We Can Make it Better

WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER

It appears that there has been some advancement in thinking about issues attempting to improve humanity's condition, but little recent advancement. In many countries there has been regression. We're more aware of the problems caused by wars, disease, environmental concerns, but little of our collective psychology. Why can't we achieve peace and universal freedom? It's a question I've been asking all my life.

What is it about the human condition that prevents us from achieving a better life for all people? Fatalistic, apocalyptic religious beliefs are a problem, causing believers to focus on the end, not on the here and now. The other major problems are fear, insecurity, jealousy, greed, belief. These problems create social and political arrogance and superiority. These are the real problems, not material ones. These can be solved, but it might not be easy. We must realize that we must change ourselves, but we're afraid of that.

No human culture has lasted. Some unforeseen natural disaster, mistake or defect in its inherent belief has eventually led to its demise. Humanity is short-sighted. What good does this do? Is there any meaning in it? Is it possible to create a perpetually renewing culture, one that is flexible and can evolve as human knowledge and needs change? We need a stability to care for ourselves and to create a lasting legacy for those who come after us.

Too much of our lives is unplanned, unpredictable, unconsidered. We don't see the instabilities and insecurities if we're comfortable and in denial, but these gnaw deeply inside us.

Humanity seems stuck in perpetual adolescence. For all the high ideals, we can't get beyond the traditionalist approaches. We're too ready to act at a moments' notice out of fear, anger and other inappropriate emotional responses. It's time to grow up and create real civilization. This should be our greatest challenge.

When the 9/11/01 terrorist attack occurred, Americans immediately regressed into an early adolescent trance state, allowing us to be manipulated by fear. Why? We were already moving into a state of denial over growing social problems. There was a lot of fear and anger about the threats to our lifestyles. The Dotcom bubble had burst and the economy was unstable. Global warming was beginning to be an issue. The country had been politically polarized for years between traditionalists and progressives. Now, this fear negatively affects the entire world and America is becoming a national pariah.

We shouldn't attempt to enforce our way of life on the rest of the world. Are majoritarian democracy, capitalism, etc., the best ways to structure and operate a culture or society? We've made a major assumption here that may not be correct. Not all peoples want it or are able to handle it even if they want it. We need more practical and workable solutions, not ideologies. We should be willing to experiment and try out proposed solutions.

The way we live in the developed nations exploits the developing nations and their people. In reality, we are exploiting the entire world, especially ourselves. To achieve this major transformation of humanity, our lives can't be lived as we do now. What are we willing to give up to create better conditions?

What would civilization mean? No war, no hunger, no overpopulation, no tyranny; everyone guaranteed health care, quality food, housing and meaningful work; focus on learning arts, literature, science, history. We can achieve this if we can overcome our emotional dysfunctions and beliefs. When we can see ourselves as a part of one big family or race, we will have achieved a major psychological breakthrough.