Tag Archives: #conflict

True Leadership

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The rapid deterioration of civil order and social stability in the United States has become apparent to everyone.  Do we accept this as an unalterable reality?  Are we comfortable sitting on our hands?  I don’t think so.  When things are falling apart, we need to attend to safety and order wherever we are able.   Our local communities are where we have potential influence and are the most vulnerable. 

Safety in an unstable world will, in the end, depend on trustworthy relationships with friends and neighbors.  But how is trust to be built with people we do not know well, if at all?

Many of us do not know our neighbors.  We live in a society that has lost its sense of community. Yet nothing is more essential today.

As challenging as this seems, we must respond.  Taking initiative is essential, even when we lack confidence.  We need our friends and neighbors.

We may at first find our initiative appreciated by only a few.  Do not be disheartened! A small number of people who are ready to think productively will allow your efforts to take root.  A nucleus of thoughtful citizens can discuss local needs, begin to plan and build trust.

The possibilities for action abound.  Neighborhood safety or a chat group devoted to mutual assistance—or even food security—can be unifying endeavors regardless of personal differences. Community gardening, for example, can provide productive neutral ground and shared security.  And preserving food can be a friendly cooperative endeavor.

Taking initiative is essential, yes, but true leadership may not be what many of us think.  We cannot be directive.  We cannot control what needs to happen.  Understanding and direction need to come from the group through dialog and consultation—formed as a summation of perceptions and ideas.

Only in this way will the best ideas and insights be developed and made available.

Encouraging creative endeavor in a diverse group of Americans will call for patience, flexibility, and encouragement.  We need to learn how to do this.  Everyone has something to offer.

In the formative stages of community-building, your efforts will gradually come to be appreciated.  However, there may also be perceptions that you are assuming a leadership role, whether you intend it or not.  This could become problematic. You will not be happy with the consequences of unexpected assumptions. 

With the nation in a devastating downward spiral of dishonesty, delusional behavior, and pervasive fear, true leadership has never been more needed.  But, never has leadership been perceived with greater suspicion.

Responding to clearly felt needs with effective organizing will not be possible if we present ourselves as lightning rods.

With the world as it is today, leadership must be is exercised with quiet humility.  I am not talking about modesty.  Our purpose must be community, and unity must be the priority.

If we are willing to work with our neighbors—and can find people who are ready to engage respectfully—we will find our way forward one step at a time. Responsibility and action are interdependent.  Words can be misunderstood and manipulated.  So, it is important that we invite others to join in active collaboration. 

Quiet leadership in authentic communities helps to overcome fear and hesitation. It encourages responsibility and fosters trust.  It is best shared, and will be best understood as personal commitment to meeting community needs.

We must try to see the end in the beginning, and to see the way forward when it appears uncertain or impossible to others. 

True leadership has a way about it that encourages, influences, supports.  It remains calm in the fog of uncertainty and is unperturbed by the anxieties of others.  It patiently gathers and facilitates frightened or troublesome people to unite constructively in response to practical necessity. It proceeds with a self-effacing demeanor and a low profile.  It often goes unrecognized, and this is as it should be.

When a genuine leader has been effective, community members will feel they have taken on challenges and won success for themselves. And, when a truly great leader has been present, people will simply say: We did this ourselves.

Tom

Note to regular readers: You may look for the next post on or about July 2. To receive emailed alerts, visit my website.  An Introduction to the forthcoming book and several sample chapters are linked at the top of the homepage.

Responsibility in a Complex World

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It has been said that liberty is not possible without responsibility.  Is it true?  Do we understand what this means?  This is not a new question for this blog.  But there are really several questions implied here:  What is true liberty, and how does liberty depend on the fundamental (actual) reality in which we live—as opposed to our many imagined and misperceived assumptions?  And how can we live accordingly?

I expect none of us seek the liberty of wild animals, which is subject to the unbending requirements of nature.  A free society, though far more flexible, never-the-less depends on respect for the well-being of our neighbors, as well as the civil order we all depend upon.  There can be no freedom which violates the safety, dignity, or property of others.

We all know this country is facing serious problems which demand attention.  Emotions are high, and understandably so.  Yet, words and actions which destabilize the order necessary to resolve problems and make changes are self-defeating and accomplish nothing. Without an orderly process for addressing differences and difficulties we are confronted with an abyss.

