On Japan, Disaster and Humanity

.. by working on my/your/ourself.

I've spent a lot of time in the past month folks' reactions to the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster in Japan. The on the ground footage of the 9.0 earthquake and the tsunami washing away entire towns and cities was terrifying. and while some of the responses have been infuriating, most have been uplifting and inspiring.

I was especially wary after how people treated each other after Hurricane Katrina stirred so much bitterness. But stories of people in Japan opening up their homes to the homeless, sharing what little food they have with the hungry, and holding their heads high with dignity have moved me. and led me to some conclusions.

At the core of any sort of progress, there has to be the intention to stretch our ability to see the humanity in each other. In order for us all to sustainably co-exist on/with this planet, we need to shift from self to common-interest. and more important than measurable social gain is sense of community.

In the following video, Grace Lee Boggs speaks on the fact that "we need a very different philosophy on what it means to be a human being. and we have a tremendous opportunity to advance our evolution to a higher stage."

Iersonally, i'm still wrapping my head around what (r)evolutionary politics look like. and at this point, i'm not fucking with ideology. I'm just trying to build on basic values i believe in: compassion, community, self-determination, dignity, equality, kindness, spirituality, and creative expression. and living those values, rather than spouting them out.

* more info on how to support Japanese relief efforts.