1. Justice: The idea that an appropriate response to violence, hate, and discrimination is more of the same filtered through guise of "justice". "Justice" is a word twisted into a positive ideology, but the concept of justice is simply a socially accepted means of discrimination against an individual or a group of individuals. To say that someone "deserves justice" is to acknowledge they have the privilege of a minority. There is no justice in physically fighting back against those that oppress us--it only causes more death, hated, and segregation. "An eye for an eye" can have no place in this world if we want to end discrimination and violence. We must change our response before we can bring an end to the cause.
2. Discrimination: The idea that difference indicates privilege; that anyone or any group of people are superior to anyone else, based on any factor. We are different, but we are all different. And it is this that makes us all equal. Perceptions of superiority based on any grounds spawn discrimination, which leads to hate and ultimately violence and death. This is where it begins, this is the heart of our destruction. Everyone must recognize the equality of all living things before any of the following problems can be brought to an end.3. War/violence: Simply put, we need to stop hurting each other because we look different, act different, or have different ideologies and beliefs. We can disagree without taking violent measures. I like to think we've evolved beyond the point where killing each other makes any sense (though did it ever?). War and genocide are the ultimate extensions of discrimination: the only conceivable outcome is great loss of life. Thus, if justice and discrimination are brought an end, this point will be irrelevant.
4. Destruction of the environment: If we keep killing our planet, as we are doing, then it won't matter what else we do: we're fucked. Equality is recognizing all living things as equal, and this extends well beyond our own species. We must recognize the Earth as a living thing and treat it as such, or we will surely die. However, we cannot stop killing the planet if we continue to promote violence and death amongst ourselves. Once we stop killing each other, we can focus on not killing the living, breathing rock on which we all live and thrive.
5. Money: We assign more value to that which holds no explicit value than almost anything else. Money does not nourish, it does not heal, it does not provide shelter, and it does not please. The idea of currency--something which only holds non-spiritual, symbolic value--is probably the single most destructive invention of our time, aside from weapons. When a persons' survival is dictated by a currency, food, water, shelter, and pleasure become a function of this currency; and when a persons' survival becomes based on an object (or even a concept, in the case of capital) that holds no spiritual or explicit value, life loses an essential layer of purpose and meaning that drives all living things. Money does not directly lead to the destruction of life, but it does represent the next degree of separation. The uneven distribution of wealth creates quantifiable differences which lead to discrimination. However, if money was distributed evenly among every person, then what would be the need for currency in the first place?
*Btw, I don't know anything about that EU poster..I just used it to emphasize my point.
**OK, that picture wasn't working for me so I replaced it with something a little more lighthearted to balance out the post...much cuter
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