A Better Way

   How can it be that perhaps only a relative handful of people around the globe make the connection? Instead, it seems as though all too often the rest of us perpetuate imagined, misunderstood ideas of freedom, patriotism, and “democracy," among many others, that we find ourselves at an impasse of confounding delusion. What is it that truly makes a country and its people what we excogitate as being “great”? Can anyone answer that question with honest conviction or does interpretation distort our individual realities? Is it politics and government? Is it religion or secularism? Is it jobs; education; military; commerce? Is it money? All of these apparently perform an integral role in the play called “Life”; however, when we examine the entire ecosystem on Earth in terms of interdependence, the true scope of Humankind’s connection to not only each other but also to the environment becomes extraordinarily recognized.

     We view choices as if a coin is needed and only two ideas present us with every available option. This proves, however, to be one of the biggest hindrances Humankind has continuously subjected itself to through millennia of monetary conditioning. When we talk about countries, ideas, people, etc…, being flip sides of the same coin, it severely constrains our ability to make a truly discerning, rational decision as to whether or not we agree with those countries, ideas or people. For, history exposes the results of making irrational decisions based on false information, misinterpretation, greed, religious indifference and indoctrination, and the prospect of profit by any means necessary—countless millions raped, pillaged, enslaved, exploited, murdered, divided and conquered along the way. One might ask—“When will this cycle of bereavement end; with the advent of technology?” It very well could; but, of course, technology itself has been exploited to simply make achievement of these insidious ends easier. Without a doubt, however, the intelligent application of technology will enable us to peer through the haze of profit motivation and observe the true source of Human Beings’ propensities—the environment (which includes each other.)

     If there is a single idea that we can all agree on, it is that we are directly influenced most by our environment; even if that environment serves to inculcate the idea of money. If one is taught to believe certain ideals, he or she will live a life based in whole or at least in part by those ideals. Similarly, if one is taught nothing of life or language and is deprived of interaction with other Humans, he or she will live a life based on sensual interaction with environment alone; however, the capability to learn remains. In any case, not only what one is taught but also how one is taught play the most prominent roles in shaping individuals’ attitudes, beliefs, etc. As one advances throughout his or her life, acquiring knowledge by means of education, observation, interaction and hypothesizing, the ideals that were once taught will always have to evolve. For, knowledge is the key to understanding the Universe, the purpose of Human life, and our relationship with the environment. As such, constantly updating knowledge bases require the evolution of ideas. If someone states that one thing cannot exist without another, whether in reference to countries, ideas, people, the environment (the list is almost endless), we need to take an unprecedented step back and look at this question from an all-encompassing aspect.

     Let us not illusion ourselves with arbitrariness or negligence: the bottom line is that all life on Earth, every plant and every animal, is inevitably linked to the environment. In essence, we are products of the environment which sustains us. Only since the advent of exponential technological progression can it be said that the environment is now the product of our sustaining it, or the lack thereof. Earth formed nearly 5.5-billion years ago; Human Beings have only been evolving for perhaps a million years—the environment was here long before any of us ever stepped foot on degrading topsoil, desecrated the atmosphere with the burning of plundered fossil fuels, or dumped millions of tons of planned obsolescence into landfills, lakes and even the ocean. So, can the environment exist without us?—most definitely. Can we live without the environment?—not a chance. Whether you believe global warming, the question you should be asking is this: Is there a better way for us to coexist with each other and the environment?

    The truth is that we all have a responsibility to look beyond frivolous debate over simple patchwork for problems and find prudent, effective, long-term solutions that benefit the entire web of life. We can continue training people to become killers-on-command and send in military units in an attempt at pretended amelioration from the same old oppressive institutions and governments, or we can try to find a better way—perhaps train people as problem-solvers and send them in to solve problems. We can persist commending each other for fighting in wars and killing each other or we can try to find a better way—perhaps commending each other for applying viable solutions to social problems which benefit all of Humankind and the environment. We can maintain overlooking the fact that it takes Unity in order to achieve victory in war, or we can apply the concept of Unity at a global, societal level and find a better way—perhaps a sharing of all the world’s resources, as Jacque Fresco, the visionary behind The Venus Project, advocates. Wars simply give the illusion of Unity for those on the winning side; for it is always at the expense of disunion of those on the losing side. Thus, war is never a solution to disunion if war causes disunion. If we continue to believe that the means to peaceful ends come in the form of destruction, plunder, disenfranchisement, forced religious indoctrination, or a plethora of other ways which most rarely think about, then it is absolute failure on a grandiose scale for the Human species to not find a better way. How can citizens of any country boast about the absolute greatness of that country yet at the same instant scoff at the thought of giving a homeless person a precious piece of fabric/paper with misunderstood symbols printed all over it, given value only by our collective imagination, so that person can be provided the most basic necessity of sustenance? How can people continue overlooking entirely the fact that homelessness even exists in their most wonderful country; or that, in general, healthcare, education, poverty and disease all are subject to this invidious concept of money?

