Founding Our Future

     There’s something about the overwhelming feeling one gets when staring out at the ocean; the waves crashing; the sunshine bouncing off the surface; the warmth of the rays on the face. A single breath alleviates all anger, discontent and worries. Once again, the truth of life’s meaning comes rushing into the mind like a long forgotten song, only to be swept back away to the sea of ‘business as usual’ by the tides of ‘ignorance is bliss.’ Today is Christmas and I am sitting in the parking lot next to Santa Monica Pier watching the Sun set over the ocean—quite spectacular if you ask me. The best part about today was that I just bought a meal for myself and gave half of it to a homeless woman that was sitting by Bubba Gump’s Restaurant. I only wish that I could give more; help more. This time of year is marked as a time of giving, helping and family. But, something always seemed strange about that to me. Why is it that only one or two weeks out of the year, people feel obligated to be charitable? Why is it that so many thousands of people starve, develop mental disorders and almost certainly die, homeless and neglected, on the streets of cities which house some of the richest people in the world; in one of the richest nations on Earth—the United States of America? Why is it that we have not yet built a foundation for the future that begins with an organization, or even a unified government, devoted to providing for the shelter, health and provisions for Citizens of not only the United States, but all around the world as well? That is exactly what I intend to do with my life.

     The ultimate goal of my writing is to convey messages of Unity, education and advancement; but at the same time, gain support for a non-profit organization that I want to found with your help; all of you. Since the beginning of 2009, when I made the decision to go to college, I have felt compelled to try and make the best of my life through helping, providing assistance to, and educating those who are in need. Something this huge needed to have a name that people will undoubtedly remember the first time heard. It took a while to produce a name that would sum up all of the things that this foundation will be doing. After many weeks of contemplating, it finally hit me and I can still remember how happy of a moment that was in my life. The name alone gives me the inspiration to continue my writings of government, religion, Unity, benevolence and advancement of Humankind. But, the writing is not where it stops for me. January 1st, 2010 is not only a new year; it is a new decade of the 21st century. People always tend to make frivolous resolutions on New Year’s Eve that are almost certainly broken; sometimes the very first day—quit smoking; stop eating junk food; give up drinking. But, where are the resolutions with substance; with meaning? Where are the resolutions that are selfless? My only resolution is to see my dream through; to create a foundation which reaches the world over and ensures that no person starves, or dies of preventable diseases; every person is provided shelter; every child is given the education, nurturing and care necessary to grow into responsible adults. The betterment of global society starts right now with a promise to you all.

     The New Year will mark the beginning of a journey that has long been anticipated. We have been preparing for this moment, even if it was unknowingly, for many millennia; and now it is here. As the long era of separation is closing in on its final days, a new era of interminable Unity is upon us all. We must find it in ourselves to become the future we want to see. Take a walk with me; it is not a journey for only one person. It is an odyssey for One kind—Humankind. Let us leave behind the legacy of hope, vision, innovation, responsibility and Unity—the legacy that we were not fortunate enough to have been given on account of the lack of technological and agricultural abilities, or the supposed scarcity of resources (excluding money, if anyone believes money is a resource,) or simply because of greed. Despite what many believe, we do have both the ability and resources, by an enormous factor, to ensure basic needs are provided to every single person on Earth. It is a matter of Citizens standing together in Unity to manifest this future. When our Posterity, in the coming centuries, eventually write the history books containing our generation, we should be able to stand confidently together knowing that we have done everything possible to ensure the continuation of a most prosperous journey in Unity which can only be called The Human Endeavor.

Little Green Men

     Recently, I calculated an estimate to the number of extrasolar planets that may harbor intelligent life. Although the method I implemented is rather crude, the results are staggering. According to astronomers, there are an estimated 300 billion (3.0 x 10^11) galaxies in the known universe. (That number has fluctuated between 100 and 500 billion over the decades, but for simplicity’s sake, I will use 300 billion.) Each galaxy contains about 3.0 x 10^11 stars. Multiply these and you get 9.0 x 10^22, or 90,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (90 sextillion) stars in the known universe. Around ninety percent of these stars are main sequence stars—stars in the most stable part of their lives that release energy by fusing hydrogen into helium. This leaves 81,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (81 sextillion) stars. If only 1,000,000,000th of these are like our sun, we are left with 81,000,000,000,000 (81 trillion) stars. About one percent of those stars, 810,000,000,000 (810 billion), should have planetary systems orbiting. One percent of those planetary systems, or 8,100,000,000 (8.1 billion), may yield at least one planet at a distance of what is known as “the goldilocks zone.” If one percent of those have atmospheres similar in composition, then at least one percent of those more than likely harbor some form of life—810,000. Finally, we can conclude that it is highly probable that more than one percent of those planets harbor intelligent life; however, if we were to be extremely modest and say that only one percent of one percent of these Earth-like planets have intelligent life, we are still left with 80 other planets that could have civilizations with technology well beyond that of our own here on Earth. The civilizations advanced enough technologically to populate other inhabitable planets mean that the number of planets that actually have life could be in the thousands or even tens of thousands. Even this number fails to account for the moons of giant planets that orbit stars at a distance that would allow for microbial growth or support a habitable environment. Our celestial neighbor Jupiter, a giant planet which can fit over 1300 Earths inside, boasts 63 moons. In fact, Jupiter’s moon, Europa, has been one of the most intriguing objects in the cosmos to many of the world’s astronomers. The reason: water. Scientists believe that Europa’s icy surface floats atop an ocean of liquid water. In the scientific community, the rule of thumb has been ‘where there is water, there is probably life.’ The problem: funding. It costs around $10000 per pound to send packages into space, for a grand total of right around $1.2 billion for each mission. NASA is a government-funded program with a budget of roughly $18 billion each year, which creates a far-too-limited number of research and development projects that have the potential to propel us into the future that boasts what is known only in the pages of science fiction novels. But, just imagine if we found life thriving on the moon of a giant planet in our very own solar system. When this happens, as I am confident it will within the next two or three decades, it will be the most important discovery ever made by Humankind—we are not alone. It could be the final piece in the puzzle of trying to understand how to understand Humankind’s purpose in the Universe. Maybe that is not enough for some of you, so I will throw in a few more hard facts that are confirmed by a consortium of astronomers around the world.

     If you think about it, we are merely one particular miniscule product of an extremely long and complicated chain of events, in our understood version of time (which is a topic that could literally fill volumes), following a massive stellar explosion that happened roughly 5 billion years ago. This explosion produced many higher elements through a process, that is also present in Supergiant stars, known as nucleosynthesis, and can be accounted for by analyzing the fact that our own star, the Sun, contains some of these higher elements. This can only mean, through our observations and accepted theories, that when the Sun was a protostar—a region of extremely compact gas that is not yet dense enough to begin nuclear fusion of hydrogen—all of the gas being collected was that of a star that blew up in a supernova explosion more than 5 billion years ago. The original star probably was an extremely massive first generation star (based on a 13.7 billion year old known Universe) that exhausted its nuclear fuel very rapidly and then blew off its outer shells as supernovae, seeding the surrounding area of the universe with copious amounts of elements that would eventually be, in a sense, recycled through the formation of many further generations of stars, including the Sun. If the Sun was what is known as a first generation star we would not detect higher elements in the atmosphere. What we must remember, though, is that the Sun is just an average, relatively ordinary star which will eventually exhaust its massive storehouse of hydrogen gas through a specific nuclear fusion process known as the proton-proton chain. The estimated lifetime of a star similar in size and composition to the Sun is about 10 billion years. Already, scientists have postulated and agreed, 4.5 billion years have passed. So, we have 5.5 billion years to achieve a level of understanding that will allow us to relocate to another planet with a habitable environment; given we do not eradicate all life on Earth, including ourselves, long before then. To put all of this into perspective, Human Beings have been evolving for a little over 1 million years; written language is known to have been used in communication for over 10000 years; the Egyptian pyramids were built between 3000-5000 years ago; Newton began his groundbreaking work in Physics over 300 years ago; the industrial revolution was about 150 years ago; the automobile was invented roughly 100 years ago; Humans only live an average of 70-80 years; and I was born just 23 years ago. Time flies by faster than we think.