As human beings we actually do possess the capacity to respond effectively to difficulties.  We are capable of responsibility—the ‘ability to respond’ constructively. I will offer several observations.

If we are to accept responsibility for rational problem-solving, how is this to be accomplished?

First, responsibility for something depends on accurate perceptions of circumstances rather than on unexamined assumptions, and certainly not on the false assuredness of the human imagination.

Second, problem-solving quickly runs into trouble without rules of engagement we can agree on. This is something we actually have, if we are willing to make constructive use of it.  However, making use of it depends on a constructive attitude—a readiness to listen, to understand one another, and to compromise to the extent necessary for immediate problem-solving.

The next steps will require a long view, and emotional discipline.  Why?  Because we cannot advance toward a more principled future without interactive dialog. This will not be possible unless we understand and respect the values, experience, and concerns of everyone at the table.  It’s that simple.

Neighborhood forums can be effective at addressing needs and core issues, if we want them to be so.  On the national level we also have an effective and well-tried model, if we want to make it so. Whatever its limitations, the Constitution of the United States provides a structure for decision-making designed for a contentious people.  It is notable for its’ simplicity and absence of constraints.

The Founders knew that respect for certain basic virtues would be essential—honesty, truthfulness, trustworthiness and cooperation.  They said so.  Clearly, they expected Americans to govern their own behavior.

The imperative that future Americans observe virtue ethics and engage in respectful behavior was stated by Patrick Henry, James Madison, George Washington and others. 

The Founders could not impose the cooperation upon which the Constitution depends, but the document makes necessity self-evident. Correcting problems and making changes requires a structure and process that makes this possible.

Order is necessary to make changes to order. If we destroy the means for decision-making we will descend into chaos.  And chaos has no means to correct itself.

How do we understand the meaning of freedom in a complex civilized order? Fairness and balance are written into the legislative structure of the Republic.  The rest depends on us. 

We are more than 300 million in number and we have differences—differences in experience and perspective and creative imagination.  This cries out to be investigated, to be understood and respected.  It has reasons!

Instability begins with an unwillingness to listen and understand.   

We must never throw away our inheritance and imagine it possible to start over from nothing.

Tom

Note to regular readers: You may look for the next post on or about June 3.

An Introduction to the forthcoming book and an annotated Table of Contents are linked at the top of the homepage.

Truthfulness and Trust

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I have reminded you, not long ago, that no family, no community, no society can long endure in the absence of trust.  No principles, beliefs or opinions can be effective if we are unable to trust. It is possible to pull ourselves back from this downward spiral, but it will not be with a quick fix.  We must each focus first on our personal responsibility—on the necessary attitudes, behaviors, and virtues that form the basis for a stable society.

This, the American Founders warned, is what freedom would require of us. Do we understand?

Let me be clear.  The future of the United States will, in my view, depend on general recognition that truthfulness is essential at all times.  Yes, truthfulness—the truthfulness upon which all trust depends.

You laugh?

Well, my friends, you can laugh all the way to chaos and mayhem.  Because we have no choice.

Seeking liberty in a new order, the Founders introduced the Constitution with an extraordinary lack of constraints and restrictions.  They knew the future of the nation would depend on the behavior of its citizens, and they said so. 

Why is truthfulness necessary?  Why does civilized order depend on it?

Another virtue, sometimes called a “cardinal virtue”, is prudence.  And, if truth be known, all the virtues are prudent—for the simple reason that a civilized society depends on them.

The virtues, among which are patience, forbearance, compassion, and ethical consistency, are the means for securing a safe, stable and productive society.  These are not simply “nice ideas”; they are among the core tenets of human civilization.

Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues, and prudence is their purpose.

Where do we start?  Our society is heavily burdened by the discord and disunity that come with distrust.  Conflict and contention are the source of degradation and loss.

Actually, we do not need to agree on much to be trustworthy.  However, we do need demonstrate our trustworthiness.  And this can only be done in active, engaged relationships.

It will only be possible to build trust with civility, and with a genuine interest in understanding the reality of other people.  Those who differ from us come to their views and perspective by way of their experience, their hopes, fears, and disappointments. So it is that unity of action in a community is only possible where there is genuine dialog leading to authentic relationships. 

