Introduction:
    The question is, "Given the present political situation in the U.S., what are the means by which one could switch to alternative awareness in order for the new awareness to be implemented in socially beneficial ways?"  We are presently undergoing a national presidential campaign during a period of rapid social change.  A different foreign policy is needed to keep up with the changes in governments throughout the world, and the domestic policies and programs of the United States have not changed fast enough to keep up with the changing needs of the U.S. population.
    It is my opinion that the United States is in need of political change in order to begin to rehabilitate itself and begin to move towards its new presence as a world leader in areas other than military might, with in a global society.  By observing the Democratic and Republican Parties purposes and tactics, the  researcher can observe new techniques to capture voters' attention and votes.  The benefits associated with the use of alternative awareness techniques are demonstrated by getting the candidate elected and after he/she is elected, he/she can influence social policies, by strong leadership, that should have the approval of the majority of the voting public and result in beneficial changes.
    Our culture has changed from the melting together of different groups to cultural groups with their own practices and beliefs.  It is by appealing to the mix of these groups that politicians can be successful in winning votes.  According to Tofler (1990), the U.S. population has been changing from a "melting pot" to a "salad bowl."  In his book, PowerShift (1990), he comments that governments will need to change their legal and social tools to handle the complex and potentially violent disputes as a result of the change from a "melting pot" society to a "salad bowl" society.
    This year's presidential campaign is being heralded as a different kind of campaign.  It will take different techniques to raise the awareness of the voters in order for either party's candidate to get elected and therefore bring about beneficial social change such as improved economic conditions, education reform and expansion, national security, domestic human rights, and environmental consciousness and action.
    In this paper, I will discuss ordinary and altered states of consciousness, my perception of the current political climate and of several key campaign issues which could beneficially effect social change, and I will demonstrate several methods in which alternative awareness techniques could be used effectively to get the presidential candidate's positions known and supported by the voters.

Definition of Ordinary and Altered Levels of Consciousness:
    To define consciousness is difficult.  The definition of consciousness is different for different researchers.
    Consciousness is an especially confusing topic because the word means different things to different investigators.  One calls consciousness a style of thinking or a way of viewing the world.  Another may use the term to mean "self-awareness".  Yet another may mean all the information of which one is aware at a given moment. (Springer & Deutsch, p.304)
    According to Faber (1981), ordinary awareness, the durational, spatial, and symbolical manner in which humans ordinarily perceive the world, is related directly to the manner in which we "handle" the physical stimulus.  "Ordinary awareness" is not simply a mental tie to an object but also a chemical/physical tie to the object.  An altered state can be achieved by an altered awareness of the manner in which humans ordinarily hold onto an object.  To alter the manner in which humans ordinarily hold onto the object is to alter the manner in which humans ordinarily perceive the physical world.  The manner in which humans ordinarily perceive the physical world is itself the manner in which we hold onto the object (p.90-91).  For the purpose of this paper, ordinary consciousness or awareness is defined as the awareness and memories, and the acquired knowledge of most individuals in the given moment.
    Altered states of awareness or consciousness is also difficult to define because of the difficulty defining consciousness.  According to Broughton (1986), a list of some of the components that are considered to be part of being conscious are: "perception of external stimuli, imagery and fantasy, thinking and planning, remembering, emotions, attention, and creativity and insight."  Altered states, therefore, could theoretically include a measurable decrease, increase, or distortion of these components (pp.462, 475).  Faber believes that the power of "mystical" detachment from ordinary awareness can have tremendous potential for cultural and social advancement (Krippner, 1988, p.36; Faber, 1981, p.100).
    Different levels of consciousness affect the different hemispheres of the human brain as do the different hemispheres of the brain affect the types of awareness of human consciousness.  The left hemisphere is usually the dominate hemisphere for conscious activity and thought.  The right hemisphere is considered the dominant hemisphere for unconscious processing.  The right hemisphere of the brain process voice intonation, possibly extracting the emotional quality from the verbal communication.  Popular speakers, such as, revival preachers, ministers, politicians, military leaders, coaches, and lectures may use the "dynamism of the speech rather than the content" to move groups.  To speak effectively to the right side of the brain, the speaker should use simple, concrete, common words that are spoken slowly with good voice intonation, and repeated several times, (Budzynski, 1986, pp.438-439).  In order to appeal to the emotional side of voters, the communication of the presidential candidate's positions should be directed towards the individual voter's right hemisphere, in order to subtly get his position known to the voter.  According to Rossi (1986), the most peculiar thing about consciousness is its inability to recognize altered states when its experiencing them, except if the state has been induced such as in some cases of alcohol and/or drug induced intoxication.  Therefore, the average person does not recognize the "subtle alterations" in consciousness that go on throughout a normal day (p.97).  According Watkins (1986), most altered states of consciousness are considered to be generalized experiences changing or altering the individual's behavior, emotion, perception, and cognition (Watkins, 1986, p.140).
    Altered awareness or consciousness, for the purpose of this paper, is defined as the subtle development of information by the use of techniques that may influence the individual's emotions, thoughts, and cognitions, therefore impacting the his/her perception and behavior.

