DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 29 April) — Wanted: A genius who can convert elections from a competitive into a cooperative democratic practice. The mode of cooperation–not competition–is what maintains this universe.
Because of the universal impulse to cooperate harmonious systems from atomic to galactic levels are created. The same also created life. And life, too, developed into complex ecosystems and bioregions because of cooperation. Societies are no exceptions.
Hundreds of millions of pesos are spent every election period, maybe the real figures run to billions — money that could have been used to alleviate poverty or elevate dire societal conditions instead of mudslinging and empty promises that, after all the sound and fury, can only perpetuate a development model and economic blueprint that in less than 50 years ravaged the natural environment.
Now, the web of life is dwindling down to a massive extinction of species unprecedented in Earth history–one that is caused by humankind.
Whatever social good the politicians claim to have done, could be done with the sincere spirit of service obviating the practice of politics. The true Civil Society is one that has molded governance and the economy to serve the citizenry and preserving the natural matrix, certainly not to create divisiveness by way of competition.
So, where is that genius who can make the real change?
(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Phillip Somozo is an environmentalist with little gifts for painting and writing. He worked as environmental campaigner and educator since the 1990s and was instrumental in freeing Davao City from its last Timber License Agreement holder in 1992).