First, we need to agree with our neighbors only on resolving the immediate problems at hand. Accepting responsibility for interpersonal dialog contributes to safer neighborhoods, to meeting practical needs.  Kindness attracts loyalty.  Reciprocity engenders productivity.

Being realistic about this means preparing ourselves for situations that are sometimes frustrating.  This is our reality today.  A great deal of damage has been done. So, steadfast patience becomes essential, a way of being.  We must determine not to be compromised by difficult circumstances or diverted from our purpose.

Interpersonal relationships are the sinews of community, and communities form the foundations of a society.  Genuine dialog and ongoing working relationships build trust.  This is where the groundwork for stability is built.

Sometimes it takes courage to engage with people we don’t know or understand.  But without this we remain stuck in helplessness and in the dark. Without truthfulness and good will, constructive action is impossible and security is a mirage.

Finally, let us please beware that we not walk in the ways of those whose words differ from their deeds.  We see this all around us, and it is the kiss of death.

Be true to your words, and ensure that your actions are consistent, trustworthy and faithful.

Tom

Note to regular readers: You may look for the next post on or about May 1.

An Introduction to the forthcoming book and several sample chapters are linked at the top of the homepage: http://www.freedomstruth.net.

Who We Are!

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The American Founders made a determined effort to ‘see the end in the beginning’.  The Constitutional Convention of 1787 gave birth to a vision that generated inner fortitude and outer prosperity for more than two hundred years.  The Constitution has provided protections for both minorities and majorities which have remained firmly in place despite every upheaval.  It ensures the order necessary to make constructive change possible, and guides us through the patient discipline required to do so. 

Americans stand today at another decisive turning point in history which calls for the same kind of visionary maturity.

We are blessed with the oldest democratic republic on the planet, a brilliantly conceived structure that has channeled the creative initiative of immigrant peoples into a dynamic force for capacity-building and well-being. Basic order and consistency have survived throughout a contentious past, as the United States has advanced slowly, painfully, toward an ever-more just and inclusive society.

There have been inconsistencies, certainly.  There will always be work to do.

Most of the Founders appeared unable to imagine a multiracial society.  Slavery remained prevalent in the United States long after it was ended everywhere else in the European world.  This injustice was unique in a modern nation.

Yet the Constitution put a set of institutions in place that were capable of resisting injustice to an unparalleled degree.  We have been growing into this inheritance as we have matured.  Ours is the responsibility to give trustworthiness and fairness the strength and resiliency they require.  Prosperity will be unattainable without this.

The record has not always been pretty, but how could we expect anything approaching perfection when we throw the human race, gathered together from diverse roots, into the managed chaos which is the nature of freedom?

The human race has matured as America has matured.  The Constitution provides the structure; we must do the work.

Early in the twenty-first century the American people have splintered into isolated fragments, as fear and inflexible thinking dominate public discourse. Those citizens who defend the time-honored American traditions of pluralism and inclusion have found themselves isolated amidst the clamor and confusion of bitterness.

What is it, after all, do we suppose made America great?  May I make a suggestion?

The Constitution has provided a supple backbone for a vibrant, combative, and creative people.  It trusts citizens to live and act with moral responsibility.  Our behavior matters.  The Founders knew the success of the new nation depended on this, and they said so.

The lack of ethical leadership in America is one of the many signs of the breakdown of moral values in our society. Without such leadership it becomes necessary for each citizen to examine his or her assumptions and test them against the reality that confronts us.

We must try to become aware of our unconscious assumptions—what we assume to be true.  When unexamined assumptions are taken for granted, they can become “conventional wisdom”.  We imagine them to be “the truth”.

And so it is that self-styled “leaders” parrot back to us what they think we want to hear.

Americans need to take responsibility for the order given us by the Constitution.  It is not rational to expect someone else to make things right.  We are a sovereign people.

Responsibility is always personal. Until we accept this truth the world will disintegrate around us.

The Constitution provides a framework with which to apply ourselves.  It invites us to find our way into the future with loyalty, collaboration, reciprocity.

We are Americans.  We can do it.

Tom

A note to regular readers:  You may watch for the next post on or about April 2.

An annotated Table of Contents from the forthcoming book, as well as the Introduction and several sample chapters can be found at the top of the homepage.  I welcome your ideas and feedback.

Image courtesy of the Washington Plaza Hotel.

