The qualities that have protected us during this crisis are mainly united vision, cooperation and caring for others.  Operating out of these concepts hasn’t just consoled us, it has made us safe. This proves that, when used properly, these ‘virtues’ aren’t romantic ideals but rather ideas that can help us to create powerful tools for the well-being of our societies.

Powerful as this conceptual framework has been in 2020, we might not be sure how it might play out outside of situations of emergency. Some us are worried that in normal circumstances the idea of one planet and one people is too idealistic.  Others worry that the concept of oneness implies that we must all be the same and that individuality will be eliminated. Still others worry that to function at the level of the oneness of humanity requires us to tip-toe through a politically correct landscape where everyone is different and there is no longer a sense of a shared society.

We are social beings but our social bias has historically been tribal. This means that we have a tendency towards dividing our world - consciously or unconsciously - into Us and Them. Newspaper headlines scream warnings about migrants ‘flooding’ into our countries adding fuel to pre-existent tribal fears of marauding invaders. Politicians seek votes by promising to protect us, our children, our elderly parents and our cultural heritage against people from outside coming in.  At best it's Us and Them, at worst it's Us versus Them.  

The qualities that have protected us during this crisis are mainly united vision, cooperation and caring for others.  Operating out of these concepts hasn’t just consoled us, it has made us safe. This proves that, when used properly, these ‘virtues’ aren’t romantic ideals but rather ideas that can help us to create powerful tools for the well-being of our societies.

Powerful as this conceptual framework has been in 2020, we might not be sure how it might play out outside of situations of emergency. Some us are worried that in normal circumstances the idea of one planet and one people is too idealistic.  Others worry that the concept of oneness implies that we must all be the same and that individuality will be eliminated. Still others worry that to function at the level of the oneness of humanity requires us to tip-toe through a politically correct landscape where everyone is different and there is no longer a sense of a shared society.

We are social beings but our social bias has historically been tribal. This means that we have a tendency towards dividing our world - consciously or unconsciously - into Us and Them. Newspaper headlines scream warnings about migrants ‘flooding’ into our countries adding fuel to pre-existent tribal fears of marauding invaders. Politicians seek votes by promising to protect us, our children, our elderly parents and our cultural heritage against people from outside coming in.  At best it's Us and Them, at worst it's Us versus Them.  

When the threat of the global pandemic is over we may be in danger of forgetting what we've learned about working together...

When the threat of the global pandemic is over we may be in danger of forgetting what we've learned about working together and slide back into our old tribal ways as we desperately seek to restore ‘normality’. With hearts full of regret we might think we have no choice. But that isn’t true, there is an alternative.

Undoubtedly, building something new will take conscious effort, but then so do lots of worthwhile things - driving, reading, cooking (growing a sourdough starter - sorry, that one is impossible). However, just as with all complex skills, we simply need to take the process step by step. The very first thing we can do in this process is to change the identity of our ‘tribe’ so that it includes the whole human race. This is not as difficult as it sounds. We already have a history of expanding our ‘tribes’ with a reasonable degree of success.

No matter what happens after the pandemic we'll also be in that together. 

The qualities that have protected us during this crisis are mainly united vision, cooperation and caring for others.  Operating out of these concepts hasn’t just consoled us, it has made us safe. This proves that, when used properly, these ‘virtues’ aren’t just romantic ideals but rather ideas that can help us to create powerful tools for the well-being of our societies.  

Powerful as this conceptual framework has been in 2020, we might not be sure how it might play out outside of situations of emergency.  Some us are worried that in normal circumstances the idea of one planet and one people is too idealistic.  Others worry that the concept of oneness implies that we must all be the same and that individuality will be eliminated.  Still others worry that to function at the level of the oneness of humanity requires us to tip-toe through a politically correct landscape where everyone is different and there is no longer a sense of a shared society.

We are social beings but our social bias has historically been tribal. This means that we have a tendency towards dividing our world - consciously or unconsciously - into Us and Them.  Newspaper headlines scream warnings about migrants ‘flooding’ into our countries adding fuel to pre-existent tribal fears of marauding invaders.  Politicians seek votes by promising to protect us, our children, our elderly parents and our cultural heritage against people from outside coming in.  At best it's Us and Them, at worst it's Us versus Them.  

