Focal Points

Reading Facebook and many websites gives the impression that we have many problems needing attention in America and the world. That impression is correct. There are always problems. The real challenge, however, is which problems are most critical? Of those, which are central to solving many other issues? Focus our energy and collective genius on those few problems, and watch good things happen.

It is more than a hunch that many other problems would melt away if we did this priority work.

Handling current issues in this manner will also reduce bellyaching about so many minor issues. We truly are a nation of complainers!

Two issues are critical for our very existence: first is climate change; second is world peace. If we have no planet to live on, what value are the remaining problems? Firmly establishing world peace would most likely improve quality of life for huge numbers of people while eliminating the cost of heavy militarization. The military forces throughout the globe would not be eliminated, but most likely would be vastly reduced, thus saving trillions of public dollars.

Address those two issues and then we discuss what problems remain to solve. Focal points would serve well here. An example, ‘freedom’ is a possible focal point. Under that label are: freedom to marry who you love regardless of gender; self determination of family size and thus freedom to have an abortion based on your value system; freedom to be gay; freedom of religion (and from religion); freedom from discrimination; and so forth.

Another focal point might be ‘justice’. So much discrimination is based on the deep meaning of justice. Racial justice. Marital justice. Women’s justice. So many key issues fit into this category.

Yet another focal point is ‘health and wellbeing’. Nurturing healthy lifestyles is one discipline that would address this issue, but another is ready, affordable access to healthcare.

You see my point here? Priority of problems is critical to addressing them, all of them. Start with the unquestionable important one or two. Planet health and world peace would both go a long way to advance humankind. From that stems many other issues, all of which could be easily sorted by key focal points. The rest may be as easy as project management.

This leaves us with the golden question: Why hasn’t this been done already?

Now that’s a real poser. Might the answer be as simple as human nature seeking power and influence over others?

March 17, 2022