When I was a girl, I calculated how many years remained until the year 2000 and envisoned the future that seemed so fantastically distant, it conjured fearsome, mysterious, magical images.
On optimistic days, I pictured myself living on the moon, ignoring the fact that only one woman had actually been sent into space then, and she was a Russian. On pessimistic days, I feared the world would be blown up in a nuclear holocaust.
It all went by too quickly. It's millennium eve.
There will not be a human colony on the moon, and my own goals today are much more earth-bound and practical. That we don't start another world war, poison the planet or completely vaporize the earth's delicate ozone skin. Those are the things I hope for now.
So my lot has been cast with those who insist on actively changing the world's social, economic, political and cultural systems.
Activism is ridiculed in this pessimistic age, and yet, it is the only hope. Mere declarations of principles are not enough.
We have to start rethinking and actually pressing for changes to the underlying structures of our governments and institutions.
We need to improve democracy, to enact strict rules around election spending and financing so that all groups are financially on a reasonably equal playing field in elections.
We need to restructure the underlying economy and curb or eliminate the casino atmosphere and upheavals in currency speculation exchanges.
We need to rethink the way we calculate national wealth. The framework we've established effectively means that trees left unspoiled in the forest are of no value to the economy. A pristine environment is of no value to the economy, except for the small bit of possible tourism it generates. If someone voluntarily takes time off work to provide care for an eldery person or child, there is no dollar value to count.
But if we are to survive to another millennium, we need to start counting and valuing a healthy, educated population, a clean natural environment, workplace standards, quality child care and rights for women, and the country's human rights record and treatment of its minorities.
Many will say these goals are utopian, unrealistic and impractical. I argue it is much more practical than the alternative - accepting annihilation by war, disease, economic and environmental collapse.
Others will say this will take generations.
I say, in that case, we'd better get started, because we no longer have the luxury of time.
Copyright © Rose Simone, 1999
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To read another of my articles, please click on one of the links below:
Losing Faith | Island of I | Millennial Dreams | Global Shoes | What Do Women Want? |
