Submitted for NDN contributor Dyck Dewid:
Preface to my questions: I must apologize for hurting you. I am from a time when a body of fathers, mothers, and single adults are (collectively) just beginning to use our miraculous intellects to examine our discontent, anger, sadness, shame and suffering, etc… Many of us are discovering our inner selves and our role in the external world. I am/we are (difficultly, reluctantly) growing beyond what (we think) we know. Perhaps soon we’ll stop hurting you. Of course there has always been the producers of light and beauty, the visionaries, composers, inventors, researchers, writers, artists of all kinds… geniuses of the classics in our history. Perhaps we in 2013 are now at beginning baby steps of a collective seeing humanity and earth in a different light… one that is not grounded in individuality and self interest. In this light I ask:
- Can you… or have you forgiven me for the human suffering I’ve caused? (as one of your many forefathers or mothers)
- Are arts and ‘the classics’ still revered, and what has been added since my time to light the way?
- Please name several most significant happenings since 2013, such as events, works, people, tragedies, that have contributed to sustaining a world civilization.
- Has the idea of Capitalism changed? (i.e. Competing ideas of individual wealth & competition versus generosity & fairness) Please consider in 2013 the influence of the corporation… its wealth purchasing favorable & clever legislation, its thirst for profit, its dependence on socially accepted (& advertised) ideas of ambition, competition, wealth, comfort, fear, individuality, w/o responsibility or accountability for plunder of earth or society… versus (unprofitable) primarily social responsibility to humanity and earth. Examples are, consequences of: A government unrepresentative of the people; Continued use of fossil fuels on earth climate; Fracking; Unsustainable use of earth resources for short term gains; Waste disposal and Avoidance of Life Cycle product planning shifting those costs to the public; etc. etc..
- What have people come to know about where to place ultimate responsibility for systems of government and social disfunction or disharmony?
- Are there still individual countries/states or is there one world governing body?
- Is there a different, perhaps world economy and please describe what you have?
- Is low price still boss in your time? (versus real value and fairness)
- In your opinion, what are the connections you see between ambition for wealth, or having influence of wealth (money and property) and the problems we’re facing in 2013… Global Warming, Large Uprisings around the world against those in power, War, Poverty and hunger and homelessness.
- How would you define Wealth and Poverty in your time? Does it consider Abundance of earth as wealth, and Lack of Realizing that Abundance as poverty?
- Do you look at Wealth & Poverty, as most do in 2013, being the ultimate, perhaps insatiable measure of success (where Wealth is money, property and power.. and Poverty is lack of it)? And although obviously ineffective at achieving happiness and peace, these seem to have been our values through much of our history.
- Has society (governance) changed to deal justly and fairly with civil rights and biases that rob women and minorities of their power, their land, their heritage, their freedoms, their just treatment under law? Is there a connection in this to Wealth and/or Poverty?
- In 2013 we have a big problem: seeing diversity as a problem instead of rich in content and ‘another’ truth. This causes havoc in our ability to achieve harmony in dialogue (and life). Have you overcome this social diasability?