World’s Goal

Who speaks for the world? Or rather the world community? Anyone?

Well yes, I think the United Nations speaks for the world in one sense. That organization works to support the aspirations of all peoples on the face of the globe. Those people cannot live lives of purposefulness or pleasantness with fear of being subjugated by other people. So peace is one goal the UN struggles with.

Marauding tribes in one nation attacks the villages of another nation. Why they do this is maybe cultural; perhaps resource envy or lack of their own resources. People seek food, shelter, clothing, and other things like most people; they gather into families and villages; they learn to work together to create comity. Others without these same things eye those that do. Tensions may arise between the two groups but most such encounters are positive and charitable. People share good things with others. They act with hospitality toward the other, the stranger. They welcome the stranger into their homes and inner circles. They seek friendship and a basis for bonding.

That bonding is what builds peace among strangers and among nations. Why then do we still have war? Marauding? Piracy on the high seas? Crime?

Is the perpetrator of such behavior in need of life’s basics and doesn’t know how to ask for it and accept such bounty with gratefulness? Or does the perpetrator think he is owed these riches? And why might he feel that way?

Some answers of course are greed, power, and wealth. So how does the world community treat such a person or nation?

Most of the time we reach out to them and provide them with aid – food, medical assistance, funds, education, and a helping hand to build their infrastructure and commerce. Such aid is designed to provide self sustainable behavior long into the future.

Does this work? Yes it does, but only in some countries. In those that are unsuccessful, most likely the aid has been diverted to the hands of a few. Those few become wealthy and powerful. They use their power and wealth to get even more. They are the greedy ones. The rest of the nation continues to suffer. Think Afghanistan. This has been their history for hundreds of years. Yet the world continues to arrive at their door and provide aid.

The African Continent is another example. Many successes there with foreign aid, but many examples of misspent assistance and continuing struggles, poverty and war among nations. Somalia is an example. And many, many others.

The United Nations has its hand full of such matters. But they continue to pursue peace in those outposts of life; and they pursue peace among the large nations as well. The unsteady peace of the globe is endangered by attitudes, slights, and petty arguments of the giant nations. Giant because they are armed to the teeth with fierce weapons of mighty destruction. The very presence of such armaments are the tools of influence and force.

Rattling the weapons from time to time reminds people of the nation’s great ‘strength’. Skirmishes are created from such actions. Play acting, mostly; but occasionally a hot contained war arises. Think Crimea and Ukraine, here. For what purpose are these skirmishes waged? And the consequences of such? Any? Did the world react other than with language?

The world community is capable of much good. This includes hospitality and welcome. It also includes comity and quality of life.

The opposite is annihilation. Total destruction and death.

Such consequences are unimaginable. Yet we continue to play a dangerous game of chicken. When might an unstable leader of a giant nation misstep and cause such consequence? Or a pretender like North Korea?

In our current condition, this could happen at any moment. Is this what we want?

If the answer is no, then what should we do about it? And why haven’t we done something before now? When do we figure this out and take appropriate action?

May 23, 2017