The qualities that have protected us during this crisis are mainly united vision, cooperation and caring for others.  Operating out of these concepts hasn’t just consoled us, it has made us safe. This proves that, when used properly, these ‘virtues’ aren’t just romantic ideals but rather ideas that can help us to create powerful tools for the well-being of our societies.  

Powerful as this conceptual framework has been in 2020, we might not be sure how it might play out outside of situations of emergency.  Some us are worried that in normal circumstances the idea of one planet and one people is too idealistic.  Others worry that the concept of oneness implies that we must all be the same and that individuality will be eliminated.  Still others worry that to function at the level of the oneness of humanity requires us to tip-toe through a politically correct landscape where everyone is different and there is no longer a sense of a shared society.

We are social beings but our social bias has historically been tribal. This means that we have a tendency towards dividing our world - consciously or unconsciously - into Us and Them.  Newspaper headlines scream warnings about migrants ‘flooding’ into our countries adding fuel to pre-existent tribal fears of marauding invaders.  Politicians seek votes by promising to protect us, our children, our elderly parents and our cultural heritage against people from outside coming in.  At best it is Us and Them, at worst it is Us versus Them.  

The qualities that have protected us during this crisis are mainly united vision, cooperation and caring for others.  Operating out of these concepts hasn’t just consoled us, it has made us safe. This proves that, when used properly, these ‘virtues’ aren’t romantic ideals but rather ideas that can help us to create powerful tools for the well-being of our societies.

Powerful as this conceptual framework has been in 2020, we might not be sure how it might play out outside of situations of emergency.

Some us are worried that in normal circumstances the idea of one planet and one people is too idealistic.  Others worry that the concept of oneness implies that we must all be the same and that individuality will be eliminated. Still others worry that to function at the level of the oneness of humanity requires us to tip-toe through a politically correct landscape where everyone is different and there is no longer a sense of a shared society.

We are social beings but our social bias has historically been tribal. This means that we have a tendency towards dividing our world - consciously or unconsciously - into Us and Them.

Newspaper headlines scream warnings about migrants ‘flooding’ into our countries adding fuel to pre-existent tribal fears of marauding invaders. Politicians seek votes by promising to protect us, our children, our elderly parents and our cultural heritage against people from outside coming in.  At best it's Us and Them, at worst it's Us versus Them.  

When the threat of the global pandemic is over we may be in danger of forgetting what we have learned about working together and slide back into our old tribal ways as we desperately seek to restore ‘normality’. With hearts full of regret we might think we have no choice. But that isn’t true, there is an alternative.

Undoubtedly, building something new will take conscious effort, but then so do lots of worthwhile things - driving, reading, cooking (growing a sourdough starter - sorry, that one is impossible). However, just as with all complex skills, we simply need to take the process step by step. The very first thing we can do in this process is to change the identity of our ‘tribe’ so that it includes the whole human race. This is not as difficult as it sounds. We already have a history of expanding our ‘tribes’ with a reasonable degree of success.

When the threat of the global pandemic is over we may be in danger of forgetting what we have learned about working together and slide back into our old tribal ways as we desperately seek to restore ‘normality’. With hearts full of regret we might think we have no choice. But that isn’t true, there is an alternative.

Undoubtedly, building something new will take conscious effort, but then so do lots of worthwhile things - driving, reading, cooking (growing a sourdough starter - sorry, that one is impossible). However, just as with all complex skills, we simply need to take the process step by step. The very first thing we can do in this process is to change the identity of our ‘tribe’ so that it includes the whole human race. This is not as difficult as it sounds. We already have a history of expanding our ‘tribes’ with a reasonable degree of success.

When the threat of the global pandemic is over we may be in danger of forgetting what we have learned about working together and slide back into our old tribal ways as we desperately seek to restore ‘normality’. With hearts full of regret we might think we have no choice. But that isn’t true, there is an alternative.

