TOWARD A GLOBAL WISDOM CULTURE

for Paul H. Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson

                    IV

                    Let’s say that we aspire to grow wise:
                    Then this is what we most must realize
                    In thought and action to attain that state:
                    Not just transcending selfishness and hate,
                    Since wisdom works to serve the common good
                    By teaching what we may and what we should;

                   Whereas those serving but themselves are fools
                   For violating the foremost of rules:
                   Do unto others as you’d have them do
                   What, tables turned, would serve both them and you.

                  That wisdom we most need to cultivate
                  For us to grow into our full estate
                  As “Homo sapiens sapiens,” as we’ve proclaimed,
                  Won’t happen till our foolishness is tamed.

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