COMMON GOOD
Interesting question for reflection: What can I do to help save democracy?
The current reality of America’s flaming condition is captured in the daily headlines…voting rights being squelched, defund the police, COVID-19 vaccination status, mass shootings, gun control, corruption, pharmaceuticals, marijuana, CBD, political polarization, education funding, Department of Justice overstep, Supreme Court bias, et al. Am certain you get the jist!
The country is at a crossroads, democracy, love, and freedom, or autocracy, fear, and control. As Americans, it feels like we need to decide what type of country we desire; and how we can facilitate, enable, and participate in moving the current reality closer to the chosen strategic objective for the country. And it is no secret that some folks will pitch-in and make things happen; some folks will watch what happened; and some folks will wonder what happened. That is OK.
A personal sentiment for a strategic objective-vision is to have a democracy that is measured, evaluated, and incented based on achievement of common good. This is an overwhelming task when one climbs into the helicopter and looks around. There are millions of citizens with inner consciousness, psychology, purposes, values, goals, objectives, physics, biology, and neurology. There are myriads of families, collectives, cultures, groups, and communities with music, art, political values, and connections. And there are multitudes of institutions, social systems, economies, and environments. In today’s diverse, politically sorted world, integration is certainly not an easy task! Where does one start to create processes that are measured, evaluated, and incented based on contributions to the common good? Perhaps a nice place to start is with a definition of common good.
“In philosophy, economics, and political science, the common good refers to either what is shared and beneficial for all or most members of a given community, or alternatively, what is achieved by citizenship, collective action, and active participation in the realm of politics and public service.” (Wikipedia)
There is a bunch of stuff that needs to get done for the common good: non-political management of voting rights, technology building, cyber and spacial warfare, infrastructure maintenance and improvement, jobs creation and good wages, healthcare improvements, childcare, overcoming systemic racism, LGBTQ rights, environmental preservation, confronting home grown terrorism, immigration reform, transcending white supremacy, fair share tax systems, sanely evolving through COVID-19 and preparing for future pandemics, education state-of-the art and funding, sane gun control, policing in communities, et al. As the two Japanese characters for crisis offer, with danger comes opportunity. The danger is continued and expanded division, fear, and autocracy; and the opportunity is to work on our unhealthy personal and collective issues, participate in interactive dialogue and coalitions, and manifest the common good for all Americans.
The strategic objective is to sanely evolve and preserve America and the Universe for generations to come. Strategies are individual and collective and include waking up, growing up, and showing up as caring and compassionate individuals and collectives. The mission: To have individuals and collectives create and implement positive, caring, loving tension between the current reality and the strategic objective to evolve current reality closer to the strategic objective, i.e., to close the widening, flaming gap between the current reality and the strategic objective.
If open to the challenge, ready for the opportunity, and in need of a boost to get started:
- Have fun buying some stickers! Catherine Price, in her Mindfulness Journal, recommends buying a pack of small stickers—any kind will do—and place a dozen or so around your home and office in noticeable places, such as your bathroom mirror, your computer, the back of your phone, the wall behind your kitchen sink, your alarm clock, or the cover of (your) journal. Every time you see one of these stickers, STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING, BREATHE, AND BE. Pay attention and let go.
- Locate a credible meditation instructor and learn to meditate. Your world will begin to change and freshen.
- For reflection: What unlocks love and compassion for others? How does one learn self-restraint?
Our individual and collective assignments are to make TO SAVE THE DEMOCRACY TO DO LISTS; and then get to work. There is a great deal to be done for the common good!
