🎹 'Imagine': Peace & Love - The Tipping Point of the Meek & Call of The Middle-Wing:

On John Lennon’s Birthday – a reflection on conscience, complicity, and the call for collective awakening:

What Would John Lennon Say if He Were Alive Today?

On John Lennon’s birthday, a meditation on conscience, complicity, and the courage to unify before division destroys us.

✅ Estimated reading time: 18–21 minutes

Happy Birthday, John! And Thank you:

The Peace Movement Generation Reborn:

I’m obsessing about what it’s going to take for us to move into a movement. You know  -  how bad is it going to have to get in our world before we finally realise that our natural state is not to be divided?

I am unbelievably frustrated at the state of the world. It is about as divided as it could be without there being a world war. We seem perpetually perched on the brink of a big fight. The only factor that still frightens us enough to hold back is the same one that should terrify every sane human being: that the next global conflict spells mutually assured annihilation for every living thing on this planet.

Let’s not kid ourselves - especially those loonies angling for a fight against the incomers, the strangers, the refugees, anyone daring to look out of place - you know, the ones we scapegoat for all our own problems. The reality is this: there exist single nuclear bombs capable of eviscerating the entire population of Europe in that momentary flash which first lights up the sky, then darkens it for a thousand generations. Not enough of us dwell upon that truth for long enough.

The CND’s pro-peace and anti-war activities seem to have evaporated along with most of humanity’s best intentions. Hell, there’s a genocide happening right now in Gaza, and too few seem to care enough to act for the Palestinian people - a nation whose land was stolen and gifted to another, who, in a grim irony of history, were themselves once victims of genocidal hatred. And look now at their viciousness, their ease in annihilating an entire people. I simply cannot get my head around the goings on in our world. Yet the moral indictment is not confined to one region or faith  -  wherever power preys upon innocence, the same darkness is at work.

Consequently, fifty-five years after Imagine first supplied the soundtrack to my childhood, John Lennon’s call for peace still echoes through our broken world. Annually, on October 9th, Lennon pays a visit to my psyche - not just as one of the ‘Fab Four’ and one half of the greatest songwriting partnership in history, but as the extraordinary extrapolator, interpreter, agitator, influencer and social commentator whose vision of the future moved him to write of such portent. Nearly six decades on, his message of peace, love, and activism still chimes with undiminished clarity. If anything, his alarm bells ring louder than ever.

Today, on his birthday, I find myself wondering what it will take for us to finally snap - to refuse the manipulation of those whose sole aim in life is to divide us, who pit neighbour against neighbour while they dine in comfort. If history teaches us one thing, it’s that The Establishment perpetuates itself precisely because it is devoid of conscience.

It has to be.

There is an elite class that feasts in its ivory towers while looking down on destitution, famine, war, and strife. Worse still, they feed the inequality that spawns such want. They manufacture the weapons that kill the innocent. They prey on the meek, vulnerable and weak. Claiming that the victims brought their despair on themselves. As if fleeing warzones towards refuge was not a human instinct. Yet does this lack of equality, fairness, and harmony disturb their enjoyment as they sip cocktails on the balconies of their defiant decadence? Not one jot. Their abuse of decency is putrefying the whole planet, and, alongside many of his contemporaries, Lennon knew - even back then - they had to be stopped.

So, what does 'Imagine' still have to teach us today? Why are Lennon’s words more relevant now than when he first wrote them? To what extent have we ignored his warnings? Why was he regarded as such a threat by The Establishment? And how much have events vindicated his visionary status?

Most of all, what will it take to reach the tipping-point he was entreating the meek to own?

The Call of the Middle-Wing:

Lennon sang of a world beyond possessions, beyond greed, beyond religion and nationhood. The world scoffed, then went back to its shopping. Yet perhaps he wasn’t dreaming at all - maybe he was forecasting the next evolutionary step in human politics: the rise of the Middle-Wing.

The Middle-Wing is not centrism. It’s not the bland compromise between opposing ideologies. It is the courageous coalition of conscience - people from every background, creed, and corner of the social/cultural spectrum who choose cooperation over conflict, compassion over competition, mutuality over adversary, heartfulness over ruthlessness, and truth over tribalism. It’s the quiet majority rediscovering OUR voice.

