And so this is New Year and what have you done? Another year over and 2012 just begun ... ok, so I’m not John Lennon. But having heard Happy Christmas War is Over about a dozen times this past month, I have thought a lot about that ever elusive greatest gift that so many people want but have yet to receive: world peace. Where is it? Can we ever really attain it?
Here at the threshold of 2012, the calendar year when world-ending fear mongering and doomsday prophesy will slap common sense in the face, you may have difficulty seeing past the end of your own nose. Why? The sting of ‘in your face’ pop culture will cause your eyes to tear up and leave you feeling numb and nauseated over the hype and din of non-events.
It’s not that we are myopic. In fact, I would like to think that most of us are discerning news connoisseurs who can see two sides to every story and let fact and reason win the day. Sadly, the pervasive tabloids, the perverse reality shows, and the persistent Hollywood entertainment shows (who think they are newsmakers) are all going to have us sell the farm. They want us to get in a tizzy over a Mayan calendar or any of a thousand other non-issues that sadly take our focus, drain our time and deplete our energy towards attaining the ever elusive world peace we so desperately want to have.
If the social unrest and upheaval that clearly stands out as the newsmaker of 2011 is any indication, we know that ‘power to the people’ is certainly achievable. Time magazine has put ‘the people’ who fuelled social change in Egypt, Libya and Syria and other corners of the world, at the forefront of significance. Social networking is the ‘revolution’ that the Beatles may have been singing about. How we communicate our wish to have freedom and equality has certainly changed as far as technology goes, but it is that 1960s mindset of standing up and shouting out, that has formed a solid foundation and example for current political landscaping. I am interested to see what will happen in North Korea!
If all we are saying is ‘give peace a chance’ then we must all remember that peace must start with each one of us. If we want to effect lasting change in the world then we must be at peace in our own bedrooms, backyards and boardrooms. We must take the fight for peace to new levels of expectation. Pope Paul VI once said: “If you want peace, work for justice.” Now there is a new year’s resolution if ever I heard one! Certainly, it is a challenge for the ages. It is something we all should strive for. It is within our reach.
“Imagine all the people living life in peace.” I wonder if you can? Lennon’s utopia as presented in the lyrics of what is perhaps his most popular song, also remind us of the workings of peace. “If all we are saying is give peace a chance,” then perhaps we can tell the media to place more focus on good news items – stories that demonstrate the capacity that all humans have for greatness. Let’s hear about our ‘working class heroes’ and let’s celebrate them. Let’s twist and shout about helping others and do whatever we can to get people through the night –the dark times of hopelessness and despair. Let’s be hope for one another. We can realize world peace – and we certainly can do much, much more than simply imagine!
Tim Cusack resolves to get on board with the social media revolution in 2012.
