If so, it might help to recognize that there are two opposing processes or tendencies operating in the known universe- one natural (entropy) and the other anti- or supra-natural (negentropy), both of which terms will be defined in the paragraphs below. Entropy, it is thought, works without intentional human participation; negentropy works only by means of intentional human participation. Since it is axiomatic that: "Be not deceived; [the universe] is not mocked: whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap," it also stands to reason that at every point in time you- together with the world- face a choice as to which of these two processes or tendencies you will permit to determine and govern your experience. The universe is thus forever presenting this choice to you: "...I have set before you Life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose Life that both thou and thy seed may live."
Entropy can be defined as the natural process or tendency of everything to (unin-tentionally) disintegrate and derogate as soon as it is created- whether by nature or by man. Hence everything in the universe is in a continuous state of wearing out, of falling apart, of running or cooling down from a higher to a lower state of energy, of extinguishing light and of spreading darkness, of grinding to a dead stop- from the galaxy, sun, and earth to the republic, career, and automobile/house, to the body, soul, and spirit. This means that everything that can theoretically go wrong in the universe is going wrong to different people, places, things, and/or conditions at different points in time. Hence- barring the deployment of any intentional influences- there exists a tendency for everything that can theoretically go wrong with you over a period of time to, in fact, do so, until you die. This is the natural state of man as a physical being: occasionally harmonious- by circumstance- but inevitably: inharmonious and hellish, resulting in death and destruction. "What is man?" "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble."
Negentropy, on the other hand, can be defined as the anti- or supra-natural process or tendency of everything to (intentionally) integrate and inrogate (the here-defined opposite of derogate) to the degree to which such a concerted process or tendency is intentionally applied thereto. Hence everything in one¹s universe can theoretically be improved- or brought closer to its designed state of inherent perfection- by the intentional application of negentropy, such as by the combined application of knowledge, skill, wisdom, will-power, and prayer. And prayer is defined here as the intentional, spiritual beholding of one or more persons, places, things, and/or conditions as exclusively pervaded with and controlled by love for Good, Principled action, justice, order, etc. (and hatred for their opposite). This means that everything that can theoretically go right can be induced to go right for different people, places, things, or conditions at different points in time. Hence there exists- by means of your own activation of the requisite intention- a tendency for everything that can theoretically go right with you over a period of time to, in fact, do so. This is the anti- or supra-natural state of man as a metaphysical being: increasingly harmonious unto, theoretically, the resumption of your original and complete dominion. "What is man? ...[a being created] little lower than the angels,...crowned with glory and honor,...hav[ing] dominion over... all things..."
If you stopped to think about it, you would no doubt agree that, as a human being, your state or condition and that of everyone else in the world is one in which varying degrees of entropy and negentropy compete with each other for predominance within each of you- perhaps alternately, perhaps with an increasing tendency toward one or the other end of the spectrum. The revolutionary challenge and glory of being human, however, is in striving to make the transition from living only in your physical being- more or less as an animal- to living in your metaphysical being- more or less as an angel- i.e. to reduce all entropy in your life and world by the intentional application of negentropy thereto. Or, more positively phrased: to adopt only negentropy into your life and world. Or most correctly phrased: to simply behold the summation of negentropy- all Good- as the original and native state or condition of your life and world.
The tendency of this intentional, negentropic process is to so let all Good, the ultimate negentropy, determine and govern your experience that your and your world's experience will improve until it resumes its original and inherently designed perfection. "The path of the just is as the shining Light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." -Or at least until it improves to that degree of perfection of which you are capable at any point of time, since it is clear that the perfection available to a child is not the perfection available to an adult. "When I was a child, I spake as a child; I understood as a child; I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things." This may or may not be immediately (or ever fully) achievable by the world at large, but it certainly is achievable by you yourself. "Who did hinder you that ye should not obey the Truth?"
