In the slow society of 2056, where spending is thoughtful and consumption is observed, the generation of fashion styles will slow. In any level of society, it will not be unusual or taboo to recycle fashions or wear the same garments repeatedly. This precedent begins for many in the scholastic world with uniforms and into adulthood with carefully curated closets.
Many people attending school live within the paradigm of uniform style dressing. Even if not imposed by the institution, many choose to wear non-descript tailored clothing to shift emphasis off of the superficial and onto soul-centered values. Emphasis falls onto markers other than appearances to distinguish the character of a person. Generations are raised with tolerance and a celebration for our differences.
Prepared to remain consciously connected adults, youths are inspired to cultivate curiosity and goodness in themselves and in their peers, appreciating insights gained from differences in experience and perspective. When youths are taught to harness their consciousness, to calm the mind and to relate directly to the moment, increasing presence in any situation, they will find a more direct expression of truth. The Dalai Lama poignantly proclaimed “if every 8 year old in the world were taught meditation, we will eliminate violence in one generation.” We may begin this precedent now by cultivating awareness in our young people, encouraging them to relate to the moment directly. In this system of generating balanced generations, we expect no room for the perpetuation of the Bully culture. With meditation, we grown more comfortable with silence, present in the pregnant pauses between passing thoughts. In this stillness, we find restoration. Bullying exists, to greater or lesser degrees, in virtually every Westernized culture. How do we end this cycle? It can be difficult to find compassion for someone who inflicts upon others’ vulnerabilities (especially without access to the bully’s inner dialogue to understand their individual psychology), but bullies are made, not borne. By cultivating empathy in our youth, we are developing more emotionally intelligent and capable adults of the future. The education system must emphasis the cultivation of one’s gifts to contribute to the success of the whole.