A Doorway to Safety

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With a society in disarray and social stability faltering, our problems and uncertainties are many.  As the horizon darkens, where can we find safety and assurance?  Who can we trust?  How will we build a future we can accept and believe in?

My proposition that dependable neighbors are essential in a time of crisis, often seems to fall on deaf ears.  We need our neighborhoods to be safe and secure, and surely we possess the ability to make them so.

Can we imagine dependable neighbors or truly functional communities in today’s America?  How many of us have made a serious effort to cultivate trust among those around us?

Are we unable to see what’s coming?

Community is something we have had in the past.  America was built on the foundation of local communities, authentic communities, and we can learn how to do it again.

The widespread dispersal of working people all across America, resulting from the ascendancy of corporate ‘mass society’, has had profound consequences.  The loss of coherent communities has blind-sided Americans.  It has uprooted lives and led to disorientation, insecurity, and growing distrust.

We know something is missing, but we are not sure what it is or how it happened.

Throughout human history local communities have provided a foundation for stability, and the means to develop personal identity and understand what it means to belong somewhere. 

Genuine community supports trustworthy relationships and provides opportunities for engaging productively in society.  It is here that we gain confidence in our ourselves as free and independent individuals.

The loss of such dependability has opened up a void, and it needs to be filled. 

We are experiencing a deeply felt need for belonging which manifests itself in many ways.  Consequently, we find ourselves drawn to whatever available options seem most attractive. 

Dishonest and deceitful interests and manipulative ideologues are often the benefactors.

Americans are intelligent people and capable of thinking rationally.  But for several generations we have been enveloped in an amorphous unreality dominated by huge corporations.  Such a society has its own impersonal interests which are not our own.

Today true community rarely exists.  We don’t know what it is.  Political community is often the only community we know, and partisan politics are defined by division and conflict.  Unity is imagined as illusory, and cooperation is thought a fool’s errand.

We covet isolation as an escape from negativity, but submerse ourselves in the aimless tedium and distorted dreamworld of televised entertainment and social media.

Many barely know our next-door neighbors.  Few of us live in a neighborhood that provides the safety and organized coherence that communities have provided in the past.  While we may not be aware of everything that has been taken from us, we do know the uncertainties that come with the loss of community. 

However, there is a door in this wall and we must learn how to find it.

We can only discover that people are trustworthy and dependable by allowing ourselves to know them as workmates and neighbors.  The best way to learn what people are made of—and to build trust—is to work shoulder-to-shoulder, resolving local problems and meeting shared needs.

It is very true that building safe communities is challenging.  But we can learn how to do it as a skill, just as we have learned others.  And surely, we know that a civilized future can only be built with civility, respectfulness, and responsibility. 

This is the doorway to safety.  Each of us is capable of walking through it on our own—with steadfast purpose, undeterred by the confusion or misbehavior of others. 

Interpersonal relationships form the substance of community, and communities form the foundation of civilization.

Tom

A note to regular readers:  You may watch for the next post on or about March 1.

To receive emailed alerts, you may visit the homepage at http://www.freedomstruth.net.  An Introduction to the forthcoming book can be found there, as well as an annotated Table of Contents and several sample chapters.

An American Choice

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Readers of this blog know the basis for my message.  With our future spiraling ever deeper into crisis, I believe there to be only one way to seek safety and stability.  Our neighborhoods and local communities can be prepared to provide organized and dependable cooperation.  As conditions deteriorate, we can choose to rise above our differences to the extent necessary.  Meeting shared needs will require effective planning and dialog.

This may well be an ultimate choice for Americans—and for two reasons.  First, it might very well determine the safety of our families during the coming storm.  And, second, as we work together in the face of hardship, we will discover what our fellow citizens are actually made of. 

This is probably the only way we can find our way back to the loyal perseverance and pluralistic traditions that first came to life in the American past.

It is easy to assume the worst of people who appear different from ourselves.  But they might actually prove to be quite ready to stand by us as dependable neighbors.

How can we start building such security?

Functional community always depends on personal initiative.  No organizational skills are necessary. When we reach out to our neighbors—down the street and around the corner—we will be welcomed by some and rebuffed by others.  But we only need a few to begin a productive dialog.

