Sabbath Messages > Sabbath Message: March 18, 2006
Good Sabbath
March 18, 2006
"Societies are renewed by people who believe in something, care about something, stand for something". (John W. Gardner)
The news covers important stories or makes stories important: "Is Business Ready for a Flu Pandemic?"; or "Cosmic Collisions", the new movie in the wonderful Hayden Planetarium where I went as a child. In those days I worried about men from Mars, Frankenstein, and the spread of WWII. Now, because of demands for many stories for cable news, regular news, blogs and science fiction, there is no separation between fantastic accomplishments or claims and fantasy; there is no line between the digital acting for modern movies like Jurassic Park, Forest Gump and Rod Serling's tales and reality.
There is a difference between anxiety and mindful attention; we should be aware of what may attack us (mad dog) or present a danger to our family. We should be more skeptical of those who promote fear of the unknown, especially in wartime. Propaganda makes the unknown into fear, but it is just the psychology of combat-whether with a foreign government or a political ploy.
In Cosmic Collisions, they explore a small planet that sideswipes young Earth, blasting itself and a chunk of earth into a spray of molten drops shimmering like blobs of mercury, which they say, is how our moon was formed. The threatened flu pandemic is the exaggeration of the possible threat of a terrible spread of disease--for which millions of birds and fowl have been killed. The medical experts want to be ready if and when it comes and the casual observer doesn't comprehend the need for exaggeration.
"We live far longer than our forefathers; but we suffer more, from a thousand artificial anxieties and cares." (Bulwer)
During wartime, or leading up to war, there is a need to dehumanize the potential enemy which partially cloaks our fear. It is easier to want to kill somebody who is dehumanized than a human like ourselves-except for civil wars, wherein all humanity and most reason, disappears.
The whole world is going too fast is the implied message of Elizabeth Kolbert's new book: "Field Notes from a Catastrophe; Man, Nature and Climate Change". There are those who have watched global warming evolve into reality, while others feel that the economy must be protected at the costs of civilization. Somewhere, there needs to be a consensus that reduces fear and activates solutions. This is not science fiction.
The problem with politics is that it invents fiction about people, threats, and the unknown, and it flies on the wings of fear and ignorance. It is divisive and corruptive and cannot promote peaceful solution once the war mongers are let loose. The birth of internet and digital images completes the destruction of the boundary separating truth/fact from fantasy/fiction. There are times when it is necessary and noble to defeat a real enemy, like WWII.
I helped create an organization known as Civic Solutions, which brings proven leaders together, to grapple with especially tough problems, like affordable housing and infrastructure. When something is important to solve, then it must be and needs attention and effective leadership.
"True statesmanship is the art of changing a nation from what it is into what it ought to be."
(W.R. Alger)
So have faith in the wise as you build your knowledge into maturity, and never remain silent in the face of tyranny, or you will allow its spread.
sandy
