Try as we might to expand our view of the world, ultimately we can only see the universe through our own eyes. This is why I always enjoying reading other people's point of view, particularly when that person has a completely different life experience than mine.
Peter, a premium member here on Two Ice Floes, fits that bill perfectly. It was our hope when we developed this website to use the "Your Turn To Publish" feature to induce talented individuals to submit their musing for publication in order to share their life experience and perspective.
While I have written on this subject before, Peter brings a fresh and more in depth focus to the issue. Thank you Peter.
The worst mistake I can make when examining everything on a continuous basis is to assume that what humanity is experiencing during my lifetime is unique, a one time plunge into mass insanity, a short term illness rather than a terminal disease passed on from generation to generation.
Our culture demands that we direct our focus narrowly onto the micro, the who, what, where, when and why minutia rather than pull back and attempt to absorb the bigger picture. Living life with blinders on can be dangerous on any level we care to examine.
I have 'known' the author of this essay, On The Beach, for several years now. We began corresponding after he read several of my articles on Zero Hedge and wanted to take the conversation further than we could in the comment section.
If I were to point a finger at an example of a person who was walking the talk and had changed his life completely, I would point to On The Beach. When he emails me I always take time to read what he has to say.
The following essay was actually a comment he was going to post under one of my articles. Instead he emailed it to me saying he felt it was too long for the comment section and asked what he should do. I suggested we post it as a "Your Turn" submission and he agreed.