Another threat is false animosity and division. There are many ill-intentioned individuals with ill-conceived ideas who are dividing us into warring camps. They are doing it by tricking us into buying into fictitious and harmful dichotomies. More about this in another post called Divided and Conquered.

Returning to sanity and peace depends on realizing that we human beings have a lot of common ground. This blog is about what – I think – unites the human race. It is always a work in progress and I would love to hear anyone’s contributions to it. I am not saying that we have not made progress in major areas as well. We have, and I’ll be discussing that in my blog as well. But don’t make the mistake of believing that the human race needs to become more interconnected. It already is. It has been for thousands of years. Today the human race is more interconnected and interdependent than it ever was. But interconnectedness is a double-edged sword that will lead to either greatness or destruction, depending on whether or not we end certitude.

So, to get to the point and launch this blog: What are ten of the most basic things which unite all human beings? Let’s start with the most basic physical realities and then move on to the moral things that unite us. 1) We are united by reality. We are part of a universe that exists and which has physical laws, and none of this is negotiable. Reality is a limit on all of us equally.

2) Part of our reality is human biology. We are united by biology. The human body has a variety of characteristics and needs. Every human has the same biological needs. It means that our lives are designed around the pursuit of food, safety from threats like predators and severe weather, and aroundreproduction. Biological needs have shaped our behavior and our relationships with one another for as long as modern humans have existed. Biology is in the background of every policy or issue. But in at least one way we might be divided by biology: Some ideologies reflect competition between the two biological sexes.

3) The third basic thing which unites us physically, I think, is that we share one planet, and it is the only one we have. If we ruin our atmosphere or ecosystem, or if some random event from outer space badly damages our globe, that’s it for ALL of us. We all know this. We only differ in how we respond to this reality.

4) Now, let’s bridge the physical reality with the moral. The most primary thing that unites us, I think, is this: We are united by a will to survive. I doubt this needs an explanation. All other moral imperatives are subordinate to this: they are in the service of our survival instinct. Some people have said that there is also a strong desire for existential survival as well. This is expressed in a desire to create children, to make others more like ourselves, and to leave a memorable and significant legacy of some kind before our death. 

5) One of the realities of our existence is that we are a highly interconnected world. We are united in the most literal way by Interconnectedness and interdependence. A term for this, given to us by Friedrich Hayek, is: the extended order.* Even if you want to isolate yourself from the rest of the human race – you can’t. Sharing our only planet as we do, our neighborhood effects find each other.

6) Driven by our will to survive and flourish, we are united by some basic rules of coexistence. For literally tens of thousands of years, the entire human race has engaged in experimentation in getting along with each other. By trial, error, and experience, the entire world has come to recognize these basic rules. They were not conceived by a few special individuals. They are not a product of just one corner of the world or one culture. They are not an invention. They were discovered and validated by people all over the Earth. They are rules which are logically imperative if we want to live in peace. Violating these fundamental rules leads to severe harm. This will be its own blog post.

7) We are united by rights. We human beings all have the same basic rights. They are universal. A violation of any of these rights is an attack on the person whose rights are being violated. So rule number one of peace and sanity is this: Don’t violate someone’s basic human rights.

It’s important to clarify something else here too: Because of the sloppy use of language, there is an all too popular misconception about rights: That they can somehow be taken away or be missing. No. When a right is violated, that is not an absence of that right. The right exists. The victim is merely being denied the ability to exercise a right which he or she naturally has.

8) We are united by a desire for peace. This one is not absolutely universal. It can be situational. When I say that people want peace, I am saying that generally, at most times, most people value peace very highly. A minority clearly does not value peace and prefers violence as a way of life.

Everyone has their personal threshold at which peace is not worth its cost, such as when our children are threatened by a human predator and we need to intervene with force. But even self-defense is motivated by a desire for peace. Defense comes from a will to end violent aggression. Peace is a general, normal human desire.

          9) We are united by a desire to be valued. This is pivotal to peace. Honoring that desire is the price we pay for a return to sanity.

