It is fairly apparent that most humans operate from a pretty predictable vantage point: what’s in it for me? And you don’t have to be Ayn Rand to understand this. Is this merely a survival mechanism or do humans consciously choose to be on this wavelength?
If you give credence to one of the new age ideas floating about now around the concept of “oneness,” how can one reconcile this selfishness and ego centric behavior with an overriding connection to all sentient and inanimate beings on a spiritual level?
I’ve even read (and been intrigued by) the idea that inanimate objects have a certain consciousness, because they, along with humans, plants, and animals, are derived from the earth and eventually return to it in one form or another.
Speaking from experience, I can say without hesitation that i have a very strong connection to some of my prized objects, that I treat them very well and often thank them for their service: this connection might be viewed skeptically by some!
The most interesting question remains: how does one maintain the reality one wants with a healthy but not oversized ego, while balancing the concept of “oneness” and connection to all things in the universe?
That indeed is the “Pepsi challenge.”