Hope for Humankind

Well, I caught the cold making its way around. I am completely congested and entirely annoyed. So, I've spent the better part of today in bed, just resting my weary body and throbbing head. While I slipped in and out of consciousness, I listened to bits and pieces of the news on the television. As you are aware, the focus is on the terrible tragedy which occurred in Paris earlier this week. Masked men went into the office of a satirical magazine and gunned down several people. It is believed the murders were an act of revenge for the disrespectful cartoon depictions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed.

We could discuss the issues involved here for days (i.e. freedom of religion, freedom of speech, tolerance, respect, compassion, understanding, etc.), that is not entirely what I'm focusing on in this blog. I know, how can it not be? But, as you know, my brain often gets rolling and makes connections between things, and before you know it, it's gone down a different road.

See, because I'm basically housebound and mostly bedbound, I watched a lot of news. I also read a lot of news (admittedly whilst I was perusing Facebook). And as you know, the news is generally depressing. Besides the story in France, I heard about a small bomb being set off outside an NAACCP office. I read about a man who threw his five year old daughter off a bridge. I read about Boko Haram going on a killing spree and burning down houses.

Sadly, I read about tragedies every day.  Yesterday I read about two sisters who were involved in the shooting death of their older brother. The parents left all the children at home alone, including a three year old. The eldest sister claims her brother was abusive. She pulled the trigger.

On the local news, I heard about a man who left his place of work, went to a nearby shop, and beat and sexually assaulted the female clerk.

In the past few days, I have also heard about the body of an infant found in a dumpster.

All this breaks my heart. I can't understand why this world is so full of hate and anger and violence. I can't understand the evil that lurks inside people. And I find myself questioning my long held belief that beneath it all, in spite of everything, people are inherently good. I find myself losing faith in humanity. And that breaks my heart even more.

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I recently watched the movie, "The Giver".  I did not read the book beforehand, but some of my book club mates had, and it sounded interesting. If you are not familiar with the story, it is set in a dystopian future (popular choice these days). In this far off time and place, there is no color, no emotion, no choice, no passion, no religion. There are no difference, no 'cultures' or 'races'. Everyone is essentially the same. Though it seems perfect (no war, no pain, no suffering), it has come at a great cost. Everyone has had their memories erased and no one truly feels.

In this movie, one of the leaders says that when people are given a choice, they choose wrong. I can't help but think of this now. Do we always make the wrong choice? Are we ourselves to blame for all the pain and suffering in this world? Is it our freedom to choose- to be, to think, to feel, to act-that ultimately dooms us? Would this world be better if we were all less human, and more robot? If we had our humanity, our differences, our hearts and minds stripped, then would this world know peace? Would I stop reading and hearing about all these tragic stories? And if so, would that perfect world be the place I want to live in?

I'm sure some would be willing to pay that price. I have to admit that it sounds good. I would love to never again hear about an innocent child being murdered or a woman being beaten and raped or a man subjected to violence because of the color of his skin or the religion he practices.

But without feelings, we wouldn't know love and compassion. And they exist in this world, thought it often seems otherwise. Without differences, the world would be cold and colorless. Even in this world, which often seems full of hate, people celebrate, embrace, and admire those differences. Without our memories, without our experiences, we couldn't be the individuals that we are. Without deep thoughts and questioning, there would be no exploring, no discovering, no art or music or dancing or poetry.

Sometimes it seems that this world and its people are without hope. But, in spite of the pain and suffering, in spite of the tragedy, we must continue to look for, and to believe in that light of hope that shines through in our humanity, and can ultimately guide us to a better place and time.

 

I pray we all see that light through all this darkness. And I pray that hope for humankind does not lie in erasing all that makes us human.