What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

Can you tell I was paying attention in my Tech Support training class?

Today's post title is a triple reference - 1. It's the name of a Cymbals song 2. It mirrors the 64NYWF slogan 3. PLUR (don't worry if you don't know what this is, you're better off not knowing...)

Well then, on to the post topic...

I present a question. Who does not want the world to be at peace? Who would rather see mankind continue to tear itself apart in a never ending struggle to prove who is right and who is wrong?

No one? Well then I ask you this.....What's so funny about peace, love, and understanding? The instant someone espouses these sentiments, they are labeled "hippy", "naive", "out of touch with the world", etc. Absolute peace is a pipe dream to be sure. Humans, despite all of our technology and culture, never truly shed the tribal state of mind. We've only disguised it. Politics, social cliques, labeling, foreign policy, sports teams - nothing more than tribalism. Social interactions on the level of just two individuals, all the way up to national delegates are all impacted by this basic trait. It's human nature I suppose, but I know others have notice this. That's what we have sociologists for. Knowing this, why are those who wish change shunned and demonized? One could say it's another form of tribalism, seperating those who would seek to end the conflict instead of joining it. Or is it the fear of facing the reality of who we are as humans? No one living in this "modern" society wants to admit that, we really have not changed at all since men lived in caves and grass huts.


Actually...I don't how factual that is, about the caves and huts...but you get what I mean...I hope. Anyway...on to the World's Fair stuff -

The international stage was rapidly changing in the 1960s. As the empires of old Europe were finally in their death throes, the era of post-colonialism shed light on those who had long been oppressed. The United States and the Soviet Union, former allies of World War 2, had begun their great races, the Space and Arms respectively. Berlin built it's wall, a sort of physical representation of the "Iron Curtian" the Eastern bloc nations had erected around themselves. Having found(though some could argue "stole", but that's another matter) a home for their people, the Jews of Israel found themselves in another conflict as the Six Day War raged on. China's infrastructure was in chaos from Mao's Cultural Revolution, an act that would change the politics of that country forever.

With the world slipping again into turmoil, many looked to the future with the hope that we could learn from the lessons of the past and create a better global society. A world community, if you will.To achieve this goal, people would have to learn that, despite our collective differences, we all had a part in creating this new future. In other words, make peace through understanding.

The message of global unity and innovation was the shining point of the 60s World's Fairs. The 1962 Seattle World's Fair - also known as The Century 21 Expo - presented a future world that looked like something out of a Lost In Space episode. Cities would be covered by huge climate controlled domes, commuters would fly in personal gyrocopters and on rocket belts, solar power would be our primary energy source. Homes would be designed to incorprate as many automated "convenience" devices as one could imagine, though I'd hate to see what would happen when the electric sink malfunctions. While we are slowly realizing some of these future predictions(though not quite on the scale they imagined back then), economic and enviromental limitations have not allowed for technology to reach the state it COULD be at. Developments of the alternative energy sources proposed for these projects has been stifled by the industry's resistance to change. For instance, switching to solar power would require a complete infrastructure change, as well as being less profitable. Anyone with enough knowledge can potentially setup their own solar power array, thus elimintating the need for an ouside provider.

And.............I've run out of stuff to talk about for Century 21. I'll talk about the 1964-65 New York World's fair next time. I know more about that one.