Act without Any Certainty
As we work to get out the vote for 6 November, march for climate justice, call our representatives, and much more, perhaps these words from A Compassionate Civilization (pages 197-8) will help a bit.
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Concerning the future of life on Earth, I am both very hopeful and deeply concerned. I am hopeful because I believe that we human beings can indeed wake up and create a compassionate civilization. I am concerned because this is in no way guaranteed, and there are many powerful forces opposing such a transformation.
On the side of hope, we have human nature itself, which is fundamentally good, empathic, and caring. We have a trajectory of history that is toward increased democratic governance, human rights, environmental awareness and protection, gender equality, economic and social justice, and cultural tolerance. We have around the world many individuals of goodwill and their organizations and networks that are working tirelessly to make a better world based on values of sustainability, justice, equality, participation, and understanding.
On the side of concern, we have the powerful negative emotions that plague us human beings—fear, anger, hatred, pride, greed, and ignorance. We have vested economic interests that are fighting to protect and promote wealth based on fossil fuels, armaments, and toxic investments. We have people who are consumed by sexism, racism, and homophobia. We have private citizens who have heavily armed themselves. We have people who do not believe in science and are controlled by beliefs of religious fundamentalism.
How will all of this play out over the next ten years, hundred years, thousand years? It is not at all certain. It behooves each of us to do everything in our power to bend the arc of history toward sustainable human development, toward a compassionate civilization. We need to be ready to take radical action to defend the weak and create a better future for all life on Earth.
It is my sincere belief, without any certainty whatsoever, that light will prevail over darkness, good over evil, reason over fear, freedom over slavery, and life over death. In this noble endeavor, our most cherished tools are truth, kindness, understanding, nonviolence, solidarity, vision, strength, and courage. As we continue on the journey, let us do so with open eyes and a joyous heart.