Clarifying the ‘Middle-Wing’: Definition & Lived Example:

The Middle-Wing is not a tepid refuge from the Left or Right - a retreat into comfort or a compromise of convictions. It is the gathering of conscience, the place where those guided less by ideology and more by empathy choose to stand in the gap the dividers would prefer not to exist - the bridge in the middle. It is the nurse who treats every patient with dignity, the teacher who refuses to give up on a difficult student. The neighbour who welcomes the newcomer. The tradespeople who want that whatever they build stands the test of time - not because they share beliefs, but because they acknowledge a binding humanity.

History has known Middle-Wing moments before. When communities sheltered refugees during war, when crowds linked arms across race to march for civil rights, or when strangers formed human shields to protect places of worship from hate - these were glimpses of the Middle-Wing in action. Each act, though small alone, signalled the rejection of manufactured division. The Middle-Wing is not an abstract, but a beating heart; its pulse thunders in every silent stand taken for decency over dogma.

Personal Anecdote & Open Reader Engagement:

Some days, I catch myself scanning the faces in a supermarket queue, wondering who among us is also quietly searching for safer, sane, more sustainable tomorrows. What silent griefs are carried in tired eyes, what small acts of moral courage pass unremarked? I ask: What would it take for our street, our town, our networks - even for the comment section beneath this post - to become its own Middle-Wing? What if the next revolution is not televised but whispered in kitchen tables, schoolyards, and late-night conversations - a million decisions to meet fear with decency instead of reprisal?

So, pause. Has there been a moment - a kindness extended, a bridge built - where conscience overcame convenience in your life? If not, what’s holding us back?

Earlier Balance of Peace, Hope & Invitation:

Not only have we inherited a catalogue of catastrophes and a cacophony of manufactured distractions designed to fixate us, but also a legacy of all those who imagined something gentler into being. If despair leaves its mark upon our age, so too does the undimmed brilliance of those who love in spite of the dividers. People who hope against the evidence. People who build anew each day in small ways. This Middle-Wing is gathering, sometimes in secret, sometimes in plain view. Tolerant types whose only aim is to heal the fracture and construct happier tomorrows. Tomorrows our children might thank us for. Each good deed, no matter how inconspicuous, is a brick in the bridge of that solidarity.

The next tipping point is closer than we think - waiting, perhaps, for our next collective ‘yes’.

If we are to honour Lennon’s legacy, we must move beyond hostility, hashtags and hand-wringing. We must organise. We must bridge the void that we’ve allowed to be built between us. We must form new circles of reciprocity  -  local networks, community cooperatives, guilds of generosity, purpose partnerships, civility collectives -  wherever we live. We must boycott products and institutions that prey on exploitation and lubricate division. We must vote with our wallets, our time, and our attention. And above all, we must humanise one another again, until the machinery of hate starves of fuel.

Peace isn’t passive. It’s the most defiant act of rebellion left to us.

What Exactly is Peace:

So, what is peace as this central jewel that we oft discuss but so rarely actually define? Along with Lennon, what guidance have history’s thought leaders provided on how to bury our differences and work towards peace as a keystone in maintaining the common good? Surely it must be worth our whiles listening to them? Below is how the interpretation of peace can be distilled into principles drawn from philosophical, spiritual, and practical traditions across eras for burying differences and working towards the common good, drawing on philosophical, spiritual, and practical traditions across eras.

Peace and peace-making is far more than the mere absence of war, violence, or fear - it is the central condition in which individuals, societies, and nations flourish together. In spite of the differences that might exist, they embrace the diversity that defines humanity and celebrate our uniqueness. At its heart, peace is:

• Negative Peace: The absence of hostile actions, direct conflict, and physical violence, providing a basic foundation for societal stability.

• Positive Peace: The presence of justice, harmony, and cooperation, sustained by fair institutions, mutual respect, inclusion, and opportunities for all to realise their potential.

• Inner & Relational States: A calm disposition within individuals, marked by empathy, self-control, and compassion, and an active orientation toward trust, dignity, and cooperation in relationships and communities.

