The Delusional State of Mind

Rigid Ideological constructs, unwavering true belief, religious fanaticism reinforce and sustain a delusional state of mind and being.

By its nature, a delusional mindset denies the efficacy of reality, obfuscates the truth, and encourages lies and misinformation.  These lies are used to support preconceived belief systems.  An example of this from an extremist religious perspective would be proclaiming climate change to be a hoax, because God would never allow the bleak scenarios described by climatologists to materialize as a result of inaction.

In such a delusional realm, real problems that impact the larger society are denied or ignored and thereby left unattended.  This state of inaction has profoundly serious implications in regard to the larger society for when real problems are allowed to fester, they can only worsen.  The future prospects for humanity are dependent upon choices that are made in the present – this is the nature of reality.

Within contemporary American culture there are numerous examples of serious social issues that remain extant on account of the lack of resolve to find reasoned and effective solutions.  These include: alarming numbers of children without adequate nutrition for development and growth, the enormous burden placed upon the large proportion of individuals and families living in poverty, a woefully inadequate healthcare system, millions of individuals suffering homelessness and living on the margins, a primitive and nearly barbaric prison system that excels at punishment at the expense of compassion and caring.

This failure to act is encouraged and sustained by the vanishingly small population of individuals that control most of wealth and wield an overwhelming proportion of power.  If this dynamic continues into the future, the reality of the consequences of such inaction will ultimately prevail.

Welcome to America 2025

Welcome to America 2025

Reality is the bedrock of existence.  An unwavering acceptance of the current reality of the human condition is an essential component of any viable social order.  The willingness of humanity to acknowledge the problems it faces and a determination to effectively deal with them is a measure of the longevity of any human society.   This commitment requires the ability to acquire, accept and evaluate real data.  When delusional thinking undermines an acceptance of these data, it threatens the viability of the State.

The multiplicity of problems that beset everyday life in America clearly underscores the degree to which these problems are being ignored.  What worsens this situation considerably, Is the fact that the data that establishes the severity of these issues is being purposefully suppressed, and supplanted by false propaganda, lies and egregious misinformation.

The following is an outline of some of the fundamental issues that a substantial percentage of the American population endure on a daily basis:

·         Wealth Inequality

Foremost of these is the extent of income and wealth inequality that is evident throughout the country.  Depending on the source of the information, there are between 900 and 1100 billionaires in the United States.  These individuals have a combined net worth of 6.8 trillion dollars.  The top 1% of the nation’s households possesses 31% of the wealth of the entire nation.  Furthermore, the total wealth possessed by 10% of the population is equivalent to 70% of the entire wealth of the nation leaving the remaining population – 306 million – with the 30% of the wealth that remains.  These numbers do not take into account the enormous wealth that is being sequestered in so-called illegal offshore tax havens – estimated to amount to between 11 and 32 trillion dollars.  This enormous wealth inequality readily explains the lack of public resources available to effectively deal with the nagging issues faced by the vast majority of the citizens of the United States, and the undue influence of the wealthy in regard to the shaping of public policy.

   Access to Adequate and Affordable Health Care

Among high-income nations, the U.S. lies at the bottom in regard to adequate medical coverage and 15th in the world in terms of the number of individuals per capita having no medical coverage.  As of 2022, 43% of working age adults were inadequately insured.  

According to recent data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the percentage of individuals with no health insurance in 2024 was 8.2 or 27.2 million individuals.  However, without the extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium in regard to available tax credits that are set to expire by the end of the year, the number of uninsured is expected to increase by 4.8 million individuals.

