Research paper thumbnail of Reinventing the Wheel!: Christian community, Interbeing (Buddhist), Kapwa-Loob (V Enriquez,, R Ileto, J Reyes,), Ubuntu (D Tutu, J. Mbiti), Celtic Anam Cara (O'Donohue) ,vs materialist "There is no psychology of groups" & extreme individualism (Hay), +"Narcissism Epidemic in Western Society" Reinventing the Wheel!: Christian community, Interbeing (Buddhist), Kapwa-Loob (V Enriquez,, R Ileto, J Reyes,), Ubuntu (D Tutu, J. Mbiti), Celtic Anam Cara (O'Donohue) ,vs materialist "There is no psychology of groups" & extreme individualism (Hay), +"Narcissism Epidemic in Western Society"
Creators: name: E Peck Jr, Charles
Publisher: name: Knowledge Commons
Year: 2025

description: Irish poet theologian, John O'Donohue emphasizes the prosocial value of unity and togetherness in his book about Anam Cara – the Celtic word for "soul friend!" In my research I also came across an Irish Catholic church that highlighted the idea of Anam Cara in a sermon. There are several scholars (Reynaldo Ileto, Jeremiah Reyes, and others) that also highlight the importance of the prosocial value of kapwa - loob (shared identity, relational will). Similarly, in Africa, Anglican Archbishop Tutu along with Belinda du Ploy, Broodryk, and others - preaches and advocates the prosocial concept of Ubuntu –– generally understood as "humanness" though it is "usually associated with the phrase 'umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu', which translates as 'I am a person through other persons'- which is remarkably similar to the idea of kapwa–loob (shared identity-relational will) – "as opposed to what is traditionally conceived as its dichotomous polar opposite: 'western' linearity, unitization, materialism, individualism, verification, rationalism, prediction and control." (Belinda du Plooy, Ubuntu and the Recent Phenomenon of the Charter for Compassion) In his teachings, Thich Nhat Hanh (and Stefan Schindler) emphasizes the prosocial idea of Interbeing. Why do these religious and spiritual leaders go to long forgotten prosocial values of early human societies? 
As Sheldrake observes, materialism is devoid of purpose - and prosocial connectivity. Most "scientists" pride themselves for removing anything connected to purpose since that would be unobjective and unscientific. Sheldrake states "Atheism is a purifying fire. It burns up religious hypocrisy, corruption, laziness, and pretention. But its scorched earth policy may leave many people spiritually hungry, thirsty, and isolated. (p.164)" In fact, a good part of materialist ideology conveys antisocial norms such as social psychology's "There is no psychology of groups" (Allport 1927). I would add as a point of information that Brian McVeigh, scholar and author, stated that "There is no psychology of groups" is a form of "extreme individualism" – which David Hay argues (and Filipino scholar Virgilio Enriquez echoes) is a real threat to humanity. 
Dawkins' "Selfish Gene" argument that there are only "limited forms of altruism!" undermines the prosocial concept of compassion – and empathy – which are in the "real world" ordinary and every day realties. Besides studies of compassion from Oxford Handbook of Compassion – which demonstrate the importance and relevance of compassion for social well-being, studies by Sprecher and Fehr and Saslow demonstrate a correlation between spirituality and compassion – with religiosity being somewhat of a distinct category. (Dawkin's Selfish Gene Fallacy-False Premise -a "limited form of altruism" vs studies of compassion = Oxford Handbook of Compassion, Sprecher and Fehr: spirituality correlated with compassion, Battle of Somme 50,000 casualties, esprit de corps Chosin Res. https://doi.org/10.17613/4tz2-m927) Then there is the materialist maxim, "All Spirituality is unreal" ("Proper knowledge maps or mirrors the actualities of the real world." K. Gergen vs. The Materialist Map of spirituality =The Maladaptive Stereotype: "All spirituality is unreal" "To understand something.... depends on choosing a model!" Iain McGilChrist - https://doi.org/10.17613/gj3h-cc67)

The Wheel: There is a universal consensus among scientists, that human beings are - first and last - social animals. IT would stand to reason then that relationships - and social consciousness - would be not just pivotal but vital in human consciousness and society. In today's complex and sophisticated society human beings simply would not be able to function if human beings did not have some form of a minimally functional social consciousness in spite of materialist dogma.
Kenneth Gergen states "relations precede and are more fundamental than self" - "because there is no self-outside a system of meaning, it may be said that relations precede and are more fundamental than self. Without relationship there is no language with which to conceptualize the emotions, thoughts, or intentions of the self." (p.157)