The effort to assess circumstances and identify needs will lead to planning and action.  Others will join when they recognize and trust what you are doing.  Some will take longer to come around than others.  Distrust is running deep and misinformation is pervasive.

The challenge of building local communities does not require expertise.  To get started, we only need to put our heads together. 

It is true, however, that the greater the diversity you bring together, the safer you will be.  This is because you will be tapping into more available knowledge, experience, and personal skills.

The dynamic interaction of diverse perspectives provides immense strength.  In my view, community is the crucial choice for us in the face of dire circumstances.

How much danger will we subject ourselves to, before we turn to constructive action?  What keeps us back?

I suggest to you that the greatest of all dangers is lodged in our unexamined assumptions.  There is no greater risk to the future of America.

Assumptions always get in the way.  They have no real existence except in our imagination.  But real people do not live in our imaginations.

We must free ourselves from this very dangerous source of alienation.  The danger is real and can become extreme.

Among those imprisoned in their imaginations, are those who propose a forceful approach to change.  Do we understand what this means?

Let’s be clear:  Force will create exactly the opposite of its intended purpose.  Traditional conservatism understands this quite well.

It was Hayek who said, “the principle that the ends justify the means is in individualist ethics regarded as the denial of all morals.”

Harry Emerson Fosdick may have stated this truth most clearly: “He who chooses the beginning of the road chooses the place it leads to.  It is the means that determine the end.”

And the conservative icon, Ayn Rand drove the point home most emphatically: “An attempt to achieve the good by force is like an attempt to provide a man with a picture gallery at the price of cutting out his eyes.”

Americans will depend on rational minds and moral principles as we navigate the rocky road ahead.  Incivility, negativity, and especially threatening behavior, will subvert virtually everything that matters. 

Influencing hearts and minds depends on demonstrating trustworthiness in our actions.  Which is why we can begin by gathering a few of our neighbors around the kitchen table. 

Personal sharing, honest dialog, and realistic planning are the foundations of local security–and for the future of this American nation.

The means by which we seek our intended purpose will determine the substance and quality of the outcome. 

Tom.

Notes to regular readers:  You may watch for the next post on or about February 2.

To receive email alerts, click the box on the right side of the homepage..  An Introduction and annotated Table of Contents for the forthcoming book can be found at the top of the homepage.

Trust and Distrust

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The steady corrosion of social order in the United States has been accompanied by the steady loss of trust.  This is not simply a symptom; it lies at the heart of our difficulties.   Trust is essential to the integrity and well-being of a society, and trustworthiness its first requirement.  Without trust no family or community or nation can long subsist.

At the present extraordinary turning point in American history, we are confronted with a broken society.  We need to understand what has been happening and what it means.  Americans face a multi-layered challenge, and the necessity for trust underlies every constructive response.

Trust is learned over time through lived experience.  It requires active interpersonal relationships.  Trust is grounded in authentic dialogue.  Civilization depends on this. But few of us take the initiative to make it happen. Whether such disengagement is caused by shyness, fear, or myopic foolishness, the consequences are severe.  Growing alienation has drained meaning and constructive insight from our lives.

Surely it is necessary to re-establish trustworthiness as the foundation for the character and strength of a genuinely American society.  This will take significant time and effort.  It will not come easily.

Learning to trust is most possible in local communities—because this is where interpersonal dialogue and consistent engagement are most possible and most necessary.  When the going gets tough, local communities are where trustworthiness truly matters.

When we engage meaningfully, honestly, in personal relationships, we gradually bring trust to life.  Trustworthiness becomes real as we experience its dependability.  We want it because we need it.  There are no shortcuts.  Building a stable, prosperous society will take as long as intelligent and determined people need to make it so.

This is our first challenge on the path to creating safety and resolving problems.  To seek genuine personal relationships in the presence of distrust and alienation, requires patience and courage and grace.  Only then will solutions follow.

An inquisitive interest in accurate understanding, and the willingness to be the first to listen, make many things possible.  Even the most stubborn negative attitudes can be influenced when approached with curiosity and generosity of spirit—however long this might take.

Compassion can be a great relief to people who have experienced the loss of their hopes and expectations for the future.  As good listeners we can make it clear that we have heard, recognized the pain, and tried to understand.

When others are not ready to listen or respond, we must leave them to themselves.  But remember: Personal integrity and trustworthiness lives and grows with genuine interactive engagement.  They come alive in caring and considerate relationships.

