I’m going to blow your mind.

Then, I’m going to offer you a profound challenge.

First, let’s get acquainted.

We probably care about a lot of the same things.  Life satisfaction, close friendships, great experiences, creating wonderful things.  Right?

Trouble is, it’s not that easy.

I know it, because I’ve seen real poverty.  I’ve seen injustice in many forms.  It’s out there for us all to see it now.  Not hidden, with cute stories of thanksgiving dinners, nutritional diets, and affirmative actions.

We all have seen injustice, and many of us have felt its sting.

Who among those listening have been bullied?  Who have been victims of reckless, needless harm?  From bosses?  From strangers?  From those who hold power over your life?  From those who love you?

Injustice unites us all in a challenge.  Can we create peace? Will we one day decry injustice no more?

I am here to answer this question.  And the answer will blow your mind.

First, let’s look at what we know for sure.

What we know for sure.

First, we know that humans are capable of peace.  We know, both intuitively through empirical examination, that our insecurities are largely in our heads.  As we thrive in life, with solid relationships and ample opportunities, we are more peaceful.  As we are cut off from a fair share of the wealth of humanity, and struggle, we may faultier, which means equality is of highest importance in achieving peace.

All around the world are stores filled with products not being stolen.  We have millions in mental anguish not lashing out in killing sprees.  Most people live lawful, peaceful lives, and deserve to be happy.  Like children at school, we yearn for structure so that we may enjoy the advantages of having our needs met.  We know we are capable.

The second thing we know is that peace is about taming our inner beasts.  Those animal-like survival behaviors.  The insecurity, ignorance, and intolerance, a lot of it exists only in our heads.  And yet, the environmental damage, the social unrest, and the economic and political warfare, it’s all real violence.  Cycle of violence started because we are animals still trying to survive in the jungle.  Evolution.  Anthropology.  Cognitive and social sciences.  We know we’ve got to get more rational.

The third thing, and perhaps the most important thing is that we influence each other.  We love enjoying moments together, and sharing our feelings so that others can enjoy sympathizing.  We get angry when others are angry, and hopeful when others raise our spirits.  We even sneeze together!  

This fact has been exploited for ages to gain advantages and make profits.

These three facts lead me to this conclusion: We can be peacefully happy by taming our inner beasts, influencing each other along the way.

So here’s the answer to that question, and maybe you already know what I’m going to say.  Will we have world peace?  Yes.

Why am I so sure?

How can I know this?  I must admit, it’s a belief. 

I believe in peace because we are all capable of peace, and the vast majority of us want it in our lives, right now.

I believe because we have been making progress toward peace for ages, and we know what has worked, and what hasn’t.

And finally, I believe, because you, like so many billions of others around the world, we are all are actively trying to make the world a better place, and will do so for our whole lives.  

A generation of people told to believe in themselves, and learn from our collective mistakes is about to take the lead in countries all around the planet.

The peace lovers are rising.

World peace is coming, maybe in your lifetime.

Earlier I said I’d blow your mind, have I done that?  

The Challenge

If peace is coming, best get ready, right?

That’s why I want to offer you a challenge. 

It’s base on a simple idea.  An idea to look beyond selfish interests to find purpose and meaning.  An idea to squarely face the core problems in society by looking inward.  An idea to tame our inner beasts.  To seek a higher aim than personal justice.  Or social justice.  Because humanity threatens all life,  the idea to seek justice for life.

I challenge you to face a problem in your life.  Maybe it’s an insecurity in yourself, your abilities, or worth.  Or an area of improvement, something you want to learn, to apply.  Maybe you need to address an intolerance, an anger, or weakness that causes others harm.  Or, perhaps it’s time to really take action on something, help others in some way.

You probably don’t know what that thing would be, and that’s okay, it will come to you, if you choose to find it.  Problems are always found where harm has been felt.  What experiences are causing you harm?

That’s the challenge. The first step is waiting just below.

It’s hard because we need powerful experiences to bring awareness to problems, and safe places to be vulnerable and change.

However, the rewards for facing challenges are immeasurable.  It’s through adversity that we gain wisdom about ourselves and humanity in general.  Without those opportunities, you may never know your full potential.

Same for humanity.  We all need to be more aware of our problems.  Less afraid to face them.

“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.” – Bertrand Russell

It’s when we face our own challenges that we come to see our collective challenges are similar.  We are connected in complex ways.  Our core problems, our evolutionary heritage, is actually the source of injustice.

And that injustice is wreaking far more havoc than domestic violence and classism, it’s literally destroying life on earth.  All this beauty, all the wonderful complexity in the world around us is being lost to entropy, fading from lack of attention into the chaos of the universe.

What a waste it would be if we did nothing.  Fortunately, we can do something.  We can start facing problems, and doing them together.

By seeking justice in our own lives, we seek justice for all life.

Now, make it official.  Join a Justice Forum and be influenced by fellow peace lovers. Don’t face your challenges alone.  We believe in you! 

Peace lovers seek Justice For Life.  We’re calling it; belief, evolved.