     It is amazing that the ultimate answer to all of these questions has not manifested itself on a global scale yet. Honestly, it is quite simple: abolish the monetary system. I can hear already the ceaseless cries of how impossible it would be; how money makes the world go around; money this, money that; money, money, money. But, how can any of that be true when is it resources which provide us with subsistence and sustainability; not money? We persistently overlook the fact that money is simply an imagined impediment to the acquirement of truly significant resources—a veritable toll booth charging a fee for profit, regardless of underlying resource necessity. As Peter Joseph, a proponent for The Zeitgeist Movement, has said, “You cannot eat money and you cannot stuff money into your gas tank.” Money is futile; and when the digital history books with holographic playback are written (or rather encoded) by our Posterity, clinging to such a primitive, disuniting concept, will prove to be the utmost failure of eight generations since the Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain. “How is it possible the entire planet couldn’t see past money?” they will ask. Technology is the future; no matter how one looks at it. And it is up to each and every one of us to decide how best to utilize the advancements made in Technology towards the betterment, stagnation or total destruction of Humankind.

     The question that we can never seem to answer is “Where do we begin?” If we are to look toward a remarkably feasible betterment of global society, then a great place to start would be public sharing, not private hoarding and pretended scarcity, of the world’s resources, knowledge, and technology. Of course, this initially requires the monetary system becoming obsolete in its entirety. Concurrently, a worldwide expansion of the educational system would soon after provide and ensure global intellectual equilibrium. Only then can we revisit problems like homelessness, starvation, disease and deprivation with an unconditional approach and actually procure effective results. It may sound impossible because we are so conditioned to believe money is a resource that it stifles our ability to think outside the inherently oppressive walls barricading the foundation upon which the monetary system is built. To prove this, just take a moment and think about your day today; or yesterday; or any day for that matter. Name a single activity that did not involve money in some direct or indirect way. Even reading this essay, you have already committed yourself to the monetary system by purchasing the computer you are using and then connecting to the internet which you are probably paying a monthly fee for. Still thinking? The entanglement is nearly endless. And I am no expert in regards to your personal life, but this mind-numbing exercise will undoubtedly lead you to the conclusion shared by most others reading this line—it is remarkably scary how this institution has grown to such proportions and is so engrained in society that it distorts the collective perspective of purpose in life and leaves us at a loss to advance a single instant of our day which excludes money.

     Every day that goes by, thousands die; disease, hunger. Every day that goes by, countless millions are exploited; wage slavery, corporate growth. Every day that goes by, governments, politicians, CEOs, doctors, lawyers, teachers, students, friends, families; all aspects of all people on Earth are deeply, almost unconsciously connected to and subjugated by this system—even those in so-called “underdeveloped countries.” For, a systematic expansionist cycle of minority proliferation through majority exploitation has “afforded” millions of unfortunate people none of the essential resources which are requisite for development—despite the fact of overabundance and downright improvident waste of resources in industrialized nations; especially the United States. Thus, I must return to an understanding earlier stated in this essay—that money is simply an imagined impediment to the acquirement of significant, plentiful resources; regardless of resource necessity. With this knowledge I am confident that within the next decade an overwhelming global realization of the monetary system’s innate inefficiency to sustain Humankind as well as the environment will become increasingly prevalent.

     A truly prosperous future awaits all of Humankind—not just an offensively small proportion of us. But it will take all of Humankind to break this relentless cycle; to break free from the chains which confine us all to reliving yesterday over and over again. We must all step into tomorrow with unconditional kindness, compassion, encouragement, and willingness to help each other live more luxurious lives. Doing such enables us to actually become ever more unique individuals. Thus, contrary to popular belief, individuality is not lost or suppressed. Nor are we to become automatons like some eccentric science fiction novelists claim—wearing exactly the same clothes, stepping in an almost militaristic march everywhere we go, same haircuts, same houses, same everything. In fact, it is quite possible that we have never before witnessed the magnitude of individuality which this proposed future provides Humankind. As always, though, only time will tell if we will see this future together in our lifetimes. In the meantime, the metronome of the Universe endlessly oscillates, and together we complacently dance to the rhythm of its clicks—tick-tock; tick-tock; tick-tock.

