I used to think that the natural state of humans is to do good and be good. Even when living through Apartheid I thought it was simply a case of

people being uninformed or under the influence of some charismatic leader - or simply forced to do by those who control them.

I still believe we are capable of doing great things. But looking at what has happened throughout my life and history I don’t believe doing good things is a natural state of human beings.

We are selfish beings driven by our fears and needs. We organize ourselves in ways to ensure we are safe and that our group can secure those things - food, shelter etc - that we believe we need to survive.

We will do horrible things to each other and to this world as long as it satisfies those needs and makes us feel more secure. And this isn’t about not having enough - it is about the human nature of fear and needs. You can be the richest man (or woman) in the world and still be driven by those same fear and needs. The fear that you aren’t loved. That you aren’t safe because you don’t control enough. That people will find out who and what you really are so you have to cloak it in other ways to have control.

We feed that fear by either willingly giving ourselves to others to control with the hope that they will look after us - religion, ethnic groups, borders etc - or by making sure we are in control.

Slavery didn’t end because humans were good or had a moment where they realized it was wrong. Apartheid didn’t end because people were good. Women didn’t get to vote because men became benevolent.

No. People died horrible deaths until an anomaly stepped in.

Every now and again we have people who step in because they are the anomaly. They have rid themselves of the shackles of fear. And they spark more anomalies. Until the anomalies become the norm. And then change happens.

The natural state of humans didn’t change. They still want to control others. But the spark of the anomaly holds enough sway over large enough groups to become a new accepted way life should be.

But anything sparked by that anomaly of just can be reversed because even though humans are willing to accept new rules their natural state is still one driven by fear and perceived needs.

We’ve seen it in the recent US elections. Things we’ve come to accept as a new way or organizing ourselves are challenged. And I don’t just mean the newish things like LGBTQ+ rights. We’ve even see people talk about Nazis in positive ways. We’ve even seen people justify and glorify slavery.

This happens when the anomaly breaks. We take a step back to our natural state.

Wow…

That is sad, right?

No.

It inspires me.

It tells me that this is why we are here. We are here not to just simply enjoy the moments were things seems to be okay.

We are here to be the anomaly.

To step up and speak out. To act against the natural state of humans that wants to kill or control because of their fear. Whether it is Jews or Muslims or Christians killing each other. Whether it is Putin or Kim Jong-Un wanting to control. Whether it is Stephen Miller or Donald Trump or Elon Musk trying to make us hate each other.

We must be the anomaly.

Life in this world isn’t easy. It has moments of bliss and happiness. We know love because we can experience hate. We know equality because we can see injustice. We know music, poetry, the love of dogs, a good meal, and all those things because we know the extremes of being human. We know our natural state even when we hide it and deny it.

We must be the anomaly.

The anomaly of ourselves. The anomaly for others.

And maybe it changes in our lifetime. Maybe it doesn’t. It likely doesn’t because one day the natural state will try to show it’s head again.

But we inch forward by being the anomaly.

Be the anomaly we need.

Because when you are the anomaly you spark more and the world lights up for a brief moment in the darkness of life.