What
‘kind’ of world do we want?
The latest mass shooting in the California bar horrified
both pro-gun and anti-gun advocates alike.
Is there something about our culture that generates such a profound disregard
for human life? Multiple factors contribute to mass killings
in the US but what if one's mental health mixed with cultural and societal
issues exacerbates a desire to mass murder? That it is not just easy
access to guns. If the guns were taken away would they use cars and trucks?
There are nations and
cultures where gun ownership rates do not result in an equivalent mass killings
and high rates of gun suicides. Or, it is done with hidden explosives.
Isn't it odd that last month the experts seeking a motive for the gunman that
killed over 50 people at the Las Vegas concert (the largest in US history) found
no motive. Now, officials are still seeking the motive of the former
Marine suffering from PTSD who killed 11 people in CA. We think that explains it.
But some war veterans diagnosed with PTSD don’t
like the “D”. Is it really a “disorder” if you are profoundly
disturbed by war? Perhaps it is not the
exposure to combat that makes us go anti-social, but our cultural honoring of
war itself. We honor the patriotic duty that
requires people of all faiths (and the faithless) to mass murder on command. Sure, good soldiers do their best to avoid killing
innocent people. But it happens. And we unconsciously judge soldiers who are
not bothered by it as normal. We don’t consider
THAT a “disorder” in them or us. Add to the soldiers rational unwillingness to talk
to others about a troubling war experience for ‘professional’ reasons, and that
sense of aloneness could be debilitating.
After the mass shooting at the public HS in Florida
last year most students chose to join the call for a school ‘Walkout” in protest
of gun laws. Barely covered in the media
was another much smaller group of students at the same school who organized a
school “Walk up”. They were encouraging
students to walk up to others who were alone in an act of kindness.
Too many of our nation’s students know the anguish
of not fitting in or being ostracized by social clicks, bullying, or being downcast
for some quirk. It was no surprise that last
year the U.S. Surgeon General called ‘loneliness’ the most serious public health
threat Americans face. Our nation’s
worsening antagonistic political climate is one thing but is it a cause or consequence
of our epidemic of loneliness. How do we
explain over 20,000 early deaths by gun suicides and three times that many
deaths from opioid overdoses just last year.
In a WebMD
health report last year
this growing danger of loneliness was recognized. “Loneliness
may be more hazardous to your health than obesity” and researchers say Americans
are at a growing risk. According to AARP
over 42 million American adults over age 45 are
believed to suffer from chronic loneliness. Julianne
Holt-Lunstad (professor of psychology at Brigham Young University in
Provo, Utah.) said "Being connected to others socially is widely considered
a fundamental human need -- crucial to both well-being and survival. Extreme
examples show infants in custodial care who lack human contact fail to thrive
and often die, and indeed, social isolation or solitary confinement has been
used as a form of punishment."
Suicides are now the second largest cause
of death for school aged youth. The
first? Death by “Unintentional injury”. What is driving them to be texting while
driving or using chemicals to feel good or experience something different?
Cyber technology was supposed to connect us
and improve our relationships. But, according
to recent to studies (and anyone observing American life) it’s done the opposite.
Why?
We have never felt less connected to others and the important things we
need for a healthy, wealthy life. Friends,
loved ones, healthy food and our environment.
Could it be that our mind’s default
programming, having been created and heavily reinforced by our culture to look
inward to our immediate feelings and cultural concepts instead of outward, is dominating
our bodies feelings? Then we wonder why
obesity, smoking, and opioid addiction now dominates as the cause of so many unnecessary
deaths.
Our mind, instead of looking outward to
solve problems, becomes addicted to looking inward and acting according to our immediate
feelings (hunger, lust, avoidance of discomfort, fatigue…) and or immediate thoughts
(we are entitled to feel good and be safe without doing anything good for
others). Even the word “socialism” is demonized
though we are biologically, fundamentally social creatures.
Without much thought we distance ourselves
from people, nature, and thoughts that don’t make us feel good. We desire immediate comfort all the
time.
Betsy DeVos may have had horrible solutions
for our nation’s education crisis, but she had a genius observation about people. She stressed that our technologies and laws
have provided us with unprecedented comforts.
“But that’s not what we were made for.
We were made for greatness.”
Our greatness is not a result of our selfishness
and looking inward. Our greatness is a
function of the generations that came before us, who valued others, and other
things more than themselves.
Our physical, mental, economic, political
and environmental health are a function of the degree to which we see ourselves
connected to other people, nature, past generations, our children’s future and
the survival of our species itself.
We can do phenomenal things as individuals.
But, in the long run humans will only survive
if we learn to love one another despite our differences, appearances, mental and
geographical/political divisions.
It appears that our mental, physical,
spiritual and environmental health problems are a product of our minds worship
of individualism and ‘independence’. Our
mind’s thoughts have effectively disconnected us from our bodies and our minds
original purpose of solving problems in order to ensure our tribes survival. Because of our addiction to comforts our minds,
instead of solving problems, now create them by defending concepts that divide
us and weaken our capacity for survival.
Being kind to one another is a communication
of love and a recognition of our interconnectedness and interdependence. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get mad. Anger has a place in drawing attention to
things that don’t work and should be changed. Expressing anger at genocide or the intentional
murder of any innocent person is a natural expression of the true kindness that
all people deserved. Having compassion
for those venturing up from south and central America is a kind of kindness. But is it being kind?
“Three things in human life are
important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is
to be kind.” ―
November 13 was designated World
Kindness Day in 1998 by The World Kindness Movement and was intended to be
celebrated annually with the purpose of making the world a better place. There
are currently over 28 nations involved in the movement and it is not affiliated
with any religion or political movement. Individuals,
organizations, and even nations promoting good deeds and doing kind acts is a
good start. But creating a kinder world will take more
than just being kind. It will require a
profound shift in how all nations, religions and humanity itself operates.
If nationalism, populism, or even patriotism becomes an
obstacle to the progress of kindness we can only expect a future of inhumanity,
barbarity, and brutality. Cruelty,
heartlessness, and even savagery will continue to be our path to oblivion.
What should be shocking is the fact that in a world of 7.5
billion people our nation is threatened by loneliness, and some are fearful of
immigrants who have walked a thousand miles.
Today (November 13) try something new. Disconnect from your phone or computer to do
something positive for someone else. Smile at that stranger on the street,
compliment your co-worker, pay the toll for the person behind you …the day is
yours to make a difference.
And if you want it to make the biggest difference, find some
like-minded/like-hearted people and schedule a face to face meeting with your U.S.
Representative. Kill them with kindness!
And urge them to do whatever they can to fund the 17 Sustainable Development
Goals.
Your kindness is only limited by your mind’s perspective of
your personal power. And unknown to
most is your greatest personal power as an American citizen. And it’s NOT
casting a vote. It’s your inalienable right
to petition your government.
Our mind, avoiding responsibility for our elected officials,
believes we are separate from the government.
We think it’s in Washington DC. In
reality, it is a government ‘of, for, and by the people’. Or,
that’s what it was intended to be, before Americans became so selfish,
individualist, and unfriendly.
United we stand to make the greatest difference. That's what will make our nation great again.
Consider the current rapid evolution of weapons, war,
pathogens, and human relations in a world lacking kindness.
Things change!
Can we?
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