The Current Political Situation:
    The presidential campaign is underway.  The Democrats have had their convention and have nominated two Southerners who are of the "baby-boom" generation.  The Republicans are now having their national presidential convention.  The incumbent President and Vice President will be re-nominated and confirmed as the Republican party candidates.  The only notable Independent candidate dropped out of the race during the Democratic convention citing, the "revitalized Democrats" as one of the reasons for his leaving the campaign (Borger, 1992, p.22).  The dropping out of the independent candidate, for his stated reason about the Democratic party could be considered a new level of positive awareness for the Democratic party, who have not been considered, by some, capable of effectively leading the United States, for many years.
    At this time, the general level of awareness of voters is that there are a record number of dissatisfied people in the United States.  President Bush's Republican administration does not seem to be directing the country's domestic programs and he appears to be somewhat out of touch with today's voters.  The Democrats, through their primary and national campaigns, seem to be in touch with a number of the issues, such as improved economic conditions, education reform and expansion, national security, domestic human rights, and environmental consciousness and action, that are important to many voters.
    It is my opinion that the United States is in turmoil.  The United States people are moving into the 21st century and many people do not feel that the governmental leaders have a sense of direction or a plan for the future, and there is a general sense of a lack of leadership.  I am a registered Republican but have become disenchanted with Mr. Bush's lack of sound domestic policies, leadership, and direction.  I do not feel that Bush has prepared the country for its future by providing for an effective new leader, in the person of Vice President Quayle, after he completes his presidency.  Mr. Quayle is a man with a sense of personal and family values, but he is not a leader and does not stimulate that national confidence in his leadership abilities.  On the other hand, Democratic presidential candidate, Bill Clinton, has demonstrated some of his leadership abilities by his capabilities to guide his campaign through a rough primary campaign trail, a successful national convention, and by choosing a dynamic, futuristic, progressive thinking vice presidential candidate, Al Gore.  Mr. Gore is considered to be an effective leader who will help Clinton's campaign and a Democratic administration, if they are elected.  Gore is also a potential future presidential candidate, after Bill Clinton, if Clinton is elected president.  This could provide Americans with continuity in government and the Democratically proposed improved social and domestic programs.  According to political pundit Garry Wills (1992), the Reagan-Bush era has treated government as an obstacle, not an instrument for improvement.  All, it appears, that government can do, at this time, is get in the way.  Freeing ourselves from governmental involvement in such ways as it's control of the financial and trade market, may give the ability to influence the economy back to the people and businesses, which alone can create jobs by stimulating consumerism with the resultant economic growth, prosperity and a nation moving ahead (p.42).  Michael Schudson (1992), in his article "Natural urges", supports the opinion that consumerism is good for the economy,
    Freeing ourselves from the biblical or Marxist moralisms and recognizing a certain dignity and rationality in the desire for material goods, we should seek to reconstruct an understanding of our moral and political view of consumption that we and others can live with, (p. 76).
    For either political party to win the presidential campaign, it will require a change in its methods of reaching the voters.  The candidates will have to identify and use some conventional campaign methods but will also have to use some uncommon, new methodologies to heighten the awareness of the voters.  The Clinton campaign has already used some of these new methods, such as appearing on talk shows in order to break the "sound-bite" method of getting his message across, and by promoting the possibility of riding on the "skirt-tails" of the female Democratic political candidates.
    The changes in the way the campaign has gone so far has also required the news media to alter the way they do their job and report their impressions and observations.  Politics 1992-style is a reversal of what is known in physics as the Heisenberg Principle, by being an observer of a process may alter the process itself.  It has altered the way professional observers do their job.  The media, who have, in the past, observed and commented on the political process on now becoming a part of the process by creating the platforms for the politicians to promote their campaigns.  As an example, the "prime-time" network television coverage of the Democratic and Republican Party conventions provided the parties with an opportunity to influence the campaign messages that were reaching viewers.  It has been the year that "infotainment, talk-show politics, and pop-culture treatment of breaking stories" has begun to change the "strait-laced" conventional coverage of the political process (Baer, 1992, p.34).  Several examples of this method was the way Ross Perot's candidacy appeared to have started as a result of his answers on CNN's Larry King Show, Bill Clinton's appearance on the Arsenio Hall Show and the answering of questions from an MTV audience, and George Bush's interview with Barbara Walters.

