-Photo by Tim Swaan on Upsplash
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“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.
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WE LIVE IN extraordinary times. Humankind is presently faced with several simultaneously-occurring challenges: A devastating global pandemic; a resultant economic catastrophe; racial tensions at a boiling point; massive wealth discrepancies; a renewed nuclear-arms race; and many more – all occurring under the specter of climate change and severe environmental degradation. Separately, these challenges have the power to be generation-defining events. Together, they potentiate each other, coalescing into a superstorm that darkens the skies over a global populace seemingly at war with itself.
Humankind is not addressing its challenges from a point of action and unity. Instead, posturing nations stare each other down, beating their chests while displaying mighty military arsenals in grand parades and naval brigades. Meanwhile, their own citizens often fight bitterly amongst themselves.
Even in America, a country rich with incredible bounty, we act as onlookers or participants in a vicious fight between the political left and right – with the fate of democracy and the lives of future global citizens possibly hanging in the balance.
The complex organism that is humanity suffers from an autoimmune disease; attacking itself from within, rather than fighting the true ills that it faces. Individually, we are self-focused; collectively, we are torn asunder.
It is no wonder that some people speak about our current situation in apocalyptic terms, even suggesting that human beings are characters of a story in its final chapters. However, I believe such gloomy prognostications will prove to be incorrect.
The imminent demise of humankind is quite unlikely; we are the authors of our own destiny. Our problems are daunting, to be sure, but each one is solvable, and we are collectively quite capable of overcoming these challenges. We just need to get out of our own way.
Author Kent Nerburn writes about a vision of life that acknowledges our human condition while remaining hopeful of our human potential — a vision that can be shared by all global inhabitants.
We live on a planet composed of accreted stardust, created 4 billion years ago in the fiery heat of an exploding star. We are each a living manifestation of our Earth – stardust living on stardust.
At our best, we are indeed a magnificent species. Over the course of our existence, we have created wonderful civilizations and beautiful works of art. We play music that touches the heart. We write profound books that put forth fascinating philosophies of life. We have even learned how to retrieve minerals from the depths of our planet; combining and reshaping them to build rocket-ships that can return back to the stars from which they came.
Who could dream of anything so fantastic?
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Humankind’s potential is astounding. Yet, even with such incredible human potential, our human condition still suffers – and this is because our individual self-interests act as gravitational counterforces to a shared ascension of humanity.
“We need” is being overtaken by “I want.”
NATURE, NURTURE, AND MORE
Part of humanity’s predilection for self-focus comes naturally. The effects of nature and nurture incline humans to value self and tribe over concern for others; and to elevate issues of today over those of tomorrow.
When our ancient hunter-gatherer ancestors demonstrated certain characteristics – such as balancing a degree of individual self-focus with compassion, cooperation, and loyalty toward other tribal members – they flourished within their factions. They were thus more likely to live long enough to pass on their genes to people like you and me. Likewise, members of tribes that outcompeted neighboring groups were more likely to survive than those that did not.
Today, much of our way of thinking is based on survival strategies that were naturally-selected for over thousands of generations. The lives and stories of countless ancestors are imbedded in our cellular DNA; creating an immutable blueprint that partly fashions our subconscious thoughts and actions.
But, of course, we human beings are not mere slaves to our DNA. Although our foundational thought processes are partly derived from an individualized genetic playbook, they are further forged by the heat and hammers of cultural influence – the evolving social customs and spiritual beliefs wrought by our social environment.
Individual value systems are created by both nature and nurture; nature coming from our genes, and nurture from our friends and families – as well as from our televisions, laptop computers and smartphones. We often become what we see and what we hear.
But our human value systems and thought processes can continue to evolve further yet, beyond nature and nurture. This happens when we choose to further develop our sense of conscious awareness; reaching beyond the subconscious constraints of our DNA and cultural influences, challenging ourselves to think differently.
Awareness is the ability of a person to self-observe from a distance, to objectively evaluate whether one’s current actions are indeed congruent with their personal values and life goals. It allows us to ask ourselves if we are acting in the interest of the few or of the many, and whether we are elevating our current concerns over those of countless future generations.
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“The unexamined life is not a life worth living.”
-Socrates
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The conscious mind
Human beings are evolving composites of a volitional consciousness inseparably connected to a subconscious mind and body. Our subconscious mind feels, and reacts quickly — whereas our conscious mind thinks, and responds in a slower, more deliberate fashion.
In 1951, Argentine President Juan Peron famously said, “The masses don’t think, the masses feel.” Like Peron, many politicians today attempt to appeal to our subconscious base emotions of fear and greed rather than to our more advanced cognitive sensibilities. Be wary of this.
