Turn just one of those pages, one of those years, and people start thinking about needed changes in their lives, about making resolutions. But a thousand pages! That's a book-a big book. So think big. Big changes. Six billion big.

So big that, on January 1st, instead of you making a personal resolution, and the next person another, and so on, all of us, all humanity, all around the world, can make a resolution, the same resolution, a New Millennium's Resolution.

I propose that this new millennium's resolution take the form of a World Pledge.

Why do we need a world pledge? A thousand years ago humanity was in the Middle Ages. Now, with runaway population, throwaway species, and fly-by wars, we could be entering the Last Ages. Like some pervasive auto-immune disease, we are attacking our own tissues. The litany of woes that we visit on ourselves and our planet stem from forming attitudes of ourselves as separate: separate from that country, that habitat, that race, that class, that creature, that whatever. And whatever we feel is not part of us is fair game, open season for exploitation. Indeed, history is about exploitation backfiring. But it is also about changing attitudes.

People have often used short affirmations to remind themselves and their children of what is important in their lives and to guide behavior. Thus we have formalized numerous prayers and loyalty oaths. We have memorized them, recited them, and raised plaques to them.

More effective than laws are the values we internalize. Instead of fighting a myriad of injustices one by one, we can foster the mindset that tolerates none. The World Pledge recognizes that:

"I am part of a vital unity linking me with all humanity and humanity with all life and I resolve to act in accordance so that each may prosper and all may continue."

What better time than the approach of a new millennium to curb short-term thinking and cultivate long-term thinking? Millennium Fever has captured our collective imagination. Let's do something lasting with it.

worldpledge@yahoo.com

Also see...

• 36 Predictions for Year 2000
• Third Millennium Begins...
• The Third Millennium Will Be Underwhelming!