Undoubtedly, building something new will take conscious effort, but then so do lots of worthwhile things - driving, reading, cooking (growing a sourdough starter - sorry, that one is impossible). However, just as with all complex skills, we simply need to take the process step by step. The very first thing we can do in this process is to change the identity of our ‘tribe’ so that it includes the whole human race. This is not as difficult as it sounds. We already have a history of expanding our ‘tribes’ with a reasonable degree of success.

When the threat of the global pandemic is over we may be in danger of forgetting what we have learned about working together and slide back into our old tribal ways as we desperately seek to restore ‘normality’. With hearts full of regret we might think we have no choice. But that isn’t true, there is an alternative.

Undoubtedly, building something new will take conscious effort, but then so do lots of worthwhile things - driving, reading, cooking (growing a sourdough starter - sorry, that one is impossible). However, just as with all complex skills, we need to take the process step by step.  The very first thing we can do in this process is to change the identity of our ‘tribe’ so that it includes the whole human race. This is not as difficult as it sounds. We already have a history of expanding our ‘tribes’ with a reasonable degree of success.  

The very first thing we can do in this process is to change the identity of our ‘tribe’ so that it includes the whole human race.

The idea of national identity, which we all take as a norm, only really took widespread root in the world in the last few hundred years.  Even during WWI, the French soldiers fighting side by side in the trenches still spoke so many different dialects of French that they often couldn’t understand each other.  It wasn’t until after the Treaty of Versailles and the ill-fated League of Nations that the idea of the self-determination of small nations really took hold.  

Nowadays the world is even more connected than ever and we have all the tools we need to enable us to enlarge our ‘tribe’ to include the whole human race.  And we urgently need to do this because the oneness of humanity is no longer something we can dismiss as either a Utopian ideal or a negative threat - it’s simply a natural fact. Like gravity. Or electro-magnetism. Or death. Whether we like it or not we are like mountaineers tied onto each other.  We can help each other up the mountain or we can tumble down together.  Either way we’ll eventually be going together. 

The very first thing we can do in this process is to change the identity of our ‘tribe’ so that it includes the whole human race.

The very first thing we can do in this process is to change the identity of our ‘tribe’ so that it includes the whole human race.

The idea of national identity, which we all take as a norm, only really took widespread root in the world in the last few hundred years.   Even during WWI, the French soldiers fighting side by side in the trenches still spoke so many different dialects of French that they often couldn’t understand each other.  It wasn’t until after the Treaty of Versailles and the ill-fated League of Nations that the idea of the self-determination of small nations really took hold.  

Nowadays the world is even more connected than ever and we have all the tools we need to enable us to enlarge our ‘tribe’ to include the whole human race.  And we urgently need to do this because the oneness of humanity is no longer something we can dismiss as either a Utopian ideal or a negative threat - it’s simply a natural fact. Like gravity. Or electro-magnetism. Or death. Whether we like it or not we are like mountaineers tied onto each other.  We can help each other up the mountain or we can tumble down together.  Either way we’ll eventually be going together. 

The very first thing we can do in this process is to change the identity of our ‘tribe’ so that it includes the whole human race.

The idea of national identity, which we all take as a norm, only really took widespread root in the world in the last few hundred years.   Even during WWI, the French soldiers fighting side by side in the trenches still spoke so many different dialects of French that they often couldn’t understand each other.  It wasn’t until after the Treaty of Versailles and the ill-fated League of Nations that the idea of the self-determination of small nations really took hold.  

Nowadays the world is even more connected than ever and we have all the tools we need to enable us to enlarge our ‘tribe’ to include the whole human race.  And we urgently need to do this because the oneness of humanity is no longer something we can dismiss as either a Utopian ideal or a negative threat - it’s simply a natural fact. Like gravity. Or electro-magnetism. Or death. Whether we like it or not we are like mountaineers tied onto each other.  We can help each other up the mountain or we can tumble down together.  Either way we’ll eventually be going together. 

The very first thing we can do in this process is to change the identity of our ‘tribe’ so that it includes the whole human race.