If you have agreed so far with this writer to any significant extent, this essay may have simply confirmed your no-doubt previously held conviction that the state or condition in which you, as a human being, and all others in your world presently find yourself and themselves, respectively, is subject to your and their choice as to whether you and they will function as physical or metaphysical beings, or as some combination thereof. But what if it were possible to altogether transcend this choice- this pair of opposites? What if you became convinced that you could demonstrate your non-necessity to be bound by either your physical or your metaphysical being and therefore would not have to worry any longer about what others in your world are saying or doing (about you)? "Let the dead bury their dead." What if you found that you could simply function as Being Itself, Good Itself: Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, and Love Itself? -and could function from this absolute Center of existence as the One, the Only, and the All? Wouldn¹t such a conscious Awareness not only do away, theoretically, with all improvement, but also with all choice and all wonderment- indeed, with all others!, as suggested in the title and body of this essay? Not that you wouldn't seem to have a choice, of course, or that nothing would improve, or that some folks wouldn¹t wonder at it, or that there wouldn¹t be others in your seeming world- only that you would not consciously have set out to acknowledge any such conditions, since you wouldn¹t be focusing on anything less than absolute perfection.
Now if the Truth were known, the very Self of you is forever whispering: "I AM- that I am!" -i.e. I AM the One, the Only, and the All, Which is your true divine Identity, whether you seem to be consciously aware of it or not. Talk about a challenge and a glory! Human being fades in comparison. Yes, if and when you can manage to function- even momentarily- at this absolute level of Being, your awareness of your own divinity "...will open [to] you the windows of heaven and pour you [and your world] out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." Needless to say, unless you can learn to function from this absolute perspective and in this absolute dimension, your and everyone else¹s experience in your world will be conditioned to some extent by (a contrived) choice and by some degree of the pair of opposites, including all of the encumbrances and downward tendencies of entropy. To function as I AM, on the other hand, is to be like God and to function as God functions in the here and now, which is beyond both metaphysics and negentropy. "As [God] is, so are we in this world." Occupying this exalted status- wholly employed in absolute living- may make your character and activity appear to onlookers at times as though you were a god, but if that term has any spiritual- as distinct from merely mythical- meaning, it certainly would apply to you when functioning at this absolute level. "Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?"
So, 'do you ever wonder why your life and world are as they are and how they can be improved?' If so, you may find yourself asking yourSelf: Why have I sold My birthright for a mess of pottage? After being so foolish...and ignorant- ...as a beast before [my own spiritual Self] - I rose to but "a little lower than the angels," disbelieving that there could possibly be anything higher, but now I am beginning to realize that, "being made so much better than the angels..., I have, by [divine] inheritance, obtained a more excellent Name [or nature] than [even] they" - a Name which is [so] above every [other] name, that at the Name of [I AM] every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that [I AM] is Lord..." When will I stop wondering and pleading, and start beholding the ALL GOOD that I AM already, right here and now?
As you review the truths that we have been pondering thus far in this essay about improving your life and world (and the writer has composed this essay more to encourage and exhort himself than anyone else), you may have ever so faintly perceived your own Self whispering one last word of wisdom and warning, as you dash out the door to mount your next crusade or to fall in line behind the latest Pied Piper of the sheeple. Of all the dangers in your spiritual adventure- as Good- to be the All-in-all, the danger which you would do well to most beware of is self-deceit: of fooling yourself into believing that your own- and/or especially society¹s prevailing- puny and perhaps prejudiced little concept of metaphysics or negentropy is all there is to cosmic Truth, and then acting robotically thereon.
Here on the threshold of infinity and at the doorway leading to the land of divine pri-vilege where "your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as [a] god...," there is as much if not more cause for humility as there is for hubris- both in and of yourSelf and visavis others who may be looking to you for guidance or inspiration. For though this essay is not an argument for never taking decisive, firm, and even revolutionary action, which kind of action is, in fact, increasingly needed in this world of entropy, disinformation, and misguidance falsely passing as negentropy, you would be well advised to continually "examine yoursel[f to see] whether ye be in the faith; prove your own Sel[f] ...;" for if...the "light" [or negen-tropy] that [you think] is in thee [really] be darkness [or entropy], how great is that darkness [or entropy]!² ³There is a way [of ingratiation with society and self-deceit, earning their approval and applause,] which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.² In such a case you would bear a double responsibility- both to yourself and to those you influence. For "if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
Yes, the revolutionary challenges facing your life and world today require uncommon integrity, scrutiny, and courage. Ultimately, these challenges may even address some conditions deep within your life and world that- despite what the psycho- or socio-engineers may say- are not amenable to improvement, but only to destruction and rebuilding on a new- and this time, a righteous- foundation. "I will break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof; [then] ye shall know that I AM the Lord."
Are you up for meeting the revolutionary challenges of your life and world today? And do you know on what foundation you have built your life and your view of others in the world? "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid..." - "I AM [is] the root...and the bright and morning star."