Rubber is Death

     The latter half of the 19th century was a remarkable time for global expansion of colonial powers. From the outset of the Industrial Revolution, technological advancements bolstered by colonial nations simply meant that plundering, indoctrination, and exploitation of underdeveloped nations was easier than ever before. Marked by an explosion of violence and scourging, the Congolese people of Zaire suffered a more devastating, intentional fate than perhaps any collection of people ever before. The sheer number of crimes committed against the Congolese is almost unimaginable. From the kidnapping of wives for slave ransom to mutilation and decapitation, such heinousness was carried out in the name of King Leopold II and his quest for a monopoly of the rubber supply recently discovered in the region. However, it was not only Belgium, but also a host of other colonial nations and corporate entities playing key roles in the pillaging of newfound minerals and resources that have scarred the history books of this region of the world. An agreement between France and Britain in the mid-1880s allotted to Leopold II of Belgium an area of the Congo nearly eighty times the size of his mother country, known as the Congo Free State. Freedom for the Congolese, however, was soon realized to be only a word with hollow meaning. For, over the next two decades, some of the most gruesome atrocities were committed by colonizers over what continues to be a prominent figment of Humankind’s collective imagination—profit.

     In July of 1885, the Congolese leaders were delusively coerced into signing a treaty declaring all resources in the area the property of the so-called “Free” State. In other words, the treaty recognized Leopold as the authoritarian figure in charge of colonization and extraction of resources, which now essentially all belonged to him. Realizing the potential for unimaginable wealth, Leopold became entrenched within the concept that the end (money) always justifies any means necessary. For those colonizing, this meant only one thing: practically unrestricted systematic methods of exploitation—the result of which saw thousands of severed hands delivered to the city of Antwerp in Belgium. The stories are nearly endless and it is said the worst atrocities were committed in Equator Province, where Leon Fievre was appointed district official. “I ended 100 lives,” Fievre proudly boasted, “but that allowed 800 others to live.” With this mindset it is difficult to imagine boundaries which could contain even the most nefarious acts of incivility. Charles Stokes, a trader in the state territory, was sentenced to death by a military style tribunal with questionable standing for trying to help the natives. Stokes’ death, paired with the fact that Leopold was strongly enforcing the monopoly by paying commission to the officials extracting the most rubber, meant that European powers were growing increasingly wary of the King’s aberrant behavior. Official hostage licenses were even issued by the State that allowed for women to be detained at will. Every fifteen days districts would turn in acquired rubber to the State. This process was simple: if the demand was not met by those enslaved, the officials would see a reduction in commission, which constituted a reduction in appendages and even lives. With far inferior weapons technology, the Congolese stood virtually no chance at defending the land from these ruthless invaders. By forced labor alone, more than 720,000 pounds of rubber were extracted in just six years. Crimes of this magnitude are difficult to maintain in secrecy and the world would inevitably learn of the violence taking place in Africa. Edmund Dene Morel would soon reveal the range of devastation in a series of brochures and letters written and released to the public in London.

    Morel once worked as the Chief Clerk of Trade for the shipping company in Liverpool that received Leopold’s rubber. When “The West African Mail” was released, Charles Banks along with many others would eventually follow in coming out against Leopold and the truly oppressive, but supposedly “Free,” State. In the beginning of the 20th century, Roger Caseman became the new consulate to Africa. He openly liked the Africans and treated such with kindness and gentility. Caseman spent two months travelling in 1903 recording testimonies from every place that he visited. Joseph Clark supplied evidence of the State’s atrocities explaining the district officials’ orders were to extract ten kilos per person per day or lives and hands would be taken. A boy’s hands were even beaten off by rifles against a tree. Despite such mounting accounts being written at this time, Leopold’s commission aimed to defend his regime absolutely.

