E. Lexi Abbott

I have had several conversations over the past two weeks that have all gravitated around a central theme of how we, as individuals and as a collective, have a tendency to create our own personal Hell on Earth.

We do this mostly subconsciously, of course. If we were ever to be told that we wanted misery in our lives and for others, most would – of course – vehemently disagree. Insisting that they most certainly did not and that all they wanted was peace and happiness. But if that were true then things would be different.

We might feel small and insignificant in the face of change but the truth is we are only ever going to be met with that which we were meant to handle – relatively speaking.

How many disasters are truly out of our collective control?

We, as a collective, choose to steal from, attack, maim, and lie all in the name of two things, as it has been redundantly pointed out to me: greed and power. Those in control want power and those that should have it don’t want it. Those who want power tend to lord it over those who don’t – creating Hell for others by pain and oppression – and they will do whatever they can to stay on top.

In order for this to change, the understanding of the fundamentals of human reasoning would have to change as well, on a collective scale. “You cannot change human nature.”

But not all of it is bad. Just as it is human nature to fear change and run the course of going so far as to lock people away for life just to avoid the inevitable, it is also human nature TO change with time and creativity.

With every technological advancement – fear has been instilled as a way to push back the unknown. The Unknown arguably being the scariest thing of all. Most would rather sleep with the devil they do know than contend with the one they don’t, metaphorically speaking.

Did you know that the fork was the last piece of our basic three piece set of silverware to be added because it was considered “of the devil” and “against God?” My own set of grandparents avoided using a microwave because they thought it was literally of the devil.

But not all struggles against progress have the root of religion. As technology continues to advance, wave after wave of fear for the future and greed for the possibilities have put our society into a number of strikes for fair labor and work even in the year 2023. As we set forth on a new frontier, those in power look to exploit it while those who used to feel helpless are slowly learning a power of their own.

No matter how things in the present turn out in the future, time will nevertheless keep marching on and life will keep rolling just as it always has. What shakes the Earth for us now will be a blip on the radar in history books – held by innocent little hands as yet another wave of Middle School students struggle to commit dates to memory in time for their pop quiz – an event that will no doubt feel to them as if it is shaking the world.

Which brings me back to my original point of creating our own Hell on Earth both individually and as a collective. Everything is a matter of perspective. What is tragedy for an ant is an insignificant percentage of a single meal for an anteater. What burns away everything in it’s path spells devastation for a forest but ends up clearing the way for new growth. And what will eventually destroy all current living things on this planet thanks to one species of populous mutant monkeys will merely mean adding one more tally to the mass extinction list before the Earth purges herself and starts anew.

I know I am not the only one to marvel at how quickly weeds sprout from the cracks of the sidewalk as if they were not the reason those cracks appeared at all.

If we consistently choose the better side of human nature to aid, help, support, and always strive for a healthy future – we can make peace with the side that wages war, hoards resources, and is scared of what is unknown outside a personal bubble of experience.

One day we will get to where we are going – that day is not today – but it takes several steps to form a staircase. We can’t give up just yet or generation after generation will fall in the same hole in the floor.

Build the steps now so that one day we can touch the sky together.