In the words of John Lennon, “Imagine.” What if we were able to simply cooperate with one another, with other political parties, with other nations? Could we get 100% behind the idea of getting along? Fully commit to being in this together? We are at that tipping point — choose the path of cooperation or perish.
We have wallowed in the pit of conflict since the beginning. Our Cro-Magnon/Neanderthal past has haunted us to be territorial in order to survive. Protecting what’s mine has nurtured our hostility toward our fellow man. It has now become a death trap. Desperation drives us to perform the unthinkable and the abnormal. It has brought out our dark side of anger and violence, greed and domination. Can we put that behind us once and for all?
Can we overcome our insecurities as a person, as a people and as nations to go forward with the goal of making things better? Can we “imagine” no borders to kill or die for, no greed or hunger but rather a brotherhood of man sharing all the world? What if military spending by every nation was redirected to the protection of Mother Earth? What if I could declare I was a caretaker of the North American Continent rather than a citizen of the USA? What if we stopped being hostile to each other and the world lived as One?
I may be a dreamer but we Earthlings have the potential to change our self-inflicted predicament as soon as tomorrow. It requires the collective buy-in of everyone. “Impossible!” you say? Maybe. Probably. “Never gonna happen” just might win over “choose wisely.” Cooperation is humanity’s only hope. Like all simple concepts, putting that plan into play seems out of reach. A dream. Humanity has shown its ability to overcome overwhelming odds but we have never been faced with such a desperate challenge. Our fate. Whether we survive or thrive. We now have to go beyond imagining and make real all the people living life in peace. It starts with treating every person, group or nation we encounter with consideration. Earthlings unite!
Roger Tobari, Cottonwood Heights
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