Humanity transcends material wealth

Another chapter in the broad theme of "an idea whose time has come" is the interesting element of social coercion in behavior influencing. It is now not politically correct or even socially acceptable to smoke, drink heavily, eat fatty foods or to have poor posture in most professional and social settings. It is becoming less acceptable to just have a job and hobbies, rather than a direction and mission.

There is of course, regional seepage to this cultural phenomenon; the ideas generally begin, intentionally or not, in California and other clean living, high actualization environments and pervade other urban areas and even extend slow fingers out from cities. Witness anti-tobacco lawsuits superseded by anti-fast food and anti-trans fat lawsuits. The interesting aspect is that behaviors we have known for years to be unhealthy sat untransformed until the eye of social disapproval turned to them. While social disapproval can be seen as an invitation for anti-conformist counterbalance when it pertains to ideas, maybe it is all right when it pertains to statistically supported facts that enhance human life, especially those that hit low on the Maslow hierarchy.

It is increasingly unacceptable to show material trappings or any other sign of success. Indeed, pecuniary interests matter less and less, both directly and as a proxy for success. The brain - ideas, creativity, innovation and skill flexibility and acquisition - is the new currency of success, and it is measured intangibly. The impact is an increasingly interconnected actualizing civilization cleanly focused on true progress, ensconced in the true freedom of ideas.