Contents
Social Relationships are one of the most fundamental identifiers of humans. What is their origin? Why so important and conflictual?
God blew His own neshama (Job 32:8) into the first human (Gen. 2:7). Why? Because It is the primary agent that confers God’s image on humankind (Gen. 1:26). What God does on His perfect spiritual level, humans can accomplish on their human level. Neshama confers understanding (Job 32:8) which means discernment and perception, the awareness of their surroundings. This is the equivalent of consciousness or cognizance of one’s world in the largest possible sense with one’s intellect, senses, and emotions.
(Mind-Body Problem Solved, Chapter 17 – Table of Contents)
Consciousness empowers humans with specific attributes. So far, we’ve seen two of five: purpose for one’s life and how each of us (should) function. I’m going to summarize this with three words: purpose to choose & change. Each human (should have the freedom) to choose their purpose and change to accomplish it. I realize this is utopic :), why? Exactly because of the way humans function. We have dual nature therefore we prevent others (the strong and rich prevent the weak and poor…) from choosing and changing to accomplish their purpose.
Social Relationships
Your purpose in life involves three major areas. Today we will discuss the first: social relationships. These are the interpersonal interactions with every other human being. Of course, you’ll never meet and greet everyone! Your social relationships will be the circle of human beings with whom you’ll be in contact throughout your life. It can expand and recede, in other words, you can choose and change your social relationships.
Through consciousness, each human comes pre-equipped with the capacity for flourishing, and harmonious inter-connections thanks to their emotions and feelings, and how we read other people. Interpersonal relationships are in a state of flux, increasing and decreasing. They are dynamic, which is a characteristic of human social relationships.
The book Audit of Humankind elaborated on the many levels of interconnected kinships and affiliations often based on affinities. As we go through this summary, ask yourself the question, how did humans acquire the capacity to have such a coherent variety of interpersonal bonds?
- Human Society, the Only Global Social Species (Audit of Humankind, Chapter 3.1)
Human society exists because human beings are sociable. It’s the presence or absence of proper social relations that result in human turmoil or peace.
We delve into how society, you and I, and the rest of the world population have organized ourselves to try to live in harmony with one another. This should be peaceful cohabitation. The word society comes from the term social. The origin of both these terms is the Latin socius meaning companion, friend, and ally. - You are a Unique Individual among 7 Billion on Earth (3.2)
Each of us is a unique individual on planet Earth. Individuals are the first building block of human society. Social relationships start as soon as you have two unique individuals in the same room.
Each one is a building block in the social network of human society that spans the globe. Your and my individuality mean each of us brings our qualities (and defects) to construct humanity. We pool our individualities—each individual is not diluted in the mass—our individualities are cumulative and represent the patchwork that is the diversity of society. - Gender Equality, Gender Inequality or Gender Compatibility? (3.3)
Gender equality makes headlines. Over the last few years, its come to the forefront as very controversial. How does it sit with human society?
How many genders are there and what are they? The differentiation of gender and sex to denote human beings goes back to about the 50s but takes on real differences around the 80s. Today gender identity and gender roles have become an issue for usage in language, responsibilities in religion, focus on poverty, and even a question in the discussion of climate change. Pandora’s box has been opened. - Bride and Groom is a Cross-Cultural, Worldwide Phenomenon (3.4)
Bride and Groom spark engagement rings, engagement parties, and bridal showers. The celebration of this event is a milestone in the life of a couple.
Every girl and boy somehow aspire to be a bride and groom and eventually a husband and wife. This appears to be something built into the human psyche. Have you ever wondered why? And why is it so universal? - Couple Relationship—Binding Husband and Wife in Marriage (3.5)
The couple’s relationship is the strength of social relations. Marriage, the husband, and wife together, is the twosome on which human society resides.
The couple relationship between human beings is the foundation on which human society rises or falls. The ability of a male and a female to combine their capacities, and complement each other in their family life endeavors is the mark of a solid society. - Healthy Marriage, A Happy Twosome with Abundant Benefits (3.6)
A marriage relationship has huge benefits compared to living a single life. It’s not a question of whether there are benefits but rather what those benefits are.
Joining the complementary contributions of the male and female partners has multiple benefits for a flourishing marriage. But the question still arises, why is it so? - Family—The Cornerstone of Human Society (3.7)
Family is the perfect structure on which to build human society. It alone assures stability to parents and children.
The family unit is the cornerstone block in which the father, mother, and children can grow to be balanced and mature individuals. The social relationships spun therein are the foundation of the network of human society. - Parenting, Father & Mother have Essential Complementary Roles (3.8)
Parenting follows bride and groom, husband and wife. Father and mother have many challenges and responsibilities, but the benefits are incommensurable.
