2009 - time for change?

Dear readers,

I don't want to be a doom and gloom merchant, so I hope that is not how things come across, but as a member of this community - race - species - I'm becoming more and more sceptical of the world around us.

Around 2200 years ago, there was a surge of activity out of a city called Rome. They had evolved into an ordered society, created the structure that people need to support their lives. We call it community, from the word 'commune' or social / habitual gathering. The structure that the Romans created, which was in turn based on the model derived over time by the Achaeans, Ionians, Dorians and Aeolians (evenually becoming the Greek Empire), is the same basic structure of society that we consider the model of the 'modern' world today.

Those with influence, money or often by genealogy, would be drawn into politics or the military or both. The Senate collected these policy makers in one place, and as democracy evolved, these would become elected members whose role was to represent the common people for the good of their community, town, city, state, EMPIRE!!!

There is a fine line between power for the country and power for the common good. What is more pertinent? Nationalists would conclude that the good of the country comes first. Evolutionist, maybe, or maybe those with higher ideals, might argue that the common good - the good of humanity is a higher ideal.

My philosophy in life is, and will always be, live life for you, your way, for your happiness, but with the caveat of being to the benefit of your family, your friends, your acquaintences, your colleagues and co-workers and to the rest of humanity in that order.

The idea of the Roman and Greek Empires were of a common good, but the ideal used to get there was often persecution and forced change. What has changed today?

Factions in our world would force their ideals on those that do not subscribe to them. I am not pointing this remark in any one direction, but in all directions. Life is for living, not for fighting. Life is a wonderful one-off opportunity for each and every man, woman and child on this earth. We spend too much time opinionating about others. Why? Because the propogators of opinion demand we think that way.

I've travelled our world extensively, luckily because I have a job that facilitates such activity, and I applaude the difference around our planet. I applaude the cultural diversity of people, but moreso, I applaude the individualism of the human character. Why is this not nurtured?

I respect and understand the need for common ideals - it is the basis of society as we know it, and was started by the Greek and Roman leaders to bring their neighbours into line. As their Empires grew, so new neighbours became targets for the oppression. Some succumbed graciously, some felt a need to fight. Therein lies the issue of difference of opinion. The difference is manifested as a national or cultural or political or religious ideal, but in fact, it is all propoganda. It is all enforced ideals handed down over generations of manipulative powerful policy makers. It is all a control mechanism.

The human race is wonderful, exciting and above all, concious of its' own existence. We imagine, we dream (granted, animals dream too), but it is the imaginative element of our conscience that is unique. As a species, we can do anything we please, within the bounds of some common laws. Those laws, granted, are also a control mechanism, but they are there for the 'common good'. Murder is illegal, rightly so. Theft of the property of another person is illegal, rightly so. These are the sorts of base laws I'm referring to, but outside of that, people should be free to choose their own path, destiny, life.

I understand and respect the need for government. The job of government is to protect the state to which they are elected. Maybe this is an old fashioned concept, and this is where we need to change our world.

We, the people of this planet are in charge. We have elected others to represent us, but not to control us. They are there to protect the 'common good', but it is up to each wonderful individual person on this earth to run their own lives, make their own decisions, decide their own fate, using some base laws to protect them and others in this process.

Don't hurt anyone - they have as much right to live as do you

....and hurt can be taken in many forms - this one base law is all that we need. The rest is down to us to put right.

We have come a long way in two millenia, since the 'modern age' began. We have achieved so much for such a short time. The developments made in construction to protect our people from the elements, technology, whether iT or the fabrication of tools to aid our development, transportation, from the invention of the wheel to ocean going galleons and more recently fuel powers luxury liners, and even our move into the realms of powered flight in the last 100 years is a remarkable achievement for a single species.

What else is possible? If we don't change our expectations, and stop fighting for idealistic goals that are neither realistic nor achievable, we will only move forward to our own destruction.

The world must change, and to do so, we much change our path. Change our expectations and the path will right itself.

Where do we go from here? I don't know, but if any of what I've written provokes thought or ideas in any one of the unique human brains out there, write back and let's make a difference now, before it's too late.