     In 1929, Edwin Hubble, observing at the Mount Wilson Observatory in California, made perhaps the most important astronomical discovery of the 20th Century: the expansion of the Universe. The concept was originally conceived by Albert Einstein over a decade earlier in his equations of General Relativity; however, Einstein believed in a static Universe, and so incorporated what he called the “cosmological constant” to compensate for something he was not quite sure how to explain. Hubble realized, though, that not only was the Universe expanding, the further away galaxies were, the faster they were moving. In other words, the Universe is expanding at an accelerating rate. Confirming this expansion was absolutely remarkable and revolutionized the ways in which we peer beyond Earth’s atmosphere and into the vast reaches of space. The cause for this expansion is still a huge question mark for theorists; nonetheless, the Big Bang, with a more recent addition known as Inflation, is the accepted theory today. But, there remains a problem: no theory has been designed that can accurately predict and explain, with verifiable equations, what happened at a time just 10^-43 (a decimal point with 42 zeros and a 1) seconds before the expansion began, creating a disunion of the Weak Nuclear, Strong Nuclear, Electromagnetic and Gravitational forces. There seems to be a big fuzzy patch at the beginning of any textbook explanation to The Big Bang which denotes a fundamental breakdown of all known and accepted theories that have been formulated to explain the Universe. These unknowns, along with many other unanswered questions, should be inspiration for Humankind to constantly be at the cutting edge of intellectual development, scientific research and technological breakthroughs.

     I realize that for some these numbers, along with the evidence, are just too overwhelming or may sound far-fetched. Perhaps it just completely goes against others’ religious beliefs. Regardless of any circumstance, these facts remain; and what one must consider is the level of technological and intellectual advancement Humankind has heretofore achieved. We are still at a relatively primitive stage in our Human Endeavor; and given that our technological progression is rapidly outpacing our intellectual progression, we stand at a pivotal point in our collective existence. We must stabilize this separation of advancement with the choices we make in the next decade—truly the most influential decisions Humankind will have ever made. The key to making the right choices is doing so in Unity. But, how can we make any choices, with respect to the interests, well-being and advancement of all of Humankind, if we continue as separate nations? Some in which Human trafficking, oppression, genocide and many other savage acts are carried out on a day-to-day basis; others in which private entities and corporations have a political stronghold on public policies that do not necessarily protect the interests of the public, but rather business interests. A global Federation would be a great start. An alliance of that magnitude will surely usher in future generations of Prosperity, Unity and Advancement for all Citizens of Earth. If there is any way for you to see life the way in which I see, it is this: the next time you are out at night and you have access to a clear view of a cloudless, moonless sky, do yourself a favor that so many neglect to do; take a few moments and just look up. Overwhelming, isn’t it? Just imagine the possibilities.

Religion: Part I

     The other day, I was on The United States of America Fan Page on Facebook and stumbled upon the discussion of what makes a nation Christian. Reading the very first post, I realized the person who started this discussion is somehow under the impression that the United States is a Christian nation, or any religion for that matter. The purpose of this essay is to debunk this irrational proposition. So, where does one begin?

   First, the Framers of the Constitution of the United States made a very clear statement in Amendment I; "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." At this point, I need not go any further, but choose to because religion is a subject that I have avoided writing about for far too long due to the heated debates that ensue almost immediately afterwards. Granted, the Bill of Rights was added four years after Establishment, at the states' demand for one at the cost of ratification. But, that doesn't mean we are free to speculate and then declare the Framers' intentions were for that of subjugation and despotism. Think about it; why would these men try to establish a completely new, innovative form of government, only to have it fall under the same tyrannical strongholds that were the very reasons for "The Declaration of Independence?"

     Second; other than in Amendment I, a variation of the word "religion" appears only one other time in the entire document; and even then, in Article VI, it is stated, "No religious Test shall ever be required as a qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States..." The words "God" and "Jesus Christ" are nowhere listed either. In fact, just two words are left that even remotely resemble any type of religious connection—in Article II, Section 3, where "Ministers" is used in a governmental context, not a religious one; and as for "the Year of our Lord," this can be evidenced as non-religious on the basis that the only dating system around the world for relatively “advanced” societies at that time, and even today, was that which was based on the alleged birth of Christ. There was no other option, although I am sure if there had been, it would have been chosen for the purpose of preventing misinterpretation--which seems to have led us to this very discussion. True it is that a large portion of colonists held Puritan values, but the Founders were well aware, and realized how imperative separation of church and state would be to the unique, new nation, and so implemented the above mentioned, plus many other Rights and Liberties, as Amendments I through X in the Bill of Rights.

     Third, the realization that billions of people remain subject to these ancient concepts (because we have to acknowledge, that is all they are—ancient, primitive concepts), which have, for over 2000 years, been waging war against each other while each declares itself the only righteous path to Heaven, Jesus Christ, God, Allah and 72 Virgins or whatever else any others’ after-life assumptions have evolved into, should be an enlightenment unto itself for all of Humankind. Considering the number of times since conception religions, and all "sub-religions," have been used as both salvation from, and at the same time, justification for, countless wars, Injuries and even genocide, all Citizens of Earth must be willing to realize that the true meaning of life does not necessarily exist in the form of some absolute "faith" in the imaginings of afterlife. Too often, many religions require people to dwell upon death and the most sacred “afterlife” so much for guaranteed passage into the realm of their beloved omnipotence that it completely consumes those peoples' lives and deprives them of the real reason for our existence—the accumulation of knowledge and the proper application of that knowledge, supported with scientific data, logical interpretation and, of course, experience, to ensure intellectual and technological advancement of Humankind in Unity towards understanding the vast expanse that is the Universe in which we are conscience.

   The only way to truly understand the after-life is through death, OR through an unabridged understanding of the fundamental elements and constituents of the Universe through life. If we can understand the meaning of life, using data, logic and experience, then and only then can we make a much more accurate prediction of what happens when our bodies die. We inhabit but a single planet of literally billions that just might harbor some other form of intelligent life. So, should we really be so arrogant to claim that any theological concept conceived by Human Beings holds any veracity on such an unimaginable scale? Before someone decides to rebuttal with some misguided attempt to downgrade the efficacy of Astronomical and Physical sciences, I would like to ask you, when was the last time you looked through a telescope? Or, had the privilege to bear witness to a moonless night sky on top of a mountain, where the Universe seemingly comes alive as an awe-inspiring spectacle? Gazing at the plane of the Milky Way is like looking at the past, the present and the future, all in one breathtaking, spectacular view. Life seems more precious; yet, at the same time—much more probable. The Universe recycles all energy. We are simple, meaty forms of energy and the likelihood of other life elsewhere in the cosmos is—well, questionable by our relatively primitive standards. And those questions have marched millions of people to their deaths. Whether or not we have made contact with other life forms, worship some form of omnipotent being or disagree with others who may believe otherwise should bear no relevance in our quest for understanding. The question we need to ask is not even whether global Unity is practicable; rather, will we have a respectable, responsible and thriving global civilization which is founded on benevolence, interdependence and sustainability to present to our Posterity as well as other possible life forms that just might be intelligent and capable of rapid space exploration?

     It is quite amazing; the fact that we cannot stand on common ground as the Human Race with one goal: unconditional global advancement. There it goes—another ten years. The 21st Century was, throughout the 20th Century, always portrayed as a new era for Humankind, marked by global society geared toward scientific discovery and innovation, Unity and advancements in space exploration. Yet, the same old story sadly reads itself aloud, again and again; year after year; decade after decade: further separation of societies and governments that cherish much different views, attitudes, beliefs, and religions (in the case of the U.S., non-establishment), and that take action appropriate to such, according to their respective attributes. But, I refuse to accept an assumption that our lives should be devoted to an ambiguous speculation that seems to be the most hotly debated topic around the world; based not on scientific data or advancement for Humankind, but rather on ancient legends and myths. Where is the “faith” in Humankind itself; “faith” in ourselves? Must we really be subject to some concept of “God” or whatever name you would prefer? If “God” supposedly created us in his or her or its image, would that not mean that we have an innate right to take it upon ourselves to obtain the best possible understanding of life and everything in the Universe; the Universe which “God” allegedly created from—well, honestly, anyone can fill in that blank? Or that we were “designed” with the capability of rationalizing what is right and what is wrong? And if other intelligent life exists elsewhere in the cosmos, then who are we, Humankind, of the relatively negligible, little planet Earth, to say that civilizations on those other planets are wrong in their attempts to form and interpret assumptions of some type of Supreme Omniscient Being? It is one thing to believe in such an all-knowing being; quite another to try and force those beliefs, through religion, upon others who may have formed separate, unrelated beliefs, or disbeliefs. When religious wars, as the majority of wars on Earth are, continue unchecked, it becomes a necessity to construct a global government firmly rooted in an educational system which not only teaches religions objectively and free from hallowed mannerisms, but also teaches a well-rounded, technology-based, health-wise curriculum. Do not misinterpret me—I am not saying that we should abolish all religious institutions; that would infringe upon the Civil Right of “free exercise” and implies radical measures would be applied in the unfounded attempt to carry out such a decree. Instead, I concede that every single person is entitled to worship as he or she pleases; but do so in a manner considerate of any and all possible social consequences of one’s actions while worshiping. It is when and where a form of worship calls for radical measures to uphold a particular institution’s beliefs, including suicide bombings and forced indoctrination, that a line must be drawn. The future of Humankind depends on our ability to ensure it prosperously; as it manifests itself from our collective actions. If those actions are based on an ill-judged, highly misguided attempt to explain life through an entity that we, only recently in our long history, conceived, then there is almost no hope for breaking the cycle of corruption that has plagued our societies throughout the millennia. And if despotism, wars, starvation, Human trafficking, and many more such atrocities continue, it is because collectively, we allow it. But, I am confident that the generation alive today is the most important generation of Humankind ever. Does riding this wave of the future leave us with only two options: sink or swim? Nay; there is always another option—in this case, we are fortunate to have the ability to fly into the future; nearly frictionless and without any stops.

