I think, perhaps through a naive sense of idealism, the majority of people throughout the world could be content to live their lives in peaceful harmony with their neighbors if there was mutual respect for individual rights, an effort to distribute the basic necessities of survival, and establish a sustained, progressive lifestyle for a population of inhabitants. This would include food, water, shelter, clothing, educational opportunities, a modern infrastructure, and some assurance violent conflicts could be controlled, if not eliminated. Armed conflict does not promote peace; never has, never will. There is a long history of promoting proxy conflicts and wars to control the political directions and resource distributions of countries that possess resources thar are in the interest of the United States. Billions of dollars have been invested in what are too often self-serving ventures at the expense of what some consider collateral damage in death to a country’s civilian population, a destruction of their infrastructure, economy, and way of life. 

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While achieving world peace and a heightened sense of internal bliss among the citizens of the world is probably a ridiculously improbable goal, and there appears to not be a shred of historical evidence to suggest it has ever happened, there are clearly a number of fundamental behavioral traits that continue to prohibit the human condition from progressing to a more balanced existence. There are, however, cultures and societies that have progressed much further along in their pursuit to promote a ‘more perfect existence’ for their citizens than what currently exists in the United States.

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The basis for a more egalitarian behavior begins with each individual’s ability to be truthful within. How can anyone possibly be truthful among their fellow inhabitants if they cannot be truthful with themselves? Many folks have lost their moral compass, and have given into and accept the behavior of deceptions, partial truths taken out of context, and outright lies. The principals of honesty, trust, ethics, respect for the law, living within the constraints of a civil society, a hand shake and a promise, a person’s word, self-discipline, high moral standards, respect for one’s neighbor and fellow citizen regardless of the color of one’s skin, culture, or religious heritage, and a fundamental acceptance of human decency have been profoundly challenged in this country.