Are we hunting ghosts?

Last week the world was shocked to hear that North-Korea, in defiance of international decency, carried out a nuclear test. Now the International Atomic Agency casts doubt as to the accuracy of this event. They are not quite convinced that North Korea actually ignited a true bomb, or – alternatively – just a fizzle.

We all know that North Korea is not actually contemplating a nuclear world war. It is a country in great despair and in need of real help. Its leaders have lost their proper track for some time now, and it is probably a great challenge to put things in order, without a lot of faces being embarrassed along the way.

All of this does not justify War-type language – what does? – but a carefully designed multinational effort to help North Korea see a brighter future, and not let it protract the agony of its people.

Similar ghosts are plaguing us elsewhere in the world. In many respects I call terrorism such a ghost. We do not wish to see the reality behind this phenomenon, and thus will not learn how to respond to it as long as this is our attitude.



We continue to hunt the stuff of material affluence, but fail to become richer and happier in the process. When will we understand?

Really, it is going to require leadership of as yet unknown magnitude to counter the prevailing trends in our world and help us too to find our proper course on this Planet. For who can really say that we are less misguided than North Korea, or Iraqi insurgents etc.?

I have now watched Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth, and I admire him for his courageous effort to bring across the message that has been obvious to many people for a long time already. Again, when will we really learn, and start to respond?

I do not want to spend my life hunting Ghosts. Nor do you. And I am not just sitting here, and commenting on all the wrongs etc. of my contemporaries. In my own life, I know what I can do to help future generations design a brighter future. I sincerely wish you can do this too.