Tossing this out here for discussion. This isn't just an American problem, BTW. But when the focus is WINNING, whether that's Little League or GATE or elections, we lose track of what's important--finding solutions. The solution to climate change isn't bipartisan.... or American

Nor the solution to unemployment, or beating a pandemic. What's been missing for a very long time here, and elsewhere, is care for the common good. It's global, friends. People in power don't give a single fuck about it.

All they care about is more power, more money, more influence. The other 99.99% of us are expendable. And I hesitate to say this but it starts with education. Our children need to understand history's perspective. Not talking "patriotism."

I'm talking humanism. We put our kids on video games when they're toddlers. WINNING. We put them in sports when they're just beyond that. WINNING. We give them nerf guns, BB guns, Fortnite guns, paint guns. WINNING. None of it is team play. It's WINNING.

Look, I've raised (still raising) three generations of children, with a lot of others (readers, school visits, etc.) thrown in. I see it. With my own kids for sure. What if we instead taught them cooperation? Caring. Problem solving beyond what makes them WIN?

What's fascinating, really, is that so many so-called "religious" people can't seem to understand the basic tenets of faith----caring for others. I remember this thing called the Golden Rule, which had nothing to do with WINNING.

On the larger global stage, America wins nothing if our planet is indefensible. One of the things I'm most thankful for regarding this election is the ability to work with our allies. Maybe even our enemies. But only if WINNING isn't the ultimate outcome.

The survival of Planet Earth, its myriad amazing creatures, and humanity is.