Global Sense: Hope for these times that try our souls

September 14, 5:41 PMPolitical Issues ExaminerJudah Freed

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Political Issues Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

In these times that try our souls, as humanity faces woeful dangers, too many of us make Big Government necessary by refusing to practice mindful self rule and personal democracy.* We tend to resent government for limiting our liberty, yet we glorify forceful power. We love to praise democracy, yet we elect men who would be kings.

Why is there a disconnect between our ideals and our realities?

Robert Putnam in Bowling Alone says we’ve become cut off in our communities from our families, friends, neighbors, and democratic structures. He feels our stock of “social capital” (our connection with one another) has fallen sharply, impoverishing ourselves and our societies.

Richard Bellah argues in Habits of the Heart that modern life has lost the feelings of community from “narcissistic individualism.” We’re so absorbed in instant gratification that we lack a language to discuss our rights and responsibilities in a free society.

I agree with both of these authors, yet I’d go further. My explanation is that we suffer individually and collectively from an ancient legacy of alpha male rule and authority addiction.* The combined influence of these cultural forces have produced most or perhaps all of the tyrannies and wars plaguing society since before we began recording history.

What is the solution for our habits of violence?

Some favor a return to conservative values. I propose a different approach. I favor reviving the ideas of Thomas Paine and other enlightened thinkers of his age. Updated with terms from communication theory, personal growth and ecology, we gain a neutral vocabulary for talking about how to govern ourselves wisely in a global society.

We also need a practical vision of a better world that inspires us to take action. Criticism of governmental abuse is not enough to produce political change. Note all the books critical of U.S. President George W. Bush that had no effect on his policies. Instead, awakening to a global sense of our innate unity in a diverse community is our best and most realistic hope for promoting a civil society, human rights, open democracy, world peace, and a healthy planet.

* These terms will be explained in upcoming postings.

Visit: MakeGlobalSense.com

NOTE: The above is an excerpt from Chapter 1 of Global Sense. Every weekend until further notice, I'll post one or two excerpts from the book to stimulate your mind and evoke your comments. These excerpts will be marked, "Global Sense:" in the posting title, just like this posting. Subscribing to this column is your best way to catch all the installments.

Your feedback will be welcome. You could help improve the next edition.