The Schiller Institute held an international online conference, entitled "Mankind’s Existence Now Depends on the Establishment of a New Paradigm!", a topic highly provocative to the current political and economic establishment. If you were happy and satisfied with the world’s current system, you would probably not be interested in the content of this conference and Dr. Lyndon LaRouche’s ideas and his legacy. However, if you recognize any troubling world problem, be it the threat of a nuclear war, economic instability or collapse, impact of climate change and Earth pollution, political squabble among nations and saber rattling between great powers, world poverty and hunger, inadequacy of human healthcare, especially the world chaos brought by COVID-19 pandemic today, you should be very concerned and ought to be interested in the subjects discussed in the conference. Dr. LaRouche (born in Rochester, NH, 9-8-1922) was a brilliant man, a philosopher, an economist and a scientist, who unfortunately passed away on February 12, 2019. He foresaw the pandemic and he recognized many of the world political and economic problems caused by the faulty systems. He not only showed such wisdom but more importantly offered solutions and dedicated his life to save the Earth planet and the mankind. Schiller Institute (www.schillerinstitute.com), a global organization, was established by Dr. LaRouche and his wife, Helga Zepp LaRouche, an effort to create a torch, to be the lighthouse and to inspire the human intellects for making necessary changes to save humanity. This timely organized international conference was a tribute to Dr. LaRouche’s legacy, but more importantly, while the world is facing a pandemic, not only the intellectuals but the masses must be awaken to join in the LaRouche movement now carried on by Helga Zepp LaRouche and the Schiller Institute. For those who missed this important conference, the author would like to offer you a synopsis here and append a few conference presentations translated to Chinese for the Chinese readers of US-China Forum. The conference proceedings have been video recorded available on the Schiller Institute website.
While COVID-19 is rampaging up confirmed cases and death toll, holding a physical conference is impossible. Fortunately, the Zoom video conference system developed by Eric Yuan, a Chinese immigrant Silicon Valley entrepreneur, offered an easy to use online conference application with simultaneous real-time interpretation facility. Hence the above conference was conducted over two days (approximately 14 hours) in the following four panels: 1. The urgent need to replace geopolitics with a new paradigm in international relations. 2. For a better understanding of how our universe functions. 3. Creativity as a distinctive characteristic of human Culture: the need for a classical renaissance. 4. The Science of Physical Economy. The unique feature of this conferences is that many experts and scholars in political science, economy, physics, music, literature, international relations and global development are gathered together, though in virtual space, under LaRouche’s idealism to discuss our universe’s problems, future outlook and what and how we must act as responsible human beings by expanding our natural creativity to solve our problems, eliminate conflicts and plan for a safe and peaceful future. The panelists recognize the current geopolitics and arms race, sort of repeating the Cold War tactics heading towards a devastating world war (the author urges you to watch the Panel one video recording and John Pilger’s documentary: The Coming War on China). An amazing similarity between LaRouche’s philosophy and traditional Chinese philosophy transcended from Confucius is that music, poetry and art are highlighted as evidence of human creativity, which is unlimited for humans to deal with their physical world in physical principals and scientific theorems. Confucius, 2500 or more years ago, advocated the importance of education - cultivation of human being through poetry, books (reading and writing), behavior (civil mannerism), music and archery (physical development).
Panel two and three integrates science, physics, medicine, music and poetry, from Beethoven, Max Planck to contemporary, to diagnose how our universe, with humans as its most intelligent species, functions (in particular, facing the challenge of a pandemic disease), so we may plan our future from earthly matters (such as having sufficient masks and protective garment for hospitals) to space exploration (bringing benefits to human societies such as avoiding natural disasters rather than warfare). Panel four focuses on physical economy (in contrast to our dysfunctional monetary economy) which LaRouche proposed to save our world economy from ever-rising debt and eventual collapse. Africa being a continent bigger than the U.S., China, India and Japan combined is facing a bankruptcy situation desperately requiring a new economic model and other big nations' help. Therefore, this conference is appropriately named: Mankind’s Existence Now Depends on the Establishment of a New Paradigm. A new paradigm will defend the Earth from destruction not destroying the Earth. LaRouche’s writings including his thoughts on Strategic Defense Earth (SDE), concepts on physical economy, etc,, are being collected in a first print volume now available. This conference also articulated the importance of US-China relations; We must change from a hostile anti-China policy to a collaborative US-China relationship to lead the world. (All four panels are video recorded available on Schiller Institute website. Chinese interpreter versions are also recorded available on Chinese.LaRouchpub.com, however, there are some missing intervals. Thus, the author is appending a few translations for your reference.)
1. Helga LaRouche, Panel 3 Speech, The Necessity of Classical Art or “How Is It That We Are Still Barbarians?”
2. Diane Sare, On the Employment of Chorus in Politics.
3. John Sigerson, The Classical Power of Poetry and Music.
4. Eugene Simpson, Hall Johnson and Dvorak Dream.
Of course, the Schiller Institute is not just offering conferences. It is an international organization of movement motivating global citizens to join the 'force' to act. The Institute is inviting representatives all over the world to join as members of the movement. On May 9th, 2020, it is sponsoring a youth conference, for obvious reason, to energize our youth population to be aware of the issues and what we must do to enact a new paradigm. The U.S. and China are the two biggest economies in the world. The young people in these two countries are especially vulnerable in the present geopolitical conflict. In the present monetary economy, the media is controlled by the 'money'. Citizens must be aware of the media brainwash through their fake news and orchestrated mass information. Although this Schiller Institute Conference has only about 700 participants, but they are international coming from all continents. It is hopeful that they will multiply geographically and geometrically to reach a critical mass in every continent so that the people can initiate changes, to create a new paradigm not only for our own survival but also for a beautiful tomorrow.
Ifay Chang. Ph.D., Inventor, Author, TV Game Show Host and Columnist (www.us-chinaforum.org) as well as serving as Trustee, Somers Central School District.