"What 'should' we be worried about?" This is the Annual Question for 2013 on edge.org. Since I have read the question, I have been worried about the question. And then as I have read multiple responses to the question, I have been worried about multiple issues. It is clear that we have many viable candidates for worry, but to say we should worry about 'everything' would (while potentially true) be counterproductive.

So ... I would like to approach the question by defining 'worry' in two different ways - from an individual perspective, and from a group perspective.

From an individual perspective I would define 'worry' as (simply) concern, because I believe it also to be counterproductive (on an individual basis) to truly worry. Then I would respond (to the question) that we (as individuals) 'should' be worried about 'the moment'.

I have said it numerous times (most recently last week) that having learned from the past, one should live in the moment, for the future. The moment is all we have because it is here - now ... and now it is gone ... but now we have a new moment ... And on ... And on ... And on ... If we choose the BEST action or behavior for any given moment that reflects personal, deeply-felt values translated into goals, we are showing care and concern (worry) for the moment. I believe these moment-to-moment goals should be smaller, incremental goals that contribute to exoteric goodness and/or inner peace thereby leading us closer to Truth, Wisdom, and ultimately Happiness. But from there it is up to the individual to identify personal goals that will lead one towards Happiness.

To elaborate: In the everyday lower-case sense of happiness (i.e. cheerfulness or satisfaction) I would not describe myself as a happy person, though I do prescribe to the notion of social happathy as defined in that previous post. In the more esoteric upper-case sense of Happiness (i.e. searching for Truth and Wisdom) I agree with Aristotle who maintained that Happiness cannot be judged until one's Life is over. In either case (upper or lower), 'the moment' is all we have in which to advance an agenda. And to advance an agenda, one must first have an agenda. And once that vision is in place, one must know to adapt that agenda in any given moment, based on what happened in the previous moment; (learning from the past, for the future). And, I will say again, that I believe the agenda/vision must involve one's search for Truth, Wisdom, and Happiness via exoteric goodness and inner peace.

From a group perspective, I would define 'worry' as a cause of uneasiness or anxiety for the future. I believe worry in this sense will help us (whatever the group may be) to identify problems and focus on resolution. I strongly believe that before we can tackle group/cultural/national/global worries a majority of the group's individuals must first master 'the moment'; and (at least from my experience) I don't believe we are there. With this in mind, my response (to the question) from a larger group perspective is - we 'should' be worried about our sociocultural sense of entitlement and the resulting lack of compassion.

Yes, I am talking about narcissism, but on a deeper level I am talking about that self-righteous sense of entitlement that is encouraged and perpetuated by mass media, bureaucracy, large government, organizational politics, and organized dogmatism. And yes, many of these already-disfigured social or cultural evils recklessly overlap, and become even more mangled by crashing into and bleeding all over each other and many innocent bystanders.

And to resolve this worry? - I believe we must start with education by helping young people to learn 'how' to think instead of teaching them 'what' to think. It is a daunting task that may take multiple generations to accomplish and will require a drastic shift in perspective from 'the importance of me' to 'independent questioning (of everything) using reason and logic'. But once we reach that point, imagine the possibilities.

There are some cultures that have begun this process, and that alone (not only from a sense of nationalism) is a potential worry as pointed out by other responses to this question. Comparatively, I am an uneducated blogger and I have no clue as to how one qualifies for submission to edge.org, nor do I know if there is room for a layman's perspective on what we 'should' be worried about. But I do strongly believe that as a whole we cannot resolve many of the worries of the world without first laying a strong foundation based on the thoughts presented above.

I am likely to remain a lonely voice in the wilderness, but looking around I find an increasing number of lonely voices also calling for simplified reason and logic. I am encouraged.