Stupidity

Stupidity is clearly a problem. We live in a world where war, injustice and poverty are destroying the the quality of human existence, and decreasing its likelihood. Does this seem like a good idea? Does anyone have a plan to increase the quality of this toxic environment?

People can only thrive in an environment that allows them to exist. For people that environment only exists on earth. Earth is the human environment that erodes when people fail to protect it. People improve environment. When they don’t, it gets worse. 

On earth people can improve the quality of the environment they inhabit, the same environment they share with other people, and other generations. Non-human species do not share this trait. Humanity is people availing themselves to this natural capability that allows them to help themselves by helping others. Inhumanity is failing to improve the world people share. 

Doing harm is harmful. So is doing nothing. People improve their environment by trying to improve their environment. Not trying is harmful. That harm accumulates over time making survival, and the enjoyment of survival increasingly difficult.

Earth is the only environment people have. Animals use it selfishly because they lack the ability to improve their own habitat. Hostility is a survival mechanism they use. People can improve the environment for others, and it is others that improve the habitat for them. People can use hostility as a defense strategy, but it is environmentally toxic to other people, and to humanity. Hostility is dehumanizing. So is allowing it to exist by doing nothing.

Peace is people improving their environment. It is the embodiment of opportunity. For peace to continue opportunity must be utilized. Peace is not static it has to spread to protect the environment. Peace that is not shared is environmentally destructive. 

Peace is sought in families, in countries, and in ideologies. It is sought scientifically, politically, and religiously. Why is it not being achieved? There is a reason, inhumanity. Peace is environmental. Families, countries, and ideologies are a tiny part of the environment. Politics, science, and religion are tools that could be used for peace, but they seldom are. Peace is not peaceful if it only covers part of the earth.

People do have an understanding of the problem, but they are often mistaken about its size, and its multigenerational skelleton. Its size is the the whole world. Each person is limited by time, health, and opportunity. Environmental improvements happen across generations. The benefits can be identified immediately. They can be recognized as hope, and progress. PIE – people improve environment. The question is, How?

Stupidity is myopic. It only understands what it experiences. It can’t see opportunity because it is too far away. Its environment erodes because it does nothing. It has no hope. It is environmentally betrayed like an animal whose habitat has disappeared.

Stupidity needs spectacles that allow it to see opportunity and avoid the harm that would smash its glasses. Seeing more requires a strategy to understand that it is not necessary to repeat the pain experienced in encountering harm. Noticing allows the harm encountered by one to be avoided by many, and possibly all. 

Stupidity needs to notice that a beach without rocks means no stubbed toes. It can discover that people who lookout for each other are fun to be around. Stupidity has an opportunity to be a part of making the world a better place to live. When it avails itself of that chance, it will be marked on the map as the starting point of the long voyage from Stupidity to Peace. Looking back people will remember PIE. 

To achieve peace, we will have to learn PIE. Stupidity is not knowing PIE.