I have a morning routine that brings me joy. I wake before the wife and three kids, do the necessities for hygiene, make a cup of coffee, and head to the front porch. On that porch I let myself ebb between reflective thoughts and mindful practices. In that space between the past and present--meaning is created. And the only tool I know that comes close to sharing these moments is language.
I have learned and continue to learn on that porch. For example, I recently watched an owl catch a mouse only to be pursued by a murder of crows. The owl dropped the mouse and the crows took the treasure to my neighbor’s roof. The crow’s breakfast was interrupted by a flock of parrots. The parrots were organized and worked together to scare off the crows, leaving the mouse. Then, the parrots took turns eating the mouse. The scene was comforting.
I think it's commonly agreed that cooperation is necessary for humans to survive. The spectacle on the porch reminded how some species are dependent on cooperation and others are not. In this case, the owl acted alone. The crows and the parrots cooperated. The crows received some nourishment; the parrots received the most nourishment. The owl, no nourishment. Luckily for the owl, I assume more nourishment is available. I am not an expert in the ways of birds, but the brief occurrence witnessed on the porch leads me to believe the better the cooperation, the less energy needed to provide nourishment for all. I often find moments when human beings cooperate and as a result, nourishment is had for all.
For me, reasons of which are obvious, brings me back to thoughts about language. Is there a better tool than language than can be used to foster cooperation? Maybe. But, if we can agree that language is an effective tool for creating cooperation, then we can explore how to use it for that means. Also, if we agree that language can effectively foster cooperation, we can evaluate ways we feel it works against cooperation. And then, with an understanding of what type of language foster cooperation and understanding of what type of language does not, we can at the least, be more conscious in how we use words.