除了許多人都了解的觀念外，評估一個人，或一個社會是「原始」或「文明」的觀察重點，還有一個重要指標：以它(他或她)「將自己的最高領會付諸實踐」的程度多少而定(the degree to which it implements its own highest understanding)。這點可能跟許多人所認為的不一樣...
聽神談【辨識「原始」或「文明先進」的指標】
尼爾：人類在地球上的所作所為，到現在為止，確實不怎麼聰明。事實上你從這套對話一開始，就形容我們這物種為「原始」("primitive")。自從你做了這種形容，我就一直很好奇，那「不原始」的文明生活又是什麼樣子。你說宇宙中有許多這樣的社會或文化。
是的。
尼爾：有多少個？
許許多多。
尼爾：數十個？數百個？
成千上萬個。(Thousands.)
尼爾：成千上萬？宇宙中有成千上萬個先進的文明(advanced civilizations)？
沒錯。還有其他的文化比你們更原始(there are other cultures more primitive than yours)。
尼爾：稱一個社會是「原始」或「文明先進」的指標還有什麼？(What else marks a society as either "primitive" or "advanced"?)
以它「將自己的最高領會付諸實踐」的程度多少而定。(The degree to which it implements its own highest understanding.)
這跟你們所認為的不一樣。你們認為一個社會該被稱為原始或先進，是依它的了解領會多少而定。但是擁有至高的領會卻不實踐，又有何益？
答案是：完全無益。事實上，那是危險的。
「把退步視為進步」是一種原始社會的標記。你們的社會已經在退步，而不是在向前進步。在七十年前大部分你們世界所展現的，都比現在更慈悲。
摘自《與神對話 III》第16章
Neale: So far what the human race has been doing on this planet is not very smart. In fact, throughout this dialogue You have described our species as "primitive." Ever since You first made that remark I've been wondering what it must be like living in a non-primitive culture. You say there are many such societies or cultures in the universe.
Yes.
Neale: How many?
A great many.
Neale: Dozens? Hundreds?
Thousands.
Neale: Thousands? There are thousands of advanced civilizations?
The degree to which it implements its own highest understandings.
This is different from what you believe. You believe that a society should be called primitive or advanced based on how high its understandings are. But what good are the highest understandings if you do not implement them?
The answer is, they are no good at all. Indeed, they are dangerous.
It is the mark of a primitive society to call regression progress. Your society has moved backward, not forward. Much of your world demonstrated more compassion seventy years ago than it does today.