It is the very nature of our subconscious mind and body to survive; to elevate self and immediacy over concern for others and the future. But we now live in 2020, not one million BC. What once worked for small tribes of ancient hunter-gatherers does not always work so well for us today. The various populations on Earth are now all interconnected, each really just sub-components of one massive global tribe of humanity.
The world is changing rapidly, and the evolutionary processes that formed our subconscious minds and bodies have not necessarily kept pace with the needs of a global population of nearly 8 billion people. We can no longer afford to simply feel and react – putting self before country, and country before planet. Instead, we must now consciously think and respond more than ever before; working together to plan our common future.
HUMANITY’S WORTHY GOAL
Collectively, humanity is losing its way – in great part because it does not know where it wants to go. Aimlessly adrift, we remain focused predominantly on ourselves and our own small tribes. To find our way, it is imperative that we look beyond the bow, uniting together in search of a common destination.
American astronomer Carl Sagan once said:
“If we crave some cosmic purpose, then let us find ourselves a worthy goal.”
I believe it is really quite simple. I believe that the meaning of life is happiness, and the purpose of life is to find, create and share it. This prime directive holds that each person must endeavor to find and create happiness for themselves – and equally for all present and future inhabitants of a sustainable planet.
This overarching ideal can be expressed in just three words: Sustainable Global Happiness. This notion, Sustainable Global Happiness, can serve as humanity’s “worthy goal,” the desired ultimate destination of every person, city, state, province, and nation.
Each word is uniquely important: Happiness, because it can be argued that happiness is the point of life; Global Happiness because individual happiness is inextricably entwined with the happiness of all world citizens; and Sustainable Global Happiness, because a sustainable Earth is an absolute prerequisite for humanity’s present and future happiness.
The journey to Sustainable Global Happiness is illuminated by a guiding star: The transcendent idea that the individual, the collective, and the Earth itself – Person, People, and Planet – are equal and inseparable, in time and in space. This idea requires an expansion of awareness, spatially and temporally; from inner self to outer other, from me today to you tomorrow.
As we journey together toward our common destination, humankind can unite to create lasting health and happiness for ourselves, our neighbors, and our Earth. In so doing, we will realize that the journey and the destination have become one and the same — Sustainable Global Happiness.
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“Some men see things as they are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were and ask why not.”
-Robert F. Kennedy
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The journey to sustainable global happiness acknowledges our human condition, while demonstrating a resolute belief in our human potential. If you consider this ideal to be an unattainable utopian dream, please allow me to pose a question to you. What goal do you suggest instead, specifically? What is your guiding principle; your recommended path forward; your ultimate desired destination? The status quo and “business as usual” are surely not working.
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
If humankind wishes to unite together to achieve sustainable global happiness, it is vitally important that we prioritize present challenges in terms of their impact on the survival of our species. We must put first things first. To that end, it is critical to realize that without a peaceful and sustainable planet, nothing else is possible. We must choose leaders who consistently acknowledge and interweave this principle into all policy decisions.
The fate of humanity is wholly dependent upon a safe and verdant planet. Existential threats to our species – such as global nuclear war or widespread disease and crop failures from environmental degradation – must not be relegated to the back-burner. World peace and a healthy environment are bedrock elements of humanity’s continued existence.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists notes that the Doomsday Clock is at its historic most extreme, including during the time of the Cold War. Our land-based nuclear missile launching systems are on hair-trigger alert, creating an immediate existential risk to humanity.
Computer or human error could falsely indicate an incoming missile attack, and a massive nuclear response could be initiated – with a real counter-attack retaliation after that. In an instant, nearly all major cities of the US and its adversary nation would be obliterated. The rest of the world would suffer greatly as well; as the ensuing widespread fires and smoke could result in a “nuclear winter” – resulting in massive global crop failures.
In America, our president has the sole authority to launch nuclear weapons at a moment’s notice – this at a time when international diplomacy is all but absent. In 2019, the US pulled out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia. Both sides are now resuming a nuclear-weapons buildup; reversing the policies of many administrations since the Cold War.
And then there is the slow burn, the more insidious existential risk of planetary environmental collapse. Over the last year, the world has literally been on fire. The effects of climate change and poor environmental practices have caused vast swaths of land to burn; ranging from the enormous coniferous forests in Siberia to the tropical jungles of the Amazon basin. Millions of acres were also scorched in Australia, where a billion animals have perished. We are currently witnessing widespread devastation of life and property from fires in the western United States as well.
Globally, several Earth species are becoming extinct each day. Coral reefs are dying from heat stress and seawater acidification due to carbon dioxide emissions. They will be all but gone by the end of this century, if drastic changes are not made. Glyphosate herbicide (Roundup) and other pesticides are present in much of the food we eat and drink. Population numbers of insects, including pollinators, are plummeting; further imperiling our future food supply. Our air, water, and soils continue to be poisoned by pollution and pesticides.
