It feels like the world is at a tipping point, and we intuitively know something is about to happen. We’re like dogs acting crazy because we know the fireworks are about to start. We can’t explain what we know or why, but something isn’t right.
It seems like the world is dominated by fear. Fear on the right of a totalitarian communist / socialist take over where our individual freedom is finally destroyed forever in a global lockdown which continues to chip away at any and all liberties, one by one. Fear on the left of a totalitarian fascist regime where facts, empathy, and human decency no longer exist and humanity becomes this unthinking goo to be molded by corporate interests through conspiratorial narratives to believe whatever generates more profit, damn the environment and the poor.
What concerns me also is that it’s not just fear. It’s almost a lust for purpose as well. As 1984 put so well, “The past was alterable. The past never had been altered. Oceania was at war with Eastasia. Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia.” Fighting a shared enemy creates tribal identity and purpose. It almost doesn’t matter what the enemy is or how real it is. As long as our tribe hates it together and shares the appropriate memes to signal our allegiance to the cause, our lives have meaning.
Part of us knows this is broken. We look to the stars, dream of clean free energy, understand the means exist to eliminate poverty and global hunger while creating trillions of dollars for... what exactly? Stock buy backs and padding the FED balance sheet? We’ve seen the world come together, to varying degrees, to fight against a shared enemy named COVID-19. We know it’s possible to have collective action. We are understanding our power. Power enough to even stop the global economic machine (note how many businesses shut down before they were ordered to). The main question we have to ask is, what are we going to do with this power? What do we want?
Is climate change inevitably destroying the planet? Is the war on drugs keeping prisons full and people unconscious? Do we always have to fight against something instead of fighting for something? How do we prevent what we want from being co-opted and labeled as the problem? Wanting freedom doesn’t mean someone is selfish. Wanting to work together doesn’t mean your individuality will be destroyed.
We are powerful, and we can do great things. The question we have to ask is: what do we want? Can we start to agree on that instead of spending all our time on what we don’t want?
Some possible examples:
- Long term sustainability as a species
- Protection of biodiversity globally
- Clean, sustainable, renewable energy for everyone
- Food production and distribution for a holistic approach to global wellbeing
- Adventure, exploration, and discovery through Sea Steading, underwater living, and space travel
- Conflict resolution and resource allocation without war
- Respect for the rights and freedom of every individual without regards to their nationality or race
- Sustainable solutions for refugees, the poverty stricken, and children, regardless of if they are right outside our doorstep or on the other side of the planet
- Systems which care for health driven by sustainably increasing human wellbeing
- Education based on play and the love of learning
- Leadership and governance based on shared goals of mutual self interest structured with voluntary incentives and reputation
- Purposeful adding of value and changing reality with our time in a rewarding and meaningful way helping us provide for our families and feel useful as we finish the day
- Fun, joy, and love as we oscillate between peace and adventure
These are just some ideas. What can you come up with? What do we want?
If we can agree on that, maybe we can agree on what actions, sacrifices, and changes in thinking are required to get what we want.
The incredible efforts of the globe to stop this virus and the incredible inventions to support us on the way should show us all that HUGE things are possible. We can no longer say 'we can't stop planes flying' because we CAN. The cynic in me worries that things will just go back to normal.
Your list is my list - I can't understand anyone who would'nt want that. Oh, apart from the powers that be.
This nails it. Focus on what we want-need-intend... on common goals so we can harness community to work together. For all of our so-called evolution as a species we really haven't grasped the basics yet.
Your post has left me with that thought this Thai evening - on pondering what I want as I sleep and bringing that creative-manifesting energy into a new day.
This is a great list Luke but I believe it all reduces a very simple and easy answer.
A great music group told us about it many years ago.
Great stuff as always @lukestokes. Many things to think about. The only problem?
Ying/Yang, Yetzer Hara/Yetzer Tov; i.e., the duplicity inherent in all of mankind.
We do what we can do and hope each of our decisions are for the best.
G-D bless you and yours today and every day!
CONGRATULATIONS!! and thank you for creating wonderful, original content on Hive.
Please share and support our curation, and share some Hive-Love to the other posts selected too.
EARTH HEALING is a Natural Medicine project which supports the regeneration & healing of Mother Earth on HIVE
Discord II Community**