Probably the thing humanity (how dare I presume to speak for our whole species!) wants most is to believe in our potential to make the world a suitable place for human beings to live. It seems our most glorious struggles like the Arab Spring get thwarted & there is that thunderous cacophony of cynics & misanthropes to mock our every aspiration & attempt.

Defeat is a temporary state; setbacks are things we learn from. We’re living in the barbaric phase of capitalism so we’re running out of options fast because if their wars don’t get us first, their fracking & cyclones will.

It would be good if we only had Cédric Herrou stories–which speak to the best in most of us–but alas we also have Assad & Trump tales. We have to elaborate the latter, not to dwell on the negative, condemn, or God forbid, depress, but as part of working out how to move forward, how to unite, & around what program. It’s a necessary part of clarifying & movement building.

Humanity doesn’t live by inspiration & indignation alone but always needs wise strategies for kicking ass & social transformation. Possible we won’t succeed, possible we will. If we “dream high,” as the father said of Kashmiri kids, our chances increase exponentially.