     In all, Leopold’s profit was a staggering sum even by today’s standards; 231-million Euros. But, all that money could never buy any of the lives carelessly taken by this corporate stronghold and pressure was building from around the world to end the violent reign of terror. With the release of Roger Caseman’s 50-page report on the activities he witnessed, Leopold’s days were numbered. An international commission was formed to investigate and collect accounts which abruptly led to the demise of the King’s reign. After the commission’s report was released to the international community, Leopold ordered all State records burned in an attempt to wash his hands of the thousands of gallons of blood which passed through his fingers. A year later he died and his cortege was booed as it passed through the streets. In Belgium, however, statues were built to honor Leopold as a “civilizer” and a “benefactor” and remain to this day.

     Today, the Congo is still the site of corporate plunder for diamonds, gold and a host of other minerals necessary for the expansion of private companies. Leopold represented what was supposed to be a shift towards the education and “civilization” of the Congolese people. Now it is clear, however, that this was only a mask covering the true reason for occupation—the mineral exploitation industry. Still in place today, this industry has yet to provide for the betterment of, or higher standards of living for, the Congolese, as well as many other inhabitants around Africa. Instead, profiteering has taken a giant leap into the 21st century and threatens practically any semblance of global continuity. The story of Leopold’s conquest of the Congo is but one of countless instances throughout the history of Humankind which should teach us exactly how not to approach resource extraction. Even if a single life is subjugated, exploited or lost, it is equal to failure for the global community to not find a better way.

A Word of Advice

    Once again, a few weeks ago I found myself sifting through the nonsense people love to regurgitate on Facebook fan pages, or anywhere on the Internet for that matter. This particular post was in response to another wonderful discussion on the United States of America Facebook Fan Page entitled “What makes America so shit?” which garnered more responses than nearly every other post on the entire page. Taking that into account, it really needs no further introduction:

     All of you should consider actually learning the English language and utilizing it appropriately in your arguments. Perhaps then those arguments would have some proportionable weight in structure and content to the level of grammar used. It is hysterical at first to see not a single person grammatically correct in his or her writing. In the end, however, it is really just sad to realize that exactly what we are all doing here and now is the very culprit in practically dismantling entirely the fundamental building blocks of credible argumentative essays--a strong thesis, verifiable supporting data, proper sentence structure and appropriate punctuation. When the age of 'Internet-Ready Everything' dawned nearly a decade ago, texting and instant messaging immediately grew to become the ultimate source of acronyms and laziness in writing. But that is alright because here in the United States, you can go and get a star-spangled quality education at an affordable cost. There's just one little catch--you can't. Unless you are rich the cost of that quality education is so far out of your income range that it is just easier to stay stupid. And if anybody wants to get a loan, it becomes nearly impossible. Instead of basing the qualification to receive loans for education on the desire alone to attend school, it has become subject to the ever-changing, little, imaginary number called a credit score--a number which changes at the whim of credit card companies; the same ones that charge you 30% or more interest on your balance. Not a problem because that is what the purpose of life is: to focus all of our time and energy to the embellishment of the monetary system. (I hope that none of you agreed with that last sentence because it was clearly sarcasm.) But, it's okay because you still have a great Health plan. Oh, that's right--you don't. Unless you are rich or in government, good luck getting approval from an insurance company for a surgical procedure that could save your life because your illness is deemed "pre-existing" or some other invidious circumstance in place to maximize profits by saving money. Don't worry; at least you will still have a house to live in until you do die--uh oh.

     It was asked in the title of this post, "Why is America so shit?" I don't think that the United States is shit; yet. Slowly but surely, however, morons like G.W., Sarah Palin, the tea baggers and many, many more ignorant, arrogant douches are proudly wadding this country up in Charmin and flushing it down the toilet. George W. Bush is a sinker, along with the rest of the Sesame Street Administration; Palin is a floater just like the ice up there in Alaska; and the tea party is just a bunch of inbetweeners--you know, the ones that touch the bottom yet stick out of the water a little. All of this is happening, though, because people love so much to have opinions in this country, even if those opinions are unfounded, incredible or just plain ignorant. (Granted, this is a very opinionated post, but these opinions are based on obvious facts, research and observation of the painful truths here in the U.S. and are mostly intended in this particular as dry humor.) My favorite incredible claim is that the United States is the best damn country in the whole wide world. But, that's just fine because you can always start a reality show about how great your life is. There's just one problem: it’s not. Anyways, you won't because you are too lazy and will not stop spouting about how great this country is one instant, then just as obstacles arise the next, what a piece of shit this country is. The Constitution of the United States of America, however twisted and backward the government has become, guarantees you the freedoms to say and do what you want and grants you the privilege/right to be a citizen. And even that has changed a bit due to the Patriot Act. But, as I am sure there are only a few of you that have actually read the Constitution (four pages is just so much to have to read, I know), I am almost certain that none of you have read the 342-page Patriot Act which actually does abridge some of your rights and freedoms, especially those in Amendment V.