Examples of people working together and for each other when there isn’t an existential threat are not abundant.  But we do have one very robust example. A tried and tested system experienced by billions of people and universally understood. In a nutshell, we have the example of family.  

Family is a concept with which we are all familiar. Not all families are functional but nevertheless most of us would be in broad agreement about what constitutes a healthy family.  In a functional family we would expect to find love, mutual assistance, support, forbearance and concern with each other’s welfare. These qualities are not considered ridiculously idealistic for a family, and many societal supports exist to help us achieve these important ideals within our families. 

Examples of people working together and for each other when there isn’t an existential threat are not abundant.  But we do have one very robust example. A tried and tested system experienced by billions of people and universally understood. In a nutshell, we have the example of family.  

Family is a concept with which we are all familiar. Not all families are functional but nevertheless most of us would be in broad agreement about what constitutes a healthy family.  In a functional family we would expect to find love, mutual assistance, support, forbearance and concern with each other’s welfare. These qualities are not considered ridiculously idealistic for a family, and many societal supports exist to help us achieve these important ideals within our families. 

We now know that we can achieve more working together than we can opposing each other.  In the face of COVID-19 we have learned that looking out for the well-being of our neighbours (nationally and globally) is, ultimately, the best way to look out for ourselves.  But pandemics are not normal circumstances and we’ve always understood the effectiveness of uniting to defeat a common foe.  What happens when the threat diminishes and there isn’t any (obvious) common enemy?  

Examples of people working together and for each other when there isn’t an existential threat are not abundant.  But we do have one very robust example. A tried and tested system experienced by billions of people and universally understood.  In a nutshell, we have the example of family. 

Family is a concept with which we are all familiar.  Not all families are functional but nevertheless most of us would be in broad agreement about what constitutes a healthy family.  In a functional family we would expect to find love, mutual assistance, support, forbearance and concern with each other’s welfare.  These qualities are not considered ridiculously idealistic for a family, and many societal supports exist to help us achieve these important ideals within our families. 

Examples of people working together and for each other when there isn’t an existential threat are not abundant.  But we do have one very robust example. A tried and tested system experienced by billions of people and universally understood.  In a nutshell, we have the example of family. 

Family is a concept with which we are all familiar.  Not all families are functional but nevertheless most of us would be in broad agreement about what constitutes a healthy family.  In a functional family we would expect to find love, mutual assistance, support, forbearance and concern with each other’s welfare.  These qualities are not considered ridiculously idealistic for a family, and many societal supports exist to help us achieve these important ideals within our families. 

However, we are inclined to keep these valuable qualities and traits strictly within our families. As psychoanalyst Adam Philips and historian Barbara Taylor say in their book, ‘On Kindness’ - “Today it is only between parents and children that kindness is expected, sanctioned and indeed obligatory.”(1) Which seems like a pity.

In some ways, our societies are like Lego houses built of family bricks. Nowadays, because most of us have lived for generations in nation-states, few of us feel threatened by the fact that our family is also part of a bigger tribe - a national tribe. If anything we value that fact and see it as enriching rather than detracting from the identity and integrity of our families.

In some ways, our societies are like Lego houses built of family bricks

So, what would be the benefit of enlarging our tribe to include all of humanity? In the Bahá’í Writings we are encouraged to, “…associate with all the people and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance…”(2) This is a not just offered as a beautiful sentiment, but rather as a practical course of action, “…inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord.” This same passage finishes by making a huge claim for associating with all the peoples of the earth, when it describes this simple act as,“…conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations.”

This advice is not given by Bahá’u’lláh to politicians or people of influence but rather to everyone (including politicians and people of influence). Because this is not a diplomatic methodology for creating a semblance of unity and harmony but rather a formula for creating understanding and trust between people at every level.

There are many aspects to learning to live together, working out our problems and creating a society and a planet that is healthy, productive, safe and good for all of us. There are issues we can think of, and issues we can’t even imagine, but if we do want to find solutions there's no doubt that we'll find them.