• Culture & Process: An ongoing process of building and maintaining social bonds, cultivating dialogue, and actively resisting the roots of division and oppression.

Peace is thus defined not only by what it excludes - violence, injustice, division - but also by what it embraces: a culture of empathy, fairness, and creative coexistence, where all are invited to participate in shaping a just and harmonious world.

Philosophical Foundations:

Historical & Political Examples:

• Aristotle: Emphasised unity amid diversity, arguing that collective achievement comes from balancing individuality and shared goals. Unity, for Aristotle, requires humility and grace in setting aside ego and embracing the differences of others.look

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau: In 'The Social Contract', Rousseau insisted that societies must pursue interests in common and that political authority is only legitimate if serving the general will toward the common good.

• Heraclitus: Taught unity as ‘attunement of opposite tensions’, encouraging collaboration rather than conflict and seeing value in difference as foundational for harmony.

• Hegel: Sought transcendental unity through overcoming differences, asserting that progress depends upon resolving divergences into deeper synthesis.

Historical & Political Examples:

Spiritual & Social Teachings:

• Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: Lincoln’s Second Inaugural focused on “charity for all” and binding up national wounds. Douglass called for peace with liberty and justice, visiting former enemies to settle past differences while insisting that true reconciliation requires addressing the causes of division.

• Ulysses S. Grant: Adopted “Let us have peace” as his motto, striving for conciliation even as he worked to ensure new constitutional amendments were faithfully respected in post Civil War America.

• Senator L.Q.C. Lamar: Known for reconciliationist oratory and urging unity, though history records ongoing struggles in meeting that ideal.

• Cardinal Manning & William Booth: Worked ecumenically for worker dignity and fair wages, showing solidarity in pursuit of the common good even across strong religious and class lines.

Spiritual & Social Teachings:

Modern Principles: Justice & Reconciliation Movements:

• St. Francis of Assisi: Advised sowing love where there is hatred and seeking to understand rather than be understood - the classic prayer for instruments of peace.

• Paul (New Testament): “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbour”, which has inspired civic and interfaith understandings of solidarity.

• Buddhist: “Just as a mother would protect her only child with her life, even so let one cultivate a boundless love toward all beings.” - Metta Sutta, Sutta Nipata 1.8, Buddhism teaches loving-kindness (metta, maitri) and compassion (karuna) for all, encouraging actions that benefit others equally to oneself, extending the circle of care to all sentient beings.

• Quaker (Religious Society of Friends): “Let your life speak.”, (Quaker Advices & Queries), Quaker tradition emphasises seeing “that of God in everyone,” expressing neighbour-love by seeking justice, peace, and equality for all - a guiding testimony to act in service to others rather than for self-interest.

• Sikh: “No one is my enemy, and no one is a stranger. I get along with everyone.” -  Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 1299. Sikhism stresses seva (selfless service) and the unity of all humankind; true spirituality is lived by serving others, seeking the welfare of all (sarbat da Bhala), and recognising the divine light in every person.

• Taoist: “The Sage does not hoard. The more he does for others, the more he has himself. The more he gives to others, the more his own abundance increases.” -  Tao Te Ching, Chapter 81. Taoism teaches harmony and flow: serving others and relinquishing self-centeredness brings about balance and interdependence, nurturing the good of the community as naturally as breathing.

Modern Principles: Justice and Reconciliation Movements:

Leaders like Justin Welby and Jenny Sinclair focus on reconciliation as an antidote to division, insisting on compassionate justice as essential for the common good.

• Nelson Mandela (Speech, 6 December 2000): “Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future.” - a widely cited quote from Nelson Mandela that beautifully expresses the ethic of seeking the good of all - in solidarity, compassion, and civic spirit. Reflecting Mandela’s lifelong teaching that community, justice, and reconciliation arise from the capacity to transform suffering into solidarity, consistently reaching toward the common good rather than self-interest.

Inner peace - the wellspring of clarity, compassion, and courage - is the foundation upon which our shared vision of a better world must rest.

Lest We Forget- The Biology & Physiology of Peace:

Authentic peace is not merely a social ideal but is inscribed in the very chemistry and physiology of our bodies. When inner peace settles within us, the mind quiets its turbulent chatter, and the body shifts from high-alert survival into a state of restoration: heart rate slows, breathing deepens, muscles relax, and the brain bathes itself in calming neurotransmitters such as serotonin and endorphins.