          10) Finally, and maybe the most important common characteristic of all: We all make mistakes. Just as we are united by the ability to reason, we are united by our fallibility. We make mistakes because every single one of us always has incomplete knowledge of everything. There is never a time when someone has absolutely perfect knowledge about a topic. There are also many times when human beings act in a willfully ignorant way, even when they have enough knowledge to know better. But mistakes and ignorance have consequences, and reality doesn’t just politely alter itself to accommodate us. Reality exists outside of our minds, and it doesn’t care about us.

This blog is primarily philosophical, but also about education. I will be writing much about Montessori education in this blog. Dr. Montessori’s work into how human beings learn was far more deep and detailed than that of any other theorist I have researched. She created a comprehensive general theory about how young human beings learn. You can see the truth of her discoveries come to life whenever you teach young people using her methods. The primary focus of her theory was creating a peaceful race of human beings through natural education. This is why Montessori theory and the state of the world fit together in one blog.

          There will be a vetted and moderated discussion board for the public. I hope that you will all disagree with each other a lot. That is my hope, because open disagreement is how we help each other find the truth of things, test ideas, and solve problems. The most important thing about disagreeing, however, is that it keeps freedom alive. But check your emotions at the door. Only objective, polite posts are welcome.

                    I am an educator by profession, dedicated to the Montessori theory of learning and certified in adolescent level.  I was born and raised in Toronto in 1970. I moved to the U.S.A. early in my twenties and proudly became an American citizen and settled in New Hampshire in 2016. I am currently a Doctoral student in Montessori educational leadership at the University of Wisconsin.

I have three Master of Arts degrees – one in history, from the University of Toronto; one in Political Science with an education policy subfield, from Boston University; and I also have a Master of Arts in Education, from Western Governors University. I am trying to start something new in education for young adults. But this blog is also about how education – and Doctor Montessori’s vision of peace through education – relates to major modern-day issues.

I want to share some of my own beliefs, but with two very important caveats: First, I do my best not to use labels. Labels are a mental trap. Secondly, I do not expect people to adopt my beliefs. This blog is not about teaching and preaching. It is about re-opening the door to freedom of belief and expression.

Civilization depends on respectful, reasoned discussion, and acceptance of diverse opinions. In fact, civilization depends on HAVING a diversity of opinions.

     I believe strongly that human beings have rights, which are universal to every single one of us, and that we must respect those rights for everyone 100% of the time. I believe in the maximum freedom of personal choice and action for everyone, as long as one’s actions harm nobody. I believe that human beings should be kind and decent to each other. But we do have a right to defend ourselves and each other when necessary.

I find the truth in philosophies which validate human rights and the fact that we are unique individuals. I find Marxism and Postmodernism to be catastrophically flawed doctrines. Reality is observable and knowable. Because humans have the capacity to observe and to reason, we can learn and know reality with ranges of certainty. Certainty is possible, but we must be vigilant against certitude. Certitude is the belief that there is no possibility of being incorrect. I believe that certitude is at the core of most of what is wrong in the world today.

I embrace differences, for three reasons: because I think diversity is a great thing, because we owe each other respect, and for the practical reason that diversity is the reality of our world.

     So, where do I fit into this mosaic of diversity? I’m male and my gender is heterosexual. My cultural heritage is Ukrainian on my mother’s side and Welsh on my father’s side. I’m irreligious. Politically, I reject the false dichotomy of Republican or Democrat and I don’t align with either of those parties.

All of the points of view expressed above are my own. They don’t have to be yours. Freedom of speech is a human right that all of us, and especially those of us who are teachers, MUST respect. You are as valid a human being as I am, whatever you believe. I embrace our differences. So if you are with me and want to work towards re-establishing civilization and sanity in our world, please read the pilot blog: What Unites Us?” and give me your frank reactions and disagreements.

About the Instructor…

Robert Daniel has taught U.S. history at the college level, as well as A.P. U.S. History and middle- and high-school U.S. history in the classroom. He has  Master of Arts degrees in the fields of Education (Social Studies grades 5 – 12) as well as History and Political Science. He is a certified Montessori adolescent guide. His teaching style is guided by inspiring curiosity and validating individual differences.

A wonderful dialog between two wonderful people. If you are mulling withdrawing your kids from the public school system, please watch!

-Robert