Day 75: Looking for The Answer?

I just finished reading one of the most important novels of our time. By now, most of us know that things need to change on a bigger level. What exactly that means, may vary by individual - whether it's environmental issues, political issues, equal rights issues, etc. But I'd venture to guess that if I asked anyone about our current way of life, I'd get a response that had to do with a desperate need for change.

The book I just finished reading is Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. I had read the book that came after this one a little while ago - The Story of B. Both books have equally inspired me and motivated me to act. 

I'm trying to think of how I can adequately convey how critical these books are. Or how I could go about spreading their messages. How do I summarize their importance? How do I successfully convince others to read them?

To be honest, I'm not really sure. But I can't allow myself to give up and just do nothing. So here I am.

Anyone who has read one or both of these books will already understand what I'm talking about. Anyone who trusts me and reads one or both of these books, I'm almost certain, will come to know what I'm talking about. 

Essentially the problem is this: Our culture (our civilized human race) has grown to believe that the world was created for us and that we were meant to conquer and rule the world and all its inhabitants. Everything on the planet serves a purpose of existing only for us. That's why we've polluted the air and oceans, torn down forests and jungles, killed off entire species, and tried to convince all the "uncivilized" tribal people that they are living like animals and should really consider living in the awesomeness that we call our lives. I mean, really. We have it made. Look at all our advancements and achievements. Obviously we know what we're doing... 

Well, except that now we're seeing the repercussions and realizing we're actually destroying the Earth and if we continue doing what we've been doing, we're all going to die and bring all of nature along with us.

Now I understand that many of you reading this may not react with a dire or urgent feeling of needing to do something about it. After all, you've probably already heard rants similar to this - all trying to convince you to think or change the way you live your life. And honestly, I get how that can be somewhat daunting. Or frankly, inconvenient. Many of us just find that it's easier to live in ignorant bliss. Or even if we know things need to change, we just don't really know how to change them so it ends up being easier to just continue living our everyday lives, pretending that all will be okay. Or that the real problems won't come in our lifetime, so why stress about it?

I'm hear to say that it's fine for you to have that attitude. In fact, I completely understand that it can be overwhelming sometimes to really stop and think about an actionable solution. Then it makes it even more overwhelming to think that you're only one person out of billions so really, what difference could you make?

With that in mind, I'm going to offer a simple request for action on your part. I'd like to ask that you read these books. Start with Ishmael. Hell, if you want, I'll even buy a copy on Amazon for a few bucks and ship it directly to you. Once you read it, come back and let me know. If you want to talk about it over coffee or tea, I'd love that.


There's an awful lot of complaining going on about our current state of affairs. But not a lot of solutions or answers or even attempts at making things better. These books give you that. 


So if you feel at all inclined to understand how to really change things for the better, just start by reading these books and I promise it will become clear how to start things off in a new direction. You don't even need to give up your toys - you can keep your iPad and comfy home and state-of-the-art refrigerator. We don't need to become uncivilized in order to save the world.

But we do need to become enlightened of the realities of our past, our current and our future. We need to let go of the idea that humans are superior to everything else. We need to accept that we were made for the world. The world was not made for us. 

If we can do this, we can continue to evolve. Our children can grow up in a beautiful world. 

Let me know when you've gotten around to reading...