Prelude
a b c d e f g
Contents
i ii iii iv
Dieu et mon droit
1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Tat Tvam Asi
7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2 Mechanics of Evolution
9 40 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 50 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 60 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 70 1 2
3 Environment
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 80 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 90 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 100 1 2
4 Physiology of the Individual
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 110 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 120 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 130 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 140
5 Fabric of Society
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 150 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 160 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 170 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 180 1 2 3 4 5 6
6 The Shrine of Content
7 8 9 190 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 200 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 210 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 In His Own Image
7 8 9 220 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 230 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 240 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
8 In Search of Enlightenment
9 250 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 260 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 270 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 280 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 290 1 2
9 Mutation
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 300 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 310 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 320 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 330 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 340
10 Power of Prayer
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 350 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 360 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 370 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 380
11 Revelation
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 390 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 400 1 2 3 4
Bibliograpy
5 6 7 8 9 410 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 420
Index
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 430 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 440 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 450 1 2 3 4 5 6

During the course of this book, while we have considered in some detail the concepts of theology and philosophy as they pertain to the form and function of human social systems, we have steered away from discussing topics of specific theology or philosophy. However, we might be perceived as lacking in some degree of intellectual honesty if we avoid specific consideration of two iconic works relative to our consideration of the concept of identity. These works are the George Orwell book 1984 and the Book of Revelation in the Christian Bible. Both are illustrative examples of apocalyptic literature and each offers prophecies for two of the social orders that we have identified; 1984 with respect to égalité and the Book of Revelation with respect to the religious congregation.

Orwell’s masterpiece introduces us to Big Brother while Revelation focuses our attention on the Antichrist and his derivative mark of the beast. Both works are superb examples of the concept of metaphorical understanding. Indeed, both extend the concept of metaphor into that of allegory. Allegory, in turn, is a mechanism completely dependent upon context. Thus, more advanced scholars in their respective fields will likely see nuances in both works that will less stringently appear to us. Nonetheless, in any extended discussion of the concept of identity and its constituent facets, issues of concern will commonly be raised in reference to, and typically through immediate levels of interpretation of these two works. It is to these issues that we feel some necessity to suggest our own interpretation. We will come back to additional discussions relative to metaphoric understanding in our final chapter, which we titled in deference to the Book of Revelation.

When one mentions the concepts of identity and governance in the same breath, a virtually autonomic response from many is the concern that a governmental big brother will soon be looking over their shoulders. From the Christian suppliant, an equally reflexive concern is the incursion of the mark of the beast. Such is the power of art and aesthetic projection that a strong evocation of trust is imbued by this simple reference to 1984 and Revelation. To allay some degree of the concerns so raised, we suggest that one must interpret both works through the vocabulary that we considered in the previous section. While both raise quite valid issues, if one interprets them through the appropriate facets of the concept of identity, we suggest that one can derive a meaningful prophetic alternative as well as a more reflective response than that which their mention often engenders in a discussion about identity. To that end, let’s consider the works in just a bit more detail.

Focusing on the three central characters, 1984 portrays a social order replete with references to the facets of identity that we have previously discussed. Winston Smith is the central protagonist of the story who, supported by his girlfriend Julia, engages in an ongoing struggle against an ill-recognized adversary named O’Brien. Smith is the iconic representative of the individual person found within a larger set of people. In the vocabulary we have suggested, he is the metaphor for differential identity. The plot of the book centers on his attempts to maintain some semblance of privacy, specifically as it pertains to freedom of action, within an authoritarian government regime controlled by “The Party.” Through a variety of technologically enabled communication channels, The Party is able to observe and subsequently control the actions of everyone in the nation; that is, within the primary social order. An interesting mechanism used for this control, in other words a central aspect of the policy infrastructure, is that of newspeak; a social discourse filter based upon the premise of redefining the basic metaphors of language through which people interact, making for example a single blend of peace and war. This is perhaps one of the more profound revelations of the book, as this concept is foundational to the evolution of social systems.

Big Brother and the Mark of the Beast