Gated communities have become a more common sight in newer housing developments. Numerous “intentional communities” have sprung up around the country. Trump supporters seek to erect walls to keep out immigrants. Have we learned nothing during the past century? Will we continue to separate ourselves from others, to our own demise?
This planet is now supporting seven billion human beings. As global warming persists, larger populations of people will be displaced as a result of natural disasters. This is in addition to unnatural disasters created by war and genocide. What will it take to change the direction of this trend? We can put up fences and walls and all kinds of barriers to keep others out, but what we are actually doing, is boxing ourselves in. We are cutting ourselves off from the possibility of relationships that are mutually beneficial. Whether we choose a gated community, or an intentional community, the result is the same. If we isolate ourselves and our children, when our children grow up, they will not automatically adopt our prejudices. They will show us to ourselves, either by imitating us, or by rebelling against us.
Clearly, we will continually face differences of opinion. We will naturally be drawn to those whose beliefs are in alignment with our own. If we are going to draw boundaries between ourselves and those with whom we don’t see eye to eye, we need to consider the real reason why we are doing it. If two groups of people can simply agree to disagree, without malice or judgement, while remaining open to uncomfortable ideas, we can maintain harmony. If we are separating ourselves out of fear and a feeling of condescension, then conflict will continue to plague our planet.
Life has changed a lot in the past century. As fewer and fewer people can afford the luxury of owning a large home in the suburbs, a greater number of people are needing to adjust to the idea of sharing with others and settling for only a room, with extended family, or even strangers. Many have to re-think beliefs that they had always accepted as true. Survival of the fittest, for human beings, is becoming survival of those most willing to adapt and to change.
