One key to our problems is how we identify ourselves.

If you were asked the question “who are you”.

you might describe yourself in terms of age, sex, body description, ethic origin, occupation, culture, religion, location, language, interests, nationality etc.

These are descriptions that would make you different from some humans and similar to some humans. All these descriptions would be partially true, but there is more.

If we take a broader more expanded view, we can see that we have a fundamental similarity with all humans, as well as with every other animal, and yes even plants. We are all made of the same star “stuff”, we are all subject to the laws of Nature,  Earth is home to all of us and we all depend on Her for everything. We are all part of the interconnected web of life that makes life possible.

One way to look at an aspect of it is levels of generalization. A line could be drawn, a continuum from specific to comprehensive.

man or woman  -   human  -   animal  -   life  -   web of  life  __________________________________________________

Each one of us is a man or woman, a human, an animal, we are alive and we are part of the web of life. If we expand our thinking to include this larger reality, it will go far to solve our planetary problems.

Where does our skin stop?

The important thing is how do we think of ourselves to ourselves. What point along the line is “me”? Where does our “skin’ stop?

If we think of ourselves only in a specific, narrow way, one’s interests tend to stop with the specific person. So any other person or animal, or anything else can be discounted, devalued or even demonized.

We would tend to not see that we have a relationship to it, or any common interest. We

may give it no value, ignore, abuse, kill or even drive it to extinction. We might do this even if it went against our own self interest.

If we can expand our identity to a more comprehensive level, we can understand on a fundamental level that our interests are related

to the interests of other humans, animals,

plants, to the entire web of life.

We have so much in common. We are all

made of star stuff. Every creature wants to

survive, grow, reproduce, we all grow old,

die and our bodies rejoin the stream of life.

We are all interdependent, all part of the

alive communicating interacting web of life.

What affects one affects all.

Each person is a unique individual as well

as a part of and one with the web of life.

This is the reality whether we

are conscious of it or not. If we are conscious

of it we can avoid the problems that we face as

a result of denying reality.

We can become conscious of this on an intellectual level and also on a deeper experiential level, and if you are so inclined on a spiritual level.

We can never again feel alone if we are in this state of mind. Our decisions about how to live in this world will be in harmony with the reality of our nature and will be easy to make. They will be informed by the interrelationship of everything, and we will have a respect for the intrinsic value of all.   

With an expanded sense of self, we will be empowered to find ways to live sustainably, ethically and  harmoniously

on this beautiful life giving planet.