THOUGHTS FROM THE MIDDLE

Rights and Responsibilities

Robert James Fischer

Introduction

Social media platforms are filled with such a variety of rants and opinions aimed at swaying beliefs that it is easy to get lost in the excitement of the ideas being discussed.  Sometimes that excitement is positive and sometimes it is negative.  In past pieces I have suggested various ways to evaluate the truth in the information that is being consumed.

This post will not rehash these suggestions.  What may be of greater importance is how the reader thinks when finished consuming information, particularly information concerning the environment and the plight of others that occupy this planet.  This post will focus on our responsibility to our children, grandchildren,  greatgrandchildren.  What kind of world will we leave them based on our decisions today?.

I quote an Indian Proverb: 

“Treat the earth well:  it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children.  We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” 

Do listeners and readers understand that the conclusions and decisions they make, based on their beliefs , have an impact beyond their own lives?    From the pronouncements of, “I have and know my rights,” rather than “I have obligations,” there is currently a “here and now” mentality.  In other words, too many Americans are concerned with what is happening now, putting little or no thought into the world that they will leave behind.

As early as the 10^th Century, the Iroquois nation taught their children to think seven generations into the future when making decisions.  How do my actions today impact the world that future generations will inherit?  Do Americans even think about the unforeseen long-term consequences of their actions?

Our Legacy

Early success in the American colonies was based on the exploitation of the resources on the vast new continent.  Fur, lumber, minerals, and agricultural products were all shipped to colonizing countries in Europe.  There was no thought by the colonizing countries, or their continental representatives, about the impact on the future.  Early capitalism and its profits dominated the decision making.  Even indigenous people were not immune from the lure of European goods.

Later in the history of the United States, the desire for profits motivated mining enterprises, the railroads, and timber companies to recklessly attack the land in search of these profits. Streams were polluted, forests destroyed, animal species decimated, and disenfranchised persons exploited. 

Today

The prosperous became wealthier at the expense of others and of “Mother Earth.”  Unfortunately, current thinking has not changed. Large moneyed interests still exploit the environment for profit.  There is little concern for the impact of pipelines, fracking, surface mining, and human suffering as long as there is money to be made.

The fact is that money has become the measure of national success.  The GDP and GNP have been used as a yardstick to measure success since WW II.  Making money drives most decisions.  As the old saying goes, “If you want to know who is making decisions, follow the money.”  As a result of businesses’ focus on profits, they continue to exploit resources and make few, if any, plans for the future. 

A Paradigm Shift– Back to the Past

It is well past time that the people on this planet consider what is most important.  Maslow said that humans need food and clothing, safety, love and belonging, self-esteem and self-actualization in order to be happy..  Is it possible to live on this planet realizing the happiness that Maslow’s needs suggest without killing the planet?  After all, It is Mother Earth that provides shelter and feeds us, and provides song birds, beautiful flowers, and much more.  The Iroquois Nation was right.  Decisions made today have an impact on our future generations..  Our leaders need to be held accountable, thinking at least seven generations into the future

It is our responsibility to know the attitudes and voting records of those that represent us at various levels of government.  The ballot box remains our strongest source of power over decision making!