One World

30) The Free World

Posted 29th July 2016

A few days ago I watched a documentary about the making of the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics, London. I was very impressed by the level of commitment and dedication of the thousands of volunteers involved in the ceremony. They endured many hours of rehearsals, often in the rain, and yet they seemed enthusiastic and happy. They were so proud when their efforts culminated in the grand spectacle which was watched all over the World.

A few years ago, after a heavy snowfall during the night, I voluntarily, and without being asked to do so, joined a few neighbours in shovelling snow off the roads. It felt good helping the local community.

I once heard a professional comedian say he enjoys doing shows which are unpaid - however when he is paid it just becomes a job, and it loses its enjoyment for him. It simply becomes work.

Once a headlight on my car broke, and I went into a parts store to buy a replacement bulb. I asked a store worker to point me to the bulbs for my type of car. Whilst he took me to the bulbs, I asked if he knew what I should do to replace the headlamp, and so he came out to the car with me. He then proceeded to dismantle the headlamp cover, replace the bulb, and reinstall the headlamp cover. I was so grateful for this man's help. I was quite effusive in my thanks to him while he was working on my car. Then we returned to the cash counter at the store. He then tallied up the bill: 1 headlamp bulb + his labour for replacing the bulb. I was disgusted - I had assumed the man was helping me voluntarily, as the man had given me no indication he was going to charge me. I felt tricked. I went from liking the man, to being angry at him for misleading me. I thought he had been voluntarily helping me, for which I was grateful, but he was actually providing a paid service, for which I became resentful of him and his company.

Once someone repaired part of my car for an agreed price, but they left some litter from the repair work on the road next to the car. Rather than feeling grateful for his efforts, I was annoyed at his clumsiness. If he had done the work for free I would have been grateful for any help he gave me, and I would have gladly cleaned up the mess.

The latter anecdotes are intended to demonstrate the point that voluntary help encourages gratitude, friendliness and love; but when help is conditional upon giving something in return and thus leaving you less able to buy the things you need, it can build resentment.

Doctors are well paid so as to incentivise them for the important work they do. Would it not be better if the only people who chose to become doctors are those who do so because they passionately want to help others?

In a World where the only way to acquire resources for survival and alleviate suffering, is to provide a valued commodity, then when someone cannot offer a commodity of value, desperate measures are taken to escape poverty: prostitution, crime, joining gangs, etc.

If the World fails because people don't want to volunteer to help one another, then maybe that is for the best. Perhaps the Universe doesn't need a planet that runs on the basis of its people having to be materially rewarded for helping others, and maybe it's for the best that Earth be allowed to slip away into the night to prevent future generations being born into a suffering World of usury and greed.

Every time I watch the movie 'Titanic', I feel distress as the ship is sinking - but when it is all over and only Rose remains on that plank of wood - my distress is gone - no-one is suffering anymore. Similarly, a planet where there is suffering is distressing for onlookers who cannot intervene. So, if that planet cannot rescue itself from its anguish, it is better that it passes away - and quickly.

On the other hand, if the World is forced to do the right thing, it may only excite rebellion among the population, and elicit endless ideological struggles. Therefore, with a view to cultivating a global community enduring for all time to come, it is important that each individual is allowed to freely volunteer i.e. help only if they wish to do so. It is my suspicion that, on such a voluntary basis, over time, love will grow as the World becomes more and more comfortable and pleasant as a direct consequence of people enacting their free will for the betterment of all sentient beings, to alleviate suffering, and so greater and greater proportions of society will willingly give of themselves to maintain and advance the quality of life for all sentient beings on Earth. "One man willing, is worth ten men pressed."

So, in such a voluntary society: -

· You may want to study medicine and help people like you in finding cures and comforting people;

· You may want to devote yourself to the care of an allocation of land put into your care, beautifying it, nurturing the wildlife, cutting away thorns that might injure passers by, tidying up litter etc.;

· You may want to become a robotics engineer and help in the automation of tasks which enhance the quality of life for everyone;

· You may want to protect people and the environment by arresting people acting in a way which is harmful to individuals and/or the planet;

· You may want to become a teacher, and guide others in their education;

· You may want to become a hotelier, keeping a beautiful place for others to holiday;

· Etc.

I worked in a busy shop once, and there were a few times I would have rather stayed in bed. But I knew that the other staff needed me. I could have called to say I wasn't coming in, and someone would have to be called in from their day off, or it would have been chaotic in the shop. So, I made sure I came in to work. That is, I didn't act out of any concern for company profits, but out of concern for my fellow staff. That is, it may have seemed like it was the money that dragged me out of bed, but the true motivator was not letting down others. Compare this to the World - the most powerful motivator is not making a few more pounds to put in the bank, it is helping the whole World. Who cares about a rich shareholders dividends and helping in the upkeep of their huge estate? Instead, care for those in real need - where the pain is greatest on Earth.

As I wrote this blog (yesterday), I listened to the radio discussing the new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point, UK. The locals called in saying it was great as there would be jobs for the locals: bus services would be needed, sandwiches prepared, etc. What they really meant is that it'll give them money to pay their rent/mortgage, food bills, heating bills, etc. So why not, through global voluntary cooperation, just GIVE everyone what they need, and have EVERYONE on Earth cooperate in the maintenance and development of this nurturing and loving global system, i.e. not have people enslave themselves to huge corporate interests so as to garner a few crumbs for their families (one man on the radio was delighted his sons would have years of manual labour before them because they will get paid!), build clean renewable and safe energy sources, and consign the hazardous nuclear energy (Fukushima proved how nature can destroy nuclear power stations, Chernobyl showed the potential consequences of catastrophic technical failure, and there are difficulties in reliably storing radioactive waste), the polluting coal and gas power stations to the history that is human adolescence?

This is my appeal to the world - adopt the same volunteer spirit as shown in the performance of 'Pandemonium' at the 2012 Olympics - but instead turn the dirty industrial worldscape, the Satanic mills, back to the beautiful, the green and pleasant lands.

I am looking forward to the Rio Olympics opening ceremony - it makes me cry with joy when I see the World united in a global party - I truly love it.