The mystery of differences and diversity does not need to be threatening.  The greatest tests on this rocky road are those that call for grace, constancy, and generosity of spirit. 

No one is asking us to change our views and our values, but only to seek dignity for others as well as ourselves.  This is indeed honorable. But we are called to something even greater.  The integrity that takes root in authenticity and dependability, soon spreads to influence the character of the society around us.

We can all work on this.

In seeking to build trust, we are each met with two challenges:  We need first to prepare ourselves—which means working on our own trustworthiness.  Secondly, we cannot respond sincerely to others without an interest in the pain, fear, and disappointments they have experienced.

This is about interpersonal engagement; but it is also about accurate information.  How have others come to think, behave and react the way they do?  Knowing more of the truth in the lives of others opens doors and allows us to embark on the journey to trust.

Tom

A note to readers:  You may watch for the next post on or about January 2.   To receive emailed alerts, click on the button..  An annotated Table of Contents for the forthcoming book is now available at the top of the homepage..

Freedom & Responsibility

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In the years since the World Wars, Americans have gradually come to terms with the idea that freedom and responsibility have a direct and integral relationship with each other.  This seems reasonable enough, but how much attention do we give it?  Why is it true, and what does it actually mean?

Self-reliance and the acceptance of responsibility for family and community are hallmarks of the American idea.  They are sources of human dignity and self-respect.  They support dependability among neighbors.

People respect people who are respectful—people who take responsibility for themselves and care about others.  When the going gets tough, whining and complaints really don’t fly.

We can all see the way things are coming apart.  Integrity in our relationships with friends and neighbors will matter.  In a crumbling society it will matter a lot.

We demonstrate our personal integrity in working relationships.  Responsibility can only exist in relationships.  This is where we show our true colors.

Some people imagine they can assert their freedom by simply doing as they wish.  But there can be no freedom without consideration for the realities of a civilized order.  Personal security depends on order and the quality of relationships.

Some seem never to have considered the conditions required to secure safety or justice or the basic functionality of human society.  Some seem ready to tear everything down without a thought for the consequences, even for themselves. 

Over-reactive drama, lacking foresight or wisdom, can actually destroy the means for needed change—for seeking constructive solutions.  A failure of foresight can undermine security and bring about the dissolution of order. 

In the previous post I spoke with you about the importance of truthfulness, trustworthiness, and forbearance, virtues which the American founders expected of the American people—not simply from political leadership, but from everyone. 

They knew liberty could not be had in any other way, and they said so.  They gave us their trust: A governing structure with almost no constraints other than those respecting the property and well-being of our fellow citizens.

Democracy was a new idea back then.  The Constitutional Convention of 1787 struggled with the concerns of a contentious constituency, and recognition that the Republic would face future threats and unpredictable stresses.

Libertarian sentiments were strong among Americans in the 18th century.  There was a natural fear of the oppressiveness of institutions from which they had so recently fled. Many had strong feelings about protecting the freedom they experienced in America, a freedom that stood in marked contrast to the ever-present example of slavery (which they insisted on maintaining).

The Founders were quite aware of the mood, and recognized that majority factions had no qualms about suppressing minorities or rejecting the interests of anyone who differed from themselves.  It was easy to imagine a tumultuous future.

The United States Constitution is the product of this tension, and the determination to create a dynamic framework capable of protecting freedoms while channeling the forces of conflict and change that would surely come. How did the Founders endeavor to project freedom and order into a future they could only barely imagine?

The Constitution provides a structure for governance designed for a diverse and argumentative population.  Yet, it is notable for its’ simplicity and provides few legal constraints. They chose a course that depends on Americans to govern their own behavior.  Fairness and balance are woven into the fabric of the Republic.  The rest depends on us. 

Americans are now more than 300 million in number and we have differences.  Disagreement is natural.  Differences need to be fully understood before solutions can be investigated.

Civilized choices are made possible through the collaborative problem-solving enabled by the Constitution.  Americans possess the tools for problem-solving, for managing change, and most importantly, for addressing violations of integrity and trust.

These things take time if we care about freedom and responsibility.  Instability begins with impatience, and the inability to compromise. 

We stand today at an extraordinary turning point.  We cannot abandon our inheritance and imagine it possible to start over again from nothing.  That would be impossible.

