The Evolution of Consciousness

What does the phrase “evolution of consciousness” mean to you?

Oddly, or perhaps not at all oddly, it prompts me to begin with my own consciousness. When I was quite young, perhaps 11 or 12 years old, the image of Earth from space had a profound impact on me. In my mind’s eye, I could see myself from space! This was the central event of my path to maturity, and it defined my life.

As I grew older, I learned that I was not the only person to be so profoundly rocked by the image of Earth from space. Far from it! Some of the best minds on the planet were similarly rocked! And the internet has facilitated the dissemination of an enormous amount of creativity aimed at interpreting this central event in history.

Many of these fabulous minds emphasize the growing sense of unity that flows from the image of Earth from space. We see the planet as a single sphere and we think of it as One. For these people, the evolution of consciousness involves the appreciation of the Oneness of consciousness.

Some are beginning to suggest that the internet is becoming the neurological network of the consciousness of Unity, what we might call the Global Brain. I am in favor of this, but deplore the continuing emphasis on the centrality of the “Self,” or the individual.  Routine individualism perpetuates the danger that in our excitement, we’ll forget how easily the internet can become a tool of class warfare.

If the Global Brain is to do anything, it must apply itself with full effort to solving the practical problems of hunger, lack of clean water, war, and human trafficking. My colleagues and I at the Center for EduPunx are devoted to this task, using the inherent potential of virtual worlds, wikis, and mobile devices to design games that teach the user to reflect on life’s meaning, and to use their strongest skills and talents to make life worth living for the billions of fellow humans who never get to play.