32. Envision A Culture of Peace

"If we are to change our world view, images have to change. The artist now has a very important job to do. He's not a little peripheral figure entertaining rich people, he's really needed." -- Vaclav Havel

 

Humanity has a rich wealth of creative works - art, music and stories - that have been passed down and treasured from generation to generation. At no other time has the creative spirit been encouraged so much as it is today. Entertainment artists are our heroes and idols. They can influence our emotions and our perceptions of the world.

But what are the underlying messages in the works that we treasure. Do they encourage humanity? With all of the millions upon millions of "stories" that have been created by human imaginations, why don't we have a large body of work that shows us what a world at peace could be like? Why do most depictions of utopia describe a world that we would fear or find boring? Why are they often warped and distorted?

If only we could have literature and music and art that would inspire and encourage us and show us how wonderful a world at peace could be, perhaps we would be more excited about working together to create it.

If you are a writer, artist, musician or filmmaker, and you dream of peace on earth, please use your creativity to help create a culture of peace.