Monday 15 August 2016

Inhabitants of this Pale Blue Dot

Let consideration course through our veins,
The concept of respect be understood by our brains,
Let love replace hate,
Let equal access to resources help us weave our own fate.
Let the connection between an individual and community be made
As we accept everyone with open arms.

I believe an inclusive commonwealth is where every single living being is happy and feels that he or she belongs. In an inclusive commonwealth, we would accept everyone for who they are and there would be equal opportunities for all, irrespective of their background.

Currently, we do not look at each other simply as human beings. Racism is still prevelent, we judge each other depending on which religion we choose to follow. One's economic status serves as another distinguishing parameter. With the economic divide increasing by the day, the rich get almost everything they want, the poor barely have a voice.

If we want an inclusive society, we need to consider every living being from trees to birds, young to old and the physically challenged. We need more parks for children, and lesser noise so that babies and our grandparents can sleep peacefully. We need job openings and a more friendly environment for the physically challenged whereas wildlife sanctuaries and plantations of flowering trees and plants to give a home to animals and breeding ground to butterflies.

It is hard to change our mindset and make the idea of social inclusion go viral but I think it's possible.

Let in equal access. Access to a place to live, food, healthcare and information are bare necessities. Once provisions of equal access are created, physical barriers creating exclusiveness would almost be done away with and more psychological barriers would be left to work upon.

Let in innovative education. Ideas of inclusivity need to be incorporated in education systems globally. Strategizing is required to ensure active participation of all individuals and groups, irrespective of their background. Perhaps education could also be used to change perceptions of different cultures and backgrounds, which are hampering with a students learning negatively. Education helps people stand on their own feet and is a ladder to excellence.

Let appreciation for excellence in. In sports, we manage to look beyond the backgrounds of athletes and applaud them simply for how good they are. We must begin appreciating people for their contribution to society and respect them for the work they do.

Let unity in. Patriotism for their country keeps countrymen together, love for sports creates whole new communities and religion holds millions of people globally. But before all that, we must feel connected to each other simply because we are all equal souls living inside different bodies.

Let in consideration. At times policies are made without incorporating the needs of certain groups. Leaders must be considerate of every individual or group of people before they take any decision. We too must remind ourselves that we are all different and keep in mind how our actions could affect people in different ways.

Let the connectivity in. Technology has helped with providing equal access to information and made communication easier than ever before. It has also made creating awareness simpler and helps us feel connected.

Let support for a fellow human being in. We need to help each other at every step. We need to support students, we need to support the research of scientists and entrepreneurs starting a new business. Sometimes nothing but support, without conditions attached, acts as a gift in itself - it makes you feel like you're a part of something.

Let participation in society in. We need to find a way to get people of all kinds to participate in society. If we all work together and contribute to develop our society, social inclusion will be at its best.

Let us let the concept of inclusiveness in.

Let us identify ourselves with one common identity - inhabitants of this 'pale blue dot'.

Kanksha :)
This is an essay based on the theme - An Inclusive Commonwealth.