To Be Continued…

Experientia Docet

     The 21st Century...Cue the guy with the vociferous, baritone voice and throw in an orchestral accompaniment of triumph and progress. Indeed, the very thought alone makes one’s mind race off into a sunset of infinite dreams and endless possibilities; into some cliche Hollywood portrayal of what life might be like in the future—corruption and total destruction through the misuse of advanced technology, or boundless knowledge and intergalactic travel. The latter depiction is held in a rather phantasmal light while the former seems inevitably feasible. Conceding to the fact that nearly ten years have passed thus far in the Twenty-First Century and we have yet to change course towards global societal unification, there remains an ever-growing list of questions attached to the idea of futurity—far too many to name in just a few short pages. Humankind stands at the precipice of reason; and for that establishment, we are faced with a choice to reason as One, or to continue dividing interpretation of reason as many. The question one might immediately ask is whether global Unity is even possible. Can an allegedly advanced species, as ours so arrogantly boasts, with such a broad range of cultural, social, governmental and religious diversity, find a way to Unite for the common goal of advancement, or are we doomed to the stagnant, vicious circle that has been the history of Humankind—separate nations that journey from wealth to power; power to control; and control to self-destruction? With a plethora of globally pertaining issues, it is difficult to sift through so many and choose the single most pertinent issue that Humankind faces. After careful consideration (it was between this and religious subjugation, which I will get to soon enough in my writings), I have chosen to examine the possibility of, as well as reasons for, global governmental Unity. I realized that by pulling this single “string”, as the maxim goes, a thousand unravel; practically all other issues become aligned on a path to resolve. As the title of this essay indicates in Latin, experience teaches. We should take into consideration and learn from the past; not dwell upon and re-live the past time and again. Speaking of time; it is of the essence (at least our vague interpretation of time is apparently of some essence); so let us begin, shall we?

     Earth is but a nucleus of an atom of a grain of sand; only a speck on the cosmic beach of space-time. So where does that leave us? Negligible, at best, I suppose. But that fact does not mean Humankind can excuse the atrocities that have hitherto been carried out between the separate societies which have flourished into distinct spheres rarely overlapping on similar policies and issues. Rather, the barbarous actions of Humankind over the millennia need to be substantiated in a manner that derives just intentions of advancement through an enumeration of commonly known, yet, consistently ignored facts. Recall that in 1776, Thomas Jefferson did exactly that and it changed the course of the history of Earth, even if intentions were focused on founding a single, united nation. Today, we face an entirely new, alarmingly paralleled situation—this time in a global context. “The Declaration of Independence” as my influential compendium, I have written a modernized update to this truly historic document. As a way of conveying a global societal unification, this document is entitled “The Declaration of Interdependence.” It goes as follows:

*****When in the course of Human events, a necessity for an unprecedented, immediate and interminable global cooperation arises, that of a truly undivided people must firmly be established to achieve goals concurrently. Human Beings of all ages, races, creeds, ethnicity and governments, unified to forge Global Legislation, should bring forth a declaration of causes for separation from, and abolishment of, all constraints inhibiting positive intellectual and technological progression, and for movement towards Unity, of all Human Civilizations on Earth.

     We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Human Beings are created equal; that they are creations of the Universe, and thus are bound by the Laws of the Universe. That it is within the responsibilities of all Human Beings to Unite and ensure a future of advancement and security for all forms of life inhabiting their world. That to embrace boundless knowledge for their kind strengthens the effort to thoroughly understand the fundamental structure of the Universe. That to obtain absolute understanding of the Universe yields interpretation of purpose. That purpose inspires Human Beings to become united and self-sustaining without the threat of tyranny and oppression. That when self-sufficient Governments of their world become destructive of these ends and fail to secure the advancement of Human Beings, it is their right, it is their duty to alter or abolish these Systems of Government and provide a new, worldwide Government to establish uniformity in advancement.

— Such has been the toleration by Human Beings; and so now becomes the necessity to alter their Systems of Government. The history of governments on planet Earth is a history of expansion scarred by material greed, power and control over the masses. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

     We have refused our Assent to the Laws of the Universe, the most wholesome and necessary for the global public good. We have allowed our Legislatures to neglect passing Laws of immediate and pressing importance; and when they so shall pass such Laws, it is at the desire of lobbyists and private corporations not serving the Interests of the global public. We have allowed corrupt individuals the ability to write Legislation of unusual, uncomfortable lengths for the sole purpose of fatiguing us into compliance without understanding. We have witnessed the enslavement, indoctrination, genocide, and invasions on the rights of millions of people throughout Human history. We have ignored the fact that thousands of people die every day due to preventable causes that modernized countries simply take for granted. We have refused for a long time, after such occurrences, to take measures to ensure well-being of all Citizens worldwide and to promote an understanding that the authority of Legislative Powers ultimately resides in the People at large for the sole purpose of preventing Annihilation; entire countries remaining in the mean time under the influence of totalitarians. We have endeavored to create obstructions at the borders of our separated countries in order to block the instinctive Nature of Humankind to explore and discover; all in the name of pretended Security from one another. We have declared War on other Human Beings for vast numbers of unjustified reasons; reasons easily resolved through proper diplomacy. We have failed to acknowledge the importance of Education, Health and Technology in the future advancement of our global society. We have neglected the innate duty of responsibility to the betterment of a societal whole, unacknowledged or unbeknownst by many and abandoned by others in times of greatest importance; giving our Assent to acts of pretended legislation:

     For allowing such indecency to Humankind to continue unabated: For protecting the actions of some and attacking those same actions of others by use of loopholes and extenuating circumstances that ignore the core facets of Right and Wrong: For cutting off or restricting Trade with certain parts of the world for intentions based on profit and control; not sustainability: For depriving us in many cases, of information useful to making decisions that affect Citizens and our Rights and Liberties: For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses: For tolerating the abrogation of habeas corpus, Human and Civil Rights and Liberties; advocating instead Systems of Government corrupt with avarice, Injury and political bureaucracy; inevitable to becoming self-destructive as all hitherto governments have: For cherishing theological ideology over logical design—the ability and responsibility of Humankind to naturally advance itself to a level of unforeseen understanding bereft of hallowed subjugation—and neglecting to focus rather on an unabridged understanding of the underlying principles that constitute the Laws of the Universe.

     We have abdicated Government, in many instances under false pretenses of necessary Security, becoming subject to War against ourselves. We have plundered the land, ravaged the Coasts, bombed the cities and destroyed the lives of millions of people in other nations. We are at this time transporting large Armies of Mercenaries to other nations to complete the works of death and desolation, with hypocritical intentions to prevent such acts from being carried out, under circumstances of Cruelty and Perfidy scarcely paralleled to the most barbarous ages. We have excited domestic insurrections amongst ourselves due to unjust laws and advocated inequalities.

     In every stage of these Oppressions, We have, through a vast range of Organizations, Petitioned for Redress in the most Humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated Injury.

    We have been warned time and again of attempts by our legislatures to extend unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the conditions of our Assent to only fair and just Laws. We have appealed for honorable justice and magnanimity and they have been deaf to the voice of reason and logic. Therefore, we must denounce Separation of Nations and Society, Unite the Governments of Humankind and provide safeguards for the future of our Posterity.

