Alternate Earth
Mission statement: to repair the planet, extricate all polluting technologies, and seek to nurture a stable, healthy, well balanced, living environment. To encourage, support, and make available Education and the pursuit of knowledge, advance technologies, advance sciences, and all other wisdoms that will enhance the quality of life for all living things. To make available, all medicines, sciences, and technologies for healings, to all in need, and respect and protect the relationship between the planet, and all living things. To govern, and enforce laws that will protect, and enhance that relationship, and the rights of the people, and our planet to preserve one self. To live a healthy life cycle, self improve, seek knowledge and wisdoms, promote spiritual well being, and live in reasonable peace.
The evolution:There is no easy way to make this mission statement a reality, in our current state, in fact, it’s impossible. The way we live, the way we govern, our life styles, religious beliefs, Values, traditions, prejudices, greed’s, and insecurities, these barriers would all guaranty a failure to execute such an evolution. But an evolution is exactly what is needed, and such an evolution demands the support, and participation of everyone in the planet. To eliminate these barriers is no easy task, but not impossible if we approach them logically. Let’s begin with our life styles, and the way we live, all affected, and infected by the other barriers.
I say that life styles, and the way we live, are separate. There are our personal life styles, with our families and friends, and then there is the way we live, and contribute as a society. We must ask ourselves if the way we live, and function as a society, and in our own personal lives would support such a mission statement, my guess is no, not in its entirety. Many of us try to live a healthier lifestyle, grow spiritually, emotionally, and physically, but we must look beyond ourselves, and ask how our lifestyle influences and impacts the way we live as a community, as a society, and as a people on a global scale. We must ask ourselves if the religions, values, and traditions we bring into our lives would also support such a mission statement, again my guess is no. Many of our religious beliefs and traditions are divisive and bigoted, manifested by our insecurities, greed’s, and prejudices. Then there is the way we govern, the structure of our government is flawed to say the least, Politicians corrupted, and the few that would dare to inspire positive change, are muted by the many whose agenda is to keep things just the way they are. Could our government ever support such a mission statement, the answer is yes, with the right incentives in place, and only a few changes.
Greed: Finally there is greed, how to deal with greed, and eliminate the source. This will take some convincing, so I’ve decided to allow myself enough time to explain. First let’s begin with the effects that greed has on our society, and by society I mean as individuals as well as a community and a planet. Wars, power struggles, corruptions in our government, terrorism, economic and social collapse, famine, crimes against humanity, much devastations to our planet, and even religion all have some elements of inspirations that can be traced back to greed. Bankers get rich while not providing loans, Insurance companies get rich while not providing affordable insurance, drug companies get rich while not providing affordable medicine and healing technologies for all who need them, our own Capitalist economic structure has a foundation based on greed, and politicians get rich while looking the other way. This social and economic structure is flawed in that it only serves to insure the advancements of a few rather than the whole of a society. Why are farmers, teachers, police officers, fire fighters, nurses, and the average family barely making a living, not receiving proper and sufficient medical attention, in debt, and facing foreclosure, while the top few get financial incentives, and bailouts to continue to support a system that doesn’t work to insure the advancement, and well being of all its citizens? We cannot advance or evolve into a society with such a mission statement, until we get rid of greed. First we must structure a government that will insure, and protect people’s basic needs and rights. You must be thinking “well, we already have that” not necessarily so, we must redefine what our basic needs, freedoms and rights are, as well as our responsibility to oneself, one another, our planet, and all living things. We must successfully secure a home for everyone, the best available medicine, and healing technologies available for all, supply food and nourishment to all, the best available education, and the freedom to pursue it, the freedom to achieve a quality of life that includes, spiritual, physical, and emotional wellness. If your thinking what does any of this have to do with greed, let me explain. Insecurities are a byproduct of greed, and many of our insecurities stem from our inability to acquire these basic needs, and to achieve a quality of life equal to that of each of our fellow citizens, the haves, and have not if you will. We must give an equal value and compensation to the hard work and achievements of the farmers; teachers, public service providers and such, that we do to Bankers, and CEO’s. “The advancement of a few at the expense of the masses is not justified”. To give equal value and fair compensation to both is impossible given the over exaggerated compensations to the top few, So the rich have freedoms, luxuries, and opportunities not afforded to the masses who provide a service much more valuable, and necessary. So how do we get rid of greed? A good start, however complicated, would be to get rid of currency globally, and owner ship of land. Land is not owned but barrowed, and should be maintained and improved upon, for future generations, and the riches we acquire in life should not be judged by currency, but on how we advance ourselves with knowledge, and a spirituality that inspires a healthy, well balanced respect for self, our communities, and the planet.
Riches without substance:The acquisition of wealth, Property, and the hoarding of material goods appeals to everyone on some level, and for many with good reason, a natural response when you’re born with nothing but the skin on your back side, and guaranteed nothing but the harshness of life. A crucial and necessary survival instinct, and without it mankind could not survive still. But as people evolve, and advance, so too can this idea of acquisition for the purpose of survival evolve into something greater, after all its one thing to acquire for the purpose of survival, and another to acquire for greed, compulsion, or because we’ve been seduced by advertisements that convince us that we need some product when really we don’t. This false sense of self worth is also a consequence of our current way of life.
Socialism/Capitalism: Economic ideals such as Socialism, and or Capitalism have been the subject of political contest for many years, and neither throughout history has produced evidence compelling or otherwise to suggest or insure complete Social and economic stability for the masses. Rather than arguing the points and counter points of these social and economic principals, perhaps it would be more productive, and beneficial to examine the exploitive nature of our social structure.
Social Security: This social concept could be the motivating force, and the inspiration to launch this “appeal for change” if we can expand on the notion, that every member of society has value and that true capital can be defined not by currency, or material acquisition, but by knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual well being. If given the resources, the support, and opportunity to become the best that we can be every individual a “Teacher and a Student”, will gift to society a wealth beyond measure. Then perhaps we can achieve true Social Security.
The Visitor
This short essay was written many thousands of years ago. A beloved and historical document found once by chance on our planet. No one knows who authored this vision for our society, but today we credit, and honor him along with many other visionaries from our past. I come from a long line of explorers, traveling great distances in search of knowledge to bring back to my people. Our constant curiosity was rewarded when a long time ago we found this small jewel of a planet. We’ve since been a persistent observer of your world, your customs, and your advances. We marvel with joy and sadness at your history, and the evolution of your people when we recognize how much we have in common.