         Poverty

What is the extent of poverty in the US in 2025?  Although the statistics may vary somewhat, depending upon the source of these statistics, the data clearly shows that poverty is a significant issue that reflects upon the quality of life for tens of millions of individuals in the United States

In 2025, the poverty threshold as established by the federal government for a single person is an annual income of $15,650, and for a family of four, it is $32,150.  These numbers when compared with the actual cost of living experienced by most Americans clearly shows that those individuals and families falling under these thresholds, face significant challenges in their daily lives.  The federally mandated minimum wage is $7.25 per hour is below the threshold for poverty.  This reality becomes more foreboding given the fact that Nearly 23 million people live in households that pay more than 50% of their income toward rent, an all-time high.  In addition, 63% of workers polled claim that they would not be able to cover the cost of emergency expenditure that exceeded $500 demonstrating how low the savings rate is among ordinary Americans. 

If poverty is defined as the state of being in which the ordinary needs such as adequate nutrition, shelter, access to adequate health care and safety required for survival cannot be met, all these data strongly demonstrate that the percentage of individuals and families who live in poverty is significantly underestimated, and the reality of poverty is far more pervasive than believed.

The income figures cited above are used to determine eligibility for various government assistance programs, though some analyses suggest they may not reflect a complete picture of economic security.  Recent reports demonstrate that a significant portion of the population experiences economic hardship, and while the national official poverty rate was about 11.1% (38.6 million) in 2024, some groups like seniors face higher poverty rates, and affordability issues are a major concern for many families regardless of income level.  

          Inadequate Nutrition

Given the current political climate in 2025, there has been an alarming increase in the number of individuals and families that struggle daily to have access to enough nutritional foods to maintain and sustain good health.

In 2023, 13.5% of U.S. households, or about 47.4 million people, experienced food insecurity, meaning they lacked consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life.  This represents a significant increase from the previous year.  Children represent a particularly vulnerable population.  The data shows that 13.8 million children lived in so-called “food-insecure” households, and that 1 in 5 children are at a risk of hunger.  If this problem is allowed to persist, it projects an adult population in the future where 20% would have grown up malnourished during a key developmental period for growing children.  Lastly, 5.1% of the population endured severe food insecurity where they skipped meals and needed to reduce nutritional food intake.  

Food insecurity is driven by factors like low income, the high cost of living, especially in regard to housing, and other systemic issues.  In addition, Black and Latino communities are disproportionately impacted.  The Southern states are also adversely affected in this regard.

         Inequity Within the Nation’s Prison System

According to the data gathered by the Prison Policy Initiative regarding the entire prison population in the U.S.,  “These systems hold nearly 2 million people in 1,566 state prisons, 98 federal prisons, 3,116 local jails, 1,277 juvenile correctional facilities, 133 immigration detention facilities, and 80 Indian country jails, as well as in military prisons, civil commitment centers, state psychiatric hospitals, and prisons in the U.S. territories — at a system-wide cost of at least $182 billion each year.” 

Currently, the U.S. is the 5th highest in the world in the number of individuals imprisoned per capita – (~585/100,000).   In U.S. prisons, 31% are White whereas Blacks constitute 32% of the prison population – Blacks are, therefore, incarcerated at 5 times the rate as compared to Whites, since Whites constitute 61.6% of the population whereas Blacks constitute only 12.4%.  In addition, those in prison are predominantly poor.  Inmates in U.S. prisons overwhelmingly come from disadvantaged economic backgrounds, earning substantially less prior to incarceration than those not in prison.  Poverty is a strong predictor of incarceration.  A closer look at these data as described in reports from organizations like the Prison Policy Initiative and the Brookings Institution is shown below:

·         “Median Pre-Incarceration Income: Incarcerated individuals (ages 27-42) had significantly lower median annual incomes prior to incarceration ($19,650 for men and $13,890 for women in 2014 dollars) compared to non-incarcerated people in the same age group ($41,250 for men and $23,745 for women).

·         “Employment Rates: Three years before incarceration, only 49% of prime-age men were employed, with a median earning of $6,250.

·         “Poverty Concentration: Incarcerated individuals are concentrated at the lowest income levels, with the median incarcerated man earning only 48% of the median non-incarcerated man's pre-incarceration income.

