wonderous thing EVER... it can destroy all suffering...

I bow down to all that remind me of this glorious here now point, thank you!

[JohnThursday]

Hives, herds, flocks, gaggles, whatever you want to call it. Whether you like it or not you have that mind too.
Do you live in a cave? Are you the first, only, and last of some sub-species of humans?
C'mon man, the question of why everyone's picking up a hive-mind is an elitist booger shooter. Dumb question. The conflict between unity and individuality and the possible self-doubt that might entail is an adholescent debate. Sooner or later one comes to a stage and realizes their social responsibilities(if they choose to be a part of society) and work with other humans to achieve common goals. If you don't create a life of your own in the meantime(and express your sacred individuality), that's your problem. I'm by all means pro-individuality, everyone has their own take no matter how big a system they're involved in. All those fears of humans becoming drones are bogus to me, just anti-ideals. It's not peachy either though.
This metaphysical crap is old.
Pardon my harshness brother.

[GanjaPrince]

This metaphysical crap is old.
Pardon my harshness brother.
It's all in how you experience it... to me each time somesay right here right now realize we are all one being... it reminds me of the mission, goal, purpose of my life... and feels new... I need it drilled in my head... like a mantra.

_____ is old. is a product of the missing of ecstasy in your life... when you are in ecstasy everything is new... I feel for you brother, what a drag your life must be.

Like for instance, I just put on a beatles song, and it was soooooo good it was like the first time I heard it, perhaps even better then that.

Or everytime I make love to my girl... it is always like the first time we touch or kiss, filled with exhirlaration of the magic moment...

Come on people, you know how to be.

[JohnThursday]

I feel for you brother, what a drag your life must be.
Come on people, you know how to be.
I'm aware of all this, but thanks for the reminder. A drag? Not really, I'm just working on my equilibrium. It's a rocky road these days.

Happy, sad, good, bad, up, down, light, dark, female, male, yin, yang. It's the supreme law of the universe. It's what makes life interesting.
Not to burst any bubbles(though I relish the role of devil's advocate), but no one can be happy every moment of everyday. If they were we'd all die of sheer boredom. Even the Buddha got irritated now and again when someone kicked dirt in his rice or stepped on the back of his heels one too many times.

[GanjaPrince]

Nah... Sat-Chit-Ananda... living in bliss, is not boredom... the very nature of this happiness is non-boredom. THat's why Yogananda called it EVER- NEW bliss...

It's is possible to be happy all the time... some mystics were... there basic needs were cared for and they lived in this sat-chit-ananda.