Amalgamism is the act of seeking good ideas from all sources and blending them into a cohesive and integrated whole.

Harvesting good ideas from any belief structure, while leaving the more problematic elements behind is the only sane way to proceed. Amalgamism is a way of reframing the universe with a more productive lens.

As wheat is separated from chaff, good ideas must be harvested, separated from their more problematic elements and baked into an integrated whole.

In a complicated world any binary choice is likely to be problematic, if not downright stupid.

Prepackaged ideologies are apt to harbor pernicious malware. Assuming an existing ideology automatically comes with in-built assumptions. At this stage in human evolution we require a new cognitive framework. This framework must be integral, humanistic and focused on solving problems.

By boiling everything down to binary choices the world is becoming more calcified, irrational and polarized. If the universe is reduced to binary options the choices/viewpoints/political doctrines are increasingly likely to be opposed and antithetical. This current system creates polarization and irrationality by default.

The system of binary polarity has long been a tool of the ruling class. Divide and conquer is an axiom as old as time, but diabolical in its simplicity. Divide the mass of people against themselves and there is no need for draconian (and expensive) counter-measures.

If dividing people against each other is a sword, dividing the individual against themselves is a scalpel. If you can undercut and erode the inborn authority of an individual, you can make sure they never have the clarity and moral authority to take decisive action against your interests.

Oddly, our mental models are becoming more stifling as the world around us continues to become increasingly complex. This may be a societal autoimmune response to the very pace of change, as we must become more myopic to keep ourselves from being swamped by a world of increasing stimulus.

According to (Plato), human beings are born with perfect wisdom that must be uncovered by rigorous thought and experience. Amalgamism is a much needed attempt to reframe the universe in a more inclusive, integral, and most importantly productive way.

The old, but dominant conceptual framework of our culture enjoys binary labels, one word answers, epithets, platitudes and distinct borders. This is fine so far as it goes, but it has become pathological in its current form.

The world has become increasingly complex and as our societal psychological framework evolves, but our mental models have not kept up the same pace of progress. In essence, we are running old software on new hardware and are in dire need of an upgrade.

Conveniently, everyone in the world is already an Amalgamist, it's just that they don't know it.

Amalgamism is the natural state of all rational beings. This will simply be a matter of uncovering what people already know to be experientially true.

It's just a word, so what?

It is not currently possible to simply see another individual's intentions, references, history and check their sources. We are currently living in the age of clear distinctions. People ask you questions that prompt one word answers. What do you do? Where are you from? What's your religion? Democrat or republican? Pepsi or coke?

We understand that all of these one word answers are essentially false. Everyone is a religion/political/affiliation/ethical system of one. If you run down the list of what a group is “supposed” to believe long enough, everyone will find a disagreement with their supposed group identity.

By continuing to perpetuate a binary worldview, powerful interests act as power brokers. Keep the choices of civilization low, it is possible to avert the natural evolution of the species that would ultimately lead to the reduction of power. They have a vested interest in keeping humanity bewildered, docile and incapable of necessary evolution.

Both sides of any duopoly keep the market polarized through perpetual division. This tactic leads to profitable and advantageous outcomes for a few at the top, but is by its nature not progressive or interested in solving the problems it endlessly highlights. Retention and expansion of their base is possible for CNN and FoxNews alike by simply railing against their ideological opposites, but there is no actual interest in creating rational solutions because their perpetual outrage machine feeds exclusively on the continued existence of their supposed foes.

For example: The deification of market based capitalism is enticing, but ultimately a dead-end, insomuch as it is a binary solution to a complex problem. An Amalgamated system is desired and ultimately already what we already have. Wall Street seems to be free market capitalist, but is then subsidized by the public in time of crisis. The postal service operates quite effectively as a Socialist enterprise.

To be fair, Capitalism the best binary solution yet invented in the realm of market economics. There is always a hierarchy of good ideas, Its just that amalgamated systems are always preferable in a complex world. In short, we need to add more tools to our cognitive toolbox.

Capitalism/Communism/Socialism are binary solutions, and are therefore fundamentally lacking in nuance. Sense-making and problem solving are no longer the aims of our systems and this harms the entire civilization.

Every one of us knows internally that we are complex tapestries, but we rarely grant this privilege externally.

In summation, we are all essentially Amalgamists already, what is needed at this juncture is to coin a new phrase: Amalgamism. A one word answer befitting our current age that accurately depicts our internal state as befitting the future.

For instance a religion could be an amalgam of: Stoicism, Zen Buddhism and Shinto. A political doctrine could be an amalgam of Fiscal conservatism, Social Liberalism and Military non-interventionist. An economic system can be a combination of Capitalism for markets, Socialized medicine and Communist public works/infrastructure.

Our mental space has become increasingly cloistered and stale through its forced binary choices. We are in dire need of a new mode of operation. Our perpetual division into smaller factions leaves everyone with less and less room for change and evolution as they are forever building their mental barricades higher. Cynicism, bad incentives and holier-than-thou posturing are turning our public discourse into tooth and nail conflict.

There can be no dark without light and no left without right. In trying to destroy all external evil you can no longer adequately define what is good and you are left to assault smaller and smaller factions with disproportionate zeal.

We are very deeply in need of more nuance, understanding and room to operate.

Amalgamism is the beginning of such an endeavor, an honest and truthful accounting of who and what we are and a necessary bridge to a more productive future.