     Honestly, I could go on all day. But that is not my purpose in posting here today. What I am doing is challenging each and every one of you to better yourself; better your understanding of the world; and to learn how to write effectively. Don’t just act like your opinion is supposed to be of such prominent importance and strong subject matter when in fact the only place you are probably posting your grammatically incorrect discourse is here; on a Facebook fan page. Do some type of research and learn how to spell. And to those who will undoubtedly rebuttal with some sort of “I’m so patriotic!” garbage or "You're an asshole!"—you are exactly who I am talking about so get over yourself. Grow up people and do something beneficial to the whole of society. Life does not revolve around being a citizen of the United States of America. Don’t just sit here and whine about things because you can; that just makes things worse. If you want to truly get involved, learn about your government and ways to interact with that government before deciding to boast about your wonderful opinions. Then, actually do something. Bitching about anything and everything, neglecting to advance ideas on the betterment of anything and everything, is exactly what makes people all around the world look at the U.S. and laugh. (Do not twist my words with some sad excuse for a remark against what I just wrote. I did not say that everyone around the world laughs at us. Many people love the United States and move here because of our constitutionally guaranteed freedoms that so many of us take for granted on a daily basis; but, many people also despise the United States because of narrow-mindedness as well as arrogance and want us gone.) Perhaps I will be proven correct within a few of the following posts…

Footsteps in the Sands of Time

     It began in the early 1950’s as genetics, which studies heredity and the evolution of a species by examining its molecular structures, was exploding into mainstream science. Dr. Luca Cavalli, then the Professor of genetics at the University of Parma, was beginning down a path of revolutionary discovery that would eventually lead him on an expedition to Africa in the 1970’s as he took a professorship at Stanford; the purpose—blood. Dr. Cavalli was in search of variations and similarities in DNA among the isolated tribes that could link each and every one of our pasts to a single ancestry. Just two decades later, a young and very optimistic student would begin researching with Dr. Cavalli at Stanford; Spencer Wells. Even as technology improved and research began to take genetics to new heights, it would be another ten years before Wells would set out on a journey that would change our perspective on everything we ever thought we knew about ourselves—the Journey of Man.

     In 2002, Dr. Spencer Wells, a noted geneticist and anthropologist, was determined to prove a theory which was the result of research that began with Cavalli nearly a half century earlier. Wells believed that every person on Earth could trace his or her lineage back some 2000 generation to perhaps a single man that led a migration out of Africa to eventually populate the entire world. This hypothesis was based on decades of accumulated data on genetic mutations, or “markers”, in the male Y-chromosome and Dr. Wells was absolutely confident that it was undeniable. However, it would take more than just data to convince billions of people around the world, which have been subject to many different cultures, traditions, beliefs and religions for thousands of years, that, fundamentally, we are all one and the same. So, the journey picked up where Dr. Cavelli left off—in Africa.

     The San Bushmen tribe is where it all began nearly 50,000 years ago. One of the most isolated tribes in the world, the Bushmen of South Africa retains a dialect of clicks and words that comprise what is thought to have been one of Humankind’s original spoken languages. From this tribe, a group of only ten or twenty decided to make a trek north out of Africa and would eventually end up following the coast of India into Australia to populate around ten percent of the globe including the Aborigine tribe. Soon after, another group took a different route to the Middle East. Splitting into two groups, the first would branch into northern India and rapidly expand its population; the second made its way towards China. From this area in modern-day Kazakhstan, two more groups had diverged paths and after nearly 10,000 years, the first Human Beings would finally make it west to Europe (and beyond to become Americans) and northeast towards North America. It would not be, however, until around 15- to 13000-years ago that these well-adapted Humans would cross the Bering Strait and become Native American Indian tribes. How did they do it?