Bruised and bloodied by relentless assaults on imperiled ecosystems, a falling Earth cannot forever sustain a rising populace. Tethered firmly together, Person, People and Planet ultimately trace the same curve, destined to experience a similar fate.
It takes a safe and healthy planet to create a healthy human. This is not a red-state fact, or a blue-state fact; it is simply a fact. It is important to remember this when choosing your leaders and casting your ballot.
Whether an individual’s major issue of concern is personal liberty or collective equality, gun ownership or gun control, pro-life or pro-choice, more socialism or more capitalism, a balanced national budget or more spending – or just about anything else – none of it will matter much to inhabitants of a dying planet at war with themselves. Global peace and environmental sustainability are primary issues.
Presently, it is as we are all travelers on the Titanic, arguing over the dinner menu instead of looking out for icebergs. We must prioritize our issues. Without a safe and healthy planet, nothing else is possible — and other concerns would therefore become somewhat irrelevant.
This is not to say that issues other than peace and sustainability are irrelevant today. Citizens care very much about them, and rightfully so. Solving these issues can also play a part in helping to create a peaceful, just, and sustainable Earth.
Many of the sources of our domestic and international disagreements are related to our personal ideas regarding loyalty, spirituality/religion, liberty, and justice. Let’s briefly examine these subjects.
TRIBE LOYALTY
When we think about our love of country, we should ask ourselves “Am I a patriot or am I a nationalist?” There is a difference.
A patriot loves the citizens, culture, and noble ideals of their country. A nationalist loves their country – no matter what. There is great danger in this latter way of thinking.
When displayed in a friendly and cooperative spirit, patriotism can stir the heart; inspiring fidelity to rarified principles, pushing individuals to reach beyond previous levels of excellence. As Sun Tzu said, a true patriot is a jewel of the nation.
But cautious awareness is in order. Like a slow virus in a human body, nationalism can insidiously infect patriotism. What begins as a comradery with fellow citizens and a respect for local traditions, may slowly transform into an idea that one’s country and its inhabitants are better and more important than all others.
We teach our children to pledge allegiance to flag and country, but we must likewise teach them that our nation and its leaders must also fulfill their end of the bargain – earning our allegiance, by drafting laws and engaging in activities that are kind, just, and noble.
Nationalists often blindly march in rank and file. Patriots have the courage to break rank if necessary, demanding good character of their fellow citizens and leaders. Patriots wish to maintain their country’s position of global leadership through hard work, collaboration and innovation – offering a hand up to their competitors, not a boot on the throat.
A true patriot is willing to expand their notion of tribe, striving to help their country become the first among equals.
SPIRITUALITY
Some people say that they get their inspiration and ideals from their abiding religious faith – which may indeed be a wonderful guiding light. But how do these people manifest their guiding principles? Is it merely by sitting in a church under beautiful stained-glass windows? Or is it by their words and actions?
No person truly knows the mind of God. However, demonstrating fidelity to the idea of Sustainable Global Happiness is to demonstrate fidelity to a central tenet of every major religion which is this:
“Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you.”
Some form of this Golden Rule exists in every faith. And this precept does not specify that “others” includes only individuals from one’s own church, community, or nation. “Others” includes all people – at home and abroad, today and tomorrow. A truly spiritual person strives to create social justice for all present generations, and to help preserve our planet for the benefit of all future global inhabitants as well.
LIBERTY
Most of us say that we love the ideas of “liberty” and “justice.” We even recite these words at the end of the American Pledge of Allegiance saying, “…with liberty and justice for all.” However, even though liberty and justice (freedom and fairness) are superb ideals, they sometimes work at cross purposes. One often has to give up a bit of liberty if they want more justice, and they may have to sacrifice a bit of justice if they want more liberty.
Nobody likes their government to tell them what to do. We all want the freedom to do as we please. However, exercising this liberty is not always fair to others. For example, if I choose to not wear a mask and employ social-distancing during a pandemic, I am putting my neighbor’s life at risk. Likewise, if I choose to not wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle, I am risking creating a large financial burden for others, if I happen to crash and sustain a severe head injury. An increase in my personal liberty is offset by a decrease in fairness to my fellow citizens.
Still, many of us want our government to mostly leave us alone to do as we please…Or do we?
Come to think of it, I don’t want the police and fire departments to leave me alone if my house is burglarized or is on fire. I don’t want our military personnel to leave me alone if my nation is attacked. I don’t want government planners, engineers and builders to leave me alone to construct my own bridges, roads, airports, libraries, and schools. And I don’t want government social workers and advocates to leave me alone if I am an individual who happens to be born on the left side of the Bell curve of fairness.
Nobody likes government overreach. But living in a remarkable country like America means we cannot always have our way – we must surrender a small portion of our personal liberty for the good of the collective.
