From the dawn of humanity until about 1960, humans lived in their own microcosm. Everything was physical, and all interactions, learnings, experiences and world views were imparted from those in their immediate proximity.  (Parents, teachers, friends, acquaintances and a hand full of people in the tribe, village or town).  Concerns would include making friends, the next crop, ability to put food on the table and perhaps who would become the next leader of the clan/tribe/village.  Many wouldn’t even know what was beyond the horizon and would never have left the village or county.

From 1960 to today, our lives have changed beyond recognition and perhaps even our own comprehension.  Globalisation, cheap air travel, the internet, social media and AI have all contributed to our physical worlds shrinking.  In some instances, our lives have shrunk from a city to our dwelling. Our collection of physical friends and acquaintances have diminished to as little as zero in some instances.

Not long ago, we would have been talking to a neighbour that we have known since birth while looking over a pasture that hasn’t changed since the village was established.  

We have now been launched into orbit and lost sight of our cities (only the outlines of our countries are still visible).  We have gone from the world of microscopic to macroscopic in an instant of evolutionary time (0.02%).

No longer are the faces and problems of our neighbours known to us, no, we are now focused on people on the other side of the world.  Almost instantly and without effort, we have become Gods.  There is no moral judgement beyond our comprehension, no economic situation we don’t understand, no cultural dimensions we haven’t encountered and no situation we don’t feel totally justified passing judgement on.  

As Gods, we judge, and ensure that everyone abides by our “all mighty” acumen.  Not only are we Gods but we are Gods of wrath, and we rain down our hate and intolerance on all until everyone submits to our will. “Woe be” to individuals who don’t comply with our wishes or who dare to disagree.

Rather than Gods, are we not like Icarus, who become overly ambitious, overreached himself, trying to reach for something unattainable or unachievable.  Do we not risk Icarus’s fate. Are we not flying too high and too close to the sun?  The wax on Icarus’s wings melted, and he came crashing down, drowning in the Icarian Sea.  Is it not time for us to descend from on high and to adopt and interact with a microcosm again.

Could we not attend to our own problems and leave everyone else to do the same. Wouldn’t it suffice if we all agreed to, "acting upwards", to taking ownership of our lives, striving for improvement, contributing positively to the world around us. Our actions being guided by a proven set of values. For example the  Traditional Western values of redemption, forgiveness, patience, tolerance, kindness, humility, desire to seek for truth, courage, selflessness and the freedom to express truth.

In recent times, these noble attributes have been replaced with intolerance, narcissism, entitlement, irrationality, a lack of courage, a desire to control or destroy anyone who dares to disagree. This is the textbook definition of tyranny.

THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY