We might try to look away but we keep coming back to our tears and sorrow at how things are, so we sit with this for a while. As we look at the state of the world, we can be shocked by the cruelty, or inspired by the kindness we see. So, are human beings good or bad?

I think we have to choose. We are at a choice point in human history. Do we wise up and act in ‘skilful’ ways, or do we not.

Clearly, this is not an abstract question: it is a matter of survival. If we choose ‘unskilful’ ways, then we are all undone. If we wise up then there is a world to win.

I wish I knew how we as a species will choose compassion for each other and the planet we live on. How do we get a ‘critical mass’ for a shift towards a way of being and living that puts us in harmony with each other?

I just hope that there are enough of us, in different ways, trying to find another way. Perhaps a good place to look is the simple wisdom in everyone: that harming other living beings feels wrong, and compassion feels like the right thing to do.