What If?
Some musings on how to create a better world
What if...
We end the toxic culture wars and fake divisions and replace them with collaboration and kindness?
We start listening to others and their opinions in order to understand, rather than preparing to respond by convincing them that our opinions are the correct ones?
We replace moral righteousness with open-mindedness?
We protect each person’s unique and individual voice and opinion instead of creating systems that shut down and shame those who think differently?
We stop exploiting Mother Earth and help her restore the balance between humans and the rest of nature?
We let go of the need to be in control of others (including children), other species, and the Earth?
We reject the very idea of war and violence in favour of settling our differences collaboratively and peacefully?
We give our children the freedom and mechanisms to spend their time playing and learning from the world around them and from their own interests, rather than mandating them to attend a one-size-fits-all institution?
We reject the importance of financial profit and embrace a new, cooperative way of managing our economy?
We mandate corporations to be primarily responsible to their customers rather than to their shareholders and investors?
We create a governance system whereby politicians work together to serve their electorate and where political parties don’t exist?
We replace greed with gratitude?
We provide everyone with a basic income so they can pursue ways of living that honour their birthright of joy, caring for others, creating, and learning?
We consume less and created more?
We value unpaid homecare and childcare work as much as (or more than) pushing buttons and making widgets?
We create a health care system that is about both health and care, removing the toxins in food and the environment so everyone can create healthy ways of living for themselves instead of treating the symptoms of culture-created disease?
We recognize “scientific consensus” as a nonsensical, manufactured, anti-science construct?
We perform the activities of our lives slowly and mindfully, instead of rushing around from one thing to another?
We hold the vision of the bright future of which we dream, then act to make it happen?
What’s holding us back?
I wonder why we don't do this more too, Wendy.
YES, to all of this. I know "what if" thinking isn't useful, but when I can't bear another piece of awful news I sometimes imagine parallel realities. What if the earliest cars ran on something other than gasoline? What if we'd never split the atom? What if mainstream culture adopted indigenous ways of sharing, caring, and learning? What if, dear Wendy, your leadership of Canada's Green Party had been part of a progressive revolution around the world?