Looking at the world and finding common ground

Juan Carlos Lavigne

Editors' Note: The differences between developed and developing nations can be described in many ways. In economic terms, gross national product is often cited. Patterns of employment and the need for education, industries, and food stand in stark contrast from one nation to another. Observers have taken note of the disparities between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres of the globe. Yet there is a common ground, a metaphysical ground, that thoughtful people are coming to see is shared by every citizen in every nation. This month's guest editorial takes a look at this global issue from the perspective of one who has found a spiritual standpoint from which to view the fundamental challenges of development.

Anyone who has come to see something of the tremendous demands for development that face so many countries will probably have come also to appreciate the need for a shared vision among humanity.

While development requires specific economic, educational, and social goals, to speak of development is to speak fundamentally of a mental and spiritual revolution. Ideas that uplift humanity are those that have the power to transform human thought, displacing myths and obsolete customs. This transformation must elevate the human condition to higher levels of justice and freedom.

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