Spreading the knowledge of the powerful with all of humanity…
We should seek to learn first how to live within nature (even the modified nature of our modern world). To that end, we need to learn how to live from what nature provides us and using the knowledge we have of it. In so doing we allow ourselves a connection to nature that removes the necessity of contrived (and often corrupted) systems of man. By learning to live more directly from nature, we give ourselves the freedom to live life in better accordance with our conscience, and less as a subject to others.
I propose an effort to return the fundamental knowledge of livelihood to our population, so that people know how to produce food, to create shelter, to cooperate and adjudicate with others, and to provide for basic elements of health and communication. From my perspective, this knowledge has been separated from the broader population making us increasingly dependent on systems we see as corrupt and dysfunctional, and more cynically, one could view this knowledge as intentionally withheld by the powerful to keep us submissive. The effort I propose is a Promothean effort to return productive knowledge from the elite few to all of humanity.
While I propose that many elements of knowledge be made widespread, I do not propose a complete distribution of all knowledge. There are some capacities and knowledge which we have developed (nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, biological warfare, etc) that seem so potentially dangerous that to allow them to distributed unchecked only invites our ruin. For these specialized types of knowledge, I propose they remain limited in distribution, with the holders of such knowledge held in check by the power of the mass of humanity that would seek vengeance should such power be abused. Rather, the aims of the Prometheus project are somewhat limited in aims, to promote practical knowledge of nature needed to support oneself from it, such as food production. There does seem to be a risk that unconstrained knowledge will allow creation of new evils and abuses (a valid concern), but this concern already exists, the only difference without widespread independence there is much less ability to counter such threats. We must be able to rely on the wisdom of all to guide us accurately (“the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the world“).
This project is something of a call to arms of those who seek to shape their own future, and a challenge to those who purport to give knowledge but give falsehood instead. The upbringing and education of our youth should pass along this knowledge, and those who are unable or unwilling to do so must be replaced with those who will. We should have the information made available to all in the simplest, most comprehensible form possible, and in multiple forms to account for differences in learning types. This basic knowledge should be made available to all without any prerequisites or tests of devotion, given as one of the gifts of birth from our common and long ancestral heritage.
One note, I recognize that in some ways one could this effort starts out in deception, that it is arguing that such knowledge (and practice of them) is a privilege that needs to be fought for, and that therefore we are essentially fighting for the privilege of becoming a producing class that benefits the powerful. In some ways this is accurate. I do believe that work is a privilege in that it brings one closer to nature, and is therefore worth fighting for, but the important distinction is that we gain this knowledge and have this production so that we don’t have to support and follow those we find oppressive, but instead have the freedom to reject them as we see fit and give ourselves the independence to allow choice and freedom (and cast off the oppressive, cancerous, bullying class of people who would subject us to their will without providing anything close to equal value in return).
This project is so large to be daunting in where to begin. At least in the society that I have been raised in the ideas are well away from current norms, and the information I seek does not seem readily available. As we are better as groups, I seek first others who share the same general views and hope to be able to work together with them to progress this project. Some of this work rests with educators, some with parents, some with broader society, and some with a committed group of people who believe in the vision. This is my call to arms; if it resonates, please take action.