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One Earth -- |
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But take some time to "day dream" and think how YOU would really like to see life on Earth play out in the coming New Millennium, and see if this version fits your vision: SCHOOLS - EDUCATION: For starters, anyone who wanted to learn ANYTHING, at any age, would not be prevented from pursuing knowledge -- NO pre-requisites would stand in their way unless absolutely essential to their pursuit of greater learning. Of course, this would mean 90% of the algebra teachers would have to find other jobs, perhaps in the nearest convenience store, since this math requirement is virtually universal for anyone going into ANY study of any subject not clearly marked "liberal arts" yet is it also almost universally NEVER used for any purpose, other than generating a paycheck for algebra instructors! School curriculum would be designed by and for the students -- teaching them what THEY wanted to learn -- very much like the policies of the Sudbury Valley "free school" -- where students contract with a mentor or guide to learn what they are interested in learning. In its almost two-decade history, experience has proven that their students do, over the course of their experience, learn not only all the basics: reading, writing and enough math to stand them in good stead as adults, but they also learn much faster, pursuing their heart's desires, and they learn what is meaningful to the real "customer" of education: the student! The desire to learn -- to accomplish -- to know more -- to experiment and create -- is as inborn a human trait as taking the next breath. But, in the public schools -- and universities, we fund with our tax monies today, that excitement is usually stomped out in all but the brightest by around the 5th grade. Then, it's seven more years of monotony, boredom, frustration and marking time to graduation. Our schools have become little more than 'holding pens' for young adults, keeping them off the job market until they have served their time, being baby-sat in a hum-drum routine that fails miserably to serve them well, prepare them for being responsible, free-thinking, independent adults! HEALTHCARE: What if all health care workers were required to spend at least half their time working toward "licensing" (as M.D.'s, R.N.'s, etc.) in studies of human biochemistry, nutrition, acupuncture, herbal and homeopathic medicines and a total gestalt of how the body, mind, spirit and emotions ALL impact health? What if they focused less in specialties and more in a general, overall, wholistic look at what makes for good health and what leads to a breakdown in a design system that SHOULD, if properly cared for, give every "body owner" a good 80 years or robust, enthusiastic well-being? LIFESTYLE: What if everyone decided they would just no longer work five days a week, but instead work for four, reduce their standards of living by 20%, and give themselves one day a week to "just be" -- just be free, do what they wanted to do -- paint, make music, make something in the way of crafts, dance, have a day of silent prayer and meditation, garden, read, write, take a picnic, lie out in the sun, do nothing or do much, but ONLY of their own choosing -- not things they needed to do, should do, must do, or had to do? What if everyone decided they would no longer hold any grudges against anyone else, but practice compassion toward all? What if everyone made a conscious decision that they would put all their anger away, just for this 24 hours? What would happen if no one decided to complain, find fault, criticize or dwell in the past? These ARE, after all, conscious decisions that we can make! What if everyone pledged to read one NON-FICTION book a week and turn the T.V. off more? What if everyone, corporations included, opted to pay ONLY 10% of their income (earned or otherwise) to the upkeep of governments (2% to the Feds, 2% to the State and 6% to local governmental entities, e.g. roads, schools, hospitals, etc.). Since you can't legislate morality, what if we burned all the existing law books and started over, using the mandate to "do the right thing" and limiting our laws to: 1. Take care of the Earth, for She provides all there is -- and NO, this does not mean we all give up our cars in favor of pogo sticks -- it means we use the Earth's resources practicing good husbandry -- we cease mining Her and start reclamation projects to clean up our waters and air -- this environmental work would create thousands of new jobs. 2. Take only what you need (not to be confused with "wants") so there will be enough for all. We hear mumurings from the "great minds" about a need for global population control. Well, there IS not enough for everyone to live like the American consuming public. But there IS enough for all of us to sleep warm and dry, with a full belly, and have good work to do without enslaving ourselves to the VISA balance! 3. Take care of your brothers and sisters, for someday you may need help. What if, on that 5th day of each week, we banded together to do volunteer work, for a WHOLE DAY each month, in our community, e.g. block gardens or to improve housing or clean up our neighborhood -- or do a clothing drive, clean out our closets and send clothes to an Indian reservation? Or take care of an elderly parent or handicapped child so that the primary caretaker had a day off? 4. Take care of yourself so that you can keep the first three laws.
What if all the beer drinkers in America gave up the sudz for a month and
donated that money to their church or a charity? What if we all decided to assume
primary responsibility for our own health and began studying about diet, nutrition,
exercise and practice better habits? TRANSPORTATION: What if, instead of hundreds of different car manufacturers, we demanded they put their heads together, and present us with just THREE and ONLY three, good, reliable, comfortable and durable forms of personal transporation:
Now it would be nice if everyone had a choice of a wide variety of colors, just so everyone wouldn't be driving the SAME vehicle -- and rich folks could have personalized licence tags, proclaiming "IM RICH" to replace their Cadillacs! And, every five years, the vehicle designers could present us with newer, more fuel efficient models -- but overall, the headlights from one model would be compatible with every other model, and replacement parts would be greatly simplified! I can hear the skeptics now, saying "Henry Ford already DID this when he invented the model T or A -- my grandfather kept his going with bailing wire and re-painted it yearly with a can of black paint and a brush -- or that this sounds a lot like what Hitler had in mind with the generic Volkswagon -- but those were NOT bad ideas when you think about it! Why couldn't we HAVE the best of both worlds? TELECOMMUNICATIONS - ENTERTAINMENT: What if the "nooze" programs could ONLY present us with GOOD NEWS, except for once a month -- say on the last day of each month, they could bombard viewers/listeners nutty enough to want to be so informed, of how many rapes, murders, robberies or car wrecks had taken place! The rest of the time, they could tell us the good stuff -- how many babies were born into our community, where volunteer workers could donate their time and talents, what improvements to our environment were being made, etc. What if television programs had to cease and desist depicting ALL forms of violence and bloodshed -- Nash Bridges, my favorite, would have to think and act more like a modern-day Sherlock Holmes -- all the intrigue but none of the firearms. So nobody would watch? Well, what so? Did you know, there IS an 'on' and 'off' switch to the T.V. sets -- and life really DOES continue when they are turned OFF! We've been known to go for days, even WEEKS at a time without turning the tube on - and believe you me, it really IS nicer! Quieter. Calmer. Sweeter! What if, instead of so much VIEWING of entertainment, we just made our own? Took up playing a musical instrument in a small group? Or danced more -- e.g. folk dancing or ballroom dancing. What if groups got together for jam sessions, or rented a dance studio for access to a small "ballroom" for a jazz band -- of folks in their 40's to play, just for the fun of it? What if, instead of watching T.V. seven nights a week, we got together ONE night a week with all the folks who lived on our block -- or in our section of the apartment complex -- and TALKED and had a regular pot-luck dinner -- and BUILT COMMUNITY together? What if we became human beings instead
of human doings? [Home] [Tribal Teachings] [Links] email: webmistress@one-earth-one-people.8m.com
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