Kindergarten Ethics
May 6, 2008 A little over half of those who read this blog live in the US and Australia, the two countries with the largest average carbon footprint per citizen. A reasonable number of the remainder of readers live in countries that are not that far behind these two "leaders." So I believe most of us are in a position to understand what Sharon Astyk wrote on her Casaubon's Book a few days ago.
With kindergarten ethics there’s enough food for every person in the world to eat to fullness, enough water to have everyone drink their fill and still a bit more to grow good things. There are fish enough in the ocean for each of us to celebrate and enjoy a lobster or fish dinner once in a while. There’s enough oil in the wells for us to visit beloved family and friends on occasion, and hold a huge family reunion feast. There are enough trees for each of us to sit in the shade - all 6.6 billion. There’s enough wealth for all of us to have clothes enough and shoes and a little house. There’s enough space for all of us to have public parks and most of us to have a little garden somewhere. There’s enough. Not as much as you or I might want, having gotten accustomed to more, but enough to make people in Nigeria cry out with delight. Enough to impress your own great-grandparents.
In our "kindergarten ethics" worldview, there is enough.
But really, is there "enough"?
We have yet to break out of our self-focused world and to, instead, look at the world as others see it. It is comforting to think that others can live as we who are fortunate live, comforting to tell ourselves that there is enough for everyone. I count myself in this group, for I still also get hooked by established ways of perceiving the current world situation and thus fail to do all I can, and should.
We live in a world of technology with access to vast amounts of information: a world in which it is our responsibility as intelligent people living in democratic societies to learn the truth even when that truth is frightening or depressing. We live in a world where the Buddha taught to do no harm: a world in which it is our responsibility as ethical people who upon learning what harm is to refrain from doing it.
Frankly, kindergarten ethics is fine for children. But you and I are no longer children.
We are grownups and have the responsibility to act wisely and compassionately. Our practice as Buddhists is not to withdraw from the world and to look after just ourselves. Our practice is to take the strength we derive from our meditation and learning and, with that strength, to turn to face the world. Our practice is making the hard decisions; it is finding the courage to accept the reality that we share this world with almost seven billion people and an uncountable numbers of other beings. Practice is recognizing the suffering of others as acutely as we feel our own.
Practice is realizing that there is NOT enough for everybody—and acting accordingly.
Reader Comments (1)
"We have the answers, it's a matter of wanting to implement the solutions."
Ego gets in the way of implementing those solutions. Ego wants "more than", "control of" and "better than" others. It drives and fuels wars, destruction of all forms.
I am grateful for the lesson of non-attachment to lessen the effects of my harm upon this earth and others. It helps control and lesson my ego, thereby reducing its destructive nature. I want less. I do not need to have more to be better than. It's a lesson I wish I had taken to heart sooner.
How foolish we can be--each unrecycled plastic item is approximately 480 years before decomposing.