Before we begin trying to enlighten humanity, perhaps we should acknowledge one small complication:

Humanity already has quite a lot of opinions.

Some of us are certain that science has all the answers, while others are equally convinced that spirituality does. Some trust institutions, some question almost everything, and a few of us seem to have reached the highly advanced spiritual state of arguing with strangers on the Internet before breakfast.

So perhaps enlightenment should begin with something much simpler: curiosity — the willingness to listen, the courage to question, the humility to admit that none of us sees the whole picture, and, now and then, the ability to laugh at ourselves.

Welcome to the Enlightenment Media News Editorial page.

This will be a space for observations, reflections, questions, unconventional ideas, and occasional attempts to make sense of a world that does not always seem particularly interested in making sense. We will explore consciousness, humanity, media, culture, collective intelligence, and the strange, fascinating, and sometimes amusing experience of being human in rapidly changing times.

We may challenge conventional thinking, and from time to time we may challenge our own thinking as well. The purpose is not to tell anyone what to believe, but to look at familiar things from a slightly different angle, ask questions that are sometimes overlooked, and explore whether better ideas — and perhaps better choices — become possible when we are willing to see beyond our usual assumptions.

Some subjects will be serious, some may be controversial, and others may simply remind us that even while contemplating the mysteries of consciousness and the future of civilization, we are still human beings who can lose our glasses while wearing them.

So yes, we are going to explore some very serious questions here, but I see no reason why we have to become terribly serious people while doing it.

Welcome to From the Editor.

— J.B. Gattini
Founder & Editor
Enlightenment Media News