In terms of the lens of our worldview, I’m going to go with a wishy-washy “yes and no” response to your question. Gandhi, King, (Mandela, Thich Nat Hahn, HH Dalai Lama, etc.) were (and are) beacons of light that led people out of times and states of great darkness. The 20th century seems to me to have been one in which the world was in a constant state of imbalance, where darkness, especially violence, often had the upper hand.

Therefore, I would say the great struggle is to find some sort of internal and external equilibrium, which allows people to let go of their need for absolute power, dominance, conquering, possession and permits them to be at peace with nature, one another, and what they *have.*

Permit me the indulgence of claiming that some of this imbalance has to do with the predominance of patriarchy and the overvaluing of masculine energies — with the simultaneous devaluing of feminine qualities — across the globe. Most of the Earth’s major religions speak of a Father, who will either *Save* or *Condemn* us, while barely uttering the name, Mother, let alone discussing Her power. Yet, if more people explored the inner sanctum of the God/dess, I believe they would find the energy, qualities and value of creation, bounty, nurturing, unconditional love and redemptive reconciliation. While this is a statement of opinion, my observations, experience, and reading (comparative religion for fun — everyone does that right?) suggest this to be true: Until woman and God/dess are restored to their rightful place as equals beside man and God, the Earth and humankind will remain out of balance.

Well, wouldn’t you know it? The soles of my feet suddenly got all soapy from standing on the suds box — so I’m off to wash them! I will look forward to your sharing with me some of your favorite readings, which uphold that resounding and important Truth: “We are one people and the Earth is our common homeland.” Certainly, when we recognize one another as brothers and sisters, it becomes difficult to do intentional harm and nearly impossible not to forgive and not to love.

With love, forgiveness, reconciliation and the Hippocratic oath (*giggle*) serving as the foundations, humanity should be ready to build a house of peace, where all are welcome.

Clearly the last century has seen the birth of tremendous heroes like the ones that you have mentioned, and even beyond that in some early expressions of human solidarity through the emergence of global institutions like the UN (notwithstanding obvious structural refinement that has to happen there). I’ve read in some brilliant statements that I’d love to share with you at some point that the great legacy of our last century was the recognition that we are one people and the earth our common homeland.

Your new school sounds cool…yes, lets chat about it and maybe I could introduce you to some people that would undoubtedly give much more insightful feedback than I!!! Thanks again for the post and I’m pasting below the fantastic quote that I believe you were making reference to.

(Albert Einstein on the occasion of Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi’s 70th Birthday in 1939)

“A leader of his people, unsupported by any outward authority: a politician whose success rests not upon craft nor the mastery of technical devices, but simply on the convincing power of his personality; a victorious fighter who always scorned the use of force; a man of wisdom and humility, armed with resolve and inflexible consistency, who had devoted all his strength to the uplifting of his people and the betterment of their lot; a man who had confronted the brutality of Europe with the dignity of the simple human being, and thus at all times risen superior. Generations to come, it may be, will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked on this earth.”

Another important issue you raised was “software” or redefining the cultural context. I’ve often wondered how we might “rebrand” or “mass market” the idea that “It’s cool to be smart; it’s cool to be of service to the greater good; and it’s cool to live modestly”?

As for hardware — hmmm — I’m actually working on a school model right now. Would love to get your feedback on it — Seems like a sort-of new structure; but another set of thoughts undoubtedly sees something different.

On another note, I’m going to swing out on a limb and disagree with you, Todd. The 20th century was the century of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. Both made very “significant attempts to explicitly nurture the moral, social and spiritual spheres of civilization.” To loosely paraphrase an Einstein quote I barely remember, the physicist described a future world in which humanity will hardly believe that one like Gandhi ever existed.

I believe that the 21st century must not forget the teachings of such peacemakers, but must expand upon them. It sounds like Harmony Equity Group will be spawning some commercial endeavors that will work toward such ends (with, I’m sure, drastically new twists). I look forward to hearing more about HEG’s upcoming projects and endeavors.

And I’d really like to read more of your ideas on radically new ways to govern ourselves.