We have walked on the moon
And zoomed into outer space.
Messages travel the world
At a breath-taking pace.

We've landed rovers on Mars
And scoured the depths of the sea,
Snapped close-ups of Saturn
And explored to the nth degree.

We've studied the changing climate,
Prevented many a disease,
And invented artificial
Limbs and hips and knees.

We've made great strides fighting cancer;
New studies are taking root
In the area of quantum physics
And molecular biology to boot.

With all this amazing progress
We're still miles behind
When it comes to opening
The human heart and mind.

Misinformation takes precedence
Over rational thought;
Forgetfulness erases
The lessons we were taught.

Awareness, compassion, empathy…
Where have they gone?
Distrust, fear, and hatred
Ruthlessly live on.

It's almost as though some governments
Are insidiously in sync
At being flagrantly negligent
Of encouraging people to think.

More than ever it's crucial
To distinguish truth from lies.
It's incumbent on us
To open resistant eyes.

How do we treat other people?
Our human actions show,
That despite our advancements,
We have a long way to go.

- by Bob B