Envisioning the Kind of World We Want

That's the first step to making it real

In times like these, it’s up to us ordinary folks to get together and change the world. Our governments have made it obvious that they’re not going to do it for us.

In order to do that, we have to create a vision that we can step into, that we can work towards, and measure our current reality against.

If something we do doesn’t fit with that vision, maybe we can find ways of replacing it with something that does.

My vision for the future is one of restoration of Earth and all the life she supports. For societies that support its members, ensure everyone has adequate housing, education and healthcare, and that we all have the ability to reach our full potential.

Imagine how much richer the world would be in art, music, science, philosophy and everything else if these were our priorities.

Imagine birds singing, energy created from sources that are non-polluting, neighbourliness, many shared resources, and more time on our hands.

Imagine how much healthier we’d all be if we had clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and abundant healthy food, much that we grow ourselves. Imagine how much we could do if we didn’t have to work so hard. With AI, shouldn’t we be able to have shorter hours? Shouldn’t we be able to get more done if we share some of our resources?

Imagine how relaxed we’d be if we had international enforceable laws that would make sure wars never started in the first place, and that any disagreements between countries would be solved fairly and peacefully.

And what about restorative justice instead of the punitive incarceration system we have currently? What if prisons were humane places where people learned life skills, and were helped to become better people?

Isn’t this what we want?

We have the resources and the technology to make all these things happen. All that’s lacking is the political will, at least here in the west.

And we’re in very dangerous waters. When our governments tell us that objecting to an ongoing genocide — acknowledged by the International Court of Justice, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders and many, many other credible groups — is actually anti-semitic, what comes next?

We can’t go along with this, no matter how much pressure we’re under, and we have to live intentionally in ways that reinforce sane and honourable values. How do we build community and help each other through what are sure to be turbulent times? What can we do to disempower the forces that oppress us in so many ways? How can we dedicate ourselves to being the change we want to see? How can we provide a clear reflection of what’s going on in the world, instead of the not-so-funhouse images we’re being pressured to believe?

Some things have to go. And we have to do our best, sometimes discreetly, to retire these things.

With strengthened connectivity via the internet and increased travel, we know that people who are different from us aren’t monsters. We can no longer be fooled about this, and we need to behave accordingly based on this knowledge.

Feeling superior to others and hoarding money is a mental illness. Please, if you believe that destroying the planet and people’s lives in order to amass more money and power is alright, get some counselling.

Our humanity is what makes life worth living, and if we forsake it, we miss out on so much. When we commodify, when we dehumanize, we do these things to ourselves. If this is something you do, please stop. Stepping into our authentic humanity will make all of us happier and more generous, and make the world a better place.

We have to ditch colonialist thinking. The fact that some groups have more privilege than others, and can break laws and plunder countries for their resources is beyond stale dated. If we want a world where all can thrive, we have to become more egalitarian.

We need to replace war with robust international structures that help us reach peaceful negotiated settlements. War should have been obsolete long ago. Let’s ditch it now. Relationships between countries should be fair, peaceful and equitable.

We also have to get money out of politics, and out of essential services like healthcare, education and housing. The lack of democracy money in politics creates isn’t serving society or the well-being of anyone, or our one and only planet that we all depend upon for our lives.

And we have to let go of climate change denial. How many get scared in the Spring, dreading the wildfires and weather events that Summer will bring? It’s time we behaved like adults and made the changes needed to effectively address climate change.

So what are we left with when we get those outmoded, outdated things out of the way?

We have something resembling democracy, we have the ability for everyone to have a fair shake, and we have the possibility for all of us to experience the deepest kind of happiness.

Let’s envision what we want, do our best to live it, and then step into it, tweaking reality when the opportunity arises so that it conforms to the beautiful world that we know is possible.

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I love the BDS campaign and the effect it’s having on Israel’s economy.

Here's an excellent list of products from Israel: https://boycott.thewitness.news/browse/1

Here's a way to help others not in your bubble to boycott Israel: https://www.cjpme.org/stickies_2024_en

And here's where you can support Palestine by buying a keffiyeh: https://www.hirbawi.ps/