     It is believed that around that time, the temperature had fallen and waters along the strait receded substantially to allow for passage across this most perilous passageway. Even so, these conditions are crippling to anyone who is unconditioned for the unimaginable temperatures inside the Arctic Circle, which easily reach -60 degrees Celsius. The Chuckchi of northeastern Russia still live in this arid, hostile environment and are proof of just how resilient the Human body truly is. And, it is doubtless that this was the path taken by this group of only about ten people. By about 11,000 years ago, these people made it through Canada and into what is now the United States; and, in just 800 years to the tip of South America. The land provided plentiful resources and so the population expanded rapidly. It took 35,000 years for Humans to fully populate the Earth, and another 15,000 until a curious scientist decided to retrace those steps. The results can be summed up best in Dr. Wells’ words: “The markers I follow are found only in men, in their Y-chromosome—the chromosome that makes men; men. But, of course, men don’t travel alone and the journey of man is the journey of everyone.”

Money; It's a Gas

     Just under two weeks into this new decade, Humankind faced its first challenge with a crippling 7.0 magnitude earthquake which devastated cities in Haiti, the western hemisphere’s poorest nation. Port-Au-Prince, from the images broadcast by news media, looks ominously reminiscent of a recent war zone: buildings completely demolished with bodies scattered throughout the dirt streets. After the initial shock of such graphic scenes, a sense of dire urgency becomes overwhelmingly palpable. It is now the second decade of the 21st century—we have the capability, resources and, ultimately, the duty to correspond to these tragic moments unconditionally with strategic, well-planned search and rescue missions immediately followed by clean-up and reconstruction efforts focused on state-of-the-art buildings designed to withstand certain degrees of these natural disasters. So, why should there be any hesitation at all when it comes to a coordinated effort between nations to save as many Human lives as possible, as quickly as possible? Within minutes, a sequence of events could be set into motion which would have several rescue crews, transportation, heavy machinery, medical supplies, food and water at any remote location in a matter of hours. It is well understood that in the aftermath of earthquakes, minutes literally could save lives; yet, efforts consistently are delayed due to miscommunication and confusion. A highly developed plan for such occurrences apparently does not exist; and if so, that ostensible secret likely has gone through some form of monetarily-influenced, bureaucratic mutation which leaves any attempt at cooperative measures practically useless unless, of course, a profit is attainable. Once again, the Human life is illuminated in proportional light with the ever-so-cherished invention that we like to call money. And, once again we must remind ourselves that money will never buy back the lives of the unfortunate people killed in these tragedies; money can never buy an emotion such as happiness—emotions are products of chemical reactions and electrical impulses in our brains—and, of course, money will never buy any of us another life after we die. Life is priceless.

     If by an alarmingly good chance Humankind develops an understanding of purpose in life being always equated somehow with money, that understanding revokes any significant, beneficial meaning at all for life. It is in these certain tragic moments, which depend on rapid response to ensure the maximum number of lives are saved, that it becomes painstakingly obvious that we absolutely cannot allow money to dictate, or confusion over “who’s in charge?” to delay, the coordination of efforts required to carry out such a huge undertaking as swiftly as possible. There is no doubt in my mind, nor should there be in any candid mind, that it is indeed feasible, many times over. No longer can we allow the lack of resources or technology to be the vindication for neglect towards these as well as many other pertinent issues. Instead of creating and focusing on trivial, unfounded excuses for how or why an attempt at global Unity may or may not procure hostility—which, by the way, happens regardless; even as you read this very line—we must provide ourselves with a best possible, constantly updating, overarching understanding of purpose in life by collectively pursuing scientific, innovative, artistic, thought-provoking, socially uniting, benevolent endeavors—excluding entirely a necessity for money. However, to understand why we do not need money, we first must elucidate how and why we have reached a point in our existence where money is held in such high regards and granted so powerful a grip on Humankind.

     Money is but a fabrication of the Human mind—the most prominent subsidiary of the alleged “natural yearning” towards material possession. The idea, born out of an apparent necessity to acquire “things”, has grown into an all-encompassing monstrosity, intertwined into nearly every single aspect of our lives. The most immediate problem, though, manifests easily through reasoning: by basing the outcome of our time and energy on a system which is exclusively subordinate to money, meaning in life itself becomes subordinate to and confined by the very same principles which dictate the several variations of the monetary system presently utilized around the world. And if meaning in life, as defined by money, is accepted to be the ultimate reason for being, quite simply it is the utmost failure of Humankind to not investigate further than the constructs and imaginings that govern the concept of commerce.

