The World Reborn

“Long before we know ourselves, our paths are already stiffened in stone). Some will never figure out their purpose in life and some will. Humanity is caught up in this hell, content with being blinded by rules and judgment. Humans live in a world where it is more acceptable to follow than to lead. In this world being a leader is trouble for the system we are all accustomed to. Being a leader in this age is being a threat to society. Not many people stand up against the atrocities of life,” but through the passing of time, the once suppressed voices are now heard, voices who speak of vulnerabilities and other human emotions, and issues never before heard so vivid and candid(Cudi). This world has two main motivating forces, love or fear, and both are equally difficult to explain. The forces of love or fear guide the value systems that humans live by and for myself enlightenment, compassion, sustainability, and passion define my world view or at least how the world ought to be.

Technology does not always make life better there is always a need for the spiritual and not the material. The most beautiful things are the things that are invisible: a person cannot place intelligence in an individuals hand but through discussion, debate, and intellectual curiosity one can gain it and once gained, it is at that point, an individual is the most powerful. Once a person has attained spiritual knowledge or insight, their awareness frees them from the cycle of rebirth; they are unchained from their mental prisons. Free thinkers do not fear retaliation for their thoughts. The traditional thinkers are only using thoughts and words but they are in a mental prison. To seek enlightenment is a basic human right be it spiritual or intellectual. Enlightenment is the indispensable ingredient for goodness is the world. As they say knowledge is power indeed, but I believe it should be doctrine into minds of people to use knowledge as a force for good. Without a sense of intellectual or spiritual gain life is meaningless and dull. One should seek enlightenment in all aspects of life. The enlightenment that I am thinking of is similar to the revival of classical knowledge and values that bloomed in sixteenth century Europe better known as the Renaissance. The pursuit of knowledge leads to enlightenment of the mind, spirit, and body.

Dalai Lama said, “The purpose of all the major religious traditions is not to construct big temples on the outside, but to create temples of goodness and compassion inside, in our hearts.” If one closely analyzes the world it does not present a very promising view of humanity. Even though civilization is more than ten thousand years old it would be incorrect to use the term civilized to describe most human societies. Conflict, refugees, violence, terrorism, and warfare still remain strong forces that the powerful use against the vulnerable. Without compassion the world would be a very grim place. Compassion should be the radical thought to spread across humanity and should be used to diffuse the nuclear bomb of hate (West). Compassion is one of the greatest values that one can teach. If in 1914 there had been World Love 1 and then in 1939 World Love 2 I should like to think the world we know today would be very different.

In a world fast running out of resources sustainability is a key issue facing humanity today. We live in a world where the population growth rate is unprecedented and the 21st century must match the needs of an ever-growing world. Many countries in the world are facing a severe water crisis. Clean water, once a taken-for-granted resource, has now become a precious commodity. It is an essential ingredient for healthy human life, but 1.1 billion people lack access to water and 2.7 billion experience water scarcity at least one month a year. By 2025, two-thirds of the world's population may be facing water shortages; these figure are not as alarming as they are paralyzing(WFF). Similarly other depleting resources like forests and land and agricultural threaten the sustainability of human life. Reckless cutting of trees without replacing them is causing deforestation is many parts of the world and is very likely to lead to a dystopian future.

How barren life would be if lived without passion. How dead human endeavors would have been if not fueled by passion. From conquests to explorations to discoveries and life changing revolution all were made possible by those who have fervor. The Parthenon in Greece, the Pantheon in Rome, the creation of Adam, the Mona Lisa, Michelangelo’s David, ships, airplanes, the Burj Khalifa, and now artificial intelligence have one thing in common; they were all created by individuals who believed in the infinite possibilities of human achievement. The best music, the best films, the best plays, the best novels are milestones in the history of mankind created by individuals who were passionate about their work. Passion is the rain that waters the barren spirt or the fire that burns within the human soul it propels people to reach above and beyond the realm of possibility, to express themselves as human beings, to assert their presence in the world, to assert life over death, and most of all to live a life uncommon. A spaceship does not aim for the sky or the moon, the universe is infinite, the possibilities are limitless.

Life could be lived most beautifully if one cultivates and nurtures the values of enlightenment, compassion, sustainability, and passion. It is a pity that the progress of civilization has led to the degeneration of core human values as manifest in the major crisis the world faces today. It is mankind's responsibility to educate future generations about the splendor and truths of the world which in reality lie in the motivating forces of love, mindfulness, and fear.