The 1st Wave
The Agricultural Revolution
Somewhere around 10,000 years ago, the first major change in our
consciousness occurred. That's when we learned how to farm the land, to
shepherd animals, and to live together in permanent settlements. It is
also when the concept of private property came to exist, as we built walls to
keep others out.
As the population grew, the tribes soon found themselves competing for land,
food and water. While some tribes found peaceful solutions to the scarcity,
others resorted to open warfare and predatory practices. When peaceful
solutions were achieved, the respective tribes often retained their unique
culture. When one tribe defeated another, however, it was often the winning
tribe whose culture remained.
Over time, this resulted in a world of fewer and fewer large tribes, composed
of more and more conquered ones. Along the way, the leaders of conquering tribes
became the rulers of the new kingdoms, while the people in the conquered ones
became the slaves and the subjects. This is how classes came to exist within
societies.
Once in power, the ruling class became fearful of change and of losing
control over their property (eg. land, food, water, slaves, etc.). To retain
their privileged position, they learned how to use fear, force, intimidation,
and all manner of deceit and deception. It was in this way that politics came to
exist within governments.
The result of these processes were great kingdoms and great civilizations,
each with their own version of kings, pharaohs and high priests. And each with
their own version of gods, philosophies, ruling classes, commoners, and slaves.
Then came the World Religions.