There is no Them. There is only Us.

Bono - "There is no them, only Us."

I've shared this sentiment almost verbatim for years, and was struck to hear Bono (of U2, Amnesty International, (Product)Red and the ONE campaign) repeating it over and again with such emphasis at Georgetown University on CSPAN today.

In my case, it's not been for global unity or a $25 billion international aid pledge for Africa. For me, it's become a meditation on a brotherhood often denied and neglected, between myself and those in my life - in my friend's and loved one's lives - with those we would readily disassociate from; in my case, for the perverse pleasure of a false sense of superiority... for distraction from a reality inconvenient.

As reaction-formation to thinking in "those/them/they" terms, I try to think in "we/us" terms, and encourage others to do so whenever prudent. This outlook, even in heinous circumstances (as often as possible), is incredibly helpful in making and keeping peace, helping us see relationships and reality more clearly, thereby avoiding needless stresses and resentments.

The causes of problems seen in this way tend to lie exposed as arising from individual and circumstantial limitations - often enough more a Situation to be accepted than a Problem that can be resolved. Again here, this perspective yields both great peace and a steady decisiveness.

It's a challenging thing to consider and accept, really ...sometimes impossible.

Massive upside, though.

-xv, 11/2012