“… Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
“You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one”
When John Lennon penned those lyrics in the early 1970’s, he had a vision of a non-religious, non-nationalistic, non-conventional, and non-capitalistic world. Lennon said that he was not the only one and he was right; I counted myself among those convinced that his vision could one day come to pass.
Over the last 40 years, his song — “Imagine” — has become universally-recognized by millions of people as an anthem for peace as well as a counter-culture statement which highlights the still-current issues of political and religious tribalism, warfare, and material ownership.
Can we live without possessions? Can there no longer be greed or hunger?
It’s hard to say.
Many assume that we have lived with these issues for so long that they are a part of “who we are” in spite of race or culture. That most of us will never have enough “stuff” (or, at worst, enough to eat) will continue to be our inheritance from previous generations unless we make a decision to change that.
A decision to change: That is the whole point.
Why should we accept that things will remain the same just because that is how things have been done for centuries? That way of thinking has not helped humanity make any quantum leaps forward.
I firmly believe that even centuries-old habits can be changed and that it’s crucial we start NOW because, in my opinion, humanity is fast approaching a crossroad where staying in the same money-lined rut guarantees more misery for future generations, while taking a “hard left” ensures that we choose a new path for ourselves — as a world community — which requires a new way of thinking.
Imagine that.
