May our differences unite,
not separate us

• Intro
• Third Parties
• Analysis
• Prayer for Americans
• Peace Party
• Links

Introduction

A while back I was walking around Brussels (where I lived temporarily) noticing the people walking in the streets, as I often do, and also thinking about how I can help to make the world a better place. For some reason the words, "Each man a scholar" came into my head, as if whispered by a Muse (and yes, I understood this to mean 'each woman', too). What struck me was the intelligence in the faces I saw. Brussels is a very sophisticated city, and I have no doubt but that the people I was seeing were capable of great achievements. Yet I suspect that most of the bright, well-educated people, were going home to watch television, sink on the sofa, or just worry about life in general.

That's when the words, "each man a scholar" came to me. Along with these few words came all at once a much broader and grander idea -- or vision you might say. The idea is that in this age of computers and the Internet, the role of each person in their society is different. Each person, say, can become an expert in some small, but important subject, and share the results of their work with the entire world. Not only is that possible, it seems like this what God is calling us to do, for He has placed us on the earth, you and I, at the precise moment in human history where all this technology has become available.

This, I propose, is the most direct and fundamental solution to the problems that confront us today. The solutions to our problems -- to hunger, poverty, injustice, disease, alienation, war -- all exist. What we lack is a model for organizing ourselves to solve them. The Internet provides us with opportunity to forge such a new paradigm. Each person who is able -- and I mean especially all those who are well-educated and oriented to computers in the first place -- spend an hour or two every week donating their time to public service in this way?

It's pointless to suggest this, if I don't practice what I preach. Here, then, is my humble contribution. I believe that we Americans need political reform. Contrary to what others around the people might think (i.e., dictated by the distorted images their own news media), Americans are basically good. They are a good people, with a terrible government. One of the root problems is the tw o-party system (which is really a one-party system).

The two-party monopoly is promoted by two social factors. First, the news media supports it. Second, our current election laws strongly favor the major parties. As for the first factor, our best solution is to turn off the television -- at least the news programs. To address the second, we need election reform -- specifically, new measures aimed to encourage new ideas to enter the political milieu.

If only one or two people visit this site and gain something positive from it, then it will have been worth the little time it took to place the information here.

John Uebersax

(c) 2007-2012 John Uebersax PhD    email