THE COMMON IDEA
Thursday Aug. 2, 2018
The common cold. We understand that. It can’t be predicted or prevented, but we understand it.
The common man. Forget that.
The common woman. Figuring that out will drive you crazy.
The common plan. Great, if you stick to it but nobody does.
The common idea. That’s a novel concept implying that we could call get our heads around one idea and the world would rally to the cause – a collective ah+ha! Moment of agreeing on something.
I wonder what common ideas we could agree on? I mean, unanimously. I mean, nobody’s opposed.
Clean water. Sure, but so much evidence that we don’t agree – otherwise our water would be clean, safe and free of debris on land and at sea. Good idea, but doesn’t meet the ‘we all agree’ test.
Happiness. Sure, where can I see that? I see bits here and there, but nothing close to universal.
Sleep. Easy for some, elusive for others – resisted by party animals, night-owls and children who want to be read ‘just one more story’. But, while sleeping, isn’t that the time we are all happy enjoying that state? But really, if this elusive quality I seek is a ‘common’ quality it should really apply to everyone, day and night, right?
The common hunger – the need to satisfy the survival need for sustenance. We all have this in common, but I don’t think it deserves high regard until we are feeding everyone …
The common feeling perhaps requires examination. Since we humans are so much more alike than different, the must be common feelings that unite us all.
The common idea might be that we don’t’, but could, unite around something we could all agree on. In every language, in every culture, one common thread to stitch us all together. Might that be such a good idea though? It might give rise to world peace, elimination of ignorance and hunger, eliminate disease and provide clean water to everyone. Yes, I know, that’s not a common idea – it’s more like a cause or a quest, and since we are all here for only 100 years or less, it hardly seems worth it. It’s not like we are here for a geological period of time(measured in millions …).
