A culture is literally an environment. An environment is a place where certain things thrive and other things die.  Ideas, innovation, and increase or decrease in human ingenuity is governed by the parameters of culture. Freedoms are determined by the environment one lives in. Let’s imagine the two environments of water and land. In water the fish thrive and their freedom is determined by the borders of that environment where the water meets the dry land. The fish have a culture which is determined by the environment it exists – water. In other words the environment of water ultimately controls the ceiling of how far that culture can increase in it’s ability to thrive. It also determines what dies by simply not supporting things that cannot live in the environment water creates. A lion, as dangerous as he is on land, is destroyed by water if he remains submerged for any length of time. The environment of water does not have to shoot, butcher, or bludgeon the lion but it simply takes away the things the lion needs to thrive. Hence the point of this article.

We cannot speak of global change until we as individuals take responsibility for ourselves. The whole depends on the parts to all make a contribution. I can speak of my wishes to see the world change but if I do not contribute to the change I envision, then I am living a fantasy and truly do not consider it worth the inconvenience to make it happen.

As each person treats others as they want to be treated, the environment changes. Look at it in a practical way. Remember, I am not on a crusade against lions – just using the principle. If I want to (and if I had the power to do it) restrict the movement of lions and segregate them to a small area; this is how peaceful it could be done. If I increase the water and overflow the banks and continue decreasing the dry land, I could eventually surround them with water and leave only a small area as an island for them to exist. The fish have increased in their freedoms while the lions have decreased in theirs.

When each of us begin treating one another as we want to be treated then we culturally have an environment that produces nothing for evil to exist in. As more and more behave in this manner, the freedoms increase as the water and evil decreases as the land. If children are the product of their environment which is their home life or lack of, then what if we educate children at a young age on how to behave towards their fellowman by showing respect based on the inestimable value of each person? I mean if a child can be taught to disrespect other people through ideologies, religions, and philosophies, then why can’t they be taught to respect others in such a way that values them beyond monetary estimation?

What would a nation look like, feel like, and be like to live in if everyone lived the Golden Rule – treat others the way they want to be treated? Do you realize there would be no violation of another’s human rights… think about it.

– Dr. Reuben Egolf