What can we do for Lebanon 
Here is a text I wrote July 26, 2006, shortly after a new war erupted in Lebanon.
Denounce, advocate, or to demonstrate for peace in Lebanon - or elsewhere - is certainly laudable. But this requires a level of commitment that can only rely on a handful of people affected very closely by the tragedy or those looking for a "crusade" again. For others, the vastness of the population, the physical and psychological distance to the conflict is such that everyone feels powerless. "But I, here, what can I do for Lebanon? .
Yes, what can I do, I think a private citizen, a simple human being, to end wars, injustice, enslavement of people by other people or sometimes by a small elite that holds the absolute power? What to do to stop the violence in the world, the destruction of the environment, the absolute power of money everything else, the suffering of the weakest and poorest? In short, how to make this world better, surely?
The solution is there, however, before the nose of each of us. Yes, everything is there. It's striking how people are presbyopic (they do not close), even blind, when such events erupt. The first thing to understand is that whatever happens, whether at the cosmic level, global, personal, or microscopic quantum may be increased to a different level, since the same event. A bit like the expansion or reduction of the same image. Everything is metaphor, after all. The second thing is that everything we touch sense. That is to say that not only does nothing happens by chance, but that every event, even remote apparently means something for ourselves, on a personal level, if the information affects us a little bit.
The conflict in Lebanon is a metaphor for our relationship between each other, a "local" level. But it is also a metaphor for our relationship with ourselves, with a more personal level, etc.. The key to return to our subject is that by acting at one level, it affects all the others ... since it is the same. In other words, all I can do to solve the problems of violence at my level will resolve the problems of violence in the world. Theoretical and utopian vision, some might say? Ideally, if every human being was committed to peace, there would be no war on Earth, right?
But look at it from a practical point of view, practice. Have you ever insulted someone who has provoked or hurt? Middle East, governments in the region are more bellicose statements from each other. Have you ever wanted to "duff up" to someone who really went too far in the assault? Middle East, large crowds are manipulated to go to war to the other side. Have you ever found someone who was a little too different from you? Middle East, we hate each other on the basis of religion. Have you ever wanted to get revenge for an attack when the time is ripe? Middle East is escalating violence. Have you ever had sex with execrable a colleague or family member for years? The Middle East is war for forty years. I stop there, because metaphors are obvious.
Yes, but even if it "sweeps to home," if we make peace with his family relations work or neighborhood, what effect will this have on Lebanon? It is mechanical, like a lever. Just look at where your money goes where the money goes global, what are the biggest budgets: energy, weapons, drugs and medicines. Worldwide spending in these four items represent the most global spending, and it is in the thousands of billions per year. Again, the metaphor is obvious, and the relationship more concrete.
energy used to operate the machines (the human body is one). Least one machine needs, it uses less energy. What energy do we waste our worries, our cheating, our conflicts. To compensate, we must agitate, to mobilize our thoughts ... nothing really. Someone at peace with his surroundings and his environment does not need much energy (needs). All is calm, far from the madding crowd.
weapons is the metaphor for the need of protection. We are afraid, it is imperative we protect our enemies. The other is supposed to be dangerous. Anyway, someone said. The elites in power use fear as a means to keep their population, there is even no need to read between the lines.
Drugs are a metaphor for the denial of reality. You need to have their minds elsewhere or asleep to not face reality. And we especially need to compensate for the terrible vicissitudes of life. And we are dependent, which prevents back anything in question. In drugs, we do not find that cannabis or narcotics, but alcohol, sugar, show business (TV, music and cinema of mass), pornography, video games, tourism and mass sport. Hey, it looks like the list of the biggest expenses of our consumer society!
drugs is also a drug, but it is clearly the search facility. A bobo and presto! a pill. An annoyance and presto! another pill. Everything that happens to us makes sense, even an illness or pain. Drugs avoid going further into the clash of reality. They cut us off from life itself, in fact, they keep us in a virtual reality (like drugs) or "all right". Until the next time it will hurt.
Returning to the concrete relationship between these four budget items and the conflict in the Middle East, it is good to ask: "What I can do me here? . Reduce their needs, open up and stop being swayed by fear, stop drugs (see list) and face pain. In other words, wake up. It does not happen overnight. Detoxification can take time, but the important thing is to be on the road. Each in its level, can make its contribution to deflate expenditures world in energy, weapons, drugs and medicines. For it is that system which maintains conflicts such as those in the Middle East.
The money is there. He could go elsewhere: to education, environment, culture. Peace, in other words. To change the world, first change yourself. And you will do much, much for Lebanon.
