Asking New Questions
So we finally create the Global Cooperation we say we want
I listened to President Biden speak at the UN yesterday. His call for global cooperation was appropriate, but achieving this goal requires we ask New Questions that lead to New Solutions that permit this goal to become reality… not just wishful thinking!
I asked just such a new question at the UN in 2019, when - at a UNA-USA event - I asked “Is war obsolete due to scientific advancement?” I invite you to watch the video of my question and post your comments below.
Cooperation will never be possible in a world in which waging war is still seen as an accepted conflict resolution method. If you think war MUST always be an option, you don’t know that the root cause of war has been made obsolete by advances in science. Yes, we have thousands of years of history that tell us “war is always going to be with us”. And we have a Military Industrial Complex that NEEDS war to be a thing to survive.
But human history is filled with examples of ways of living - ways humans behave - going away when new discoveries made those ways obsolete. Just watch The Day The Universe Changed (James Burke’s brilliant documentary series) to see what I mean.
If you support President Biden’s call for global cooperation (so we finally end the threat of the worst effects of the climate crisis and truly end the COVID-19 threat as well), I urge you to consider that achieving this goal - “making it so” as Captain Picard might say - will require challenging the basic standards of behavior worldwide that have prevented us from doing this to date.
These behavioral standards - born of beliefs that were true once but are no longer true today - are literally killing us!
Fortunately, human behavior is something we have control over! It’s why God gave us “free will”. If we want to go in a different direction - one that will get us to true world peace - we have the ability to do so! Just watch James Burke’s series. You’ll see humanity has done this countless times before!
Here’s to achieving the cooperation we say we want… by learning the new ways of thought … the new habits of mind… that will get us there!
Steve- I appreciate you introducing me to Burke’s work. I might just add this to my to-watch list. Hope you’re doing well this week? Cheers, -Thalia
I really appreciate your linking of President Biden’s UN speech to the issue of war being outdated. This is a profound point that deserves further exploration. There are indeed many examples in history that show how scientific progress can change the way humans behave, such as James Burke’s series “The Day the Universe Changed”. I think there is a lack of specific action plans when proposing this radical idea. Although the article calls for challenging existing standards of behavior, it does not explain how to achieve such changes in reality. The roots of war are complex, involving not only military industry, but also multiple factors such as politics, economy and ethnic conflicts. The article would be better if it could provide more practical suggestions and specific action plans.
There needs to be a better balance between idealism and reality. Global cooperation is indeed the key to addressing global challenges such as climate change and the epidemic, but in reality, many countries and interest groups still rely on war or conflict to achieve their goals. How to take the first step in the complex reality and reduce conflicts should be further explored.
Overall, this article is inspiring and full of hope for the future of mankind. I agree with its core ideas, but I hope it can be more practical at the action level.