Alternative Awareness to Initiate Social Change:
    One of the first major impacts on the current political situation was the short-lived, powerful, independent candidacy of Ross Perot.  By the introduction of Mr. Perot into the presidential race, some Americans became more aware of the problems facing the United States and the apparent ineffectiveness of the two major political parties to influence positive change to the economic and social issues, such as improved economic conditions, education reform and expansion, national security, domestic human rights, and environmental consciousness and action.  According to Walter Shapiro (1992), writing prior to Perot's withdrawal from the campaign, Perot's candidacy could have transformed the two-party system in a dramatic a fashion as the fall of communism altered geopolitics (p. 33).  His candidacy had potential until businessman Perot reviewed the numbers and determined that as a result of the Democratic party's "revitalization," his candidacy was doomed.  Mr. Perot's candidacy stimulated a heightened sense of awareness in some people, who had become despondent with the normal two-party system, and motivated some of them to become active in the political process to support and promote his ideas.  His withdrawal from the campaign has left many of his followers looking for a new leader who will continue the movement towards social and political change.
    The Democrats, this year, have been using various religious themes to reach voters.  Religion is a very personal thing in a person's life.  By using religious themes, the Clinton/Gore ticket touch people at emotional and cognitive levels that are different from ordinary awareness.  The use of religion is not a new technique.  The Republicans used religious themes in the 1980 and 1984 presidential campaigns.  The Democrats, at that time, denounced the use of religious themes as a threat to the First Amendment and to pluralism (Thomas, 1992).  However, in this year's presidential campaign, the Democrats have "revitalized" their approach to the people and are using religious themes, such as Mr. Clinton's reference to a "new covenant," to alter individual ordinary awareness and heighten, or manipulate, the voters sense of spiritual awareness.
    The fall of communism in the Soviet Union and the collapse of the Soviet Union have had a significant impact on altering the awareness of the American people.  For a generation, Americans have lived with the threat of nuclear destruction at the hands of the "evil empire", as Ronald Reagan used to call the Soviet Union.  With the removal of the threat of confrontation with an enemy the size of the Soviet Union, the United States can now turn its attention to domestic matters and convert significant sums of former defense dollars to domestic issues and to retiring the national debt.  This shift in awareness, from external forces to internal forces, should have a notable impact on the national consciousness.  The Republican presidential campaign has already attempted to use the awareness of the reduction of the communist threat to enhance their leadership image, even though, in my opinion, Mikhail Gorbachev is the individual leader who spawned the new freedoms in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.
    The Democrats pledge to use the reduction in the threat of Soviet military might as a catalyst to initiate domestic social change and economic growth by freeing up defense dollars and using them for social programs.  David Gergen (1992), states, "America is at a hinge point in history that demands new thinking, and a new consensus, if we are to shape a congenial life for the next generation," (p. 35).  According to a Carnegie foreign policy report, "Domestic renewal must now be the nation's highest priority.  Continued economic erosion at home will eventually cripple our long-standing leadership overseas," (Gergen, 1992, p. 35).  This is a change in awareness to some Americans who are used to propaganda about the importance of a strong foreign policy and military strength.
    Bill Clinton's use of the term "new covenant" reaches back to the roots of American history.  He drew upon the religious imagery that inspired some of the early English settlers who came to America seeking religious freedom.  According to Rev. Martin Marty, a professor of church history at the University of Chicago, Clinton was "playing with a very loaded historical symbol" when he called for a "new covenant."  The idea of a covenant, a key biblical image, is "one of the strongest themes in early America.  The strength of using the analogy of a covenant is in its offer of "a measure of security mixed with responsibility,"  however, its weakness is that the symbol has become tainted in modern times (Staff, 1992, p.D-8).  It will be one of the tasks of the Clinton/Gore campaign to bring back the honor to the religious symbol of a covenant, and to inspire the people to a heightened sense of awareness about the programs of the Democratic ticket.
    Another social issue that will change individual ordinary awareness to an altered level of awareness are the beliefs in family values and personal rights.  The rhetorical shift in ordinary awareness from capitalistic and military policies to an awareness of family and personal values is promoting a metamorphosis in political campaign rhetoric, proposed social programs, and business practices.  As an example, the Democrats and Republicans have taken different sides on such issues as parental leave from the work place.  In order to survive in today's economy, the traditional practice of the male being the worker and the female being the care-taker for the family has diminished, as a result of the need for two-income families.  With this altered awareness, from the days of "Leave it to Beaver" type family settings, to both parents working or single parent families, a new awareness of social change is necessary to meet the needs of American people.
    Bill Clinton, while addressing the Democratic national convention stated, "Our families have values.  Our government doesn't," (Borger, 1992, p.24).  Government needs to help to change social and business practices by allowing for parental leave and other issues that impact the family, whether it is a single or two parent family.
    A consciousness, regarding environmental issues, for some people, have been raised by the recent Earth Summit in South America.  The Democratic candidate for Vice President is an environmental expert and was a key delegate to this conference and attempted to get President Bush to sign a biodiversity pact.  Bush refused to join other industrialized nations in a biodiversity pact to protect plant and animal life from possible extinction.  He argued that the treaty failed to protect intellectual property rights an biotechnology and imposed unnecessary obstacles for researchers, (Alexander, 1992, p.35).
    Environmentalism has gone through four distinct stages throughout the past century, in the United States, according to David Morris (1992).  All of these stages have merged to be part of today's environmental awareness and movement.

