What is the main duty of the New Group of World Servers?
Preserve internal sensitivity, serving as channels of relationship, precipitating IDEAS into IDEALS that in turn become the desired objectives of intellectuals, who inculcate them in the middle class, creating new world systems of government and religion, thus forming the basis of the new social order to which the people are gradually incorporated.
https://hierarchicaldemocracy.wordpress.com/2023/06/28/the-new-group-of-world-servers/
José Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955) was a prominent Spanish philosopher and essayist whose work spanned a broad spectrum of topics from history to metaphysics, such as the philosophy of life, phenomenology, and existentialism. His philosophy centered on the idea that life is a dynamic process, constantly shaped by human action and interaction.
Ortega y Gasset’s key philosophical principle, known as “perspectivism,” posits that all knowledge and truth are anchored to perspectives or circumstances of individuals. He famously stated, “Yo soy yo y mi circunstancia” (“I am I and my circumstance”), suggesting that one’s identity cannot be separated from their context or environment. Ideas and ideals, he argued, do not exist in isolation but are always embedded within a particular set of circumstances that shape our experiences and identities.
In Ortega y Gasset’s view, ideas are the cognitive representations or mental images that we form in understanding of the world around us. They are the product of our intellect and are shaped by our experiences and circumstances. Ideas are dynamic, constantly evolving as we gather new information and experiences.
Ideals, on the other hand, represent our aspirations or goals. They are the values and principles that guide our actions and give our lives direction and purpose. Ideals are deeply personal, reflecting our individual beliefs and values, but they are also social, shaped by the societal norms and values of our time.
The interplay between ideas and ideals shapes societal norms and values. Ideas provide us with an understanding of our reality, while ideals give us a vision of what we hope to achieve or become. This dynamic is crucial in driving societal change and progress.
For instance, the idea of equality has evolved significantly over time, influenced by changing societal circumstances and intellectual developments. This evolving idea of equality has, in turn, shaped our ideals of justice, leading to social and political movements aimed at achieving greater equality in society.
In the context of current social, cultural, and political issues, Ortega y Gasset’s perspectives remain highly relevant. The ongoing debates around issues like climate change, social justice, and technological progress are all driven by a complex interplay of ideas and ideals. Understanding this interplay can help us navigate these debates more effectively and work towards solutions that reflect both our current understanding of these issues and our aspirations for the future.
Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo (29 September 1864 – 31 December 1936), commonly known as Miguel de Unamuno, was a Spanish essayist, novelist, poet, playwright, philosopher, and professor of Greek. He was born in the Basque city of Bilbao and later became a professor at the University of Salamanca. Unamuno was one of the key figures of the Generation of ’98, a cultural and literary movement that sought to redefine Spanish identity in the wake of Spain’s colonial losses (Spanish-American War in 1898).
Unamuno’s work often revolved around themes of existentialism. His philosophical work focused primarily on issues of life, death, and the meaning of existence. His most famous philosophical work, “The Tragic Sense of Life” (1912), delves into these themes, presenting an approach to philosophy concerned with the individual’s emotional response to life.
When it comes to ideas and ideals, Unamuno did not see them as separate entities but rather intertwined aspects of human existence. For him, an idea was not merely an intellectual concept; it was also a deeply felt passion. He believed that ideas gain their true value when they are tied to human emotions and experiences. One of his famous quotes encapsulates this view: “Man dies of cold, not of darkness.” Here, Unamuno suggests that it is not the lack of knowledge (darkness) that threatens our existence, but the lack of passion (cold).
As for ideals, Unamuno saw them as guiding principles that give life direction and meaning. He argued that even though our ideals might be unattainable, striving for them is what gives life purpose. He often emphasized the importance of the journey over the destination, suggesting that the pursuit of ideals is more important than their actual realization.
Unamuno’s views on ideas and ideals reflect his existentialist philosophy. He saw human life as a struggle for meaning, driven by a tension between our intellectual endeavors and our emotional experiences, often centered around the conflict between reason and faith, intellect and emotion, and immortality and mortality.