This foundational calm is more than a fleeting sensation - it is the bedrock on which clarity, compassion, and creativity rest; allowing us to thrive and respond to life with centredness and resilience. Practices like mindfulness, meditation, gentle movement, and caring self-talk nurture this equilibrium, bringing us face to face with our finest potential. Every definition of peace - whether outward in society or inward in spirit - must therefore honour the biological truth that humanity flourishes best when we cultivate and protect the serene ground within ourselves. As a practitioner of yoga and a committed long-distance sea-swimmer, my instincts are that my practice instils inner peace within me. Particularly when I swim in open water and my mind is able to drift into a trance state for longer periods than possible in a chlorine box, (a.k.a. swimming pool). The more I learn about chakras, the more at one I sense I am within my own Self. For example, the yogic chakra point at the base of the belly - and specifically at the base of the spine - is the Muladhara chakra, also known as the 'root chakra'.

Muladhara (from “mula” meaning root, and “adhara” meaning support or base) is located at the perineum, the seat between the anus and genitals, and extends upward into the pelvic region. This undeniably sensitive region of the human body is viewed as the foundation of our energetic and psychological system - the chakra upon which all responsibility, grounding, stability, and a sense of security sit. In yogic and tantric thought, this is where karmic seeds are stored and where the future course of our life is shaped and energised by our conscious actions and intentions; which is why I integrate it here in our discussion on ‘What is Peace?’.

Just like our mind, when Muladhara is balanced, we feel safe, present, and empowered to take responsibility for our needs and our impact on the world; when unbalanced, we can feel ungrounded, dislocated and anxious. The Muladhara - our energetic root - anchors all higher growth, both individually and collectively.

Complementary Holistic Peacefulness Practices:

To complement practical peace-building with holistic daily living, here are natural and actionable ways to cultivate peaceful existence through yoga, mindfulness, nutrition, and lifestyle:

• Begin each day with gentle yoga or stretching: Even a few mindful movements help harmonise body and mind, reducing stress and inviting clarity.

• Practice mindful breathing: Take moments to slow the breath and centre awareness, rebalancing the nervous system and anchoring inner peace amid outer noise.

• Eat consciously: Choose whole, nourishing foods and eat with present focus—appreciate the taste, texture, and act of nourishing yourself, recognising eating is as much a mental as a physical act.

• Prioritise rest & restoration: Secure regular sleep and short pauses for relaxation; a rested mind is calmer, more empathic, and resilient to stress.

• Spend time in nature: Connect to natural environments whenever possible, renewing your sense of belonging and balance.

• Embrace small rituals: Simple acts like gratitude journaling, silent walks, or an evening tea can turn stress into an opportunity for grounded stillness.

• Balance social connection & solitude: Engage with others in a spirit of respect and support, but also nourish yourself with solitary reflection and self-care routines.

• Honour emotions & seek help: Approach your feelings with acceptance, and reach out when support is needed. Emotional honesty translates into a stronger, more open community.

• Foster creativity & play: Artistic or playful activities unblock tension, release stress biochemistry, and remind us that peace is lived in moments, not merely achieved in ideals.

• Immerse yourself in wild swimming: Regular swims in open water invoke a primal sense of presence, reducing anxiety and mental clutter while stimulating the release of endorphins. Plunging into nature’s changing elements - whether salt, river, lake, or loch - cultivates calm, focus, and profound emotional resetting, rooting inner peace in sensation and environment.

• Practice cold water therapy: Mindful immersion in cold water, whether through swimming or therapeutic baths, acts as a physiologic ‘reset button’. The body adapts to controlled stress, enhancing mental resilience, clarity, and mood by boosting dopamine and serotonin. Over time, cold water practice anchors calm, sharpens alertness, and builds emotional fortitude for life’s daily challenges.

• Immerse regularly in wild swimming: Entering natural bodies of water heightens presence, reduces anxiety, and invites a physical “reset.” The direct contact with open water, shifting light, and outdoor air catalyses endorphin release, deepens breathing, and strengthens the bond between mind and environment - yielding mental clarity and a profound sense of calm.