     We, the Representatives of planet Earth, in Council, Assembled, appealing to the Citizens of Earth for sanction of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of all People from all Nations, solemnly publish and declare, that all Nations are, and of Right ought to be United; that they are absolved from all Allegiance to oppressive institutions, and that all political connection between States, is and ought to be totally integrated; and that as Sovereign Nations bound to a single, common governmental contract, they have full Power to establish Commerce, contract Alliances, promote Peace, and to do all other Acts and Things which Interdependent States may of right do under the provisions of the global Alliance. And for the support of this Declaration, we, the people of Earth, pledge to each other our Lives, our Guidance and our Knowledge.*****

     This document has been the object of months of quiet anticipation; mine, of course. And, it is far from perfect. But, I believe that if Jefferson was alive in modern times and felt compelled to write about the state of the world’s governmental affairs, the result might resemble what you have just read. Besides the limited number of examples I was able to convey, there is plenty of empirical evidence for why such an alliance would be indubitably beneficial to all of Humankind. When was the last time that you watched the news, at least here in the United States, and it was filled with inspirational stories of magnanimity? In my lifetime, I can definitively say never. It has been made clear by corporate conglomerate media outlets that what the public apparently enjoys and cannot get enough of are scripted reality shows, celebrity gossip and stories that adorn our airwaves with death, corruption and devastation. Controversy sells; and we all know that at the end of the day, profit is what life is about. Well, not really, but that is what we have been led to believe and cherish. Since when did athletic accomplishment and infotainment take precedence over intellectual esteem and academia? Maybe the shift happened when the Internet allowed people to water down language, especially English, into the online jargon and acronyms that have been the staple of the youth of the United States (e.g. OMFG, ROTFL.) Furthermore, interest in, as well as access to, government has declined or been limited significantly over the past few decades, especially since the Internet has opened up the world to the notion that absolutely everything is just a click away and, more recently, by the passage of the USA Patriot Act. To set the record straight, I am not in any way blaming the Internet for Humankind’s indiscretions. Nor do I attest to a ban, limitation or control of the Internet—it is the ultimate form of ubiquitous trans-communication and should be completely free worldwide; plus, without it I might have no hope of conveying my many messages of Unity to the world over. How can a price be placed on knowledge, anyways? These are all just simple observations that everyone should be making; but I understand how hard it is the peel away from the latest gossip, the newest controversy over celebrities’ infidelities, the hottest new phone/text machine/camera/Internet browser/mp3 player/everything you can think of all in one little $500 device that will be outdated in 2 weeks and is marketed as the best new thing to make you think and do less, and put as little effort as possible into gaining a more refined understanding of life. Although all of these topics actually do fall under the category of global governmental Unity, the issue I am most concerned with, however, is the government itself and how best to obtain a global unification, thereof.

     So, what would be the best form of government to implement in a global community? In an article written for Time Magazine, Strobe Talbott says, “The best mechanism for democracy, whether at the level of the multinational state or that of the planet as a whole, is not an all-powerful Leviathan or centralized superstate, but a federation, a union of separate states that allocate certain powers to a central government while retaining many others for themselves.” I couldn't agree more. Before I had even read that article, months ago, I actually wrote an essay which provided a foundation for a Federation of Earth. Admittedly, it was almost exclusively based on the federal system that exists in the United States, with minor updates to accommodate and ensure global participation and representation. It has proven, with the United States as prime advocating example, that federalism is perhaps the most promising form of government that would mold an all-encompassing umbrella over nations which establishes a foundation of guiding principles and laws ensuring Rights and advancement for all nations on Earth, while delegating all other powers not mentioned in the binding agreement to the nations. In a more judicial aspect of global Unity, Stephen Schlesinger, of the World Policy Institute in New York City comments, “By the end of the century, we will have the first permanent international criminal court to prosecute the most serious violations of humanitarian law.”

     No doubt we are bound to an inevitable future of Unity in one form or another. What better time than now to light a torch that we will be proud to pass on to future generations of Earth? In the Federalist, Alexander Hamilton wrote, in 1787, “There is nothing absurd or impracticable in the idea of a league or alliance between independent nations, for certain defined purposes precisely stated in a treaty…leaving nothing to future discretion; and depending for its execution on the good faith of the parties.” Visionary words indeed, considering the time in which they were written. He was right then, and he is undeniably correct in modern times. We have literally had millennia to establish a well-rounded, fully integrated government which can protect future generations through Unity; especially within the past century. There really is no excuse. Nothing can justify Humankind’s propensity to dominate everything by any and all means necessary. No words can define just how important a unification of this magnitude—of this importance—truly is. It is something that must be felt within; something intangible, yet profoundly realized. It begins when we want it to begin. We are faced with a choice to design a respectable, prosperous government to carry on a legacy of Unity and humanitarianism, or be forced into it by whatever wars, tragedies or disasters that we encounter on our journey; inevitable obstacles on such a neglectful path that have an extremely good chance of leading to total annihilation. So what will it be? We can utilize this luxury of choice and decide for ourselves, or chalk our future up to these ellipses…

The Absolutes of Right and Wrong

    One might wonder what it means to be a Citizen in society. According to the Dictionary.com Unabridged, a citizen is, “a native or naturalized member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to its government and is entitled to its protection.” This definition implies a close tie that binds people to administration--a sort of two-way street between citizens and their government. There are certain responsibilities to which both are obliged to uphold in order for societies to flourish and prosper. These responsibilities differ over a broad range of interests, rights, and liberties that may be influenced by and beneficial to the people, the government itself, or both; provided the proper System of Government is implemented which allows Citizens direct access to decisions that affect changes in society. Over the centuries, the roles that citizens have played in government have evolved—just as the separate vicissitudes in governments of entire nations have continually evolved; sometimes forging barricades of apprehension impenetrable to the ignorant, and propitious only to the select few who command from within these walls. From Socrates, in the fifth century B.C., to Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1950s and 60’s, to the high-tech twenty-first century—where, despite the rapid progression in technology, only some of us are fortunate enough to have the luxury of enjoying even the most basic Rights and Liberties. Humankind’s history provides crystal clear evidence of the struggle to overcome tyranny by oppressive institutions. Through the works of many of the most revolutionary thinkers, a vivid portrait has been drawn of the innate duties and responsibilities citizens must carry out to provide a progressive future for Posterity. The journey to understanding what is right and wrong, just and unjust, fair and unfair has been quite an arduous undertaking. Ahead, the path has yet to be constructed; and that is what we must never forget. The future is what we make it—a product of the present, influenced by the past. Perhaps the most important obligation of citizens can be determined as being Unity; for, Unity provides an impervious force field that deflects any attempts to impede advancement. By and large, the roles and responsibilities of citizens remain exceedingly crucial in the fight to provide a better tomorrow for all generations to come. As the tension grows between individuals, citizens and government, and even governments themselves, we must constantly remind ourselves of the common bond that each and every single person on Earth shares: the fact that we all comprise Humankind; not just a privileged few.

     (The following three works are available in a book entitled "50 Essays" which should be available at most college campuses.)

     In Plato's classic work "Crito," Socrates argued convincingly of what is right and what is wrong. He believed in relying on the guidance of the “one”, with an assumption that “there is someone with expert knowledge” to determine case-by-case whether or not a person’s actions were justifiable. But, we all know where assumptions lead us—don’t we? “What we ought to consider,” Socrates asserts, “is not so much what people in general will say about us but how we stand with the expert in right and wrong, the one authority, who represents the actual truth." He placed absolute confidence in the Laws, no matter how unjust. “There is no sense in which wrongdoing is good…,” he confidently proclaims. But the icing on the cake would have to be the way he, through a highly provocative, equally unlikely, hypothetical scenario, conveyed the importance of conforming to the Laws of the State.

Look at it this way. Suppose that while we were preparing to run away from here (or however one should describe it) the Laws and Constitution of Athens were to come and confront us and ask this question: “Now Socrates, what are you proposing to do? Can you deny that by this act which you are contemplating you intend, so far as you have the power, to destroy us, the Laws, and the whole State as well? Do you imagine that a city can continue to exist and not be turned upside down, if the legal judgments which are pronounced in it have no force but are nullified and destroyed by private persons?”