·         “Childhood Poverty Link: Growing up in poverty is strongly linked to incarceration; boys from the bottom 10% of the income distribution are 20 times more likely to be in prison in their early 30s than those from the wealthiest families.

·         “Post-Release Outcomes: Economic difficulties persist after release, with only 55% of formerly incarcerated individuals reporting earnings in the first year and a high unemployment rate of around 27%.

·         “Incarceration Costs to Families: The economic burden on families is substantial, with 34% incurring debt from transportation and phone costs alone.”  

       Denial of the Existence of Climate Change

From the beginning of the Trump administration following the 2024 Presidential election, climate change was declared a hoax and, as a consequence, the U.S. unilaterally pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement that was set up in 2015 with the expressed goal of limiting greenhouse gas emissions.  This international agreement has 195 signatories.

Its goal is to limit the average global temperature increase to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as part of the larger framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

This decision to deny the real existence of climate change flies in the face of reason and the preponderance of scientific evidence that has clearly shown an unambiguous connection between quantity of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and its deleterious impact upon climate change.   This decision clearly highlights the corrupting relationship between American politics and politicians and the corporate institutions that have a financial stake (namely, oil and natural gas interests) in maintaining the current status quo.

This decision engages an anti-science sentiment that seems pervasive throughout the United States.  This is an unsettling trend that if it continues unabated will ultimately stymie human progress in the US and elsewhere.

 

In conclusion, the information as presented above demonstrates the severity of the issues that face this nation.  If these problems are unattended, they will collectively act as a serious impediment to the future progress of this nation.   For me, such a future would be unfortunate.  These seemingly endemic issues that produce a great deal of personal suffering for tens of millions of our citizens are all solvable if there is the collective will to do so.  In that light, all of the suffering endured by so many is completely avoidable.

Currently, the model for governing on the federal level seems to have embraced a laissez faire attitude embracing policies that clearly lack any concern, compassion or apparent motivation to deal with the serious issues that face so many of the nation’s citizens.  The current leader of all the people has proclaimed that he hates those who embrace the Democratic Party – that is probably more than half of the entire population.  This is an approach that throughout human history, usually signifies oligarchic and despotic regimes. 

However, such a form of government is not what one would expect in a country that sees itself as a representative democracy where all the people are duly and effectively represented; where serious issues are dealt with reasonably and effectively; where the security and well-being of everyone is considered, and where everyone is treated fairly and equitably.    

 

 

The End

 

Discovery

Eighty-one years from first breath

from first stirring of consciousness

another homo sapiens on this

fragile earth

dancing about its illustrious star.

 

Thrust into the chaos

blinding and inescapable

turmoil of human imperfection

into the horrific and deadly

human world burdened by

myopic vision

unsettling and inescapable dread

world at war

tens of millions slaughtered

for no good or sustainable reason.

 

The juggernaut of civilization

ten thousand year journey through time

little evidence of progress

peace and harmony ever elusive

urge towards darkness

pervasive and real.

 

Eighty-one years from first breath

through the many-faceted

stages of living

of growing

of learning

of joy and of pain

of love and despair

of ecstasy and sorrow

of elation and grief,

through times of enlightenment

through times of depression

caring for others,

caring for self.

 

Eighty-one years

a mere speck within the

vastness of time and space,

a miniscule and impermanent addition

to the magnificent arc of the cosmos

to the expansive universe.

 

Eighty-one years

a singular story

among a human family

over eight billion members

moving through the lifetime that is

decidedly my own.

 

I take full ownership of all of it

every detail

every miniscule aspect

every choice ever made

whether foolish or insightful

whether insignificant or life-changing

whether extravagant or mundane.

 

If there is a purpose

to this sojourn

in its incessant and relentless

path to discovery.

 

Eighty-one years from first breath

a quest to uncover

that indefinable

fundamental

indelible

remarkable

essence

of self

that fabric and construction

that is me.

