3DN Linda's Suggestion
- Today our society lives in a culture of abundance that is viewed by much of the world as the model for their development goals. And yet in all of this abundance most people are left wanting – physically, mentally, emotionally, culturally and or spiritually. Because of the framework or paradigm our culture is built on, one that is based on the allocation of scarcity, competition becomes the standard mode of operation and individuals are left to fend for themselves in a "survival of the fittest” world. The strong climb their way to the top leaving the weaker to struggle to survive. As we each struggle in this jungle our social ties to each other deteriorate leaving each of us more isolated and vulnerable.
- This scenario plays out in the human social environment and the natural environment of plants and animals. While some people live in comfort and relative abundance others are left homeless. While the fortunate live lives often harmed by abundance of food, their neighbors go to sleep hungry. And it seems that at the end of the day almost all lay down their heads feeling that something is missing.
- This model that we follow is not the only way to look at life. For perhaps too long we have focused on attaining wants at the expense of losing sight of our needs. Not all needs are purchased.
- Ghandi once said: “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.”
- Abraham Maslow is perhaps best known for his hierarchy of needs. It is difficult or impossible to move up the hierarchy without first achieving the lower levels.
- Isolated, lonely lives are not pleasurable or fulfilling even with material wealth. Isolated species in nature are not healthy and are difficult to maintain. Maybe there are lessons to be learned here.
- What if we worked to increase the number of connections we have socially and environmentally and worked to restore the damaged connections in our environment? In growing those connections we generate abundance and it is an abundance that provides strength, worth and value for all people, plants and creatures. It is a new holistic environment where individuals, plants and animals can thrive.
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