At any point in time, we can look back in our history and see the folly. Our misdirection and even, at some points, our collective stupidity! In all history: our country’s, our cities, our family’s, or within ourselves.
Even looking back onto it all from our newly arriving future, the next millennium, we would see ourselves as largely individualistic, wasteful, and occasionally barbaric. Some of our medicine and psychological methods would also be see seen as more harmful than necessary. Why should history not repeat? We always progress. The question is, “To what purpose?”. The purpose is central to any functioning system; or as it lacks the system will fail. It seems we have reached such a critical mass to this “purpose” question in our collection of societies.
Perspectives to purpose are useful. They guide our hands. And to what purpose do we now guide them? Toward what future of certainty so not to repeat faded mistakes. On what values do we “capitalize” in our future?
As we draw lines of value, we learn to hate with them. In contracts, in social context and in life. As the line is pecuniary, ethnic, religious, sexual, or otherwise. So, where we place those lines, relative to purpose, are critical to endure against our folly. The lines in our society encourage hatred. Too many lines!
Considering a standard commercial contract. A deal is done and handshakes (or air bumps) finalize the contract. All written terms are met. But there was a problem. One party unintentionally displayed an arrogance or other similar offence to the other party. A slight and possibly meaningless offence to good form but nothing in writing to breach. Over time, this mild offence can grow and often does. It is the collection of the “effects” of these fundamental offences that undermine and burden our contractual adjudication systems around the world. A force in pecuniary gravity rarely acknowledged or understood in an offence of contract.
In a social context, lines of white, black, man, woman, gay, straight, etc., similarly confuse our social value contracts in offences. We judge and place each in a category; knowingly and unknowingly. How not to? The lines are everywhere and misplaced to value of purpose. We think to use these lines to keep track and grow, but the reverse is eventually caused. In social contracts, i.e. friendships, siblingships, marriages, etc., the environment can be volatile; even hostile. Certainly not to the degree that can be displayed between countries; although occasionally bordering. It is about what we grow to “expect” in our own mind from a white, black, woman, man, gay, straight, rich, poor, friendly, reserved, etc. because of the lines, the accounting, the governance, the metrics.
In life, what else is there but the lines of laws and spaces between them. To where do we walk, and to where not to dare? Where else is there to navigate among other than the laws and lines that we draw in our world, our homes and in our hearts? The offences within which we all have learned to bare. Even to inflict without regard, with ease.
Our purpose is better served to realign value in lines, laws, and life. The underpinning of value that we place on our global productivity, on ourselves, on each other. To explore our individual and collective need to be useful, meaningful, and worthy, and how redrawing the lines of our world can inspire greater human achievement toward a more peaceful and purposeful future for us all. Let’s careful some new lines in the sand.