Unamuno and his Circumstance
Unamuno was born in the Basque city of Bilbao during a period known as the Restoration, when Spain was attempting to stabilize its political structure following the tumultuous 19th century marked by civil wars and conflicts.
He began his academic career in the late 1880s, a time when Spain was experiencing significant cultural and intellectual changes. The Generation of ’98, of which Unamuno was a key figure, emerged during this period. This intellectual and literary movement sought to redefine Spanish identity and culture in response to Spain’s loss of its last overseas colonies in 1898 and the crisis that ensued.
Unamuno’s work was also shaped by the profound societal changes brought about by industrialization and modernization. His philosophy, often referred to as “existentialist,” reflected a deep concern with individual identity and the human condition, themes that were particularly resonant in an increasingly uncertain and complex world.
In 1924, Unamuno was exiled from Spain due to his outspoken opposition to the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera. He returned in 1930 but soon faced another oppressive regime with the rise of Francisco Franco. In 1936, shortly before his death, Unamuno famously clashed with a Falangist general at the University of Salamanca, denouncing the violence and brutality of the Spanish Civil War.
Throughout his life, Unamuno grappled with questions of faith, doubt, and reason, themes that were deeply intertwined with the social and political upheavals of his time. His works offer a poignant exploration of the human struggle for meaning and identity in a rapidly changing world.
Unamuno’s book on Don Quixote and Sancho
“Vida de Don Quijote y Sancho” is a philosophical and literary exploration by Miguel de Unamuno, where he delves into the characters and narratives of Miguel de Cervantes’ magnum opus, “Don Quixote.” Unamuno’s work is not simply a commentary on Cervantes’ novel but rather a reevaluation and reinterpretation of the characters Don Quixote and his squire, Sancho Panza.
Unamuno presents Don Quixote and Sancho Panza as embodiments of contrasting yet complementary worldviews. Don Quixote represents the realm of ideals, imagination, and faith, while Sancho Panza symbolizes pragmatism, earthly wisdom, and skepticism.
The central theme in Unamuno’s work is the tension between ‘truth’ and ‘reality.’ Unamuno argues that Don Quixote’s perceived madness arises from his unyielding commitment to an idealized vision of the world, which clashes with the harsh realities of life. However, Unamuno does not dismiss Don Quixote’s vision as mere illusion. Instead, he suggests that these ‘quixotic’ ideals can offer deeper existential truths that transcend objective reality.
Unamuno further explores this theme through his critique of Cervantes. He contends that Cervantes failed to fully understand his own character, Don Quixote. According to Unamuno, Cervantes viewed Don Quixote as a madman, whereas Unamuno saw him as a heroic figure who chose to live by his ideals, regardless of societal norms or expectations.
Thus, “Vida de Don Quijote y Sancho” is both a tribute to and a reinterpretation of Cervantes’ classic novel. It offers a philosophical exploration of the interplay between truth and reality, idealism and pragmatism, using the characters of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza as vehicles for these complex ideas.
Another book review:
Miguel de Unamuno’s “Vida de Don Quijote y Sancho” is not a conventional literary critique of Cervantes’ classic “Don Quixote,” but rather a philosophical exploration that uses the characters and narratives from the novel as a medium to express Unamuno’s existential ideas.
Unamuno presents Don Quixote and his squire, Sancho Panza, as embodiments of contrasting worldviews. Don Quixote, with his chivalrous ideals and unwavering faith in his imagined reality, represents the realm of ideals and dreams. In contrast, Sancho Panza, with his pragmatic wisdom and down-to-earth sensibility, symbolizes the sobering force of reality.
A key theme that Unamuno explores through these characters is the tension between ‘truth’ and ‘reality.’ He posits that the perceived madness of Don Quixote arises from his steadfast commitment to an idealized vision of the world, which starkly contrasts with the harsh realities of life. However, Unamuno suggests that such ‘quixotic’ ideals can offer profound existential truths, transcending the mundanity of objective reality.
