I ended last week's post with the question, “But what then?” To that end…

I believe we are not only closing the knowledge gap between us and the powerful, but many of us have come to realize that the gap was not much of a gap to begin with. I believe those of us who have come to this realization are naturally paying more attention. Instead of “What then?” I believe it is past time to ask, “What now?” We must advance this timetable in the active hope that past time is not too late.

So, what now?

How do we open the prison gates? Stop bickering? End intolerance? Embrace our individual strengths? Move past the past? Eliminate the ever-widening wealth gap? How do we save the world?

It appears to me that before we are able to work together to save the world we must first resolve at least some, maybe most, and perhaps all of the underlying issues…
…underlying issues as outlined above and last week.
…other underlying issues that I have overlooked and/or neglected to address.
…any underlying issues that divide and/or maintain hostility and/or fortify resistance.

Below are some ideas to address some of these underlying issues.

A universal basic income has been suggested. But we struggle over how to fund such a sweeping initiative.

• The concept of reparations is still being discussed.
• Education.
• Perhaps an expedited, widespread, focused education on argumentation that differentiates political rhetoric from fact and politicians from experts would help us to move forward more efficiently.
• And perhaps some additional expedited, widespread, focused education on the unbiased reality of Western European and American history would help us to attribute context and see things as they are.

Of course without the understanding that could come from selective focused education we will be unable to progress to sweeping change or even consider doling out long overdue justice.

Thus, without a large majority of individuals willing (and eager) to understand facts and reality as opposed to relying on tradition and believing rhetoric and myth, we will be unable to save the world.

I am discouraged. It appears that to save the world, (which by the way includes us – Humanity), we need to wait for tradition and rhetoric and myth to die off. But I am afraid, (truly afraid), that by then it will be beyond too late. We are a species. Humanity has killed off 200 species; today. Instead of an attritional background rate of 6 per month, we are responsible for killing off 6,000 species per month. Tradition and myth embrace reckoning. As a species Humanity’s day of reckoning is coming. Wouldn't it be preferable to kill off tradition and myth, and save Humanity?

We cannot wait for the old guard to die off unless we are willing to die off with them. It is past time to bring down the powerful and to subvert the status quo.

I am back where I began. What now? If the answer is to be rid of the old guard, how exactly do we pull the plug on tradition and myth?

It would be difficult to outlaw rhetoric.

It would be impossible to outlaw fear.

It would be, (it is), contentious to legislate specific learning.

It is difficult to trust someone who is not afraid to say “I don't know.”

It requires little to no effort to trust someone who says “I have all the answers; follow me.”

It is impossible for one individual, (or even for one faction driven even in part by belief, creed or opinion), to have all the answers.

It is a fact that any individual who claims (or gives the impression) that they have all or most of the answers, is a liar. (The same is true of a faction connected by common belief, creed or opinion.)

It is difficult for a liar to backtrack or admit mistakes.

So in the face of these overwhelming and divisive constraints, again, how exactly do we pull the plug on tradition and myth?

Perhaps we need to attack it directly. I go back to the earlier question:

Wouldn't it be preferable to kill off tradition and myth, and save Humanity?

If presented as a choice:

• Tradition and Myth, or
• Life

I realize that the old guard would continue to fight for tradition and myth but if we simplify,

Tradition and Myth must die or Humanity (as a Species) WILL die,

Perhaps more fence-sitters and bystanders and comfort-zoners would become more attentive and more actively hopeful.

And then perhaps as a second wave attack, supporting the initial full-frontal assault, we could go after rhetoric:

1. Rhetoric will be the Death of Humanity.
2. Those who advance the purposes of rhetoric will be the Death of Humanity.
3. Politicians will be the Death of Humanity.

Synonyms for rhetoric include:

• Hyperbole
• Bombast
• Balderdash
• Grandiloquence
• Magniloquence
• Pomposity
• Rant
• Verbosity
• Big Talk
• Hot Air

Rhetoric supporting Tradition perpetuating Myth defining Humanity will result in the Death of our species.

When we discount rhetoric we weaken tradition.

When we weaken tradition we muzzle myth.

When we muzzle myth we redefine Humanity.

If we redefine Humanity according to reality, we postpone Death.

And isn't that the point?

Choose!

1. Rhetoric, or
2. Facts.

Choose!

1. Experts, or
2. Politicians.

Choose!

1. Tradition and Myth, or
2. Humanity.

Choose!

1. The Future, or
2. The Past.

Choose!

1. Extinction, or
2. Survival.

Choose!

1. Life, or
2. Death.

I Choose Humanity.

I Choose Life.

Isn't that the point?