Most of the problems currently confronting our society are, in my judgment, a consequence of a sleeping (or at the very least, distracted) citizenry. The growing economic inequality, the crumbling of our physical infrastructure, the deplorable state of our access to an affordable health care system, the degree to which money (and those who have it) can influence social and political decisions, the cost of access to education, the number of our citizens who are incarcerated in prisons, the obesity of our fellow citizens, the ongoing reliance on dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, the epidemic of reliance on mind altering substances, and on, and on, and on, are all manifestations of choices we have made together. Like it or not, in a nominally Democratic society, what we see is what we have chosen.
I hold the opinion (supported by a wide array of scientific data from fields as diverse as neurobiology, psychology, anthropology, sociology, and biochemistry) that the “normal” human being would not intentionally choose to allow the consequences of the above problems to exist. It is against our basic nature to watch a fellow human suffer without making some attempt to alleviate that suffering. While the scientific understanding of ALL of the mechanisms involved may remain incomplete, it is largely accepted that we truly do “feel” a physical sense of discomfort when in the proximity of others in pain. On a deep inner level we FEEL our connection with one another.
And yet we HAVE chosen to allow our broader community to devolve into a state where fear and distress and suffering are the norm. There are many eloquent writers and speakers who have shared their considerable study (and consequent wisdom) about HOW and WHY we have chosen to allow our society to come to this point. Many express the opinion that we have allowed ourselves to be hypnotized. Like small furry creatures immobilized by the weavings and mesmerizing dance of the cobra, we have ceased to think for ourselves. We choose to purchase and consume food that is bad for us, we have elected politicians who increase OUR taxes, while giving away the farm to people who already have more money than they will ever be able to spend, we have been lead into war under false pretexts. The single most important step we can make towards rectifying the problems we face is to become awake to the realities of those problems. And having become awake, to realize that we HAVE THE FREEDOM TO MAKE DIFFERENT CHOICES. If the critter can look away from the snake, it will see the hole into which it can scurry.
Project AWARE is about helping our youth see that there IS a choice. And the the selection of a particular option has consequences. And that those consequences in turn, offer more choices. The POSITIVE, life and happiness affirming choices which are available to us are almost endless. We need not be trapped into thinking that our only option is to say “NO” to things we do not like. We can actively engage with one another to find GREAT options for solving our puzzles. I believe that if we were all truly AWARE, we would reliably make choices which would support one another in creating a society which worked for ALL of our members, not merely the rich or powerful.
Please join with us by becoming AWARE… This is not just about supporting our youth, it is about learning a new way of social interaction alongside of our youth. This is about learning together.
Submitted by Bill Creighton, Project AWARE Board Member