THE FUTURE IS NOW

“The things that will destroy us are:

politics without principles;

pleasure without conscience;

wealth without work;

knowledge without character;

Unethical business;

dedication without compromise.”

MAHATMA GANDHI

The future is not inevitable, it is inventable. What is to come will be, mostly, what we sow today. Therefore, resignation is a bad companion for a journey through roads that lie ahead if they are to have the necessary dose of humanity and respect for the life that has been given to us is worthwhile.

More people get up every morning and feel in bewilderment that the reality of this world we live in is showing clear signs of disease. This crisis is not only economic, it is also institutional, about policies, trust, values, conscience.

Socially and politically and economically, we see too many issues that require a solution that fails every time: from a better redistribution of wealth to the end of tax havens; a greater care of the ecological health of planet to a sober awareness to avoid consumerism slavery and its consequences; from statesmen to think more about the future of the citizens than of the next elections to justice acting as such and that too often prevent the law to protect immorality. Many things, too many, seem not to work, or completely do the opposite of what common sense, generosity and kindness in the proceeding dictate.

Over fifty years ago Erich Fromm asked “is it necessary to produce sick people to have a healthy economy?”. The question was a warning, but unfortunately falls short today. Nowadays, we should rephrase that question adding much more depth, “is it necessary to produce sick people to have a sick economy?”.

What’s going on? Do financial elites act with impunity for their own benefit, backed by political class and supported by the Media? Are sustainable those levels of youth unemployment close to 50% in some European countries? Is the political class working as a corporation that does not count on skeptical voters, and media power with its own interests? Is the apparent material and superficial development killing what makes sense for a person and muddies up the society and the environment? Why the vast majority of the media inundate us every day with messages that feed fear, anguish and despair without putting any focus on the good people who make this Earth keeping it up daily?

The solution is about culture, education and more direct democracy supported by objective information and transparency, which we call accountability of public bodies, required by a society increasingly alert and a technologically active and spirited young people who are not going to settle for poor lifestyle offered by the current system which in fact, just offers them to build their future on a speculative and unsupportive economy that encourages and rewards scam, scammer and corruption.

The challenge is no light, and the future that we are able to create among all is the inevitable consequence of the human quality that we are able to build with the next generation: education, culture, quality, solidarity, ecology, sustainability, dialogue, participation, interaction, awareness, among others will be inevitable concepts in the days to come if we are to survive as a species. Values to build value. Summoning them up is not just an aesthetic exercise, it is a moral imperative for the Earth that welcomes us and to our children and future generations.

As lucidly Gandhi raised it in the opening sentence of this text, more than a century ago. The ingredients are the same, always: principles, awareness, work ethic, character and commitment are the solution.

Because today, the key question is no longer what world will we leave to our children?, but also what children will we leave in this world?

I wish you a beautiful week.

Álex

P. S. Along with this reflection, I post a video by my friends on whatonline.org where you can experience different points of view on the future. I strongly recommend the interviews that this non-profit organization offer on their website whatonline.org . It is well worth taking time to visit it.

[More related ideas in “That Life You Deserve”.]