That Would Be All Of Us
We have a few necessities in maintaining life: air, water, food at the top of the list. Just below those is the need for human connection.
I penned a piece titled “On Regulations and Independence” some time ago; the focus was on green building, but the larger context was that independence is, well, a myth. Virtually nothing we do is without the help of outside players, whether human or the gifts of the natural world, and it’s those relationships that define our existence. In the context of human interaction, that need for connection with other human beings manifests in a multitude of activities, from churches to gangs and everything in between. The theme of a particular group, whatever the motivation, seems secondary to the desire to belong, to share the experience with other human beings. On the positive side, an obvious side benefit is the strength in numbers, affecting change and visibility commensurate with the number of participants. Positive, that is, if improvement to the status quo is the goal. On the negative, the direction of a group manipulated by darker forces can certainly go off the rails.
Human relationship with the planet has been, to put it kindly, checkered. Cultures still exist today — in rapidly dwindling numbers — that honor the planet as the life-sustaining resource that it is, but I think it’s fair to say that the rest of the earth’s dwellers are less engaged, with exceptions scattered among us. The “developed world” has painted itself into a corner with dependence on fossil fuels that power our existence; in less than a generation, it has buried us in plastic. Unintended consequences of the latest breakthrough have a tendency to rear their ugly heads at the most inconvenient times, powered by overly enthusiastic homo sapiens. LA traffic, ocean pollution, dying coral reefs, and pesticides come to mind. Oh, and a warming planet. The remedies — and there are many — are available. The best time to engage them was centuries ago; the next best time is now.
Life is, in fact, all about relationships that affect our daily lives and our very existence. When a disaster happens, it seldom matters what tribe you belong to. The daily news is overly saturated with personal, local, and widespread disasters, but what is less reported is the response of fellow humans to help those affected. The response is immediate, an innate reaction to the suffering of others (there are examples of the same dynamic in other parts of the animal world). This human tendency is being tested regularly, directly related to the effects of climate change, already manifesting in wildfires, hurricanes, floods, droughts, and displaced humans (read: immigrants). These selfless actions may be short-lived, but they show a side of the human condition that is universal, and should be celebrated. Perhaps tapping our fundamental desire for connection is grounds for hope.
Today is the day before Election Day 2024, a day on which most voting-age inhabitants of a democratic society have the privilege — the obligation — to participate in the direction and defining character of our nation. The collective tally of each individual vote will impact us all as citizens; it will impact the environment that sustains us; and its impact will be global.
Everything is connected.