The above passage is from an article in Parade Magazine written by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan a few years ago.  Actually, it is describing chimpanzee society.  The leader of a chimp social unit is referred to as the "alpha male".  When I came across the article, however, it reminded me of the need for authority and affirmation of some who look to others for guidance and assurance rather than from within themselves.

For those who look outward for leadership, authority is just another tangible form of structure. In contrast, inner oriented people seek relief from outside authority.  Leaders to them are people with vision who promote unity by affirming diversity of thought.  Authoritarianism defines narrow sets of principles which all must follow if they wish to be included.  Authority seekers not only crave to be under it themselves but also are impelled to wield it against those who are independent minded (considered to be rebels).  They hold that what's good enough for them is good enough for everyone else.

Need for Affirmations of own beliefs:
The individual finds relief with the like-minded.  The more he can surround himself with like-minded thinkers, the more safe and comfortable he is likely to feel.  He loves the preaching to the choir environment where there is no dissenting opinion.  This is the appeal of most of talk radio.  Seeing others hold other views can be unsettling to those with a need for certainty.  It can cause the individual to question his / her own neat and tidy package of beliefs. It may irritate those protecting a specific personal view of reality because some of the things that they are observing out there may seem more fun or attractive or desirable at some level.  And if their own standards prevent them from creating their own lives as they see others doing, it causes them to question their own beliefs, including whether their beliefs are denying them freedom.  Since that is highly uncomfortable, certainists quickly resort to attacking the fun seekers.  It is better to just not have these people and ideas within their realm of observation.  We are threatened by those who don't think as or look like we do, on many other levels as well.

Need For Control Over How Others Should Act or Feel :
The individual is very adamant about others following rules, both society's as well as those on his / her own list.  There is the conviction that certain ways of thinking and behaving are right and other ways are wrong.  He is angered by rule breakers, driven to condemn and chastise them--especially those Godless relativists.  Always the parent, the individual views this effort to enforce conformity upon others as part of his civic duty.  Such individuals believe they are God's warriors armed with the mandate to bring morality to the world. They seem to relish their idea that it's a harsh, cruel world and that they can face that reality and accept the "facts". Because the rules are the rules, they believe it doesn't pay to give a "sucker" a break.

Blaming:
The individual is always rationalizing ways in which it is other people's fault that he is unhappy or frustrated or thwarted.  Since he doesn't understand how his own thoughts are creating the events of his life, this may seem logical.  But ironically, at the same time, he is attacking others for not taking responsibility for their lives.  Almost laughably, the individual sees these other irresponsible people as being responsible for his own unhappy circumstances. He sees them as blaming him for their unhappiness which angers him more.

Moving From Awareness To Renewal

I think you get the idea.  You now recognize some of the expressions of fear and separation that are out there "in the world of mass consciousness".  You may not have been seeing it for what it is.  You may even have been engaging in the thoughts and expressions of them unconsciously yourself.  If you are awakening to your true nature, your inner self has been trying to show you a better way of being--the way of love.  Now you are awakening to the fact that certainty is unimportant and so the devices utilized to buttress certainty are no longer needed.  You can let go of them.  It's quite important though to not blame yourself or feel guilty for having been lost in the muck.  You simply had not yet awakened.  That's all.  You came here to express as God; but first you had to awaken to the fact that you are a perfect and unique individualization of All That Is. And now you are doing that.  Congratulate and praise yourself.

No need to look back in regret for you have always been exactly where you needed to be in order to bring you to the point of awakening.  Often that place included a lot of pain.  But that pain was simply the universe trying to get your attention to wake up and recognize your attachments and your areas of resistance.  Attachment and resistance are indications of what you fear.  And what you fear is an illusion--not real.  But you do create (bring into form) what you fear or resist.  What you feared was effect, not cause; it had no reality in itself--until you gave it form. The laws of the universe are perfectly designed to teach you to trust in the absolute disposition of the universe to provide for you.  The lesson is that you must trust it for it can do far better what you desire than you (your limited personality self) can.  So now you are beginning to understand the laws of creative principle and how the universe works.  You now realize that the universal laws of attraction and cause and effect are far superior to absolute morality in assuring order within the universe and the evolution of consciousness. You are aware that the stuff of mass conscious thought exists, but now you know that you no longer have to participate in it.  It may be evident at work or school or in the neighborhood or within your family but you can be apart from it. You can create your own reality. You can raise your own vibration.

Focus on love.  Focus on joy.  Maintain an awareness of the truth about your own divine magnificence, power and limitlessness.  When you feel overwhelmed by the energy of the world (as we all do from time to time), go within or find that book or source of enlightenment and upliftment to get you back on track.

End of Part 5; go to Part 6