In my now sixty complete revolutions of the sun, I am struck by how much the world has changed and how little people have progressed.
We are a single race. The human race. Yet, one is hard-pressed to find examples of this.
We live at a time when access to information is at an all-time high and rationality at a depressing low. Instead of recognizing our differences as nothing more than window dressing, we isolate ourselves with those we share those shallow aspects and separate ourselves from those we see as different.
Why is it we fill our hearts with the irrationality of prejudice, the willful ignorance of others, instead of embracing the commonality of our nature?
Tolerance is something we demand for ourselves and deny to others. The surface differences that comprise such a small percentage of our being cloud the overwhelming similarities.
At a time when it would seem the very survival of our common race is at hand, we focus on promoting our differences instead of joining together to insure our survival.
The faiths of the world publicly espouse their common goal yet continue to teach the doctrines of difference.
Politicians play to the lowest common denominator of fear to further than own careers no matter the cost.
We resort to violence as a solution rather than recognizing violence is at the root of the issue. Violence is the tool to protect differences not people . What we need is the rationality of diplomacy and acceptance.
I can only hope that five hundred or a thousand years from now the descendants of the human race look back on the foolishness of this time as a product of ignorance and stupidity.
Much like we mock the ignorance of the Dark Ages or the image of Stone Age man cowering in his cave from the thunder and lightning of the gods, future humans will find a similar ignorance in the history of our time.
If there are any descendants to do so.  I can only hope we survive  to live up to our self-described moniker of Homo Sapiens.
With all the tools of destruction and our skills at killing our fellow humans over artificial differences, there may not be anyone left to attain such insight and maturity of character.
Good piece, Joe. I’m watching this Trump phenomenon / farce / fiasco and wondering just how things have slid to this low. It seems people have reached such contempt for the established representatives of ‘the system” and resort to the false protection of basic fears. And it’s demigods like Trump who prey on them. It’ll be interesting how history analyzes what’s currently going on.
I agree. It’s disheartening to listen to the news, to see the shallowness that passes as culture, the lack of manners and basic courtes. But… there will always be a quiet light that illuminates the way forward, a kind soul who cares and a few people who remember the values, the sacrifices and who will carry on, i think you’re one of those people. Courage, my friend.