Civilization among humans is often a great paradox because it’s not what people commonly think it is. This is especially true when we speak of so-called advanced civilization, which is usually confounded with a high level of science and technology; although humans are certainly capable of creating advanced science and technology such achievements don’t necessarily equate to an advanced civilization. In reality, if we truly wish to understand human civilization, we must also understand human nature. One of the most peculiar things about the human species is that due to major shortcomings like ignorance, evil or criminality human societies are often the exact opposite of what they think they are.
In Correctionism, we have two terms that are quite helpful in better understanding the great paradox that is civilization among humans—true civilization and false civilization. True civilization is any form of civilization where human evil and ignorance are actually held in check; whereas, false civilization is any form of civilization where human evil and ignorance dominate. Therefore, you can’t have true civilization, which is also human civilization at its best, without actually holding human evil and ignorance in check and this process must begin with the individual.
Good vs Evil – A Structural Element in Human Life
Correctionism is also very much concerned with the struggle between good and evil as an important structural element of human life. Therefore, the student of Correctionism is ever careful not to be needlessly impressed by such things as advanced science, technology, art and literature because they all pale into insignificance if man fails to master the struggle against his own evil and ignorance as a human being.
The Great Decline of Civilization
Because ignorance and evil or criminality currently rule the known world and have done so for many thousands of years, what has long passed for the initial rise of human civilization and its aftermath, up to the present day, is best described as The Great Decline of Civilization instead. In Correctionism, this term describes the dismal state of affairs on earth that has been going on for so long that many people believe that it is normal. It’s never a good idea for evil and ignorance to rule any area of human life yet people can easily be tricked into such erroneous thinking due to the doctoring of their most influential and cherished beliefs. Because of this brutal historical reality, it would also be safe to say that the typical citizen of what are now considered the most “advanced” societies today has little or no idea of what true civilization is; this means that what most people today generally look upon as advanced civilization is in reality highly overrated. In Correctionism we learn, that advanced science and technology is one thing but advanced civilization is another thing altogether.
The Paradox of Civilization
In Correctionism, people are always more important than mere machines or any other human artifact, so advanced science and technology and advanced civilization are definitely not the same thing. Once we grasp the concepts of true and false civilization, it becomes clear that no such thing as an advanced civilization currently exists in the known world. In The Great Correction (TGC), we learned about the Paradox of Civilization which is defined as— The more advanced in terms of civilization people think they are, the more savage and depraved they often turn out to be.
Though human civilization today most certainly exhibits numerous examples of advanced science and technology, the brutal reality is that the level of science and technology has very little to do with the level of civilization because as we learn in Correctionism— Civilization is false among humans, if it isn’t demonstrated in actual behavior. When we take an honest look at this vital matter, how could we ever call the civilization that currently dominates the known world advanced when it’s actually the result of roughly 6000 years of steadily escalating war and slavery for mankind? Evil and ignorance have not only dominated this period but they have now become more powerful than ever! How could anyone in their right mind ever confound the massive mistakes and crimes of the last roughly 2000 years alone, up to and including the present, for any kind of advancement for humanity?
Humans – Easy to Deceive and Quick to Deceive Themselves
In Correctionism, we learn that humans are both easy to deceive and quick to deceive themselves; so the degree of dominance attained by human evil and ignorance is ever the gold standard when it comes to judging man’s level of civilization in any historical era. In reality, high office, the vast accumulation of knowledge and wealth mean little when we consider the true nature of man because the human form can just as easily harbor a monster as it can harbor a saint. In The Great Correction (TGC), we also learned to see man as a living conflict between good and evil and that man’s life on earth is dominated by an eternal struggle against the evil and ignorance of his species. Due to the on-going nature of this struggle, deception and manipulation are ever-present dangers for mankind. Therefore, man must never forget that whenever evil and ignorance gain the upper hand, his life in this world will invariably be mired in pain and suffering.
How to be Truly Civilized
Like civilization, human history is rightly judged by the degree of dominance attained by evil and ignorance in any given era; thus, in order for men to be truly civilized or truly successful here on earth they must ever hold human evil and ignorance in check in actuality rather than merely give lip service to it. This is ever man’s most vital responsibility in this world. If mankind allows itself to be deceived and manipulated to the point of failing in this vital task, evil and ignorance will become dominant and whenever this occurs there will be hell to pay on earth and this has been the case for many thousands of years!
What’s Really Going on and Why?
Moreover when in an extreme state of deception and manipulation, the typical human won’t have any idea of what’s really going on or why it’s happening. For example, today we live in an era of universal deceit and utter contempt for the Truth. This unfortunately tells us many things, but among the most important are:
- Those who consider themselves righteous or good in this world, whether in a religious or a secular context, have completely fallen down on their job.
- The vast majority of people have been thoroughly deceived and manipulated by the doctoring of their most influential and cherished beliefs.
- In a world ruled by evil and ignorance such as that we live in today, the most popular and influential beliefs will always be those favored by the devil.
Blindly Adhering to What’s Comfortable
To make things even worse for our species, due to the cunning of human evil and the obstinacy of human ignorance, when the typical human today is exposed to the Truth, most will adamantly refuse to believe it. They are actually more inclined to blindly adhere to their most influential and cherished beliefs even when they’re proven false because many of such beliefs have been taught to them since childhood. Correctionism teaches us that all human institutions can be used as instruments of evil, including religion and science, so mankind can no more get away with blindly adhering to its beliefs, religious or secular, than it can get away with walking around with its eyes closed!
This explains the spectacle of the current era where the vast majority have been greatly deceived and manipulated by the most influential and cherished beliefs but don’t even realize it. This is the hallmark of false civilization, not true civilization, because evil and ignorance can only rule in those societies, ancient or modern, where the people are truly ignorant and vice versa.