     One of the most astonishing quandaries money has to offer is the ability to render honesty and integrity both null and unnecessary. Since the recorded conception of bartering, and later coining money, the system has fulfilled a perpetually growing understanding which places profit over people, no matter how shady, illegal or inhumane the means to profitable ends are; essentially creating a gap in lifestyles now known as “classes” of citizens. These classes exclude entirely a person’s attitudes, beliefs and intelligence, along with practically all other truly significant traits. Instead, citizens are subject to categorization based exclusively on financial standing, forcing millions of low-income citizens to become more and more disenfranchised. Possibly the worst repercussion to such disdainful classification is the perception that the less money someone has, the less worthy that person becomes of even the most basic necessities. Sadly, sometimes acknowledgement of belonging to the Human species seems to be sacrificed as well in this invidious hierarchal concept. Prudence in collective decision-making, however, would altogether dissolve the supposed necessity to belong to any of these classes and lead us to accept the fact that we all belong to a single class—the Human class.

     Another predicament arises by considering the ever-changing value of “things” based on supply and demand. Just take a moment and think about that: a desire to “own” something—to declare an object yours—advocates a change in the worth of that object; and that “worth” is determined by a private company which profits proportionally to that determination. In my personal opinion, it is beyond perplexing that we continue subjecting ourselves to such a disuniting, selfish idea. Perhaps, most frightening is the fact that this idea of worth and value continues to be placed on Human lives, as Human trafficking takes an unprecedented step into the ruins of the Haitian nation. Reports, verifiable by the Prime Minister of Haiti, are now being made by CNN that many of the country’s orphaned children may have been trafficked out of the country since the earthquake; possibly by unbeknownst adoption agencies in the chaos and confusion. In addition to this heinous, unforgivable offense, the reports also claim that many of the country’s citizens are possibly being trafficked for vital organs to be sold on the Black Market. These types of offenses are indescribably appalling—a fruitless attempt it would be to try and explain the horrific ramifications of Human trafficking in any new light; the very thought alone says it all. And merely explaining the horrendous nature of such acts does nothing to quell or prevent these acts from being carried out. It is as though dollar signs constantly are flashing in the eyes of sick individuals who will do anything at all to turn a profit—even buy and sell other Human beings; paying off companies, political leaders and other individuals along the way. All-the-while, no government seems interested enough to do anything remotely considerable to stop this atrocity from taking place. How is this happening? Why is this happening?

     The truth is: it will probably take years to eradicate Human trafficking—money still is far too influential. It can be easily surmised, though, that if money becomes unnecessary, so too does the class system which so elusively rules the conduct, and misconduct, of nations. And, unless we begin taking steps towards Unity on a global scale this decade, by 2020 it may be too late to accomplish that end through reasonable, peaceful, civilized means. The global stronghold powerful, for-profit corporations now have is slowly but surely growing to a point that should be considered a major threat to the advancement, well-being, health, education and future of Humankind. When corporations begin to influence political decisions through campaign contributions, cronyism and media control, it is the duty and responsibility of elected officials not influenced by such corporations to enforce laws which prevent any type of governmental corruption at all. And, if a majority of elected officials prove to be corrupt, it becomes the duty and responsibility of citizens to use the ultimate authority and power of voting to elect new officials. But, even the democratic process of voting into office representatives of the people is one that bears no meaning to this day in some countries. So, to truly ensure the most beneficial, prosperous future for our Posterity, something major has to happen on a global scale—governmental Unity; by the people, for the people. (Do not confuse my plan for global Unity with some other, possibly corrupt idea that so many people have accused me of conforming to—the so-called New World Order. This is the first time I have ever acknowledged that idea, and will probably be the last.) As sad as it sounds, and sad as it is to say, only in the aftermath of devastating disasters like these does it seem to become necessary for Humankind to acknowledge the deep connection between all of us; if even just for a moment. That connection knows nothing of money; nothing of greed; nothing of class. Rather, it shows just how vulnerable each and every one of us truly is; and how benevolent we all can be. Millions of dollars have been given already from around the world to finance the relief efforts and thousands of volunteers have devoted their time and energy to help save lives. This is Humankind as I see it—selfless, caring and willing to work towards the betterment of society as a whole. It is in the near future, as a more definitive, deep understanding of purpose in life is sought, and as technological innovation evolves at an exponentially, ever-expanding pace, that I foresee money becoming completely obsolete—at least in the form that we now so blindly adore. Perhaps as the era of digital currency dawns, it is only a short matter of time before Unity, at least of the monetary system, will manifest itself.

