A LARGER VIEW
An Englishman wrote the actual words many years ago, and by this time men and women in many nations have, no doubt had the opportunity to either hear them said or read them.
Right now, when we are beset with special problems associated with the durability of national entities, the seeming erosion of national symbols, and drastic changes in our standards of social and religious practices - culture, in genera, for that matter, the need is more urgent than ever.
That Englishman, Herbert George Wells wrote, or complied, what he called an "Outline of History.” He knew that our vast knowledge of mankind' s accomplishment, even in his time, were far too great to be considered other than in a terse, outlined form.
He took the view that we faced and era in which we wished to live in comparatively peaceful times we must realign our loyalties.
“Our true nationality is mankind.”
H.G. Wells, who exhibited special awareness of future possibilities, was a man who had a firm foothold in the realities of the past as well. His “outline” provides us with an amazingly accurate record of what man has done up to the point of publication in 1920.
It is plain to see , how much of the world's dislocation has resulted from our tendency to seek local, racial, religious, governmental, egocentrically oriented ambition, and attempt to befit one segment of society in preference to another. To me, in spite of its faults and shortcomings along way -always amply documented by critics – has, in truth, been one of the primary advocates of this larger concept of thinking of all us as Mankind rather than as small, narrow entities such as nations, political groups, isms” of various, religious amalgams and and all have manifested themselves dramatically at times in outbursts rapacity, murder, mayhem and monstrous mis-treatment of fellow member of society.
We have had leaders who had visions of such a time. I think Woodrow Wilson and others who favored a strong League of Nations, and , later, those who started the United Nations programs were forerunners in this concept of mankind being our true “nationality.”
Our restoration of Germany after two major wars. Or that of Japan, and our willingness to help other common people of Russia when the Soviet empire disintegrated. Even now we are field immense relief efforts to restore normal conditions to both Iraq and Afghanistan. We are also, I feel, displaying remarkable constraint in dealing with Fidel Castro and the eleven other dictators currently “at large” and mis-ruling large segments of our responsibility – mankind.
H.G. Well's prediction remains in out future We are not yet ready to make such a choice, But, I think that's where we are headed.
' "'Our true nationality is Mankind."
A.L.M. May 15, 2003 [c769wds]