However,  we are inclined to keep these valuable qualities and traits strictly within our families. As psychoanalyst Adam Philips and historian Barbara Taylor say in their book, ‘On Kindness’ - “Today it is only between parents and children that kindness is expected, sanctioned and indeed obligatory.”(1) Which seems like a pity.

In some ways, our societies are like Lego houses built of family bricks. Nowadays, because most of us have lived for generations in nation-states, few of us feel threatened by the fact that our family is also part of a bigger tribe - a national tribe. If anything we value that fact and see it as enriching rather than detracting from the identity and integrity of our families.

So, what would be the benefit of enlarging our tribe to include all of humanity? In the Bahá’í Writings we are encouraged to, “…associate with all the people and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance…”(2) This is a not just offered as a beautiful sentiment, but rather as a practical course of action, “…inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord.” This same passage finishes by making a huge claim for associating with all the peoples of the earth, when it describes this simple act as,“…conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations.”

This advice is not given by Bahá’u’lláh to politicians or people of influence but rather to everyone (including politicians and people of influence). Because this is not a diplomatic methodology for creating a semblance of unity and harmony but rather a formula for creating understanding and trust between people at every level.

There are many aspects to learning to live together, working out our problems and creating a society and a planet that is healthy, productive, safe and good for all of us. There are issues we can think of, and issues we can’t even imagine, but if we do want to find solutions there's no doubt that we'll find them.

However,  we are inclined to keep these valuable qualities and traits strictly within our families.  As psychoanalyst Adam Philips and historian Barbara Taylor say in their book, ‘On Kindness’ - “Today it is only between parents and children that kindness is expected, sanctioned and indeed obligatory.”  Which seems like a pity.

In some ways, our societies are like Lego houses built of family bricks. Nowadays, because most of us have lived for generations in nation-states, few of us feel threatened by the fact that our family is also part of a bigger tribe - a national tribe.  If anything we value that fact and see it as enriching rather than detracting from the identity and integrity of our families.

In some ways, our societies are like Lego houses built of family bricks.

So, what would be the benefit of enlarging our tribe to include all of humanity? In the Bahá’í Writings we are encouraged to, “…associate with all the people and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance…”  This is a not just offered as a beautiful sentiment, but rather as a practical course of action, “…inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord.”  This same passage finishes by making a huge claim for associating with all the peoples of the earth, when it describes this simple act as,“…conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations.”

This advice is not given by Bahá’u’lláh to politicians or people of influence but rather to everyone (including politicians and people of influence).  Because this is not a diplomatic methodology for creating a semblance of unity and harmony but rather a formula for creating understanding and trust between people at every level.  

There are many aspects to learning to live together, working out our problems and creating a society and a planet that is healthy, productive, safe and good for all of us. There are issues we can think of, and issues we can’t even imagine, but if we do want to find solutions there is no doubt that we will find them. 

However,  we are inclined to keep these valuable qualities and traits strictly within our families.  As psychoanalyst Adam Philips and historian Barbara Taylor say in their book, ‘On Kindness’ - “Today it is only between parents and children that kindness is expected, sanctioned and indeed obligatory.”  Which seems like a pity.

In some ways, our societies are like Lego houses built of family bricks. Nowadays, because most of us have lived for generations in nation-states, few of us feel threatened by the fact that our family is also part of a bigger tribe - a national tribe.  If anything we value that fact and see it as enriching rather than detracting from the identity and integrity of our families. 

In some ways, our societies are like Lego houses built of family bricks.

So, what would be the benefit of enlarging our tribe to include all of humanity? In the Bahá’í Writings we are encouraged to, “…associate with all the people and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance…”  This is a not just offered as a beautiful sentiment, but rather as a practical course of action, “…inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord.”  This same passage finishes by making a huge claim for associating with all the peoples of the earth, when it describes this simple act as,“…conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations.”

This advice is not given by Bahá’u’lláh to politicians or people of influence but rather to everyone (including politicians and people of influence).  Because this is not a diplomatic methodology for creating a semblance of unity and harmony but rather a formula for creating understanding and trust between people at every level.  