Conceiving takes but a few seconds, the consequences, and parental responsibilities can last 20 years, the rewards a lifetime. - Extended family. Many Generations = World Population (3.9)
The extended family, growing, generation after generation gave birth to our world population today. That’s Human Society.
The extended family starts with the male and female, marriage, babies, childrearing, youth, dating, marriage … and the cycle continues from generation to generation. That’s how the world population is closing in on eight billion people. We’re all one family. - Ethnicity, Clans, Tribes, Where did They All Come From? (3.10)
Ethnicity is a major subject today. Ethnic groups are in the limelight of minority rights, their treatment, and literal extinction.
Ethnicity in a time of globalization should make us stop and think. Among the thousands of ethnic groups, many are on the brink. Society is dealing them a hard hand. Do we stop to think about where such diversity came from? - Nations Are Identified by Their Own Patriotic Ethnic Culture (3.11)
Nations have their own heart. Their citizens are attached to their nationality, their traditions, and their culture.
Nations and peoples are characterized by their values, traditions, foods, music, and sports teams; there’s a patriotic fervor whenever there’s any type of competition or conflict. Look at World Cup fever and flag-waving at the Olympic Games. National identity even goes much further than that. - Origin of Language, An Unsolvable Scientific Mystery (3.12)
Philologists are in total contradiction about the origin of language, while it is the basis of human relations. What a conundrum.
The origin of language has stumped the most learned intelligentsia for centuries. It was even forbidden to discuss this issue. Yet, language is the most common and apparent feature differentiating humans from animals. It allows the entirety of Earth’s inhabitants to communicate with one another. - Globalization: Integration Versus Segregation of People (3.13)
Globalization is a challenge. How do you integrate human beings when the natural tendency is to group them by ethnic language and culture?
Globalization has its pros and cons. World travel and social integration are wonderful ideas. What is the norm for such a utopia? We in the democratic, liberalized West might think that should be the norm. Many don’t share our point of view. The fiber of human society and social relationships is in play with this world-encompassing issue.
There you have it, from individuals to world globalization, the basis of which is a couple of people birthing children in a family. All the parts assemble into visible and measurable social relations. But, innately, where does this impetus come from? Why is it hard-wired, the standard pattern across the planet, a permanent feature of humans down through history? That is the question. The answer is God implanted it in us when He blew His neshama, consciousness, into the first human.
Is this conjecture? How can The Explanation affirm this? Check what the Bible says at UnlockBibleMeaning.com.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth…
The model of proper social relationships is established and completed in the first five minutes of the story of humankind with God establishing marriage and family.
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
When I use the term hard-wired it is in no way a reference to the brain. We saw God formed the first human from dust. The brain is dust. Neshama is God’s spiritual essence. You cannot locate neurons, or anything else labeled social relationships. They are not initiated by the brain, an electrical impulse, or a chemical reaction through the synapses. These real reactions are the result of what is innate to consciousness. I will expand on this later, but let’s stay focused on the basic design of humankind. Social relationships have always been an integral part of the human psyche.
Psychology and Social Relationships
Please listen to Jordan Peterson on loneliness and intimate connections, his advice is sound. But beyond the advice, statistics, the characteristics of singles, and their interactions I want you to understand that social relationships are taken for granted as a defining element of all humans planetwide. There’s no doubt humans are social creatures. And that social inborn inclination is totally in line with the instruction God gave the first couple. Adam and Eve understood (Job 32:8, H995, the neshama gave them this feature of their psyche) marriage and family because God’s neshama implanted not only the concept but also the pattern of social relationships in their consciousness.
Our 21st-century so-called progressive society has deviated (Matthew 24:37-39) from the basics of sane social relationships with the breakdown of societal well-being. There are many wonderful families with husband-wife, father-mother, and children assuming the benefits and responsibilities of family life, thankfully. But, in general with wayward dating and sex, divorce, parenting, delinquency, and dysfunctioning adults we’re paying a high societal price. The psychologist’s role is to help people get back to the basics of social relationships.
Why did God instill the need for social relationships in humans via their consciousness? Because God is a family. If you’re hearing this for the first time you must go and read what the Bible says. Family social relationships on Earth, in the image of God, are a training ground to prepare us for Godly Family relationships for all of eternity.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
30 For we are members of his (Christ) body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
4 And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
There are hundreds of Bible verses about social relations based on family values. The only reason all humans can apply interpersonal connections whether they are spiritual believers or unbelievers is because of the innate feature of social relationships conferred on each of us by God’s neshama, consciousness.
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