I read about the gilets jaunes in France who have been in the news for a few months now. It seems that the protests and the government’s response to them have become more violent lately.
Is the world really becoming more violent? Or has violence always been an inseparable part of human existence, and we’re just hearing more of it due to the fact that information from all corners of the world is now accessible from the tap or swipe of your fingers?
I’m thinking that both could be true. Disagreement is a logical consequence of the diversity of the human condition. It will always be with us.
But as technology allows us to be more connected to each other, it also exposes us to the different ways that people do and think about things. There lies the increased potential for disagreement and conflict.
So, since technology always advances and diversity is part and parcel of our worldly existence, does this mean that violence will always continue to escalate until humanity destroys itself?
I’d like to think that’s not the case.
An important part of the equation is the human ability to empathize. Humanity has evolved this powerful trait to help the survival of our species. The homo species thrives because we are able to cooperate and have the capacity to coordinate our cooperation. You can’t cooperate when there aren’t anyone else you can cooperate with. As a result, ensuring the survival of others is in fact ensuring your own survival. In other words, humanity needs empathy to survive.
This is the thinking that underlies my new release, “A Perfect Universe,†a contemplative pop/jazz tune with a hopeful message. The song has a few parts with different moods to reflect changes from a somber, more serious tone, to an upbeat, more optimistic atmosphere.
And that is my hope for humanity. Things may seem bleak and gloomy when one follows the news around the globe. But there is always reason to feel hopeful and optimistic.
Please go ahead and enjoy this release through the below. As always, you can also buy a digital copy on Bandcamp.