Founding Rector of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan met with Faculty of Theology students at the panel titled “Worldliness and Egocentrism, the Most Important Diseases of the Age,” organized by Istanbul University Guidance and Counseling Coordination. Making striking statements about worldliness and egocentrism, Tarhan stated that the foundation of the sciences developed and systematized by the West lies in our culture. Tarhan; “Psychological resilience training is essentially like a summary of Sufi culture. They have systematized the knowledge taught in Sufi culture, developed a methodology, and are now selling it to the world as psychotherapy. During our student years, there was an electricity shortage; rivers flowed, but there were no dams. The newspapers of that time wrote about our electricity shortage, saying; “Water flows, the Turk watches.” I am now saying the same thing; “Anatolian wisdom flows, the Turk watches.”
“Popular culture incorrectly defines the concepts of worldliness, selfishness, and religiosity”
In the well-attended program, Tarhan stated that modern humans are forced to think within the framework of worldliness and egocentrism; “Today, humanity is shaped according to the perspective produced within the framework of worldliness and egocentrism. To transform a society, one starts with words. In World War II, Germany was flattened. After the war, the German parliament convenes and shapes all perspectives according to repair, construction, and development. They do not allocate a budget for culture. Adenauer explicitly states that a budget must be allocated for culture, saying that our culture, values, and morals make us who we are. He says if we do not teach these morals, we cannot rise from where we fell. Therefore, if we want to initiate transformation in society, it is important to start here. The concepts of worldliness, egocentrism, and religiosity are being incorrectly explained by popular culture.” he said.
“The idea of eternal existence is in human genetic codes”
Tarhan stated that after the end of life on Earth, the idea of a real world on a different energy band began to be expressed, and he made statements about changing paradigms. Tarhan; “Through worldliness, or secularism, people are being made to accept the idea that there is no life after death. The idea of eternal love, or immortality (aşk-ı bekâ), exists as a genetic code in humans. Humans, unlike other living beings, have four metacognitive genes. A metacognitive gene means a meta-mind gene. These genes are; search for meaning, desire for novelty, awareness of death, and the concept of time. These thoughts exist in no other living creature but humans. These features are in our genetic code. Modernism made us adopt the view that everything is the world, life consists of the world. But it is now understood that after quantum dynamics, death is not the only reality; the universe is actually a simulation. According to quantum dynamics, we are currently living in a simulation. Real life is another life. We are in a simulation within a universal database. And what is a conscious observer? A conscious observer is subjectively called a human. When we observe, it exists; when we don't observe, it doesn't exist. After death, we continue as a different energy according to the universal flow.” he stated.
“The thesis that life consists of the world has no scientific basis left”
Tarhan stated that the materialist thought has collapsed; “Currently, the idea of materialism has collapsed. In 2014, Columbia University and Arizona University jointly published the Post-Materialist Science Manifesto. You can find its Turkish translation on our university’s website. Materialism does not explain everything. Therefore, there is a world beyond materialism; in fact, in American high schools, theses explaining existence beyond evolution, such as the intelligent design thesis, are now being taught. Intelligent design states that there is an external force, a creator, in the universe. It has also been scientifically proven with very serious evidence that such a worldly life is a temporary life. The thesis that everything is the world, materialism, has collapsed. Moreover, this is contrary to human biological nature. Let us know that the thesis that everything is the world and everything ends with death no longer has any scientific defensible aspect. The idea of worldliness takes away the feeling of accountability from humans.” he said.
“Culture transfer is done by social media, not the family”
Tarhan pointed out that society's reference sources have changed; “One of the most important problems of worldliness is that it creates anomies in society. Social rules have been disrupted; culture transfer is no longer done by the family, but by social media. In future generations, the role of families has fallen to second place. The digital world has the primary role. Therefore, worldliness no longer has a scientific basis. But we live in the world; if there is worldliness, there will be egocentrism, and in egocentrism, the opposite of worldliness is generally becoming more religious. The opposite situation has also emerged. In Buddhism, there is the abandonment of the world. To reach Nirvana, they live a peaceful life against nature in orange robes of several meters. But they do not contribute to the advancement of humanity. It is a mindset that completely abandons the world. In Christianity, too, pre-Renaissance and pre-Reformation Christianity was concerned with the afterlife. Judaism places more emphasis on the world. With the Renaissance and Reformation, rejecting the world, a worldly secularism ideology emerged in the West due to anti-clericalism alongside atheism. However, when we look at Islam, we see that a solitary life is not recommended. A companion said to Prophet Muhammad, 'I do not want to live a city life.' Prophet Muhammad replied, 'You were not sent for this.' He advised, 'Be among the people, do your work, practice your profession, but at the same time, abandon the world in your heart, not physically.' If you give your heart to Allah and do a job, that job becomes not worldly, but otherworldly.” he stated.
“Those who claim to be life coaches, personal development specialists, and provide treatment are opportunists”
Tarhan made statements about contemporary diseases like forgetfulness and their treatment methods; “When the files in the computer’s cache multiply, the computer slows down. Similarly, when a person experiences mental distress or depression, the information in the frontal lobe's cache becomes very dense. The person says, 'I've become forgetful, I can't do it' because they cannot manage that information. This sometimes happens involuntarily. There are neuromodulation treatments for these, which we provide. In neuromodulation treatments, magnetic stimulation is applied to the brain, or further, an electroshock effect is given. Network connections in the brain are rebuilt. There are voltage-gated ion channels in the brain. In these individuals, the ion channels are not working. By changing the direction of electrical current in the brain, the brain's network is reshaped. In treatments, we remind them of their importance and priorities. There is no erasing of memory, but there is an opportunity to treat importance and priorities. Third-wave psychotherapies are referred to here as trauma treatments. These are structured treatments. Training is provided in this area. There must be a psychological foundation. All individuals who come claiming to be life coaches, personal development specialists, and providing treatment are opportunists. Those who can be referenced are individuals with scientific and ethical standards. If there is a need in a person, if there are those who want to meet that need, if there are those who produce a solution for it, everyone will investigate here.” he said.
“Anatolian wisdom flows, the Turk watches”
Tarhan stated that the foundation of the sciences developed and systematized by the West lies in our culture; “Psychological resilience training is actually like a summary of Sufi culture. They have systematized the knowledge taught in Sufi culture, developed a methodology, and are now selling it to the world as psychotherapy. Our Rumi (Mevlana) is there, we are lying on a treasure. During our student years, there was an electricity shortage. Rivers flowed, but there were no dams. The newspapers of that time wrote about our electricity shortage, saying; ‘Water flows, the Turk watches’. I am now saying the same thing; ‘Anatolian wisdom flows, the Turk watches.’ We are sitting on a treasure, but when America finds and brings out a concept under the name Mikehopus, you also watch and say yoga, etc., and use it. But it's good that they are doing this. They are presenting this treasure that we do not use as a therapy technique. I think this should be appreciated. I realized this when the Positive Psychology Congress was held in 2009. This happens because we do not explain these things. Ultimately, what we need to focus on is that if we rediscover and rebuild these values we possess, rest assured we will prevent many diseases. In medicine, there is treating an existing condition, and there is also a prevention method. There is preventive mental health to avoid getting sick. The mystical, wisdom, and knowledge aspects of our religion are truly very good for our preventive mental health. But once pathology occurs, once brain chemistry is disrupted, medical treatment is necessary.” he said.
