Questions to the Future -> Vision of the Future

Dear Time Traveller

Here you are in the 21st Century, here I am in the 20th Century.

It seems so easy for you : just a step from 20th to 21st.

But it is not so for me.

One day 24 hours, One hour 60 minutes, .... is still a reality for me.

I ask Questions, not to expect Solutions or Answers from you, but rather your guidance and wisdom for me to take a bold little step into the Future.

Your giant step from 20th to 21st Century must have involved a journey of up and down, lost and found, sweet and sweat, discovery and re-discovery, maybe in some instant life and near death, ...... but all these make up your experience and your wisdom today.

You have arrived at your destination in the 21st Century.

You have caught your fish, your own fish, which is your fruit and harvest.

I ask not for the fish, but I post questions about your fishing net, your methodology, your learning process, your guiding principles.

I see much consumer products in nice and attractive packing. I like and buy them. After consuming the contents, I throw them away : the packing that was the attraction are now in the rubbish bin. The packing that I paid for are to be collected and disposed off. From the little knowledge I learn from school and from our present mode of industrialisation and consumerism, I have many many questions. Isn't is true that this world is finite in term of resources like wood, fuel, oil, gas, metal etc. etc.? Isn't is true that much of the precious energy used by the industries finally is dumped as waste? Isn't it true that uncontrolled waste creates environmental problems that haunt, hurt, and destroy many of us, now or in the future? Isn't it true that senseless commercial competition creates temporary winners of a few in term of profit, but at the expense of our limited resources of this earth?

I see children sometimes ill treated by arrogant and self-centred teachers or parents. I see employee totally stressed into sickness by the pressures imposed by their management. I see the ill effect of children living in a state of constant anxiety of the fearful teachers or parents. I see employee continue to be burdened with more pressure by the management on which their living depends on. Isn't is true that little little ill treatments will instil hatred and not love in children? Isn't it true that cumulative hatred may produce a senseless act like killing people in the public without any motive? Isn't it true that accumulated organisation stress further alienates people and destroy community spirit? Isn't is also true that it is the society that does not provide adequate and quality training and education of the arrogant teachers and parents? Isn't is true that the present mode and doctrine of production give rise to present type of industrialisation and consumerism? Isn't it true that we are part of this society and hence are resposible for its outcome? Isn't true that what we earn for a living also perpetuates present mode of production?

I realise more and more my thinking, my action, my behaviour can no longer be treated as isolated and individualistic event, It has cause and effect relationship with this mother earth, with the rest of the community and can create impact in the Future. More often than not, we are caught in a vicous circle of this sick and ill system.

Since you have arrived at the 21st Century, you not only have survived, but you represent a collective wisdom of the rest of the mankind that has taken its concerted effort to treat this world as a global village. You must have managed well the finite resources of this earth, the synergy and creativity from each and every one of the Global Village community member. You must have established a set of universal principles and values as guiding ideas for everyone.

Since I meet your, a time traveller from the 21st Century, you represent hope that there are ways for us to take a bold little step into the Future. This bold little step calls for my involvement, each and every one involvement and collective involvement in the quality direction towards the Future. I will continue to post Questions, with the hope that others will have more creative and imaginative Questions so as to form a workable framework for us to take a bold collective step into the Future.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Wong. 4th Feb. 1997