666 - Kevin Russell Returns (AI/The Future)

In 'Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress,' Christopher Ryan challenges the notion that civilization is inherently good. He argues that the advancements of modern society have introduced new and often more severe problems than those faced by prehistoric humans. Ryan questions whether the dangers of pre-civilized life, such as infant mortality and life-threatening injuries, were more murderous than modern scourges like car accidents, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases. He suggests that the shift from hunter-gatherer societies to agricultural and industrial societies has led to a decline in measures of health, longevity, security, and leisure. The book proposes that looking back to the ways of hunter-gatherer societies could provide insights into creating a more sustainable and fulfilling future.

Prometheus Rising by Robert Anton Wilson is a profound exploration of human consciousness, blending psychology, neuroscience, and esoteric philosophy. The book uses the Eight Circuit Model of Consciousness to explain how the human mind operates and how it can be developed. Wilson challenges readers to question their conditioned beliefs and offers practical exercises and humor to make complex ideas accessible. The book aims to help readers break free from imprinted and programmed behavior, enhancing their cognitive abilities and consciousness through techniques like meditation and biofeedback. It encourages a broad perspective and self-awareness, inviting readers to become conscious participants in their own evolution and to unlock their full potential.

In 'The Denial of Death', Ernest Becker discusses the psychological and philosophical implications of how people and cultures react to the concept of death. He argues that human civilization is a defense mechanism against the knowledge of our mortality, and that this denial is a necessary component of functioning in the world. Becker's work challenges traditional Freudian thought by positing that the primary repression is not sexuality, but rather the awareness of death. He also explores how this fear of death leads to the creation of 'hero systems' and symbols that help individuals transcend their mortality, and how this can result in violence and conflict when different immortality projects clash.