The combined wealth of Earth's 358 billionaires is estimated to equal the combined annual incomes of the poorest 45 per cent, or some 2.3 billion, of the world's people. Today, a quarter of humans consume three-quarters of Earth's resources. If their lifestyle was to be the norm for all, humans would require the resources of ten planet Earths. Earth, we conclude, is a dangerous enigma. Humans are in danger of ignoring that they are a part of nature, not apart from it.
Earth espouses compassion as a virtue, yet is dominated by greed.
It is beginning to understand its oneness, yet has not overcome its habits of separateness. This combination of genius and perversity may yet cause it to self-destruct. We must begin to acknowledge that the adversary system of relations between states which we have superimposed, or which have been imposed on us, is becoming not just outdated but far too dangerous. We must come to accept, in our hearts no less than our minds, our condition as a human family, our inseparable humanity, our oneness - the oneness that lies at the heart of the concept of One World. In part at least it is that the curse of 'otherness' still afflicts humankind.