Where to Now?

You know, I've often wondered why human beings won't (not can't) live together in peace - in relationships, communities, cities, or on this planet (Earth). We certainly have the capacity - but not the true commitment or desire (by results).

Would life become boring if we had no adversaries? Would we lose interest in being here if there were no one to beat, to best, or to feed our ego need for accomplishment? I really don't know. Maybe peace is boring - or highly challenging.

Because, then we'd have to face ourselves - our inner selves that is. Now that's really dangerous stuff. To realize that the 'true adversary' is within each of us! As a famous cartoonist once said, "We have met the enemy Pogo, and it's us!"

I thought a quarterback doing a bootleg without blockers was dangerous stuff, but going inside ouselves to discover our "constricted wiring of paranoia" is really dangerous - to the ego, that is. It's much easier to externalize every problem as due to someone else - a worthy adversary even in relationships. Plus, it's easily believable to everyone else.

Well, I guess I'm an idealist, non-realist, or someone who believes in the impossible, because I believe peace is possible by becoming virtual "astronauts of inner space." This should be the essential requirement of all elected officials who represent others. That is, wisdom should be a requirement for those we choose to elect.

Then, and only then can peace become a reality. They would also become persons to emulate - which is what true leadership is about. Leadership, today, is a game centuries old and without end. Within this game, peace is not possible. So, I guess we can consciously decide what we want as we move forward in the 21st century - peace or the pretense of it!