There are many aspects to learning to live together, working out our problems and creating a society and a planet that is healthy, productive, safe and good for all of us. There are issues we can think of, and issues we can’t even imagine, but if we do want to find solutions there is no doubt that we will find them. 

However,  we are inclined to keep these valuable qualities and traits strictly within our families.  As psychoanalyst Adam Philips and historian Barbara Taylor say in their book, ‘On Kindness’ - “Today it is only between parents and children that kindness is expected, sanctioned and indeed obligatory.”  Which seems like a pity.

In some ways, our societies are like Lego houses built of family bricks.

Nowadays, because most of us have lived for generations in nation-states, few of us feel threatened by the fact that our family is also part of a bigger tribe - a national tribe.  If anything we value that fact and see it as enriching rather than detracting from the identity and integrity of our families. 

So, what would be the benefit of enlarging our tribe to include all of humanity?

In the Bahá’í Writings we are encouraged to, “…associate with all the people and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance…”(2)

This is a not just offered as a beautiful sentiment, but rather as a practical course of action, “…inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord.”

This same passage finishes by making a huge claim for associating with all the peoples of the earth, when it describes this simple act as,“…conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations.”

This advice is not given by Bahá’u’lláh to politicians or people of influence but rather to everyone (including politicians and people of influence). Because this is not a diplomatic methodology for creating a semblance of unity and harmony but rather a formula for creating understanding and trust between people at every level.

There are many aspects to learning to live together, working out our problems and creating a society and a planet that is healthy, productive, safe and good for all of us. There are issues we can think of, and issues we can’t even imagine, but if we do want to find solutions there's no doubt that we'll find them.

"The supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity.The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity amongst men, the greater will be the power of constructiveness and accomplishment in all the planes of human activity.”(3)

So, maybe the takeaway from this pandemic will be that we won’t forget that working together makes us stronger, safer and happier? Maybe this crisis will have taught us that, when it comes to human beings, there is no ‘them’. Only ‘us’. And that at all times and under all circumstances, we are all in everything together. 

If it doesn’t work out we can always go back to the way things used to be. However, imagine what might happen if it does work…

"The supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity. The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity amongst men, the greater will be the power of constructiveness and accomplishment in all the planes of human activity.”

So, maybe the takeaway from this pandemic will be that we won’t forget that working together makes us stronger, safer and happier? Maybe this crisis will have taught us that, when it comes to human beings there is no ‘them’. Only ‘us’. And that at all times and under all circumstances, we are all in this together. 

If it doesn’t work out we can always go back to the way things used to be. However, imagine what might happen if it does work…

“The supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity. The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity amongst men, the greater will be the power of constructiveness and accomplishment in all the planes of human activity.”(3)

So, maybe the takeaway from this pandemic will be that we won’t forget that working together makes us stronger, safer and happier?  Maybe this crisis will have taught us that, when it comes to human beings there is no ‘them’.  Only ‘us’.  And that at all times and under all circumstances, we are all in this together. 

If it doesn’t work out we can always go back to the way things used to be. However, imagine what might happen if it does work…

“The supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity. The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity amongst men, the greater will be the power of constructiveness and accomplishment in all the planes of human activity.”(3)

So, maybe the takeaway from this pandemic will be that we won’t forget that working together makes us stronger, safer and happier?  Maybe this crisis will have taught us that, when it comes to human beings there is no ‘them’.  Only ‘us’.  And that at all times and under all circumstances, we are all in this together. 

If it doesn’t work out we can always go back to the way things used to be. However, imagine what might happen if it does work…

"The supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity. The stronger the ties of fellowship and solidarity amongst men, the greater will be the power of constructiveness and accomplishment in all the planes of human activity.”(3)

So, maybe the takeaway from this pandemic will be that we won’t forget that working together makes us stronger, safer and happier?

Maybe this crisis will have taught us that, when it comes to human beings, there is no ‘them’. Only ‘us’. And that at all times and under all circumstances, we are all in everything together. 

If it doesn’t work out we can always go back to the way things used to be. However, imagine what might happen if it does work…