• Embrace cold water therapy: Mindful exposure to cold - whether through swimming, showers, or baths - enhances stress adaptation and resilience. The invigorating chill stimulates serotonin and dopamine, lifts mood, sharpens clarity, and trains the body to self-regulate under pressure, anchoring a more balanced and peace-oriented physiology.

By integrating these holistic habits - yoga, mindful eating, balance, rest, connection, honesty, and creativity - peace becomes not just a societal aim, but a way of life that radiates from within and reshapes the world around us.

Lessons in Evading Regret:

Yes, there are those who fear they will lose their status by capitulating - and to an extent, they are right to assert their identity. But not at the cost or to the detriment of other human beings. If we do not learn the principles of tolerance and compromise, if we cannot share the table of existence without shouting each other down, we will goosestep ever closer to Fascistic and extreme views - and with it, the death of human decency itself.

A reflection on regret belongs at the heart of any exploration of living in concord, peace and reconciliation because it is in the aftermath of conflict - once the damage is done and the divisions are set - that its full cost becomes apparent. The tangibility of regret is the amplified voice of how we would do things differently with the benefit of hindsight. We hear regrets decades on through history books, echoing personal testimonies alike, urging examination of those lost moments when dialogue or understanding might have prevented rupture.

By facing regret, we acknowledge not only the mistakes made but also the urgent necessity of choosing a different path before irreparable havoc and harm are wreaked.

Suppose we are open enough to listen to the warnings. In that case, regret on this profound scale teaches us that the most significant hazard is not just the outbreak of violence. Still, the complacency, silence, or inertia that nourished the hate, division, and injustice allowed them to proliferate unchecked on the path to full-blown rupture. Repeated testimonies across continents counsel us to:

• Recognise early warning signs: Societies must learn to recognise polarisation, scapegoating, gaslighting and the erosion of dialogue as signals to act - early and decisively - rather than waiting for consensus or catastrophe to spur intervention.

• Prioritise communication and bridge-building: Proactive dialogue, inclusive institutions, and the search for mutual understanding must be prioritised long before action becomes impossible and “sides” become hardened.

• Embrace responsibility over bystanderhood: Individuals and leaders alike regret not doing more - speaking up, reaching out, forging alliances for peace, or protecting the vulnerable - even (and especially) when those efforts seem small or unpopular in the moment.

• Institutionalise prevention & remembrance: Societies can evade future regret by embedding peace education, truth-telling, and conflict prevention as living responsibilities, not distant ideals.

What Might Orwell Have Said of ‘Imagination’:

Orwell would likely have admired John Lennon’s warnings about the dangers of division and the hope for a more unified, just world. Still, he would also have viewed them with a characteristically cautious, sceptical eye. Orwell valued honest hope and human decency, yet he was deeply wary of utopian dreaming that ignored brutal realities or underestimated the persistence of power, propaganda, and human frailty.

Orwell often argued that utopian dreams - if not rooted in practical vigilance and critical self-awareness - risk being co-opted or corrupted by those in authority. In his novels, especially Nineteen Eighty-Four, he exposed how the state could twist visions of unity and peace into forms of oppression. He cautioned against the seductive simplification of “imagining” away hard truths about human nature and politics.

Still, Orwell also recognised the power of hope and imagination: he believed that envisioning a better society was necessary as a guide and inspiration. He would likely have endorsed Lennon’s invocation to imagine a gentler world - as long as it was accompanied by a sober commitment to resist groupthink, manipulation, and the normalisation of injustice.

Orwell would likely have admired John Lennon’s warnings about the dangers of division and the hope for a more unified, just world, yet he would also have viewed them with a cautious, sceptical eye. Orwell valued honest hope and human decency, yet he was deeply wary of utopian dreaming that ignored brutal realities or underestimated the persistence of power, propaganda, and human frailty. He often argued that utopian dreams - if not rooted in practical vigilance and critical self-awareness - risk being co-opted or corrupted by those in authority.

Still, Orwell recognised the power of hope and imagination: he believed that envisioning a better society was necessary as a guide and inspiration. He would likely have endorsed Lennon’s invocation to imagine a gentler world - as long as it was accompanied by a sober commitment to resist groupthink, manipulation, and the normalisation of injustice.