     Compelling, isn't it? However, this particular account is but a supposition—simple conjecture which introduces the possibility of being caught, all the while neglecting to acknowledge the equal, if not more likely, probability of getting away. The way Socrates tells the story bears stark resemblance to what Stefanie Ericsson, in her essay entitled, “The Ways We Lie,” calls Omission. In this revealing, often humorous explanation, she investigates the many different instances in which people lie to one another. Exemplifying everyday situations alongside historical data, Ericsson is able to easily relate with the reader by declaring up front that, “We lie. We all do. We exaggerate, we minimize, we avoid confrontation, we spare people’s feelings, we conveniently forget, we keep secrets, we justify lying to the big-guy institutions." As strong as this accusation might sound, it is very true. We have all lied in one, if not all, of the many ways she describes. But Ericsson warns, “Our acceptance of lies becomes a cultural cancer that eventually shrouds and reorders reality until moral garbage becomes as invisible to us as water is to a fish." So maybe we are walking around in an integrity-bereft haze of lies and deception that owe homage to people’s feelings rather than what may be right; but that does not mean we cannot open a window for some “fresh air.” In a rather Socratic manner, she concludes by asking, “How much do we tolerate before we become sick and tired of being sick and tired? When will we stand up and declare our right to trust…When do we stop turning over our personal power and responsibility to liars?"

     In “The Insufficiency of Honesty,” Stephen L. Carter explores some common misconceptions of the correlation between honesty and integrity. He, by using three examples, including that of a man on his deathbed telling his wife he had cheated thirty-five years before, explains that just because a person tells the truth does not mean that it was done so with integrity. Carter states, “Arranging his own emotional affairs to ease his transition to death, he has shifted to his wife the burden of confusion and pain, perhaps for the rest of her life." Although he gives circumstantial evidence in his essay for why one should choose to withhold such information, Socrates would probably agree with a decision to be honest at all times, even at the expense of feelings, because it is what can be considered as right and just. Carter continues with another story of a man, under the impression that women are incapable of hard work, who discriminates against women by assigning them less intensive tasks at his workplace. “The manager,” he states, “fails the most basic test of integrity. The question is not whether his actions are consistent with what he most deeply believes but whether he has done the hard work of discerning whether what he most deeply believes is right." In his third example, Carter uses a woman, told by a man she engages in sex with that if she becomes pregnant, she is basically on her own, to demonstrate how there is a “version of responsibility [which] assumes that not all moral obligations stem from consent or from a stated intention." He ends by saying, “Nowadays, here in America, people seem to spend their time thinking of even cleverer ways to avoid their obligations, instead of doing what integrity commands and fulfilling them. And all too often honesty is their excuse."

     The problem with lying is that the more one lies, the more distant one becomes from reality, which is another form of a lie Ericsson describes as delusion. All too often, we think that by crawling into someone else’s skin, we can escape the wake of consequences left behind by our deceptive actions. From individual situations, all the way up to governments, this method has never ceased to fail. When we continue to hand over roles and responsibilities to government, what happens when our hands are empty? I propose three steps to follow in order for Humankind to secure a prosperous future for global society. First and foremost, we must always remember and utilize the power of Unity. All across the board, from health care to money, even government; issues can be resolved through diplomatic Unity. Unification ensures that secondly, our Rights, Liberties and Freedoms are never abridged, but are protected, as long as the actions citizens perform do not conflict with any laws, and provided these laws are just and fair, as decided by the people as a whole. Thirdly, building the foundation for advancement on a solid, supportive governmental system that advocates the educational system as the key component to the encouragement which forms the desire to become knowledgeable, ensures the protection of Human and Civil Rights and Liberties, and solves practically all the other pertinent issues we now face. Neither of these systems should ever be based almost entirely on finances; if at all. Depriving people of these most fundamental rights—the right to learn and the right to have a say in government—due to a figment of the imagination, is perhaps the best example of unjust actions that society allows continuance of. If the Socratic Method works for you, then, look at it this way: the more activities, situations, information, stories and interests one is introduced to, the more likely it is that person will move on and become an integral part of the continued advancement of society as a whole. It is time to start thinking about the next generation. We have a responsibility to our Posterity. Considering the rapid ascension of technological advancement, this responsibility is rooted in the idea that we are perhaps the most important generation of Humankind to have ever walked (or blasted off of) the face of Earth. We currently have the means to destroy ourselves completely. However, we equally have the means to provide health care, food, water and education to every single person on this planet. So, what is stopping us from doing just that? Why do thousands of men, women and children die every day from starvation or preventable causes that most countries simply take for granted? How is it that Human Beings are still bought and sold into slavery in this day and age? Honestly, a thousand pages would never be enough to write all of the questions that remain unanswered or ignored, just like the people being subjugated in war-torn countries. Even if we were to write down these questions it is not enough to simply acknowledge and agree with them. It is the action to change this incivility which becomes the benchmark for an effective campaign against despotism. Martin Luther King Jr., an advocate of non-violent protest, said it best in, “Letters from Birmingham Jail.” “Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself..."

Freedom and Security

     Benjamin Franklin, in 1755, wrote, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” These powerful words resonate deafeningly 254 years later as we find ourselves at the discretion of Legislature alarmingly paralleled to that which Franklin was writing of. We remain, as if by choice, completely oblivious to the fact that the USA Patriot Act—you know, that wonderful, surreptitious document which was passed without a hint of scrutiny—practically nullified the First Amendment Rights, which are guaranteed to Citizens in the Constitution of the United States, on the grounds of what are known as “suspected terrorist activities.” In fact, it is well known and documented that the National Security Agency conducted illegal operations that included warrantless searches, neglect of habeas corpus as well as the entire Constitution, and even went so far as to torture suspected terrorists, United States Citizens included, for information regarding terrorist organizations these alleged “terrorists” may or may not have known. The worst part of all is we, the U.S. Citizens, seem totally uninterested in repealing this bill that cracks the very foundation on which our Government was built: the Constitution of the United States. Instead, the center of focus has gone through a paradigm shift from unwavering scrutiny of the Government, as the Founders believed, to blatant disregard of Government, as modernization of society takes a subliminal turn for the worse.

   Propaganda, introduced to the general public by corporate conglomerations monopolizing practically all media outlets, makes it virtually impossible to sift through the mound of monetarily-influenced, biased news to find facts about these issues. Thanks to deregulation, corporations are in a virtual free-for-all with regards to mergers and takeovers. Ever wonder why different news stations in the United States cover the same stories at the same time; taking commercial breaks at almost the same time; playing the same commercials geared toward the same groups of people? We have become so numb by the massive influx of Everything Inc. that we will stand by and convert to slaves of an economic system bound for a state of perpetual disenfranchisement rather than take responsibility and exercise our Civic duties as Citizens to influence public policy for the common good; the public good—not for the good of only a select few. Wealth and Power of that magnitude always has and inevitably always will journey to the threshold of despotism. The United States is proudly holding the keys with hand on the doorknob; turning. The door opens and…

Identification Please

    Looking back through the twenty-three years of my existence, I guess you could say there are many contributing factors that have, in one way or another, shaped the person I am today. Being born “American” here in the United States—American being in quotations because, in the grand scheme of things, anyone born in North America, Central America or even South America can be considered as such—some might say doubtless I automatically fit into some rigid American culture category. However, I would say that I feel as much an outsider as any immigrant would. It was never really my prerogative to conform to any certain cultural tradition; nor any tradition for that matter—especially the stereotypical back-woods, beer-chugging, probably-racist, brother’s-also-his-nephew, Midwestern farm boy. In fact, one may wonder, what does it even mean to be American? Do burgers, fries and a Coke sum the experience up? What about the good ole’ American Dream, or the wonderful, altruistic joys of capitalism? Wait…maybe not capitalism. After all, most people in so-called “America” would say that a philanthropist must be some kind of specialist doctor, or would scowl at the thought of giving a precious dollar to someone that needs it much more because profit-at-any-cost and self-interest incontestably reign superior to benevolence in the quasi narcissistic mindset of capitalists. Perhaps these distinctions suffice here in the United States, although I would argue conversely, but what about the rest of Americans? You know; the ones U.S. Citizens so often neglect acknowledgement for: Canadians, Mexicans, Guatemalans, El Salvadorans, Argentineans, Chileans, Brazilians, quite frankly, the list goes on. Instead of being welcomed as fellow Americans, most are deemed illegal aliens by the U.S. Government, and still others are simply denied Citizenship rights, even entry into the country altogether. Why have we placed such barriers between other Human Beings? Remember that at the core of every single person on Earth, there exists a fundamental nexus which binds Humankind together; the intrinsic truth that we are in the struggle for understanding together, as a singular, global unit and if we are to continue with any hope of advancement, then we must act as a singular, global unit, or else face total self-Annihilation. So why are we, the Citizens of the U.S., so arrogant when claiming the label “American”, or, my personal favorite, “world superpower”? If all of the people from all of the abovementioned different countries are not American, and countless others are prejudged unworthy of acknowledgement, or whatever new segregating factor we would like to concoct today, then with whom are these Citizens supposed to identify? Is there any hope for the U.S. identifying with another country, or is the entire world supposed to just assimilate according to U.S. guidelines? With so many questions asked and so many more on the way, the road to identity is becoming ever more treacherous by the minute.

