Sieze the View (and th e Power) to Change the World

... we live unable to exercise our imaginations, nimbyism is everywhere – in our heads , in our proposals in our values. Like in Colombia where people support Uribe...

Without honesty among and within ourselves are we even human? Are responsibility and honor now expunged from that thing we once held so high: humanity and brotherly love? As Hugo Chavez says more often as his popularity and confidence grows:

"Everyday I become more convinced, there is no doubt in my mind, and as many intellectuals have said, that it is necessary to transcend capitalism. But capitalism can't be transcended from with capitalism itself, but through socialism, true socialism, with equality and justice. But I'm also convinced that it is possible to do it under democracy, but not in the type of democracy being imposed from Washington," he said. Chavez said that Venezuela is trying to implement a social economy. "It is impossible, within the framework of the capitalist system to solve the grave problems of poverty of the majority of the world's population. We must transcend capitalism."

Your ideology or what you think is important (Key issues of the world) puts you up on a hill – a platform. From this vantage you see things unfold from a certain perspective that influences your observations and understanding.
And let us not forget our upbringing and the scars and joys of our lives which also shape our view - perhaps like the tint to the lens through which we see.

Often a view helps one to see better, but it can also mask or obscure some things. Like quantum physics or map making it is not usually possible to see everything without distortions. This is not a problem if you are honest and aware of your blind spots. Honest friends can help in this area, but they seem as rare as quiet streets or positive news  (these days).

Further complicating the world is that everyone else is standing on a different platform (or thinks they are), so they see and hear your reports based upon where each of you stands. If we defined terms and what is common to our views then communication would be useful.

Not only does our position or our sense of elevation (and self importance) affect our understanding and communication, but it shapes the context in which we view all things. For example, if you are high up (have a good understanding of the world) you may think that our vantage allows you to see what approaches and what might become a threat (prediction). But what if you are too close to a mountain (Your ego, your career, or faith) and you actually have a blind spot that blocks your view of an approaching threat? A massive capitalist empire or global warming climate change may be about to crest the mountain that you don't realize blocks your view. And so your over-confidence keeps you from climbing higher to check on your possible blind spots.

And so we live unable to exercise our imaginations, nimbyism is everywhere – in our heads, in our proposals in our values. Like in Colombia where people support Uribe (40 percent anyway which is enough given that 30 pecent of the people are too fearful to get involved)

People there want the drug trade gone – so with US aid to the violence, drugs begin to move – next door into Peru, Ecuador Bolivia – in the long run this is good for no one and yet people do not want to get up high enough to see which way the water flows. So fearful of drowning they mistake a tsunami for an empty promise of future rewards (this life or the next!)

If we define the important terms and what our common views are then we still have a chance to make a difference. If we cannot do this we might as well embrace George Bush and his religion of hate.

Without honesty among and within ourselves are we even human? Are responsibility and honor now expunged from that thing we once held so high: humanity and brotherly love?

Solving the land question means the solving of all social questions... possession of land by people who do not use it is immoral -- just like the possession of slaves.
  -- Leo Tolstoy