“All right,” Hunter said, “I admit our government officials might not be perfect, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have great civilizations on Earth, especially with all of our advanced technologies.”
“You believe your society is so advanced, but the first indication of a primitive society is that it believes itself advanced. Unfortunately, beings of primal consciousness believe they are enlightened.”
Hunter thought for a moment, watching Lycus climb the main mast to secure the lower yard’s rigging. Pendragon stretched and moved his dragon wings back and forth. The circulating air felt cool on his face while he asked his next question.
“So, if we trained politicians to be wise, ethical and honest, would a one-world government solve our problems on Earth? Would that make us advanced?”
“The Earth’s population requires a total shift in consciousness,” Morph replied. “A new, enlightened global consciousness. A world government, world court and an international peacekeeping force would help, but your primitive society requires a radical change. After all, you have not yet found a way to stop human beings from starving to death, much less stop killing each other.”
“Why can’t we change?”
“Because you humans do not care enough. You must decide to simply have compassion for each other, to love your brothers as yourself, as one of your Masters so eloquently put it. You claim you love your family, unfortunately, you all share a limited view of who your family members are. You are all members of the one, great human family. This means that the problems of the human family are all your problems. Ignore the plight of others, and chaos occurs. Just like the Extractor societies here on Millennium, human societies’ greatest problem is their desire to be separate from one another. They cannot seem to grasp the concept of brotherly love, oneness. Simply put, what you do to others, you do to yourself. What you fail to do for others, you fail to do for yourself.”
Hunter folded his arms in defiance. “It’s not our fault. We need more government programs to help feed all the starving people.”
“My son, what your planet needs is a growth in collective consciousness. More love, not a growth of your governments and government programs.”
“Okay, how do we grow our consciousness?”
“For fifty thousand Earth years you humans have attempted to cure bad behavior caused by the emotional virus. You have not been able to properly diagnose, let alone cure, these low self-esteem diseases. Like an alien invader, the plague that corrupts and confuses and controls your thoughts has gone undetected on your planet for centuries, eons. You humans have become so accustomed to your own bad behavior that anger, jealousy, hatred and fear are now considered normal behavior. Fighting and killing each other is commonplace. Wars are glorified and politically justified. Yet, you have attempted to solve your problems through governmental action and political means.”
Morph raised his index finger. “You actually expect politicians to save you. This, of course, is the blind leading the blind. Before you can grow your consciousness, your planet’s emotional virus must be cured. Eliminated. The Extractor Virus, destroyer of positive thoughts—the killer of dreams—has created stinking thinking and thereby, destroyed the human spirit. You cannot grow your collective consciousness until you change your thoughts. What you humans have failed to realize is that the change you seek, your dream of a peaceful, loving society, must be made in the hearts and minds of the people as one unified family of man, one world. Separatism always leads to failure and ruin.”
The sage pointed skyward. “Nothing exists in the infinite universe that is separate from anything else. Everything, every thing, is connected and intertwined into the grand web of life, The Great Way.”
“I do understand the concept of how organisms and ecosystems are interdependent,” Hunter said.
“Your view of the natural world needs to be applied to governments, to the human condition. You humans view the world as a collection of nation states, separate and independent of each other. Through intimidation and war, you have developed what you call super powers, who consider most other nations inferior. As far as the super powers are concerned, the inferior nation’s problems: starvation, war, genocide, and denial of human civil rights, are viewed as internal problems. For example, your nation, the United States, does little for other nations until your own interests are threatened, or until your politicians and captains of industry decide that an inferior nation has a so-called problem, or valuable natural resources to exploit for profit.”
Hunter flexed his jaw muscles, frowning.
“When your country’s investments or security are threatened, you immediately rally your citizens and politicians and armed forces to put down the uprising, or annihilate the corrupt regime. The justification for the action is always a humanitarian reason, to enlighten and educate the oppressed peoples of the world on the benefits of democracy. The truth is, your nation, all super powers, all governments, protect their own self-imposed interests.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“The proof is obvious. When and where your nation has no political or economic interests, you show no concern. You have failed to learn that you are the family of man, what happens to one, happens to all. If you would truly apply your famous slogan, ‘One nation under God,’ to your entire planet and to all nations, your world would change immediately.”
Hunter sat speechless, his eyebrows arched. Captain Gog bellowed orders to the half-orc crew as the red sky crept overhead, casting a sullen glow on the Sea of Circles.
“You separate yourselves from one another. Your Earth’s underprivileged live in poverty while your privileged, the elitist few, create new laws for their corrupt governments, exploit the weak, hoard money and material wealth. Their selfish lifestyles cannot be maintained unless they cut down millions of acres of magnificent trees each year, destroy the protective ozone that covers their planet, and pollute the Earth’s rivers and oceans so their industries can produce more products. More unnecessary actions. Your society suffers from the disease of more. Greed.”
Hunter hung his head, admitting to himself that the sage had made some valid points. “Now that you put it that way, I’m kind of ashamed of being a human.”
The sage nodded. “Your world’s greatest tragedy is discontentment. Your worst of faults is wanting more, always. Contentment alone is enough. Indeed, the bliss of eternity may be found in your contentment. The Extractor Virus, the killer of dreams and curse of the universe, is an interplanetary epidemic. Earth’s civilization is not the only planet to have experienced the destructive thought-disease pandemic.”
Morph pointed at Eve. “Her planet, Epiphany, has experienced the unnecessary destruction of their civilization three times because of the Extractor Virus, the Dark Essence.”
“Wow, that’s incredible,” Hunter said, staring at Eve. She made eye contact but quickly turned away.
“The only hope for your planet, the one path to change, is for humans to discover The Great Way. Love is the answer. All you need is love.”
Hunter stood expressionless, worried about the uncertain future of his beloved planet. He really believed his civilization was advanced, not primitive. If a great society does not need rules or laws, a government isn’t so great after all.
He thought about how politicians are power-hungry, self-interest liars. He told himself that when he got home he would help the homeless, do something about the people dying of starvation, change the way things are. But first, humans needed to cure their emotional diseases, the Extractor Virus.
Morph interrupted his thoughts when the sage held up his right lower hand and said, “We shall end our philosophical discussion for this evening.”
Hunter raised his right arm in the air. “I still have more questions.”
“Patience, my son, patience.”
Frowning, Hunter sighed and gave Morph the impatient, I’ll wait but I’m frustrated, nod.