Founding Our Future, Part II

     Today, January 1st, 2010, dawns a new era for Humankind. This unique decade is unmatched by any others in our recorded history on planet Earth. We are faced with a collection of multilateral issues of dire importance; yet, have for decades excused the neglect of a majority with an outlandish claim of lacking resources. Well, that time is over. The time to prepare for the future of our kind is here. Thousands of years of evolution have brought us to a most pivotal point in our collective existence. It is our job; nay, our duty to provide safeguards to protect the future of not only our Posterity, but also of this majestic planet on which we live. Far too long now, these issues have been swept under the political rug by the bureaucratic nonsense of lobbyist-influenced politicians that seem to feel no urgency towards eradicating homelessness, poverty, health care costs, global climate issues related to our probable influence, as well as a slew of other pressing issues. Instead, the agenda consists of eradicating other people, keeping citizens in debt and poverty, letting private insurance companies dictate qualifications to receive care (qualifications to be provided health care!) and neglecting the empirical evidence daily piling up from scientists and climate researchers around the planet. Clearly, no single foundation is capable of taking on all of the challenges we face. But with your help, we can take this journey one step at a time.

     The obvious question is: where do we begin? The most fundamental element of being Human is the innate connection we have with the rest of Humankind; so the only option is to make embracing this bond of utmost priority. Each and every one of us—all of Humankind—is intrinsically linked by a single...force, if you will (for lack of a better term,) which penetrates through our bodies to our very essence; our very being. It connects us. We are bound to it, by it. It is conscience and unconscious intertwining to form what we perceive as "reality." It is dreams, aspirations, successes, failures, wants, needs and hopes all wrapped up in a neat little box with colorful paper and a big red bow. It is everything we have ever liked, disliked, approved of, disapproved of, supported or opposed. It is full of beautiful, wondrous things. It is interaction with the environment; interaction with others. It is: Human life; and it is beautiful—all of it. Race, creed, nationality, culture, sex, sexual preference, financial status…etc; none of those traits matter because we all are a part of something deeper—we all, collectively, are Humankind. We must embrace this fact in Unity to provide a most favorable future for every Citizen of Earth. To do so would ensure that no person on Earth goes without a meal, shelter, clothing or quality health care. It is a downright shame that over 80,000 are homeless on the streets of Los Angeles alone; a city which boasts one of the world’s largest residencies of millionaires. With that knowledge, we should begin by realizing a dream to always see through the benevolence of our species. Starting here in Los Angeles, an example shall be set which the rest of the world would most assuredly desire to follow. Stand with me, in Unity and in hope to see this future manifest from our collective influence. I am reaching out to all of you in an attempt to gain an undeniable support for this most beneficial cause. It is only with your support that a design this intricate yet all-encompassing can be drawn and constructed. Let us leave a respectable mark in the history of our kind—one that will be remembered for ages to come.

     This is not a foundation which requests any type of minimum donation as many others do. Rather, the focus of this organization is to get as many people involved as possible without any placement of financial burden on a single individual. Think about this: there are nearly 300 million citizens living in the United States. Around 35 million citizens live in California; over 10 million in Los Angeles alone. The primary goal of our first year together is to get 500,000 citizens to donate a single dollar. This, for a large portion of us, is simple pocket change; but it all adds up and goes a long way. The things we so often take for granted could be the deciding factors of whether or not someone living on the streets eats today or has shelter from the weather and clothing to stay warm; or most importantly, someone who cares and who listens; someone to reach out to when no one else provides a helping hand. We live in a world where the culmination of practically all of our technological capabilities and advancement are available in one little device—a cell phone—yet, we allow starvation, homelessness and poverty to continue as if these are issues of little importance. Life is about much more than money, class, power and control. It is not about separation; and it is not about condemning people who have never been given a chance to excel. It is about progression in Unity. This is not an opinion of mine; it is fact. The only way to ensure a desirable future for ALL of Humankind is through global societal Unity. More than ourselves, we MUST have our Posterity, all of Earth’s Posterity, at the forefront of thought when constructing the means by which we will advance ourselves into the future. So, here is to a New Year; a New Decade and a Brand New Era. Walk with me on this wondrous journey that is The Human Endeavor. The time is now to declare the true significance of our neglect of those in desperate need, and our need to take immediate action. The time is now to stand in Unity towards societal benefit for all of us. The time is, has been and always will be now. Welcome to the future.

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…