COMMON SENSE

OR should that read “Common Cents?” Certainly in today’s world money and power always “Trump” sense. But what I’m cogitating on is the first word, “common.” To me, common implies commonality, something we share with each other as humans, with animals as fellow animals, plants as, well, living things just living a bit slower, sometimes longer but certainly different from ourselves. I don’t think there’s much “common” sense left these days, replaced instead by “uncommon” sense and “my-me-mine” individual sense. There’s always been a challenge inherent in being human as to whether we’re a cooperative or competitive species. Stanford professor, Dr. Robert Sapolsky once said we are a “tragically confused species,” and, though he was referring to sexuality and social sexual norms, I think it well-applies in general. It’s our strength and our weakness. Strength in diversity verses strength in shared purpose, the former vastly winning in this time and era.

The argument that our species is inherently deadly competitive is challenged by Bonobo studies. The argument that our species is inherently benignly cooperative is challenged simply by the current state of our planet, other species and other individuals. What we are is easily seduced by money and power, perhaps because of our unconscious, and occasionally painful consciousness, of our own demise. Without a clue as to from whence we come, why we’re here, and where we go, if anywhere, after death, I think the phrase “tragically confused” fits all too well.

What we do have is something very existential and elusive, “hope.” Not belief or faith, which remain hopeless extensions of hope relying as closely as they do on collateral money and power. Forced hope isn’t hope, nor, in my opinion, is Fate swayed by the intensity of one’s belief or faith. It’s not about collusion. Just plain ole’ hope, the one characteristic of our species that I think would make Benjamin Franklin and the God(dess) together smile and perhaps even laugh. I like to think that “hope” is our species only hope, and I think Dr. Sapolsky might agree.

Hope, however, doesn’t “spring eternal.” It’s a characteristic each of us must carefully cultivate in both easy and difficult times alike. Like in THE EDGE OF MADNESS (Aignos) by Raymond Gaynor — https://www.amazon.com/dp/0999693859 — in printed, digital and audio formats — but, then, I’d be pleased to hear what you think…

The Edge of Madness