In summary, Orwell would have both applauded and challenged Lennon’s warnings - applauding the call for solidarity and transformation, but warning that lasting peace must be “rooted in honesty, humility, and vigilance against those who would use dreams as tools of domination”. 

Orwell’s stance toward John Lennon’s warnings would likely have balanced admiration with a clear-eyed incredulity. Orwell famously distrusted the notion of utopia. Especially when divorced from concrete vigilance or muddied by the manipulation of media barons. He warned that ideals promising universal peace or brotherhood are always vulnerable to perversion by those in possession of power because unity is the one threat they fear the most. It is why they throw so many resources and manipulations into ensuring we stay divided.

He would have seen in Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ a beautiful, noble aspiration. Yet, he would have questioned whether imagining away divisions is enough - reminding us that, for utopia to prevail, society must first be on guard against propaganda, self-delusion, and the machinery of domination that so easily turns noble hopes into tools for control. Orwell might have applauded Lennon’s radical empathy and advocacy for solidarity, but urged that true peace requires not only vision but unflinching honesty about the world’s darkness - and an active resistance to all uses of hope by those who seek to suppress dissent or reality itself.

Lessons from The Final Solution:

When German society performed its “post-mortem” on what actions or inactions had led them to their decision to pursue their goals for World War II - a process known as ‘Vergangenheitsbewältigung’ (“working through the past”) - the public discourse recognised a spectrum of reflection, remorse, and responsibility. Early on, many Germans distanced themselves from blame, viewing themselves as victims of war or laying responsibility solely on top Nazi leaders. However, over time, the nation evolved toward a deeper admission of collective responsibility and the dangers of complacency.

Key lessons & sentiments included:

• Recognition of moral responsibility: Many postwar Germans, especially newer generations, came to see that not actively resisting injustice and authoritarianism allowed catastrophe to unfold.

• Importance of vigilance: Numerous public figures, including Chancellor Willy Brandt and President Steinmeier, have emphasised that the greatest danger was silence or “looking away,” and stressed Germany’s responsibility to prevent future atrocities.

• Danger of superiority & division: Reflections involved renouncing the myth of ‘Übermensch’ and acknowledging how beliefs in superiority can seed violence and catastrophic error.

• Value of remembrance & education: The enduring lesson is to foster remembrance and open public debate, rather than denial or repression, as a safeguard against repeating history.

Society-wide regret and reflection in Germany thus became a foundation for dynamically restorative and progressive values, the rejection of hate, and a national commitment to “never again” - recognising that such evil and barbaric atrocities only become possible when ordinary people abandon empathy, fail to question propaganda, and neglect the responsibility to speak and act for justice.

The true lesson is that the pain of regret is not merely personal or private - it is a civic duty, urging vigilance, courage, and active peace-making to ensure the pattern of missed opportunities for embracing unity and healing is not passed on to those who come after us…

… Surely, our children do not deserve to inherit our choice to select hatred and division over love and unity.

Legacy Building, Bequesting Peace & Love:

So, what then of our children? What do we owe them, if anything at all? Imagine all the children, Lennon might have sung had he foreseen this crossroads - the innocent eyes that will inherit whatever symphony or muzzled silence we leave behind. For those of us who still dream, our task is to bequeath them not battlefields and war graves and generational rupture, but a symphonic world whose rapture is harmony: where the utter inevitability and undeniability of the world’s diversity is not regarded as danger, but the different instruments, comprising the orchestra through which humanity plays its single song.

Therefore, we must remind ourselves that the Middle-Wing is not a political stance; it is a moral posture. It is the collective exhale of the human spirit, saying, Enough. Enough of division. Enough of fear. Enough of pretending that empathy is a weakness. Enough of scowling at those who embrace the fact that it is far easier to hate than love. It requires strength of character, respect, dignity, integrity and, above all, to direct genuine compassion to all the people we cross paths with.

Let us, then, pick up where Lennon left off  -  not just to imagine the world made whole, but to become the brave-hearted people who make it so. Let’s leave our children the peaceful world they deserve.