Noticing the collective effects of our individual actions

Seeing ourselves as fundamentally separate and independent inclines us to underestimate or altogether ignore the connections between ourselves and others. 

As happens in our use of electronic connectivity, we feel that we are here, while everyone else is over there, apart from us. 

We even imagine that we can do whatever we wish with no consequences for anyone but ourselves. 

Given the environmental impact of our consumer-driven global society, I believe we cannot afford to leave unexamined the assumptions that have allowed us to go so far down this road without noticing the collective effects of our individual actions.

- 17th Karmapa -