"The problems we have now in communities and societies are going to be resolved only when we are brought together by a common sense that each of us is a visionary. Each of us must come to the realization that we can function and live at the level of vision rather than following some great leader's vision. Instead of looking for a great leader, we are in an era where each of us needs to find the great leader in ourselves." -Werner Erhard



In the twentieth century, it might have been good enough to operate from a position where you knew The truth, you knew what is Right, and you knew The answer/solution. It was easy enough to learn what was true, what was right and what to do. The person in power would tell you All you had to do to succeed or at least survive in his world was follow and obey.

At work this looked like being a good employee, a company man. Fit in, follow, obey. At school this looked like being a good student. Fit in, follow, obey. In your country this looked like be a good citizen. Fit in, follow, obey. Etc., etc. Life was top-down. The masses were controlled by the people at the top. And it worked... on some level. There was order in the workplace, order at school, order in the streets.

A person's main choice in life was which bus to ride. Ride the same bus my parents are riding, or ride a bus of my own choosing? Then get on the bus, sit down and trust that the driver knows where he's going. Stay in your seat, and obey the rules for passengers.

When consciousness calls to you and says, hey face reality and look where the driver is taking us, make an excuse to ignore it. When consciousness calls to you and says, hey take a stand and speak up, make an excuse and ignore it.

Quickly, the excuses pile up:

The driver knows everything. The driver is right. I should stay on the bus at all times, because the driver said so. Getting off the bus is wrong. Thinking about getting off the bus is wrong. I am just a passenger, not a driver. Who am I to try to drive?

The excuses form an easy reference guidebook for you as a passenger that you can defer to instead of thinking for yourself. You don't need to face reality or take a stand for your values, all you need to do is follow the guidebook of excuses.

The guidebook is your Position. It is what guides you.

Many buses come with ready-made guidebooks, or positions, to help make it easy for passengers to stay quietly in the passenger seats when consciousness calls.

Maybe you got on the rebel bus? Your excuses for staying on the bus were plentiful and passionate.

Drivers know nothing. Drivers are wrong. You can't drive me! I'm my own driver. Passengers are stupid. I am not a passenger.

It's just another position.

Maybe you got on the red bus.

Reds rule. I am good because I am red. The blue bus is evil. Blue passengers are evil, and should be killed.

The world we live in today is one of Positionaries guided by positions, not visionaries guided by vision. We choose a position and guide ourselves by it. In fact we identify with it. It's as if our position is who "I" is. Once that happens, there is little chance for us to create a world that works for everyone.