Science - The Gateway to Reality

 

Science - the Gateway to Reality

It has been through science and the application of the scientific method that significant progress has been made in the human understanding of how the universe works i.e. obtaining a clearer knowledge of the nature of reality.

It has been through the discipline precision and thoroughness of scientific investigation that the once “mysterious” processes of life, the evolution of stars, formation of planets, the beginnings of and development of life on planet earth, the nature of inheritance, an understanding of how the human body functions, the etiology of disease in body and mind, the elucidation of the laws of physics and chemistry etc. have been thoroughly studied. Furthermore, the progress made in all these areas continues to grow.

These breakthroughs are the direct result of the collaborative efforts by many scientists throughout the world over many years of exhaustive study.  The resulting cumulative body of knowledge has helped elaborate and define the principles that underlie the many aspects of what we perceive as reality.

It is this understanding, that Has led to the many benefits that are taken for granted in modern life including extraordinary discoveries in the treatment of illness, space travel and the advances in communication and information retrieval and transfer.

It is through the scientific process that the complex interrelationships between all of life on earth i.e. ecology has and continues to be elucidated.  In a similar fashion scientific study and analysis has shown the nature and sources of human-caused degradation of the natural environment. As a result of a growing understanding of the fundamental drivers of climate and weather, climatologists have defined the underlying danger of the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Accepting, supporting and encouraging science and the scientists that apply its principles is an essential ingredient for the continued viability of the human species on planet earth, for without the unabated acceptance and support of science in its quest to uncover the nature of the universe around us human progress would ultimately come to a halt leaving humanity without the necessary tools for continued survival.

What criteria will ultimately define whether or not Homo sapiens will continue to exist into the distant future?

Introduction

From the comic perspective, there is no guarantee that the human species will survive well into the future.  The fact that humans are rational and self-conscious beings with the ability to make choices provides us all with the opportunity to establish universally accepted policies that would help define a more peaceful, harmonious and productive environment for not only ourselves but also for future generations.

 Currently in the year 2025 humanity is plagued by a magnitude of serious and foreboding problems.  Some of these include repeated and destructive acts of aggression between peoples of differing and disparate cultural, or religious, or ideological beliefs.  In spite of the fact that we live in a technologically enriched human environment, supposed racial differences remain a source of intense animosity and hatred.  Along with these kinds of conflicts are the much more ominous wars spawned by empire building and driven by hatred and the desire for conquest.  These kinds of issues have plagued human civilizations for thousands of years with no end in sight.

There is also the steady and inescapable evidence of the ongoing reality of the degradation and destabilization of the natural environment as a direct result of human activity, and the substantial peril of climate change that has the potential to undermine the very future of humanity in both the immediate and more distant future.

All of these factors are clearly understandable and recognizable through a process of reasoned and thorough analysis.  The historic record is clear and the long-term science-based projections regarding the impact of climate change are undeniable.

 

Discussion

Considering all these factors as outlined above, I have formulated a list of societal transformations in thinking that suggest a paradigm shift from the current state of human existence that would hopefully disrupt the seemingly endless cycles of violence and retribution and allow for a more peaceful and harmonious human world.

 

·         In this technological age in which the Internet has radically transformed the access and dispersal of information so that all kinds of data are transmitted and received nearly instantaneously, the boundary between that which is representative of the truth and lies and misinformation has grown indistinct.  It is therefore incumbent upon human societies to reject lies and misinformation disguised as truth and embrace and uphold an acceptance of the truth as embodied in science and other disciplines that base information upon trustworthy, reliable and insightful data.  A definitive emphasis on seeking what is true would advance progress in human affairs and provide for a clear recognition of real problems that need attention and require resolution.  The one very particular and immensely important example of this is that of the reality of climate change.  With this emphasis on the truth, effective leadership could be readily chosen to address the enormity of this issue over those who choose to minimize its importance to meet their own ends and promote hidden agendas.