     In my lifetime, I have witnessed what seems to be an alarming shift in the progression of Humankind. Considering my age, that observation should be equally distressing to all global Citizens. Perhaps I overanalyze everything, but the development thus far, in my opinion, suggests that there are probably only three ways in which our Civilization might be destined to advance:

1. We eradicate ourselves along with many of the other plant and animal life on Earth in a Third (more than likely Nuclear or Biological) World War:

2. The Citizens of Earth fall under an absolute, possibly religiously influenced, despotism; that is the history of Humankind repeats itself yet again: or;

3. We get over materialism, stop killing each other over the influence of imaginary concepts—money, power and religion—ultimately changing the focus from individual gain, manipulation and self-preservation to global societal benefits and improvement, leading us all into a future of unforeseen development.

Conceivably, it might be bit superficial to chalk the Human Endeavor up to this simple trichotomy, but any way which one chooses to ruminate, right now is unquestionably the time to start thinking outside the narrow-minded box which has become mainstream compliance with, and veritable acceptance of, the abuse of technology. What I have learned so far is that education diminishes segregation, while, on the contrary, ignorance begets subjugation. So how is it possible, one might wonder, for someone of my age to derive this realization while the rest of the world chooses, or is manipulated, not to? The answer is manifest—literally: I opened my eyes, took a good, long look at global society and realized that we have not yet achieved a Unity of such magnitude; there exists no binding principium by which separate nations give assent to undividedly; magnanimity has perished at the sly hands of the monetary system which has, in lieu, been established as the preeminent reason for, as well as the dominating component of, life. Rather than embracing and striving for attainment, the idea of a truly global society—one that ensures rights, liberties, health and advancement of all Citizens worldwide—is regarded, practically uncontested, as an insurmountable, futile and fruitless undertaking. But something has to change. Someone must take the lead and set the precedent. Will it, nay, can it be the United States?

     Without a doubt, countless cases can be made to support the fact that segregation continues to be a dominating aspect of all cultures, particularly in the U.S. Closer examination usually offers a vivid, but far from complete, view of how capable Humankind is of callous, apathetic behavior. Immigrants, and especially their American descendants face a multiplicity of ethnic slurs, racial biases and stereotypes that have been procured by U.S. Citizens (a.k.a. Americans) over the years. We must, however, make clear the fact that against all odds, no matter what, one can always succeed if a belief in oneself prevails over the disbelief of others. Why is it that people are shut down for trying something new, or being different; having different views, thoughts, beliefs, religions, cultures, hobbies, talents, jobs, salaries, skin color, musical tastes, hair style, clothing, language, accents, sexual orientations, abilities, disabilities, and interests? It is as though we tip-toe around each other ever-so-cautiously trying to avoid biting our tongues, acting as if the only words on our minds are, “Identification, please.” What is to become of a self-consumed species like Human Beings?

      These powerful words and comprehensive observations suggest that identity is much more than a label; it is the very essence of which we are comprised. Despite the relentless barrage of ignorance, we can rise above the categorical disposition and prove that no one is the direct product of the hypothetical molds we have designed to be the scapegoats for apartheid. Where does the stigma surrounding being different originate, anyways? And why has it become so embraced by nearly all of us? The bottom line is we are all inherently fallible Human Beings and our differences are what make us a unique species. These distinctions should bring us closer as a whole, not segregate us further. If every single person on Earth was exactly the same—same thoughts, same clothes, same preferences, etc.—then what a pitiful existence it surely would be. There would be no such thing as identity. Assimilation is such a touchy subject because there are so many alternative ways of achieving it; finding the best one to accommodate the vast array of cultures, traditions, languages and religions has become somewhat of a bottomless wishing well. It is my dream to witness in my lifetime an unprecedented alliance of Humankind around the planet that secures a future of Unity and perpetual advancement. What I believe in is not something based on assumption, faith, or some other passive excuse for existence. I believe in existence itself. I believe in Humankind; in togetherness; in Unity. I believe that through global societal and governmental assimilation, Humankind will progress into a nearly unimaginable future of development. Imagine a world in which we lived in harmony with Nature; provided assistance, guidance and support to each other; wars are no longer fought; money is no longer the center-of-focus. Is it really that unrealistic? Before you answer, take a look around at all the engineering, artistic and revolutionary inventions and innovations Humankind has thus far created, then, ask yourself the same question again.

The Destiny of Class

     There is an idea running rampant through the minds of the unsuspecting that shreds apart virtually any inkling of social connectivity: class. This plague of separation is the primary cause for most of the world’s economic and social disasters. Throughout the history of Humankind, we have witnessed unimaginable, terrible decimations of entire populations for being deemed unworthy of acknowledgement by others. “The history of all hitherto existing society,” Karl Marx asserts, “is the history of class struggles.” Class may have determined the progression, though, not necessarily the destiny, of Humankind, but it will only continue to unless we change our understanding of the subject. Closing in on the end of the twenty-first century’s premier decade, it is a wonder that class is still a factor in modern society. How have we, then, with the technological and intellectual progression we have made thus far, managed to continue separating ourselves from each other? Have we allowed a simple abstraction of truth to determine a person’s so-called destiny —that a person’s standing in society is based on an imaginary, monetary hierarchal system? It is my understanding that the predicament society faces is ignorance; for, it is knowledge that ultimately determines one’s destiny, not class. If we choose to let it, it is true that class will determine the destiny of many people; but is it not also true that the more knowledgeable people become as a whole, the less likely it is those people will allow the continuance of indecency to each other and to Humankind? The latter of these opposing positions will be my argumentative thesis on this topic.

     What is class? Quite simply it is a social ranking system in which people are divided into a number of categories, usually upper, middle and lower, based on certain characteristics, or attributes, including the most prominent in modern society—financial standing. Considering that there are nearly seven billion other people on Earth just like you and me, it is striking that so many are over-indulged by such a figment of the imagination. When money is taken out of the equation and replaced by beneficial contributions to a societal whole, class bears absolutely no relevance in regards to a line from a passage written by Max Ehrmann, called Desiderata; “If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.” We can, however, overcome this class subjection if we simply make this realization as a global society. Until that day comes, or some catastrophe forces us into change, incivility will remain a prominent inhibiting factor in our quest towards a global Unity.

     Human trafficking is perhaps the most heinous of these indecencies. It is depressing thinking about and knowing that thousands of men, women and even children every year are bought and sold into slavery. In this particular situation, maybe Marx was right when he stated, “Man makes his own history, but he does not make it out of the whole cloth; he does not make it out of conditions chosen by himself, but out of such as he finds close at hand.” Or, was he? Again, we should examine the ignorance, or even outright neglect, by global society on a matter that allows such atrocities. If society becomes more educated and knowledgeable, then class structure has an extremely good chance of dissolving altogether without the threat of economic collapse. Until we collectively understand that class and value are nothing more than intangible, negligible concepts, which are two of the underlying factors that inhibit our ability for positive progression, we may never advance beyond the confines of the imagination into the only realm that is truly of any worth—knowledge. How can we be so absorbed by the notion that monetary value has the ability of being placed on Human lives? If the constant division of people through these hierarchal class structures was abated, society could flourish like never before. In terms of feasibility, Unity almost certainly ensures collective advancement.

