Joe Martino started Collective-Evolution to challenge the status quo, raise consciousness and make the world better. Easy, right?

photo by: Collective-Evolution

Are we experiencing a shift in consciousness, or just seeing what we want to see? Is there any difference? These are some of the topics I cover in my interview with Joe Martino, founder of the website and aspiring social movement Collective-Evolution:

Alex Tsakiris: I don’t see many other people threading this path the way [Collective-Evolution] does. On one hand, you’re open and honest about some of the problems, and the enormity of the problems, we face; and how they sometimes seem insurmountable both on a personal level and at a societal/political level. But at the same time you seem to have a genuine sense of hope about the future and hope about this consciousness shift.

Joe Martino: … ultimately what you’re looking at is how is shifting consciousness–how is that [shift in consciousness] — making an impact on the decisions and directions we choose to take on a daily basis? Whether that be an inventor who shifts their consciousness or perception — I hate to make it sound mystical [so let’s say] they shift their perception on something — suddenly they say, okay, now I can create something that isn’t so harmful; or doesn’t destroy this while it’s doing that. So now they’re seeing things in a more holistic sense. To me, that’s a shift in consciousness where their actions are now in unison with seeing the world in a different way. It’s very similar to a person who has a perception shift towards another culture and suddenly they’re more open and willing to accept other cultures. Now you see levels of peace and cooperation happening… again, that’s another shift in consciousness.

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Read Excerpts From Interview:

Joe Martino: I think widening our minds and expanding our consciousness makes a huge impact on what we actually see happen in the world.

Alex Tsakiris: You guys really do a terrific job of that. I really don’t see many other people threading that path the way that you do. On one hand, you’re open and honest about some of the problems and the enormity of the problems–and how they sometimes seem insurmountable, both at a personal level and at this societal and political level. But at the same time, you seem to have a real spirit of having a genuine sense of hope about the future and hope about this consciousness shift. That always immediately sets off alarm bells for me when people say, there’s this big consciousness shift going on, and I want to say, well, we can look at it one of two ways: you can still find a lot of places that aren’t shifting in the way that we’d like. But I hear your message as being something uniquely different–yes, there is a shift. Come join us. Let’s be part of that shift. Let’s make it happen. Let’s not just talk about it passively happening but let’s talk about being a part of making it happen.

Joe Martino: Absolutely. And that’s sometimes the challenge. We can talk about it but wisdom is often putting it into practice. As much as it’s easy to talk about these things around a campfire or around a table with friends,