 

·         A universal acceptance of the unavoidable reality that life on planet Earth is fragile – this remarkable planet that sustains us is, after all, suspended in a hostile cosmic environment and dependent upon a thin layer of atmosphere that provides life-giving oxygen and the myriad and complex ecological interrelationships that sustain all of life.  The continued sustenance and abundance of living organisms on earth requires a viable natural environment that is absolutely dependent upon the willingness and determination of humanity to protect it.  Since human activity over the recent past has seriously disturbed the delicate balance that sustains life, it has become imperative to implement universally accepted and ecologically sound policies to protect that atmosphere from the onslaught of poisons and other substances that imperil life on the planet and modify human behavior so that it becomes more congruent with long term survival of the living world.  At the heart of this attitude shift is an acceptance of the nature of reality and incorporation of the unmistakable role of science in uncovering the tangible aspects of the multi-faceted and  intertwined ecological relationships that maintain the living world. 

 

·         A universal acceptance of the reality that all people regardless of skin color, or cultural and ideological differences, or sexual orientation are all members of the same species, Homo sapiens, and are all deserving of the same level of respect, caring, compassion, and rights.  This recognition of the fact that all people are equal members of the human family would require the abandonment of cultural mythologies rooted in so-called racial differences and a universal acceptance that race is in fact an erroneous construct that has little congruence with reality.  Such an acceptance would ultimately undermine noxious and destructive policies that have such a myth as its operating principle – a system of belief that justifies untold wars of aggression and violence that ultimately creates an enormous burden of unnecessary suffering.

 

·         A universal acceptance of the value of the Commons.  The Commons refers to the sum total of those aspects of everyday life that are necessary to serve and maintain community life such as an adequate supply of good nutrition, drinkable water, clean air, access to adequate and dependable health care etc.   The current emphasis placed on the individual and individual rights has led to a distribution of economic resources in many societies that is skewed disproportionately towards those with considerable wealth.  This has led to a diminishment of the emphasis placed upon the pivotal importance of the Commons.  As a result, many communities find themselves bereft of the essential materials and services that are required to sustain and maintain the Commons.  The result of this imbalance has led to a great deal of unnecessary suffering and instability.   

 

·         Traditionally, public education has focused upon the necessity to transfer information in areas of learning that include such disciplines as language, mathematics, history, literature and science to young minds.   However, the predominance of the Internet as a near instantaneous provider of information of all kinds has diminished the value of this approach to some extent.  In the modern era, it is imperative that education has an additional focus - to introduce young minds to the nature of reality and to encourage attitudes that embrace the principles as outlined above.  In addition, public education should also introduce the young to the skills required to explore their own thinking and discipline their minds to understand their own motivations, potential, imagination, creativity and ultimately how to control their own behavior.   The development of such skills would be of unfathomable use in later life – opening up the possibility to use reason, intellect and sound judgment in analyzing and evaluating the immediate environment.

Conclusion

Admittedly, the details (as outlined above) of the paradigm shift suggest an enormous transformation and disruption in the ordinary lives of humans.  I am not proposing that these changes are achievable in their totality.  However, the clear and present danger of doing little or nothing to mitigate the eventuality of a major and catastrophic change in climate may provide sufficient motivation to address this overriding issue with creative and effective resolve.

In order to be effective, any agreed upon strategy to avoid the more serious and devastating aspects of climate change would necessitate a worldwide initiative(s).  If collective action were applied on a worldwide scale, such a unified approach would represent the first time any such action was ever attempted in the entire history of human civilization.

This would represent an enormous first step in approaching the paradigm shift as outlined above.  If this were to happen, the door would be flung open to the possibility of a truly peaceful and harmonious human world.

 

Questions

Since I do not look upon my point of view and perspective as any final word on this subject, I would like to end with the following series of questions –

·         Are you satisfied with the current state of humanity?

·         If not, what kind of scenarios do you envision for humanity in the near and distant future if nothing has changed?

