Stupid is as Stupid Does

We Need to Behave Better 

Mark Twain

    Living in a western country, in a large city, it is easy to look around and be amazed. You look and think,  we humans are pretty clever. Look at all we've accomplished; all the inventions; all the technology. We are so smart for a bunch of hairless apes...we're so advanced. It seems we've evolved so much in our time here on spaceship Earth but I'm not so sure. Things progressed reasonably well until the onset of agriculture. Then, in many ways, human ingenuity took off while in other ways, humanity took a nosedive. At the same time as we improved intellectually, we continued doing very stupid things. I am sure that if an advanced alien species were to come for a visit, they would be impressed by some of our achievements but otherwise would consider us to be dumb as posts. They would probably gauge us to be in our teens, intellectually, as a species...at best.

    When I read blog posts or editorial opinion pieces, I feel it's important to read any accompanying comments. It's a great way to get different perspectives and learn something new. Sadly, the majority of comments are unbelievably ignorant. Finger-pointing and hate spreading is the norm. Instead of constructive discourse, we get name-calling, labelling, and rudeness. Logical fallacies prevail. Forget about critical thinking and reason. Very few seem able to comprehend a bigger picture, no matter the subject. The age-old boogeyman keeps showing up. Things are bad because of the immigrants, the black people, the Jewish, the Muslims. This political party is better than that political party. The communists are evil, the capitalists are evil. The natives and the homeless are lazy parasites. Atheists are the problem. Abortions are the problem. Police are the problem. On and on and on it goes. Fix any one of these problems and all will be bliss. I'm sure there are many that believe if we burn witches at the stake then everything will be all right. Clearly, we never learn.

     There is still a great deal of fear among the populace. No wonder so many still cling to religious doctrine and belief in deities. It's easier than doing something meaningful. Most don't even question the status quo. It's taken as a given; unchangeable. Systems and rules were put in place that almost no one had a say in establishing. A scheme that benefits the few at the expense of the many. It is so simple to ask why and yet most don't, either because of fear, or worse, because of blind acceptance. Propaganda, that most still can't recognize for what it is, still easily manipulates us. Lots of questions that are never asked. Questions like why does land ownership exist? Why can't anyone live and work anywhere they want on the planet? Why do we allow graveyard shifts? Why is whistle-blowing a bad thing? Why do we think it's sensible for a lawyer to be paid $200/hr and a labourer only $12/hr? Why are we so quick to throw people in prison even when there may be more effective and cheaper solutions? Why can employees still be fired without cause for insubordination? Why are there still monarchies? Corporations are persons, why? Why is treason, an often arbitrary and highly subjective charge, punishable by death or life in prison in so many countries? Why aren't homes and buildings automatically designed with disabled folks in mind? Why is there interest on debt? Why is competition held in such high regard? Cooperation and sharing less so? Why is family most important when we are all pretty much related? There are thousands of questions that are never asked. Never brought up in schools. There may be perfectly sensible answers but where is the question and the public debate?

     It is my observation that humans crave conflict. We seem to need it. Where it doesn't exist we create it. Be it in friendships, families, communities, workplaces, or countries. If we don't feel stressed we don't feel like we are living. How stupid is that? We talk peace but our actions tend to go in the opposite direction. Peace is too boring. The mundane is intolerable to most. We favour exclusivity rather than inclusivity. We continually create the three C's...clubs, cliques, and classes which often function to exclude. The individual sense of superiority over others has not dulled over the ages. Just as bad or worse than ever. We mock and belittle those we disagree with. The poor disgust us while we worship the rich. Same as always. How dumb.

    We seem to value dialogue yet we often don't have good things to say, we don't ask new and meaningful questions, our critical thinking skills are lacking and we abhor difference of opinion. Same as always. Our actions are either non-existent or in opposition to our wishes and desires; individually and societally. While dialogue is vital, talk that isn't backed up by action is easy to dismiss. What people do, is far more important than what they say. Often, how something is said is usually more important than what is said which is usually more important than what is done. It should be the other way around. What one does (or doesn't do) needs to be prioritized over what is said. High IQ means nothing if you do stupid things.

    If we want meaningful change, we need to think and act differently. We need to strive to see the big picture. We need to be less selfish and far less self-centered. We need to share and be content with simple and less. We need to see beauty and respect and protect it. Be inclusive, in all ways, and demand it always. Think creatively and outside the box; there is always another way. Question the experts and demand proof.  Push for fewer and better laws. "NO" is not a dirty word; use it but with respect. Act but be considerate and kind. Protect privacy and oppose secrecy. Embrace change. Get in the face of those who don't act for the greater good but try not to be violent. Be forgiving of shortcomings, we all have them. Above all, don't expect change if you continue to do the same things.