By: Maria Williams
There are points in life when people experience an “aha” moment—an epiphany that sparks an idea that, when actualized, will transform lives and, perhaps, even change the world. For Jeffrey Charles Hardy, Founder and President of the Care for Peace Foundation 501(c)3, the first of several “aha” moments occurred while, as an international healthcare planner, he observed nurses taking care of patients worldwide. He concluded that most nurses already knew what it meant to care for peace; it seemed to be embedded in their nature. Hardy wondered, “What if caring for peace could become a global mission?”
This query prompted him to propose a new framework to tackle global challenges like climate change, over-militarization, and overpopulation. Hardy envisioned this initiative as the blueprint for what he calls “The Second Human Evolution,” which he describes in his book To Care for Peace: A Global Mandate to Secure the Second Human Evolution in Perpetuity.
Hardy explains that the “First Human Evolution” ended sometime in the mid-60s when it was apparent that humanity had finally conquered nature and we could annihilate all living things on the planet through mutually assured destruction (MAD). He says we are currently in a state of “Suspended Human Evolution” where we have yet to grasp what we have done, where we are now, and how we might create a roadmap for planning the Second Human Evolution.
“We need to envision and then create the Second Human Evolution; it requires a collaboration of expertise from many government, academic, business, and societal organizations,” Hardy emphasizes. However, Hardy also points out that a worldwide pre-planning phase must occur before we can start formal planning. “The process is the solution,” he adds.
Hardy shares an experience emphasizing the importance of the pre-planning process: “I was once invited by the owners, architects, and project leaders to review the blueprints for a new hospital. I reviewed the blueprints and asked, “What’s the justification for this?” He pointed out a major oversight—there had been no consideration of how the community would utilize the hospital. Given that the area population is already well covered by existing health institutions, Hardy questioned who would be the patients coming to this new hospital.
The team ignored Hardy’s words but asked him to help design the hospital to be as efficient and effective as possible. The doors to the facility were opened; 20 months later, the barely-used hospital doors slammed shut. This instance shows the importance of pre-planning, which had not been done before Hardy’s arrival. The pre-planning phase to evaluate past and present conditions and project future requirements must be successful if any subsequent planning process is to also be successful.
“The principle behind these discussions is for all pre-planning participants to leave biases at the door and to think analytically. It’s time we focus on the real issues instead of personal opinions or perceptions,” adds Hardy. For instance, he spotlights overpopulation as a pervasive global challenge. “We have to be careful with our words,” Hardy notes. “Using the term ‘population control’ might put many people off, but if we look at our individual and collective responsibility to procreate our species, then we use the term ‘population continuity’ to clarify a reason we can all agree on.”
In his book, Hardy presents several tools to guide this planning process. One device he provides is four graphic ‘Care for Peace’ templates. For example, one template is the relational template that addresses relationships between individuals and groups and highlights the importance of harmonious interactions. Another template is the organizational template. This outlines how organizations should balance their roles and responsibilities, aiming their actions are conducive to sustainable development. Pre-planners can use these templates to compare where we were in the First Human Evolution, where we are now, and what the Second Human Evolution might look like.
Jeffrey Charles Hardy calls for a concerted effort to plan, design, and implement sustainable solutions to pave the way for the Second Human Evolution. He believes that by leveraging professionals’ expertise across sectors and utilizing the templates he developed, care and peace can become the basis of global development. “It’s human nature to steam ahead without thinking about where we are going. We need to back it up a couple of steps and pre-plan. We must come together and engage in open discussions with an analytical approach to secure a sustainable and harmonious world,” Hardy remarks.
Published by: Khy Talara