·         If not, what kind of better world would you envision if humanity was to undergo a major transformation – how would it manifest itself?

·         And finally, what would you propose we do collectively to fulfill this dream?

Final Years

I have now entered the beginnings of my eighth decade. Time is relentless in its forward motion. Life is inherently fragile and finite – this is a fundamental reality of existence that impacts not only our rather miniscule existence but our home world, the earth, the sun whose solar furnace gives us sustenance and even the galaxy in which our star together with its planets represents a small part.

I have spent much of my adult life embroiled within the world of politics at some level. At this state of my existence, I find this kind of involvement entirely unproductive. I have grown terribly weary of the apparent inability or unwillingness of a significant portion of humanity to effectively incorporate reason, intellect, understanding, thoughtfulness, kindness, compassion and love into the conduct of their lives. As a result, humans seemed to be locked into a destructive and mindless pattern of ignorance, bigotry, hatred, aggression, violence and retribution that has haunted the entire history of human civilization.

There does not seem to be any reliable and persistent remedy for this uniquely human reality. I no longer have the wherewithal to maintain this involvement with what seems like an insolvable problem. It is for the coming generations to apply their collective energy to the problems we face.

My fundamental goal for my remaining years - as long as the health of body and mind will sustain me - is to keep my essential sanity intact in this human world with its penchant for chaos and upheaval. To do this, I need to persist in my determination to avoid delusional states of being; keep my eyes wide-open; continue to appreciate the inherent beauty of existence, embrace the powerful dimension of love and contribute in whatever way possible to a better world for those who follow me in this dance of the generations.

Another Dimension to Life

 

Although it is true that the practical aspects of living, as embodied in economics, politics, human relations etc. require my attention, I am a sentient being endowed with the remarkable gift of self-consciousness. To me, my life is precious as well as the lives of all others around me including immediate friends and family. I am but a singular member of the entire human family and of all things living that adorn this most magnificent planet. I am by nature an ephemeral creature with a limited lifespan. As such, I have limited capabilities and in I am, in fact, control of very little.

My conscious mind allows me to take in the many wonders of this most amazing universe, most of which transcend nearly everything that is perceived as important within the scope of human vision. I have an innate capacity to examine my surroundings and attempt to make sense of all that I take in - to appreciate the essence of the air that I breathe and that sustains me, for example. I try to pay homage to the sheer magnificence and scope of the cosmos that envelops existence. I can purposefully focus on love that is the necessary ingredient in all sustainable human endeavor and defines our humanity. I can choose not to be transfixed or be subsumed by those aspects of human life that bear little resemblance to the real nature of existence.

I can use my conscious mind to be attentive to whatever any new day may bring and open my myself to the extraordinary variability of light and shadows that dances before me; to be aware of the depth and range of color, tone and texture; to truly listen to others when they speak and make every attempt to communicate a true aspect of myself; to embrace the precious moments I may have with care and appreciation.

There is a world of possibilities that beckons me. This world encompasses both the real and the imagined; the possible and the improbable; a future of harmony and peace; a future of chaos and disbelief. I do know that the universe that dances within the terrain of my inner-self is populated by wonder, and by a deeply held hunger for understanding the nature of things. My inner self is occupied by creativity, by art, by writing and the natural beauty of existence and the power of love.

The Upcoming Presidential Election – November 5, 2024

I must proclaim at the outset that this election cycle has been the most bizarre, surreal, unsettling and disturbing environment for a national Presidential election that I have ever experienced. I never would have imagined the current political, social and cultural milieu that we are in as a people and nation when I first was eligible to vote.

It has taken on a distinctly Orwellian character where lie becomes truth and truth lie. Where misinformation and purposeful misdirection has become the norm. Where one candidate Donald Trump, in particular, is seemingly incapable of even a glimmer of personal integrity – devoid of any recognizable moral compass. Where social media has become a conduit of falsehood, overt bigotry, hatred and mean-spiritedness. This aspect has gotten so severely distorted that death threats directed at those who hold differing views have become commonplace.

