Six degrees of separation
A little like 'The Three Degrees' of Philadelphia, this can make your head swim and your heart soar - though is less likely to make your feet tap. Apologies, I didn't come here just to post stupid jokes - so let's move on with the real substance, I really didn't intend to mention the popular female vocal trio... normal service has been resumed. ;)
Although perhaps not strictly accurate - the popular idea of our connected world, typified by the titular concept is actually pretty persuasive. As Wiki states; " Six degrees of separation is the idea that all living things and everything else in the world is six or fewer steps away from each other so that a chain of "a friend of a friend" statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps. It was originally set out by Frigyes Karinthu in 1929."
As he put forward - the world is shrinking - and the internet and other means of connection mean that we are closer than ever before to each other, within the global population of this small blue green planet.
This reminded me of this video that most will have seen - but demonstrates, that past our immediate prejudices and patriotic gloss - we are all the same inside.
This must appear very challenging to those who profit from exploiting certain groups of aspiring, yet poverty-stricken individuals to undercut wages and/or working conditions from those who, through protest and campaign have accrued worker rights and basic standards of treatment. Hence we see much manufacturing or recycling or menial labour farmed out to outlying districts - or lower-performing economies or in some cases exported around the world to use cheap labour where standards of living are still catching up with those we expect /demand at home.
However - the interconnectedness prevails - we are waking up to, and realising our commonality. We can empathise with workers across the world - campaign for Fair Trade - and expect that those producing goods in far-flung farming communities are treated with respect - and are properly recompensed for their labour. Ethics is becoming a prime reason for us to choose our goods and services - why choose an iPhone made by virtual slaves in the far east - when there is a fairphone - with materials ethically sourced - the minerals certified as non exploitative. Why settle for cheap, bland, processed meats - with dubious provenance and dodgy cocktails of drugs and treatments hidden in a murky food chain when with a little effort you can make a bond with a real farmer who can exhibit real passion, compassion and pride in the food he/she produces. Sure in our complex and chaotic lives, compromises have to be made, there is no perfect system yet - but the aspiration is rising across the planet - towards raising us all to a better world. Whilst any being suffers I believe we will be unable to transcend this paradigm. Yet I am ever optimistic - as I see informed compassion rising all around, we are human rapidly reaching towards humane.
The status quo - those vested interests, those doom-mongering media outlets are unlikely to be catalysts in this process however. We have to be aware of the gaslighting, the fear-techniques, the trolling and belittling - the present shock-tactics (read the Shock Doctrine - Naomi Klein for more) the calls to react to over-stated terrorism with easy pro-corporate answers. Calmly dissect but don't dwell on the constant over-stimulation of information, misinformation, disinformation, news, fake news, facts, alternative facts - be mindful of the fact that positive changes in the world have always come from individuals standing together and standing up for what's right - and recall both Mahatma Gandhi's "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." and Thomas Jefferson's "If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so."
It's an uphill battle - but the establishment is running scared. Sure, they are belligerently bellowing and trying to avoid responsibility for moving forward into a positive future (looking backward is a key signal - those 'good old days' never existed - we know this from history) - they try to divide us, monger fear, make us feel powerless, censor our words and bubble our realities. But we always win. Human spirit, good will, love and compassion is the only way. Ask any soldier - it's about standing together. Ask any protester - you'll get the same answer. It's not necessarily going to be an easy ride - but humanity itself is at stake... and the prize.
I posted the 'DNA' link above to a video that I think is well known - a similar one - that sparked my rambling essay today, was something I hadn't seen before but struck a note. This is another take on reaching past appearance to our inner selves. Peace.