In a radical critique, Unamuno argues that Cervantes himself failed to fully comprehend his own character, Don Quixote. He postulates that Cervantes mistakenly viewed Don Quixote as a mere madman, whereas Unamuno saw him as a heroic figure who chose to live by his ideals, regardless of societal norms or expectations.
Overall, “Vida de Don Quijote y Sancho” is a rich philosophical interpretation of Cervantes’ classic, offering readers a fresh perspective on the timeless story. It’s an insightful read for anyone interested in exploring complex themes of truth, reality, idealism, and the human condition. Unamuno’s unique perspective makes this book a valuable addition to any literary or philosophical collection.
Don Quixote (“I am That I am”): The intuitive sense precipitating ideas into ideals (initial stages of the Practice of the Presence in Agni Yoga).
Sancho Panza (“I am I and my circumstance”): The world of reality (maya), which always distorts the ideal, but temporarily makes it useful to the immediate needs of humanity. The glamour of maya is devitalized by the inspiration brought by the ideal. Thus, Sancho’s need to remain close to his Master, although he can’t reach his ideas. -JB
An ideal is a temporary expression of a basic idea; it is not intended to be permanent but simply to serve a need and to indicate a way out of the past into a more adequate future. All the present ideals, expressing themselves through the current ideologies, will serve their [Page 135] purpose and eventually pass away, as all else has passed in the history of [humanity] and will give place, eventually, to a recognized spiritual relationship, a subjective fellowship, as a defined and expressed brotherhood.
GWP
In this thought we have a definite demonstration of the way in which all ideas (intuitively perceived and infallibly right) are distorted. Men’s minds and preconceived notions colour them. The idea becomes the ideal, and serves a useful purpose and leads men on (as the idea of sacrifice has always led men nearer to God) until it becomes an idol, and consequently limiting and untrue.
From Bethlehem to Calvary, p. 196, by AAB
I would not have you think for a moment that the embodied idea, which we call an ideal, is in itself an illusion. It only becomes so when it is regarded as an end in itself instead of being what it essentially is, a means to an end. An ideal, rightly grasped and used, provides a temporary [Page 134] aid towards the attainment of immediate and imminent reality which it is the goal of the man or [humanity], at any particular time, to reach. The idea before [humanity] today is the re-establishing (upon a higher turn of the spiral) of that spiritual relationship which characterized [humanity] in its child state, in its primitive condition. Then, under the wise guidance and the paternalistic attitude of the Hierarchy and the initiate-priests of the time, men [and women] knew themselves to be one family—a family of brothers [and sisters]—and achieved this through a feeling and a developed sensuous perception. Today, under the name of Brotherhood, the same idea is seeking mental form and the establishment of a renewed spiritual relationship (the idea) through training in right human relations (the ideal). This is the immediate goal of humanity.
This result will be inevitably brought about by means of the cycle of necessity through which we are now passing and the dimly sensed idea will—as a result of dire necessity—impose its rhythm upon [humanity] and thus force the realization of true Being upon all men. If a close study is made of the basic foundation of all the ideologies without excepting any, it will be discovered that this idea of integral relationships (often distorted in presentation and hidden through wrong methods), of spiritual objectives and of definite positive brotherly activity lies behind every outer form. I have used the current situation as an illustration of the idea taking form as the ideal and, alas, brother of mine, oft becoming the idol and the fanatical misunderstood and over-emphasized goal of the masses, under the guidance of some pronounced idealist. An ideal is a temporary expression of a basic idea; it is not intended to be permanent but simply to serve a need and to indicate a way out of the past into a more adequate future. All the present ideals, expressing themselves through the current ideologies, will serve their [Page 135] purpose and eventually pass away, as all else has passed in the history of the race and will give place, eventually, to a recognized spiritual relationship, a subjective fellowship, as a defined and expressed brotherhood. These will produce, when sufficiently developed and understood, a form of control and guidance and a species of government which it is not possible for even advanced thinkers at this time to grasp.
GWP
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