     Free will, or the ability inherent in every conscience being to make choices that determine life progression, is probably the best example of proving that class does not necessarily determine one’s destiny. It is true that one cannot choose what class he or she is born into. However, one can choose, through free will, the way to live; leaving open the possibility of curtailing the influence class might have on such decisions. In Michael Apted’s “49 Up” documentary, which, beginning in 1964, examines the lives of fourteen British students every seven years, the best supporting evidence for this view would have to be Neil Hughes’ experience. From a child living in the suburbs, dreaming of going to Oxford, to dropping out of Aberdeen at twenty-one with aspirations of becoming politically active, to eventually becoming homeless at age twenty-eight, he says, “If I was living…in suburbia, I’d be so miserable, I’d feel like cutting my throat.” All hope seemed lost for Neil at age thirty-five who was living on the Shetland Islands in a council estate. “It’s an environment which sustains me…,” he proclaims, looking as though he was in a complete daze and desperate for a change. Only seven years later, by age forty-two, Neil had completely turned his life around, moved to London and was serving on Hackney Council. Finally, at age forty-nine, he moved to Cumbria, England, where he became a member of the District Council there and, at the time of the film, was running for a seat on the County Council as a liberal Democrat. When asked what the chances were of winning the seat, he simply replied, “I’m doing my best.” Of course, much of the details of how his life progressed in that manner were not shown, but we can still infer that against all odds, he pulled through in the end and proved everyone whom believes that class determines destiny completely wrong.

     Another shining example from the “49 Up” series would be that of Bruce Balden’s life. He grew up in a relatively upper class situation, yet declared his desire to help people at an early age. Between ages twenty-one and twenty-eighth, Bruce realized this dream, becoming a missionary and giving his time to teaching students in impoverished parts of the globe. Upon his return, he decided to take the separation from his so-called class one step further and began working in the inner-city schools, which Rogert Ebert exclaims, “were a contrast to his upper-class background.” This, again, proves that class remains irrelevant in determining destiny.

     Although there are numerous reasons to back up this position, many believe otherwise, claiming that class is an integral part of society. Removing this distinguishing factor would mean removing the structural foundation on which society exists and prospers. My rebuttal to those cynics is that this purported foundation is undoubtedly crumbling and faces total collapse unless we change our ways. Due to this segregation of class, prosperity remains relative and is not equally available to every Citizen. Pressure is building between the classes and if we do not intervene, eliminating this slippery slope, then we are destined for an easily avoidable self-destruction. Another refutation would be that with such a large chasm in the standards of living between the classes, an attempt at assimilation would surely incite anger and hostility in individuals not accustomed to others’ ways. To this, I can say nothing more than it is one of the most pathetic attempts of a cop-out that I can think of to doubt the benevolent essence of Humankind. Finally, one might be inclined to proclaim that businesses would fall apart, economies would be in shambles and lives would be devastated because no one would want to take orders from anyone else. This one is probably the hardest to form a rebuttal from, but, nonetheless, there surely is one. The problem lies in the way our hierarchal chain-of-command is referred to as a direct indication of class ranking. Class, which is closely related to decision-making power in these systems, should no longer be used to determine a person’s capabilities in taking on responsibility. Contrary to popular belief, it is not class that determines such a trait. That quality can only be attributed to knowledge and the understanding of how to apply that knowledge. So, instead of using this fallacy of class divisions to conduct business, maybe we should come up with an entirely new term, such as Structural Responsibilities, to describe these different levels of obligation. Doing so would ensure that businesses continue to flourish and would probably eliminate all resentment surrounding the ideas of promotion and career advancement.

     An extremely long, potholed road lies ahead of us. Whether one would like to believe it or not, knowledge is the cure-all to nearly every single one of society’s problems. The deprivation of access to education is absolutely unacceptable. Just take a look at the history of societies from all over the world. People and cultures have, for millennia, chosen to segregate, suppress and annihilate others by relinquishing them of any means to advance. It seems as though people are afraid of change because it is easier to remain in routine rather than break it. There is a maxim that resonates in my mind that I would like to remind people of. It is that the only thing permanent is change itself. We must change if we are to truly propel ourselves into a future of Unity and advancement. If we continue down the current path of separation, greed, power and impudence, we are bound for failure and Annihilation. Words are extremely persuasive tools in communicating the importance of education and knowledge. There have been many futuristic, globally concerned and innovative thinkers through the whole of our history, but if I could choose one quote to sum up the message that I am trying to convey here, it would have to be from Robert Frost when he wrote, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

     Does a fear of failure get in the way of success?o To answer such a thought provoking question as this, one must take into account the very meaning of the word success and enumerate the terms under which one attains it. Success can be defined by a multitude of different situations, but the one that most abruptly comes to mind is something I have mentioned, and will continue to mention, often--financial gain. Undoubtedly, one of the most routinely asked questions of someone pursuing an advanced education is, "What is the purpose for which you are attending college?" The most common answer being, "To make more money." But in the end, is that what all this is really about--money?

     Perhaps the most problematic feature of success, at least here in the United States, is that it remains most commonly equated with this figment of our imagination. Somewhere along the lines of the past century, our society has horribly depreciated the true value of education--knowledge. Instead, we have conditioned ourselves to the understanding that if we can make more money by putting in as little effort as possible, then it is okay to do so without any gain in knowledge; that ignorance, on account of convenience, somehow takes precedence over knowledge, as long as the substantial reward remains. But, success without knowledge, in my opinion, is failure in its most pristine form.

     For some, a fear of failure surely does block the path to success. However, others may fear success itself and perpetually separate themselves altogether from any means that may propel them towards it. In any case, one thing is certain: that to obtain true success, one must relinquish his or her self of any fears that might become inhibiting factors. To do so takes an ability to analytically discern the outcomes of many different life-altering choices; critical thinking, in other words--an ability most notably obtained through education.

     To those whose fears of failure prevent them from making the ultimate decision of whether to pursue a higher education or achieve their notion of success, however obscure it may seem, I say that fear is born of ignorance and suppression and the only way to overcome that fear is to free one's mind of it and take that first step into the unknown. As I have said before, all that is now known was once unknown.

     It is quite clear to me the true power these fears hold over people. Today, I sit here a product of both of the fore mentioned fears. In the summer of 2007, my former band and I moved to California to pursue the dream of rock stardom. Not surprisingly, the band is no longer together and they have all moved back to Ohio. Maybe they feared success; maybe failure. I know now that I feared both. Because of these fears, in the end we all failed. Fortunately, that failure sparked in me a need to advance myself. Now I am pursuing degrees in physics and political science. My point is that just because one may fail at certain things does not necessarily mean those failures will not open doors to other opportunities where one may succeed. Life is about learning from mistakes and failures, analyzing that knowledge and applying it in our future undertakings. Some say one has to fail before succeeding; that failure inevitably precedes success. Whatever the case may be, and however difficult the circumstances, one lesson has been made clear by philosopher Charles Baudouin: "If your thought is saturated with the fear of failure, it will kill your efforts, neutralize your endeavors, and make success impossible."

Sharpening the Sword

    Let’s face it—life is a double-edged sword. You are born, you live a relatively short life, averaging 70 or 80 years, in a universe understood to be roughly 13.7 billion years old, and then you die; but is there something more to life than this Excalibur of truth? Honestly? I will have to say probably not; at least in the sense that this double-edged quality seems to be present in almost every conscience choice that can ever possibly be made. Nearly all aspects of life can be concluded to being double-edged. Even the time spent becoming knowledgeable can be considered to be time taken away from working for monetary gain--which as I mentioned earlier is what our current vision of success is based upon--or time away from a vast selection of trivial activities. But what is it that prevents us from letting ourselves advance as a societal whole? Can any amount of money truly buy knowledge?

     I propose that learning should never be equated in any way with the monetary system and it is a shame that it has become so enveloped by the concept. Financial aid and the educational system seem to go hand-in-hand. It is as though we are so consumed by consumerism that we fail to acknowledge the true significance of education for what it really is—a means to advance oneself for the benefit of society and the environment that sustains our very existence. (And even if we acknowledge the significance of these endeavors, it seems to take years of "bureaucratic debate” (if that is what you want to call it) to implement such a strategic action, if any at all. Moreover, if a plan just so happens to finally be put into action, it has been so warped and contorted by the influence of “monetary potential” that the goals originally set forth by the plan take a backseat to profit or propaganda scare-tactics--much like the current Health Care Reform disaster.)

