Indignities, atrocities and acts devaluing human life cannot be ignored or forgotten, but the roads to justice, hope and reconciliation are paved by beginning conversations of respect, writes John Haren.
There are many things to worry about in this day and age. The 24-hour news cycle reaches us whether we like it or not. Television, social media, invasive newsfeeds on our phones, newspapers. Internationally, Ukraine and Gaza; domestically, the cost-of-living crisis, interest rates and rental costs. Climate change, artificial intelligence, the impact of social media, mental health issues, homelessness and health care round out a raft of things to worry us.
That’s without mentioning the constant commentary about China and the US. Are the drums of war beating? Or are two superpowers just flexing their muscles? Is the military posturing of both countries a ruse for the real game: economic and political dominance?
A common refrain is for countries to pledge significant increases in defence spending. The logic of this must be something other than peace. Since when did more weapons equate with peace and harmony?
One of the problems among global and local political leadership is that no one is listening. Voices are speaking over the top of each other. The noise is deafening. And yet critical questions pass us by.
Who hears the cries of the Gazans? Who bothers to explore Chinese cultural sensibilities? Who tries to make sense of people’s disenfranchisement from democratic processes? Who is brave enough to take on the multinationals and the billionaires? Who is prepared to stand alongside Indigenous people?
So, what is to be done? Many might contend that ordinary people are powerless. How do you rail against governments determined to have their way? Against corporate juggernauts that steamroll the economy? Against technology giants that facilitate ubiquitous information gathering? Against mega rich individuals dictating the political narrative? Against multinational companies that view paying tax as voluntary? Against arms manufacturers with governments in their pockets? Against apathy or compliance in a citizenry that has been beaten into submission to only be concerned about their own survival?
We cannot be bystanders in the sullying of our world. Side with the peacemakers, not the aggressors. Make it a priority to connect with the outcast, the ‘other’. Check the claims of the media. Respect the wisdom of the elders. Listen to the groans of nature. Recognise complexity and seek simplicity. Bring joy to the world, not despair. Be brave.
We are born to love and be loved. The human condition is naturally oriented toward cooperation rather than separation, kindness over vilification, love before hatred. However, the art of being human requires daily practice. Attentive listening, acts of kindness, displays of gratitude, and acknowledging another’s grief are actions exemplifying the quest to be human in every moment, not just when it suits us.
Our best human moments are inclusive, welcoming and compassionate acts toward others. They transcend ego and take us to a place of solidarity. We feel compassion when acts of compassion are offered unconditionally. A simple fall on a footpath, which elicits a helpful response from others, can quickly overcome physical pain, restoring our faith in those around us.
A meal prepared for a grieving neighbour. Checking on an older person living alone during a heat wave. A casual nod to a stranger walking on the beach. Simple acts recognising another’s human need to be acknowledged.
We can forget the effect of human interaction, positive or negative, in the course of ordinary events. Self-reflection is a powerful human trait to be deployed in realising what our best relationships look like.
There are tools, historical precedents, sage advice, states of being, contemporary understanding of solution-based approaches to solve conflict. We have lots of approaches to draw on in contemplating what our relationships, our neighbourhoods, our nations, the world, can be like.
The maxim do unto others what you would have them do unto you, attributed to Jesus (Luke 6:31), guides us to a different reality if we allow it to permeate our collective being.
Sometimes it’s better to be kind than to be right. We do not need an intelligent mind that speaks, but a patient heart that listens. You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger, the Buddha said.
In contemporary discourse, Eckhart Tolle’s emphasis is on mindfulness and staying in the moment. The present is all we have. The past is the past and the future is what we create in the present moment. If we could live in the present, cherish this moment, and dig deeply within the wellspring of the goodness of humanity, how different the world would be.
Humans defaulting to a position of love and compassion in daily life, diplomacy rather than vengeful violence in solving conflict, forgiveness rather than revenge, will change the world.
Prioritising the social order over the economic order. Becoming thoughtful stewards of the planet. Moving toward an inclusive political order. Resisting the accumulation of wealth and unnecessary goods. Welcoming those on the margins into our communities. Celebrating the great festivals of the world. Drinking tea with our Chinese neighbours. Promising that the world will be a better place for our children and grandchildren.
Indignities, atrocities and acts devaluing human life cannot be ignored or forgotten, but the roads to justice, hope and reconciliation can be paved by beginning conversations of respect.
Problems generally present with layers of complexity. Digging more deeply reveals more layers, more complexity. But the reality is that we all live in this moment. All of humanity is actually bound up in the now. The inescapable now. This is the challenge for all peoples. Live in this moment, harnessing our capacity for love and understanding, conscious of reality, but bringing hope to the world. A simple message!
Of course, in isolation, none of these small acts of compassion will bring about world peace or a softer reality to hard-nosed capitalism, but little by little they will infuse our families, our neighbourhoods and our communities with a hope that humanity can prevail over inhumanity, compassion over mean spiritedness, peace over war.
In doing so we might just discover who we are, individually and collectively, in such a way that the question what is to be done? can be answered with compassion and simplicity.
