As
the number of human beings populating planet earth continues to grow resulting
in greater pressure placed upon the resources necessary to sustain twenty-first
century human existence; as the climate of the earth is changing and
deteriorating as a direct result of human activity and as human wealth
continues to be concentrated in the hands of a very few of the world’s people,
acts of irrational and crazed violence are growing at an alarming rate.
Living in the so-called, “developed
world,” we have become accustomed to expect that life will provide us with a
wide range of comforts and ever-expanding opportunities for enjoyment and
fulfillment that is far in excess of the expectations of billions of our fellow
humans.
Primarily due to the time and
place of birth, vast numbers of our species are subjected to a life of constant
turmoil, violence and hardship denied access to the essentials that we
naturally take for granted. Within the
limited boundaries of such an existence lies a trying and shortened existence.
The peoples of the developed
world choose to remain oblivious to the price their affluence is exacting upon
those less fortunate by siphoning both wealth and resources from much of world. Ironically, the most telling example of this
is the fact that in order to sustain the lifestyle we have grown accustomed to
we are producing an over-abundance of greenhouse gases that will ultimately
negatively impact the entire human population regardless of place of origin or
economic status.
Unfortunately, and tragically,
all of this extreme suffering is unnecessary.
Life is a fleeting experience and one that should be cherished and appreciated. Nonetheless it is all too often squandered in
the myopic pursuit of self-interest at the expense of the common good. We could live in a peaceful and harmonious
world if only we could regard everyone as our equals and deserving of meaningful
and fulfilling existence. After all,
there is certainly an abundance of intelligence, resourcefulness, creativity,
ingenuity and skill within the human community to confront and overcome the
problems that we all face as human beings on this most remarkable planet.
