Eu-topics – A conversation about the future
EU: a combining form meaning “good,” “well,” occurring chiefly in words of Greek origin ( eupepsia); in scientific coinages, especially taxonomic names, it often has the sense “true, genuine” ( eukaryote) Origin of eu- Expand. < Greek, combining form of eús good (adj.) or eú, eû (neuter, used as adv.) well.
Paul and Philomena had escaped the baking heat of South Australia to enjoy their best years in the Tropics. The climate was lush and moist. It was very agreeable, so they felt less stressed, especially since Paul had been cured of cancer. Both were able to concentrate on what they liked doing best, which was martial arts in his case and creative arts in hers.
Cancer had become rampant and was afflicting young and old, dark and light skins, men and women and even animals. Cancer used to be called and old-age-sickness, or a civilization sickness. It was called the Earth-purging-sickness now.
The cancer epidemic was a wake-up-call for human agency to step off the pedestal it had created for itself and to accept Earth’s wisdom as the natural and proven way to live to a long fulfilling life.
Sitting on their wide veranda surrounded by palms waving in a light breeze they were plotting a new life. Paul had survived cancer. Philomena had in her youth survived a fatal car accident. Both had received energy healing or Reiki during their recovery. Both had been drawn to Buddhism at a young age and practiced both Zen and the Tibetan form. This gave them an experiential understanding of life being energy. He said to her:
- ‘Yes, life is energy, but there are two types of energy: love and terror. Life enhancing and life destroying.’
Thinking that he was still stuck in dualism she replied:
- ‘That is the Yin and Yang, without opposites there can be no continued creation.’
He looked at her, astonished:
- ‘So you think we actually need the terror? I thought love could save us!’
- Love is the source, the light and eternity. But life is the rainbow, all the colours, all textures: hard and soft, jagged and smooth.’
She was so certain and serene. Impatiently he wanted to know
- ‘How can we create a lastingly good life for all?’
- ‘Teach the children!’
- ‘Isn’t it too late for that?’
- ‘Why would it be too late for them? They have just begun living and for them life as it is now is ‘normal’.
- ‘You are right, our lives were totally different from our parent’s. We were already enhanced by technology and we have gained access to knowledge that used to be reserved for The Few.’
Philomena pointed out the shortfall:
- ‘Access to knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom lies in the heart. Alas the heart has not grown while technology made more and more things and enabled communication between people near and far.’
- ‘Well, yes, too many people only have virtual friends and even while dining out couples text on their phones rather than talk with their partner.’
He often got annoyed watching people do that.
- ‘That’s true, and sad.’ She said. ‘What would you teach the children on how to live a good life in a good place?’
- ‘Do we really need to teach them or can we learn from them?’
Surprised she asked:
- ‘What do you mean?’
- ‘Well, since all is energy, they are all we have been and more! They are the new human who has adapted to our mistakes and achievements. They can combine technology and Earth’s wisdom much easier than we can.’
Philomena pondered the idea he had put forth and he did, too, because it was one newly formed. In the end she agreed:
- ‘It is true that the kids are so much faster in the uptake of new ideas and technologies. Nor do they seem to experience human barriers like we used to do, like prejudices and stereotypes.’
- ‘So they can approach situations from a new angle rather than from the pre-programmed one that gets ingrained later on……’
- ‘You mean after they have been formatted by the school system to be functional citizens?’
- ‘Maybe our school system is teaching too much functionality and not enough relationality! How to do rather than how to be.’
- ‘Yes, that would be a better approach. Machines can do most of the work now. We need to concentrate on learning how to be.
- ‘Meditation comes to mind as a practice in how to purely be.’
- ‘Loving kindness is an attitude that can bring joy and peace to both giver and receiver.’
She could see that giving and taking, teaching and learning was becoming essential to survival because progress had to be made much faster than in the past.
- ‘Ok, teach and learn. I think we all have to learn very fast how to adapt to our rapidly changing world.’
- ‘To me it feels as though the Earth was rapidly spinning out of control!’ he said with a trembling voice.
- ‘No, it is still turning pretty much at the same rate, but maybe it is trying to shake us off to renew itself?’
- ‘Look, colonizing Mars has not been successful. Venus, our sister planet has burnt up long ago. How can we stop a fate like that to hit us?’ he wondered.
- ‘Lie low, walk in the shade, live at night time, conserve water, conserve energy, do not deplete resources, control our own numbers and THINK BEFORE YOU DO!’
She paused then said:
- ‘Life is not a race. Life is forever! Make it beautiful for yourself and your neighbour!
He added:
- ‘Eat well, dream well, be well.’
She sat back, seemingly more relaxed and put forth:
- ‘Isn’t it great that we have finally found an inexhaustible source of energy?!’
- ‘Yes, of course! Without that the whole planet would have been destroyed in a war for power!
Energy from the Sun and energy from the Earth’s inner furnace keeps all the old and new technologies turning.’
- ‘Remember, there used to be shortages of food, water, energy, light, heat, you name it?’
- ‘With the nuclear energy tamed and extracted safely from distant sources or by splitting and fusing atoms in special facilities right here, we can grow potent foods that enhance our bodies and brains. We can transform salt water into sweet water. We can travel to the Moon and back!’
- ‘Hydroponics has freed up vast swathes of landscape so that forest can grow again and produce abundant oxygen for us and all animals as well as shade and nourishment.’
- ‘After a century or two of building up, reaching for the sky, we have learnt to build into the Earth and still have light!’
- ‘Solar tubes are better than UV Beds.’
- ‘True’.
- ‘But people still die. They fight, they harm each other.’
- ‘The abundance paradigm has not fully sunk into their consciousness, yet. Many people are still suffering from the Scarcity Syndrome.’
- ‘The old evils: jealousy, envy, greed and gluttony have not been totally eradicated, I admit. But even the Massai in Kenya have learned to compete peacefully in athletics rather than by killing lions.
He concluded:
- ‘So, if the Massai are still here and adapt to new ways, we surely can adapt as well!’
- ‘Living underground or in Earth covered buildings certainly helps with lasting through cyclones and heatwaves, even blizzards and icy nights, but if the sea levels keep rising, the future looks grim for many!’
- ‘From the ocean we came and to the ocean we shall return.’
- ‘Hear, hear! Come on Paul, you are too unperturbed! There just isn’t a great story in a life of happiness!’
This challenged him:
- ‘Oh, yes, there is! What you are craving is culturally conditioned story telling: The hero is in trouble, overcomes obstacles, wins his life partner. And then your story stops. We have to learn to live the follow-up, the happy life!’
Moona Perrotin 2017