If you want to get something, you have to give something. There is no free lunch.
JUSTICE
Most people would say that they believe in the idea of fairness or “social justice.” However, each of us has a different definition of fairness – and we are usually most aware of how fairness impacts us personally, and less concerned about fairness as it relates to other people.
It is often the present generations who must atone for the transgressions of the past. That’s not fair, you say? Well, it is also not fair that our children and grandchildren will have to pay off a national debt that we in present generations have been a part of creating.
It may not be “fair” that some people receive more social benefits than you; especially if they might not work as hard as you, do not have a similar level of education, or have not taken as many financial risks in their life as you have.
But it also may not be “fair” if you and your ancestors were perhaps born with light-colored skin inside the borders of America; bequeathed a birthright that you did not earn, allowing you to live a life more luxurious than the vast majority of global citizens born outside our borders, no matter how hard they work.
Consider a young Black woman or man, suddenly freed from an American plantation in 1865, possessing only the clothes on their back and no marketable skills. Or a refugee today, fleeing a deadly regime with malnourished children in tow, and no money to buy food to feed them. Now imagine these people attempting to create a financial legacy for their descendants in the face of widespread discrimination. Not an impossible task; but extremely difficult, nonetheless.
Much unfairness has indeed transpired; and previous wrongs must be made right. But it is also imperative that disadvantaged individuals seek to overcome the adversities they face; taking full advantage of every possible opportunity presented to them.
It is a difficult balancing act; determining how far societies must go to correct present and prior injustices, attempting to provide equality of opportunity to every citizen. Presently, we may have to broaden our timescale; perhaps bending the reed of “fairness” a bit – hoping to create a just tomorrow for all, even if that sometimes possibly entails sacrificing a small amount of individual fairness today.
We live in a world where fairness was never promised. Collectively, we just do our best to come as close to “fair” as possible, knowing that we will never quite reach this ideal. A worthy aim for humanity would perhaps be to ensure equality of opportunity for every global citizen – if not necessarily equality of outcome for all.
THE GREATER GOOD
It is not easy to focus on others and the future when our DNA and culture subconsciously nudge us toward self and immediacy. And it is fair enough to note that humanity got this far by looking out for ourselves a bit, and having a bit of fear of others and the unknown. But we should also recognize that life is a moving target – and we must adjust our sights and move with it. We must augment our subconscious predispositions with conscious rational thought. The rule is the same for all individuals and civilizations: Evolve or perish.
It is quite easy to fall into the habit of reductionist thinking. It is less mentally demanding to simply see the world as black and white, left or right, liberal or conservative – retreating to a primitive “us vs. them” tribalism. We must be aware of this human predisposition, and we must continuously look for it within ourselves.
Be cautious of labels. When you name something you often limit it; attempting to imprison a constantly-evolving entity into a single moment in time.
If someone asks whether you are “liberal” or “conservative,” consider telling them that it depends on the issue; and that it also depends on their definition of those terms. Tell them you simply strive to make the best decision possible, one you believe does the greatest good for the greatest number of people – while still trying to look out for the individual.
Tell them that the political left does not own the ideals of tolerance and equality, and the right does not own religion and the flag. And tell them that it does not matter whether or not the ideals that you cherish are held by any particular political affiliation – because you are passionate and brave enough to cross party lines for the greater good.
Be aware of the possible biases of your information sources. We tend to hear a lot about extremists of the far left and far right, and very little about the middle. The truth is that there are far greater numbers of people who are center-left or center-right – they just don’t make the news. A lot of television networks know that good news often does not ignite human emotions as much as bad news, and therefore does not sell as well.
Consider becoming a non-affiliated voter. Judge each issue by its merits. Be willing to evolve your ideas when circumstances warrant. Always consider every person’s point of view – there is usually at least a small element of truth to it.
When choosing a leader, it is important to remember that character matters; especially in times of crisis. Selflessness and courage are essential characteristics of great leaders. Lately, some of our leaders have not demonstrated these qualities, because they fear alienating their voter base and losing their jobs. Allegiances to self and party have sometimes superseded ideals of morality and the greater good.
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Humankind can come together to create a peaceful, just, and verdant Earth for all present and future global citizens – what I like to call Sustainable Global Happiness. Uniting together toward this common goal can help us bridge our great divides, turning former adversaries into brothers and sisters-in-arms.
Let’s try softening our edges a bit, offering an olive branch or two to those who may think, look, or act different than we do. Let’s try expanding our awareness – looking beyond self and immediacy to others and the future. Let’s try listening carefully to voices beyond both ends of reason, and then seek a place somewhere between the two; where truth and compromise reside.
The middle road is a wide road, with plenty of room for all sorts of dreamers.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.