A Letter to Humanity
May we humans create caring communities for the sake of people and planet.
To: The human race
From: A human
Re: The future
My dearest sisters, brothers, and all beings,
I am writing to you out of great concern for our common future, “our” referring not only to humanity but to life on Earth. After much observation, analysis, and reflection, I, your fellow human, have come to the conclusion that not only are we (humanity and life on Earth) in danger of becoming by and large extinct, but that the human race has been on a wrong track for a very long time.
When we evolved beyond the tribal stage and began agriculture and early forms of cities and empire, we became trapped in the illusion of separateness from nature and each other resulting in the creation of social forms that began to cause great suffering for the vast majority of humans and other life forms. A few people, let us call them the “elite”, saw that if they structured society in a vertical hierarchy they could then control the human population for their own benefit.
Thus, they created mythologies and religions to support this hierarchy, educational systems to teach it, political systems based on it, economic systems that defined human beings as laborers, and health systems that were reserved for the elite. Life for most humans was "nasty, brutish, and short."
This form of social organization has continued up to the present time through the recent capitalist-industrial-fossil-fuel transformations. In our time, it has resulted in the wholesale destruction of the life support ecosystems of air, water, soil, plants, and animals, leading to climate chaos, all of which is endangering the future of humanity and all other life forms.
We, humanity, now have a colossal choice to make between two futures: life or death. The correct choice would seem to be obvious were it not for the massive propaganda of the current elite. You and I, as the 99% of humanity, must now take control of history for the first time ever or at least in this most important moment, and not only turn away from the deadly path of hierarchical-capitalist-industrial-fossil-fuel civilization, but create a never before civilization based on compassion and ecological regeneration.
This will not only allow us to care for all of humanity but all life on Earth as we reinvent our social systems based not on hierarchy but on the care and well being of all people and all life forms everywhere.
How can we continue believing that it is possible to create a better world? Sometimes, it is hard. Yet continue we must. For the only way to ensure that the forces of greed and violence will succeed is to stop our efforts to create a better world for all. And we might stop if we assume either that there will be victory in any case and therefore our support isn’t needed, or that victory will be lost regardless of what we do.
If our current civilization is self-destructing, rather than trying to save it or merely sliding into collapse, we can seize this great opportunity to invent a new civilization based on compassion, sustainability, justice, equality, participation, understanding, and peace.
We do need to be aware that the superrich are closing ranks. They know climate chaos is real and are preparing for a world in turmoil. Thus, they intend to rule through fascist plutocracy with allies among the rich, racists, and religious fundamentalists. It is time for We the People to rise up in nonviolent solidarity and compassionate actions.
I am writing to you today to ask that you do everything in your power as an individual, family, community, organization, and network to seize the day and turn the ship of life toward compassion and ecological regeneration. Let us each henceforth vow to use our life in this holy endeavor.
The true purpose of humans as part of planet Earth is not to become rich, powerful, famous, and drunk on endless pleasure, but to be wise, kind, generous, and creative, and to relieve the suffering of all beings everywhere.
May we care for our body-mind, and for our neighbors, family, friends, the vulnerable, and water, air, soil, plants, and animals - community by community, ecosystem by ecosystem, and moment by moment.
May we practice mindfulness of interbeing and impermanence and take compassionate actions, moment by moment.
May each being realize peace and happiness.
May it be so,
R.
Note: The photo at the top of this letter is from the nonprofit organization Creating Caring Communities.