A Viable Alternative to ‘World Order’?

January 21, 2024 Sociocultural Issues No Comments

Some see – globally – either order or disorder and chaos. I see a better solution in a dynamic striving for order that never reaches it entirely but continues dancing around it.

This would be a beautiful dance ‘from the inside out’ in which all people can participate.

Apparently, we are going from bipolar to unipolar to an emerging multipolar world order.

As you know, the bipolar included the USSR. When this fell with a wall and a curtain, a unipolar – ‘liberal,’ US-dominated – order ruled the world, bringing Pax Americana and the sense that, basically, the world is divided into those who are and those who are not yet adherent to one implicitly imposed cultural core (with, of course, local accents).

Anno 2024, it’s not turning out that way.

We’re seeing the beginning of a multipolar world order.

Multipolar: apart from the US, also China, Russia, India, Brazil, South-Africa…

Knowing the human race, this may lead to multipolar world conflicts. It’s a dangerous era.

The emphasis should be multicultural rather than (power-based) multipolar. Then, we can think about what it means to be cultural.

It’s not the same as powerful.

Does one necessarily have to fight for one’s culture against others?

If this necessity is part of one’s culture, then I doubt whether it’s a good culture or a good part. An excellent culture dynamically strives to evolve for the good of people, not for a blind – or, even worse, blindly backward-looking – self-continuation.

Every individual has the right and responsibility to refine his own culture continually. Starting from the culture of those around oneself is a good idea, but no more than that.

Thus, ‘world order’ should not be imposed with aggressive means.

Not uni- nor bi- nor multi-.

World order can better emerge as much as possible from interesting cultural grounds. Any interesting culture can stay itself – especially in-depth – while incorporating interesting parts/insights/wisdom of other cultures. A proper culture is alive and values continual cultural growth.

Otherwise, it makes no sense. It takes away people’s Inner Strength while it should precisely foster this.

This eventually leaves room for one alternative to ‘World Order.’

This alternative is the human being itself, in its entirety ― rationality and human depth. The total person emerges as we can meet him in all cultures.

This is not an average or blueprint. Contrary to this, it’s the result of people all around the world talking to each other in-depth about many issues that concern us all.

Social media can be used for this. Planetarianism is a possibility to realize it.

You might have guessed the following by now.

The alternative I refer to is worldwide Compassion. I see this as a grassroots solution ― no power or order imposed from above upon a blank slate.

This is no fantasy. It’s the future if there is any at all. Moreover, it’s a future to which we can all contribute. It starts with daring and not succumbing to the me-syndrome.

If so, the only remaining question is when.