We Are More Alike than Not!

Are we humans as varied and different from each other as we believe or do the ties that bind us together, damn us as a species? No, I don't think there's enough variation in our species to set any of us apart. Just as there are obvious similarities between myself and everyone else, similarities like number of eyes, ears, how we breath, the fact that we have hair, there are emotional similarities as well. We all feel hurt, guilt, shame, joy, sadness... These are all human traits. There are of course, different levels of emotion and just like the physical aspect where there are differences, in the scope of things the differences are minor. You have blue eyes, I have brown, so what?

So if you're looking down on us from above, you're not going to parse the human race into specific categories unless you have some specific (and weird) need.

An argument could be made that our thoughts, and our actions set us apart from each other. You are a serial killer, I am not! I would listen to that argument, I'm not sure God or any other intelligent being would. Why, because in a sense we are all serial killers of something, in some way. Even being responsible for participating in a society, in a culture, that creates murderers, rapists, thieves and cons is an indictment on all of us. And we are all alike when we call out that it is not our fault, when we claim there is nothing we can do.

Most of us don't! Most of us won't.

I have always said that we are more alike than different, and that while we should recognize the differences we should not let those few and minute differences divide us. We do!

We search out differences, we struggle and fight to retain them and indeed we celebrate those differences because in reality, they are few and far between, and meaningless to all except the individual. And to the individual, his history, his culture, his belief system, his skin color is paramount. We are all the same in that regard.

Are you a common man?

There was a time when I thought I would change the world. Not could, but would, as in that was my sole purpose for being born. For a very long time, I believed in destiny, in fate, in God and in myself. So much so, I thought myself somewhat special. Not special in the sense that I was better, but special in that I had a specific job to do. Specific and special, assigned by God (or perhaps by aliens but that's a different story) to make the world a better place.

I've always had a personal view of how the world should be laid out, along political, social, cultural and religious veins and the relationship of each, to the other, and to the body. Always thought my ideas were somewhat solid, even if they were somewhat simplistic but I think it's a fair and substantive question to ask if a Nation should seek respect before power, if belief proceeds needs and determines ritual, if education enhances compassion, and in what way?

30 years ago, I really believed that by the time I was in my fifties, we'd have a moon base, moved on to Mars, beaten back poverty, experiance the beginnnings of a spiritual awakening as well making inroads into prejudice.

I guess I kind of figured the human race didn't need my input. That you'd all be allright, that you'd get to where you need to be with out my help. I kind of haven't worried about humanity for the last 30 years as I went about raising my kids, working and having fun but a funny thing happened the other day.

I woke up!

 I realized I really don't like the world we've made for ourselves simply because I know we can do better, a hell of a lot better. Thing is, I'm a dreamer, and I do happen to believe that dreams do come true, but I'm also smart enough to understand, that they don't come true without hard work, sweat, hard faith and diligence.

Maybe my destiny is still in play? May be, that I'm not a comman man?

And You?