 Stage 1: In the late 19th century activists were active in the preservation movement to control the devastation of the wilderness, which lead to the establishment of the national parks system.

 Stage 2: During the 1960s and 70s activists spread their focus wider from preservation to protection.

 Stage 3: The goal of environmentalist, of the 1980s was to protect the future generations from exceeding nature's ability to restore itself.

 Stage 4: The emerging environmentalists of the 90s argue that the principle of sustainability must be accompanied by an emphasis on equity.  It will require world-wide awareness and legislation to set quotas to allocate potentially environmentally dangerous materials and gases (p. 157-159)

    The period of ordinary awareness of environmental issues by many people, may be changing.  Global and domestic awareness of these issues must be heightened.  With this presidential and vice presidential campaign, many Americans' view of global environmental issues and responsibilities are heightening, and with proper leadership, the U.S. could become a leader in environmental programs and technologies.

Conclusion:
    Krippner's review of M. D. Faber's work, Culture and Consciousness (1981), discusses Faber's attempt "to demonstrate the degree to which ordinary consciousness determines not only the nature and quality of individual lives, but also the nature and quality of social institutions," (Krippner, 1988, p.35).  In order to improve the U.S.'s current domestic situation and to develop a renewed sense of American pride, it will be necessary to alter the ordinary awareness of many U.S. people, who feel powerless and leaderless, and change and/or improve the responsibilities, operation, and services of current social programs and institutions.  It is the nature of the American political system, to allow for the changes to take place.  The American people have the opportunity to effect these changes, by voting for change.  Politicians have the opportunity to be change agents by promoting their positions to the voters and by altering the voters' sense of apathy and making them feel that their vote will count for change.  This could be a significant change in the ordinary awareness of many of today's American voter.
    According to Erickson, ordinary awareness is heavily structured by learned limitations in the form of sets, biases, and inhibitions, which function to block an individual from assessing his/her reservoir of potential resources.  By redirecting the individual's attention inward, it may be possible to facilitate him/her's "receptivity to the expanded resources made available by discarding the learned limitations of ordinary awareness," (Krippner, 1986, p.349).
    Many voters must learn to be aware of the "doublespeak" of politicians.  Politicians tend to use this method of communication in an attempt to get elected.  Doublespeak is defined by Lutz (1989) as "language that pretends to communicate but doesn't.  It is language that conceals or prevents thought; rather than extending thought, doublespeak limits it."  Doublespeak is so common in everyday life that many people do not even notice the uselessness of the verbiage.  Doublespeak is language that is "designed not to lead but mislead," (Lutz, 1989, pp. 1,19).  By voters becoming aware of this technique, they will be able to discern the truth from political rhetoric.  Richard Bach, in his book The Bridge Across Forever (1984), describes how humans selectively listen or tune out what we do not want or expect to hear.  This is a type of altered awareness.  "So much of hearing, I thought, is listening to what we expect and tuning out the rest," (p.209).
    In order for Americans to facilitate socially beneficial change, such as improved economic conditions, education reform and expansion, national security, domestic human rights, and environmental consciousness and action, that are important to many voters, we must alter our awareness and become totally aware of the world around us and begin to initiate social change by electing officials that will establish programs that will improve the economy, protect human rights, provide for the underprivileged, and provide national security.  We must look inward, towards ourselves, and change from an apathetic population to a society in which we become the change agents through our heightened awareness and the use of our power in the voting booth.  As Bill Clinton stated, "There is nothing wrong with this country except we're underorganized, undereducated, and underled, and we're going to change all that in November if you'll help us," (Orlando Sentinel, 7/23/92).
 

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