Heroes Not Zombies

We humans are social creatures. We’ve evolved in such a way that we need the assistance and care of others to survive our first months on this planet….longer than most other infant creatures. And our brains have evolved in a way which enables us to be especially able to tune in to others, to empathise, and to create social relationships.

None of us could exist today without a vast web of relationships and connections with others. We share a common planet, a common atmosphere, a common water cycle of oceans, clouds, rains, rivers and lakes. We share environments, whether they be physical, geographical, social, or cultural. That doesn’t mean we are all the same. We are all, every one of us, absolutely unique. But none of us can exist in that uniqueness if we are disconnected.

Our political and economic structures of the last couple of hundred years or so have driven a kind of hyper-individualism, grounded on competition and struggle, but all that comes at the expense of denying our most fundamental reality – we are not alone – we share the one planet, we survive and we thrive because we have evolved the capacity to care for each other, to collaborate and to form “integrative relationships” – mutually beneficial bonds between well differentiated parts.

There is another story to tell. It’s the story of connections, of inter-dependency, and of a shared commons. It’s a story which emphasises compassion, care and love. Is that such a hard story to tell?