by Vernita Perkins
We are living through the worst time in our modern history. Strong statement? Not strong enough. For the first time in the history of these current generations, we are watching the components of the American Dream experiment crumble before our eyes at a time when our social foundation is disintegrating underneath our feet. We are at a crossroads, an intersection of fear, re-traumatization, panic, anger, helplessness, hopelessness, uncertainty, utter mental and physical exhaustion, and a way forward, the community vision. Some of us cannot even remember what day it is. And still so many of us just want to quickly get out of this situation and go back to…what? Most of what we were doing, thinking, and saying before the pandemic is the reason we ended up in the pandemic. We allowed people to move into decision making roles for us, determining every aspect of our lives, from the items we purchase, to vehicles we transport ourselves in, the way we treat our bodies, the way we treat others, the way we feel we need to secure our spaces and things, and how we choose to live with each other. We continued a long civilizational history of lazily doing what they did before with slight modifications, and only innovating or ideating when we could see some profit, power, or personal gain. Many positioned themselves in lives where income and material wealth was plenty, and labor for it was little. Many of these, found ways to separate themselves in places where shared resources belonging to all were hoarded for the few, only allowing the many into these conclaves long enough to labor for free or little compensation, but not permitted to stay and enjoy the stolen shared resources. And these many few soon forgot, in their fragile residences with the false sense of community, they forgot what we agreed.
What We Have Done
So not surprising we find ourselves here, at this moment in time, with the civilization invoice of a thousand plus years fiercely stamped past due, and not surprisingly with mounting interest attached. An invoice with increasing interest at a time when our social structure is so dented, damaged, and broken that we not only have no resources to pay the massive debt, but no more excuses left to delay payment. Then the final blow, the enemy we vigorously fought internally, actually came externally. A tiny little, intelligent messenger with indescribable capabilities that will not be stopped, silenced, or understood. No matter how intelligent we thought or think we are, our industrialized tools are ineffective. A tiny little reminder of how a self-described great people with limited problem-solving skills when we work against each other, can be paralyzed and destroyed in an instant. Our only way out of this nightmare is to remember what we agreed.
We are witnessing the result of thousands of years of neglect from the moment when our civilization turned against itself. That moment when some of us decided that they should dominate and control the shared resources by manipulation and violent force, while realizing they would also need lots of submissive, free labor to do so. When a few unworthy humans decided only they and their kind, should keep the shared resources in their familial groups. That they should be the only ones who deserve to live labor-free, while other dominated and domesticated beings, should spend their short lives in all-consuming service; failure of which was punishable by torture, trauma, bondage, dehumanization, and violent deaths. That moment when those unworthy individuals betrayed the living being contract we all signed with our essence at birth.
Conceived by individuals we have come to learn, who did not even love or honor their own familial groups, this one horrible, selfish, self-serving decision, that went viral over days, weeks, months, and years. This thought spread, fueled by fear, panic and an unwillingness to face and relinquish the fear. A co-conspired plan to unhinge the community vision, the agreed human contract.
Little did they know, the dream seeded from the exhaustion of this devastating viral thought would spark in the souls of many, but due to their inferior status in society, would be theorized and mildly implemented by those beneficiaries of the original viral thought, and ultimately imposed on a people in a land far away. There, the dream would take on a new life, with the hope of finally healing the wrongful, viral outcome.
The Vision Forward
A dream of a meaningful, purposeful life lived in collaboration, education and understanding, and unlimited opportunity. A dream of a new space, and in this space, a cohesive government where the three branches of leadership, community representatives, and mediation advocates collaborate and make decisions solely on behalf of the inhabitants of this space, as well as what benefits inhabitants in the greater space. The dream of a widely diverse group of inhabitants, celebrating and honoring various ancestries, with a passion to exist and collaborate together for daily survival, for liberty in thought, beliefs, words and actions, knowing and agreeing that those four elements would each be expressed by every inhabitant no matter the age, ability, sex, gender or lifestyle with courage, kindness and compliance towards a society that empowers all to be their very best, while supporting us in healthy competition to meaningfully improve ourselves and the lives of others. The pledge, while occupying spaces previously occupied by other ancestral residents, that this space and its resources would be respected, shared equally, honored, and used gently, so there would be identical, plentiful resources for generations to come. The commitment to be loving supporters of those innocents that newly entered this space, not yet capable of fully existing in this space; and to honor all living beings that roamed the greater spaces inherent and free as we learned from them, appreciated them and honored them, especially in consumption that nurtures human life. A commitment to recognize our human existence is a mere moment in the universal span of existence and agree to make valid and valuable each and every moment. To appreciate the sun, wind, and water elements in all their manifestations, and not to contest these natural actions, but to learn to live within them. And most important, to value everything, find meaning and purpose in everything and everyone, and collectively celebrate the most phenomenal, yet simple moments and majesty about our world and our place in this magnificent existence.
We each took a solemn oath the minute our tiny eyes opened at the inhale of our birth. Remember?
Dr. Perkins can be reached at vperkins@omnigi.com. Omnigi Research is on the web at www.omnigi.com, and for quick connects with our community work, on Instagram @omnigi.research.
