Why can’t our human family agree on a universal set of values?
It’s a problem.
Due to cultural differences and disparity in what we individually value, we can’t even agree on a standard of measure. Self-preservation? Scientific? Religious? Economic? Political?
When we serve only one or two standards of measure, arbitrary “rules” become self-serving weapons used as leverage to exploit the disadvantaged resulting in ridiculous human behavior.
What is deemed acceptable changes from century to century—even decade to decade. The line in the sand continually shifts because no two people see the world the same way. Why?
Most of humanity still lacks a rudimentary understanding of how our Universe operates holistically and relationally.
What does an advanced society know that we don’t?
The evolved see beyond separation consciousness where individuals believe the preservation of the self preserves the species. In unity consciousness, it’s understood the preservation of the species and our environment preserves the self.
If life’s prime directive is we are one, wouldn’t our universal guiding principle be . . .
SUSTAINABILITY
The all-inclusive universal super moral value, sustainability mirrors nature, while simultaneously bonding you and me with the common good. Individualism and collectivism now reciprocally serve one another.
Sustainability is the morality of every facet of life rolled into one.
Scalability is the true test. If a value is out of balance, its demise becomes inevitable, toppling under the weight of the instability it creates. We will look at how this happens as we perform sustainability tests.
Meantime, there isn’t a human alive that can’t decipher right from wrong, good from bad, when put in terms of whether a choice serves the good of everyone. And that’s how this works.
Social issues such as abortion, birth control, capital punishment, capitalism, competition, public demonstrations, end of life choices, economic regulation, environmental mandates, fracking, global warming, internet neutrality, jihads, open-sourcing, outsourcing, preemptive strike, public benefits, retribution, suicide, transparency, torture, universal healthcare, war, . . .
Solutions can easily be deciphered by even a child.
LET’S TEST-DRIVE SUSTAINABILITY
Is what we value today sustainable?
With each choice or social issue, nothing is black or white. What you’re looking for is positive or negative predominance with long-term sustainability the optimal goal.
Using the above list of modern-day social issues, let’s try out our new, universal super-value in random order. Again, sustainability is simple enough, a child could be trained to solve the world’s problems in one afternoon.
- Outsourcing. If it’s not found in the local environment, outsource. If you ignore the same resources available locally, you fail to tend your own backyard which is not sustainable.
- Public Benefits/Universal Healthcare. It’s called universal for a reason. It sustains life. A Universal Basic Income as a foundation and not a ceiling offsets the negative benefits of exploitative economic systems and is less expensive than solving resultant problems.
- War/Capital Punishment. The most unsustainable and unevolved thing on the planet ever.
- Global Warming. Whether or not you believe human activity is the primary driver, the use of fossil fuels is contributing to the problem. We have alternatives.
- Competition. Nature doesn’t compete with itself so why do humans? Life is synergy in motion. What becomes unsustainable falls away. Competition divides rather than exponentiating cooperative gains.
- Torture/Jihads. The most unsustainable and unevolved thing on the planet ever.
- Nuclear Energy/Fracking. Toxicity to human/planetary life outweighs short-term benefits—especially in light of the availability of renewable energy sources now.
- Open-Sourcing. We utilize every resource at our disposal for the common good. How cool is that?
- Birth Control. Birth control says the garden isn’t ready (and may never be) to properly care for a flower—the most responsible decision you can make.
- Capitalism. Capitalism requires a loser for every winner. It also requires growth, or it collapses. Does this sound sustainable to you?
- Preemptive Strike/Retribution. More of the same whether first or last in is not sustainability.
- Internet Neutrality. Restricting the flow of internet traffic so some gain an unfair advantage creates imbalance, instability, and is short-sighted.
- Economic/Environmental Regulation. Regulations are put in place as a result of the unsustainable exploitation that occurred without them.
- End of Life Planning. As we optimally prepare for new life, it is sustainable to minimize extended suffering in death for all parties involved so everyone can get back to the business of living.
- Public Demonstrations. Demonstrations are a collective, “Houston, we have a problem.” Peaceful demonstrations advance human consciousness faster than without them.
- Abortion. One of the most hotly debated social issues on the planet while millions desperately live and die of disease, starvation, and war around the globe—neglected by a global community who doesn’t value existing life enough to solve the problems that would make abortion an unnecessary and outdated practice. This deserves its own article.
ONE MORE HELPFUL TOOL
Do unto others and you would have them do unto you.
The Golden Rule is recognized universally as the gold standard. Isn’t sustainability really love and the value that would finally unite us?
If sustainability is not your guiding principle, then you temporarily band-aid symptoms rather than addressing the root cause—which is unsustainable. It’s also important to note all solutions must themselves be sustainable.
An additional resource is Awakening Leadership‘s New Leadership Blueprint which brings helpful sustainability questions to complex situations. There is also a critical thinking skills bar graph for use in group settings. Sample questions include:
- Who benefits from this choice?
- Does it divide or unify?
- Are benefits short- or long-term?
- Constructive or destructive?
Your brilliant future is here now when you take complete responsibility for yourself and your local community, examining your choices for global impact. This is Humanity 2.0.
In the circle, or spiral, of life, every moment is purpose-driven and meaningful, therefore, so are you. The questions become, are you living your life consciously?
Taking responsibility means discernment at all times. You must take yourself off auto-pilot. Freedom carries with it great responsibility. The more responsible you are; the more freedom you are given.
The irony? Sustainability personified, rules become obsolete!
Humanity 2.0: It’s your time to thrive!
Originally published at www.yourbrilliantfutureherenow.com