    Two thousand pages? Really? Can it truly be possible that it would take two thousand pages to achieve the goal of providing for the Health Care of Citizens? Maybe we should step back for a minute and realize that in the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson compelled the colonies to separate in only a single page. Furthermore, the Founders established the very foundation of the United States government through the enumerations of the Constitution in only four pages. The list goes on and on. The point is that we can shuffle words and key phrases around all day, but at the end of the day we will more than likely have meaningless, deceitful nonsense--especially if the Bills' mission objectives end with the words "and for other purposes" as both the Patriot Act and the new House Bill for Health Care Reform do. Is it just me or is this ringing any bells with anyone else? Maybe the Liberty Bell? Anytime a bill should open with those words and then continue to ramble for thousands of pages that would keep even the most savvy scholar busy for days, weeks, or even months trying to decipher through referencing, the constitutionality of such a document should immediately be under intense scrutiny. What we need is to discard these exhaustingly large documents altogether and in perhaps only a few paragraphs illustrate the effectiveness of detailed yet extremely comprehensible vocabulary that in no way could be construed to oppose the explicit intentions set forth in the new document. It can be done but we have to want it. The choice rests in our hands so will we retain it, pass it on, or throw it away for convenience?

Irons in the Fire

     I envision a future in which the terms classified and top secret have no meaning; one in which unwavering social relations exist worldwide in the form of a United Federation that governs globally in a strictly non-classified fashion, and wars between separate nations are known only in history books. The United Federation umbrellas the once-separate nations (States) with a purpose that serves to promote unbiased education for absolutely every single person worldwide; to provide global services such as communication networks, green transportation, green energy, water, and emergency relief; to ensure the finest health care is provided to every single Citizen worldwide, unconditionally and to secure Human and Civil Rights and Liberties, Animal Rights and environmental protection in addition to overall well-being through positive intellectual and technological progression.

     The Federation Code Alliance (FCA)—elected officials from each state—comprises the Federation Code making (Legislative) body of the Federation. To form a government that truly represents the interests of all Citizens, every party has a seat guaranteed by Federation Code. There are no presidents or prime ministers because, logically, no single person should be granted power to make decisions on behalf of the entire world. Instead, through a global public election, a Federation Council will be the established Authority of the Executive branch, consiting of one representative from each populated continent, but shall not be limited to already-elected officials of the FCA. Nor shall limits with regard to race, creed, color or political party be placed on Citizens' rights to candidacy. The only restrictions require Citizens running for a Council position to have attained the age of thirty, have a two-thirds majority consent of FCA members, and must procure a fifty-one percent approval by a global vote. Maintained as a measure to prevent corruption, this gives Citizens immediate access to being a critical part of government. As for the Judicial branch, the Global Prevailing Court (GPC) takes precedence in the United Federation. A State Prevailing Court (SPC) will have jurisdiction in each State, unless the GPC finds that any SPC acts against Federation Code. In such a case, the GPC takes full authority and holds a hearing to determine whether any actions taken by SPCs were in violation of Federation Code.

     The United Federation Peace Corps (UFPC) takes the place of military and establishes an umbrella Department of Code Enforcement (DCE) that promotes peace through logical reasoning under the direct supervision of the Federation Council. Under the DCE umbrella, states retain strictly provisioned autonomy through a States’ Council congruent with Federation Code and provide Code interpretation designed to be an effective crime-prevention system. State autonomy is also for census and other limited purposes that include residency and drivers’ licenses. Code enforcement at States’ level is the duty of UFPC officers stationed at DEC locations throughout each State. These Departments are dutied with training and promoting County and City UFPC officers.

     The monetary system, which is probably the largest inhibitor of worldwide unification, is abolished, eliminating greed, power and class structure, and a system of reasoning that accelerates the advancement of society through logic and creative encouragement is adopted. It is understood that there is no separation of class; for, we all belong to the Human class. The Human class no longer views employment as a means for monetary gain. Jobs such as bankers, loan agents, real-estate agents, other powerhouse corporate structures, etc., no longer exist in the way that we once knew. People work simply for the collective benefit of society. With no monetary system or class structure, “success” is briefly measured by how beneficial a person has been to the positive progression of society. Encouragement prevails in terms of success. People worldwide become inevitably beneficial due to constant encouragement of others to become more beneficial. As a result, eventually every person in the world becomes a success and the term is no longer used as a staple of society. (But even if the monetary system is not altogether dissolved, which will probably be the case, all of the separate monetary systems of our world will have to coalesce into a singular unit. Implementing this solitary idea quite possibly could be the end-all to wars, separation of nations, and the notion that "money makes the world go around." It could perhaps sound the beginning of this proposed future of unity and advancement.)

     The educational system becomes the cornerstone of society. Teachers are the societal backbone in that they provide detailed understanding through specialized curriculum geared at encouragement by means of a totally constructive support system. This system administers a carefully designed balance of recreational activities, such as athletics that promote critical thinking, exercise and overall well-being, and an intellectually intensive, positively reinforced system of teaching that is an integration of state-of-the-art technology and Human instructors. Students are urged to perform at a pace they find most comfortable while setting goals to constantly improve. Curriculum is based on creative encouragement, music, language, science, mathematics, technology, communication and history and provides a clear understanding of Federation Code. Religions, and the histories, interpretations and applications of, are taught unambiguously and objectively, not portrayed as conformities to which we must subject ourselves in order to fulfill conflicting ideas of creation, life, death and afterlife.

     Technology is no longer abused for destructive purposes or control. We strive for the most discerning understanding of the fundamental structures of the universe; from quantum mechanics, the study of sub-atomic particles, to cosmology, the study of the universe as a whole; from preventive medicine to the most state-of-the-art life-saving medical technology; from sustainable energy to environmental protection and beyond. This allows us to provide evidence for, or disprove, the existence of other forms of life elsewhere in the universe, improve health and life expectancy of Humans, and enables us to advance intellectually as a societal whole with absolute regard for the environment. It might even permit our contacting other life forms if they just so happen to be intelligent, as we so arrogantly define ourselves as. Technology inevitably leads us to answers for questions concerning existence, hyperspace, time travel, intergalactic travel and parallel universes with experimental data to confirm theories on such matters. With this framework in place, both technological and intellectual progressions happen simultaneously. Technological progression now takes place for global societal benefits only, now that money is no longer a factor.

     Is it possible to coordinate such a vast undertaking? Can people really let go of the concept of money without failing economically? Why not? The power of togetherness has proven to be quite influential in terms of making realizations out of dreams. Such challenges should be met with optimistic envisioning and conviction. An extremely comprehensive undertaking is required to present such large, drastic economic and governmental revisions to a population of nearly seven billion. It begins with global assimilation under the FCA. This will introduce technological and intellectual opportunities to impoverished areas of the world that UFPC officers systematically free from the influence of tyranny, oppression and human trafficking. The FCA will build a clearly understandable foundation of logical guidelines through reasoning and constructive debate. It will provide assistance to the immediate facilitation of teachers and doctors, in addition to all necessary supplies, to less advanced parts of the globe. Environmental protection and sustainability also become top priority, as a plan to eliminate usage of at least fifty percent of all fossil fuels by 2015 is implemented. With such a large number of proven and proposed “alternative” energy sources already at our disposal, what is stopping us from a full integration into the power grid? Imagine the carbon emission savings within only the first year. Virtually all possible environmental crises can be diverted simply by taking advantage of these shrinking windows of opportunity. The technologies to harness nearly free energy already exist and innovations can only mean that more energy is on its way. So what exactly are we waiting for?

     The bottom line is that we have the means and ability to look beyond race, creed, color and even government, if necessary, and Unite as a societal whole for the Cause of Global Advancement. No matter how much we say that there is not enough time in one day; no matter how wrapped up in the distractions of modernization we become, one thing must never be forgotten--that we must have the time to stop and think about life and how fortunate we are in comparison to a large portion of people around the globe that literally starve to death, are forced into slavery, and stripped of all Civil Rights and Liberties by tyrants. These are Human Beings. Can anyone really say that they do not have time to think about the influence that we all could have if we could truly become Unified? When I look into the mirror, what I see is a product of an incomprehensibly long chain of cosmic events that somehow led to me standing there looking at myself, wondering, "Why am I standing here?" My mind sort of soars off to journey through the Realm of Possiblities. Then I realize something: the very reason that I am able to comprehend or even establish that insight is Education and that all too often taken for granted, easy access to information called the Internet. The action necessary to achieve such a visionary future rests with Education through either one of these means and is in no way limited to only the two. For it is Education, in any positive form, that will put an end to tyranny and oppresion; Education that will give people the ability to have a voice; Education that will propel us into a future of Unity, Freedom and Peace; and Education that ensures this future is both attained and retained by our Posterity. It is critical for the Human race to come together in Unity for advancement. So let us rise together and settle for nothing less.