In this nation’s relatively brief history as a democratic republic, it would have been unthinkable that a person of Trump’s character, diminished intellect, morally bankrupt aspirations would have ever been considered as “presidential material.” This is a human being who has clear and unambiguous clinical symptoms of suffering from mental illness. This is an individual who is a convicted felon and actually attempted, as a lame-duck president, to unravel the results of a presidential election that he clearly lost.

To add to the apparent national insanity is the fact that a majority of the Supreme Court, two of its justices have shown clear evidence of conflict of interest and unethical behavior, have ruled that a sitting president apparently has the authority to take actions aimed at undermining the very foundations of democratic government. This ruling effectively supported the ability of Donald Trump to run for re-election thereby giving the fox free access to the chicken coop.

How did all this come to be? How is it that we could be on the threshold of electing a person totally unsuited and incapable of being in a position to use such power and authority? How is it that we could, as a people, consciously choose to put into power an individual who has clearly asserted with pride and determination his natural affiliation with autocratic rule – with national leaders of the likes of Vladimir Putin of Russia. How did we come to this place where we could effectively participate in our own undoing as a free and democratic people?

There is no singular answer to these questions. We do know, of course, that this type of convergence of forces is clearly recognizable in the history of human civilizations. Also, it is patently clear that a sizeable proportion of the American people have been effectively excluded from the “American Dream.”

We do know that national wealth is skewed heavily towards those who have a hold on wealth and power. We do know that our perception of ourselves as a prosperous people is more an illusion than a tangible reality. Too many of us have felt excluded for too long. This reality has left a residue of fear and insecurity that can be readily exploited by those in positions of inordinate wealth and power. Those in such a position who are decidedly unscrupulous understand how to manipulate these feelings to their own advantage.

There are additional aspects of the American character and psyche that are contributing factors. As a people, our emphasis on the primacy of the individual has had a marked impact on the sense of our participation in community life i.e. the Commons. This proclivity to pay overweening attention to self has diminished our capacity to care for others.

Also, our tendency towards the use of aggression and violence to address personal and communal problems has made us insensitive to the plight of others. This has been made apparent as exemplified by the overwhelming personal possession of arms and armaments and their use or threatened use.

Lastly, the continual use of horrific violence in our history from the institution of slavery, the near genocide of Native American populations and foreign policy objectives that have exploited our vast national arsenal of weapons of mass destruction has, in my mind, exacerbated our capacity for violent aggression as an accepted means to resolve problems.

In conclusion, if we possess any real aspirations to address and correct these underlying issues there is hope that we can restore a sense of sanity and purpose in our lives as a people of these United States.

My Worst Fears

If my worst fear becomes real and a clear majority of American voters choose the likes of Donald Trump as their leader, then I have no real choice but to surrender to this new reality – for the people have spoken. However, I reserve the right to speak out for what is right, just and fair. I reserve the right to speak out against lies; against blatant violence and aggression directed against minorities, the innocent, the enfeebled and the weak. I reserve the right to remain true to myself.

In just a few days, it will become vividly clear whether the American people choose a path for the future that encourages truth, reason, intellect, compassion, fairness and justice, or one that finds comfort in bigotry, outrageous and provocative lies, repression, violence and hatred. That latter choice will certainly bring many days of darkness, chaos, senseless retribution, vengeance and grief.

It is not only in the United States that these kinds of stark choices are evident. It is my contention that the real source of this potential for unnecessary social chaos and dislocation lies within the architecture of the human brain. As humans, we have collectively failed to learn how to discipline the innate tendency of our lower brain to react violently and without reason to the conflict that necessarily comes with living in community with others, especially within a complex human environment.

I am inundated by great sadness and often overwhelmed by the undeniable reality that humans continue to make choices that ineluctably lead to unnecessary pain and suffering. Where the simple recognition that all peoples are members of the same human family would change everything.