Sharing Circle

I was recently asked the question “What would the world look like if everyone did everything you wanted them to do?” I was told to make a list of  at least five and no more than seven ways in which the world would be different. The object of the exercise of course is to sort of encapsulate one’s philosophy of life. I thought the question was interesting, so if you follow me on the flip, you’ll see what I came up with. I’d be interested to know what your lists would look like, too.

Here are the ways I think the world would be different if everyone on the planet did what I wanted them to do:

1.) Everyone would have high self-esteem.  A by product is that people with high self esteem treat themselves, and others, with respect, and probably resort less often to violence.

2.) Everyone would realize that as humans we are “all in this together.” So borders and nationalism would become less important, as would having piles of money. People would become almost as concerned about helping others as they would be about helping themselves.

3.) Taxes on the super-rich would be higher, which would enable governments (and NGOs) to do a lot more good than they are presently able to do.  Voluntary charity has never been enough to meet the level of need that exists in the world (hunger, homelessness, lack of clean drinking water, for a start….is still a factor in nearly every country in the world, I believe.)

4.) American Foreign Policy would become much more about meeting other countries as equals rather than trying to be the big bully who runs the world. American Domestic Policy would point toward a much more citizen-centric way of being, and would take great steps to modernize our transportation systems (or lack thereof) and also get us “off” our “addiction” to oil.

5.) All people who are parents would completely understand the precious gift that they have, and would make a point to spend time with their children every day. Child mistreatment would become a thing of the past as would child neglect. Agencies and organizations which invetsigate and deal with such things would be fully funded and supported with the full force of the government.

6.) Someone smarter than me once said that “a jury is a group of people charged with deciding which side in a court case has the better lawyer.” If everyone suddenly did what I wanted them to do, American “justice” would become full of justice and not about who has the better lawyer or the most money.

7.) People would be come a great deal more open minded. Part of the ramifications from that would be that things that really shouldn’t be stigmatized–like seeking mental health treatment, or “unusual” spiritual beliefs–would no longer have a stigma.

So that’s what would be different if I had a magic wand.  What would be on your list? Everyone is invited to respond.