Tom

You may watch for the next post on or about November 1.

Note to new readers:  An introduction to the coming book, an annotated table of contents, and several chapters are available in draft at the top of the homepage: http://www.freedomstruth.net.

Freedom’s First Principles

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As the crises multiply around us, Americans are confronted with unexpected challenges.  It is becoming painfully apparent that we may need to know and depend on our neighbors, whatever their religion, their politics, or the color of their skin.  With disunity comes danger and vulnerability.

If we are to build strong communities and safe neighborhoods, it will begin with the personal integrity upon which community depends.  Integrity is essential in the character of purpose.  So, let’s be clear about what we are doing: The only acceptable future depends on trustworthiness. 

I suggest that the foundations for trust include truthfulness, dependability, moral responsibility, and genuine interpersonal dialog.

These are not things to be acquired by wishful thinking.  We must make them so.  They are learned and lived in relationships.  Authentic community is not possible without them.

This may seem idealistic to some and to others simply out of reach.  But it is clear to me that we have no choice but to live responsibly.  This will mean summoning the courage to engage meaningfully with everyone around us.  Yes, everyone!

Americans can do this.  Freedom depends on it.  But it does require a positive attitude, practical thinking, and skills we are all capable of learning. 

In light of recent history, a respect for moral values would seem to be a practical response to the degradation of social order in a society dominated by dishonesty, deception and distrust—and their inevitable consequences.

The word ‘virtue’ has lost respect and many people now avoid using it.  But when we think about integrity, there is no other word that serves as well.  Why?  Because the virtues are necessary if we are to live our lives engaged with what is real rather than what is imagined.

One might reasonably argue that this is a global problem and not limited to the United States.  As Americans, however, we have particular reason to take notice. The bulwark of stability that is the United States Constitution cannot function in the absence of the traditional virtues.  And the reason is, quite simply, because it provides a uniquely unrestrictive governing structure.

The character of the Constitution is founded upon the founders’ expectations regarding the integrity and character of future Americans.  Their contract with us was an act of faith, an expression of the belief that Americans could be entrusted with the future.

This is not a theoretical interpretation of the founders’ motives.  Their expectations of us were clearly expressed in letters, speeches and writings. “Everyone involved in the creation of the United States,” writes Charles Murray, “knew that its success depended on virtue in its citizenry – not gentility, but virtue.” 

James Madison was explicit: “To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people is a chimerical [wildly fanciful] idea.”

Patrick Henry was equally forceful: “No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue.” And, in his farewell address George Washington famously said: “Virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government.”

These words of wisdom are quoted by Charles Murray in his book, ‘Coming Apart’.  “In their various ways”, he comments, “the founders recognized that if a society is to remain free, self-government refers first of all to individual citizens governing their own behavior.”

The warnings confront us today as we peer into the waiting abyss of a corrupt and duplicitous future.  Will we stop to consider why the founders knew that liberty depends on virtue, and, indeed, what liberty actually meant to them?

In America, accountability falls to ourselves.  And it is here that a discussion of first principles must begin.

There is a reason why living virtuously is about living well.  Virtue is practical.  It protects us from violating the foundations of existence. 

It has been said that prudence, which is one of the so called ‘cardinal virtues’, is actually the form or pattern of all the virtues.  This is because the virtues allow us to live in a way which is compatible with true order. 

It is prudent to be trustworthy.  It is prudent to respect reality.

Tom

You may watch for the next post on or about October 2.

A note to readers: An annotated Table of Contents, Introduction, and several chapters from the forthcoming book are posted in draft at the top of the homepage.

A New Way of Seeing

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The deterioration of social order in America has been led by the loss of trust over many years.  It was happening long before it was recognized by the institutions of civil society or leaders of thought.  This is not simply a symptom; it lies at the heart of our difficulties. 

We must try to understand this.  In the present moment, however, we must recognize that the profound loss of trust can foreshadow civilizational collapse.

Trust is essential to the integrity and well-being of any society, and trustworthiness its first requirement.  Without trust no family or community or nation can survive. 

At the present extraordinary turning point in history, we are confronted with a broken society in which trust has been steadily degraded.  The meaning of trustworthiness has ceased to be understood.

Trust is learned over time through our experience with active interpersonal relationships.  Civilization depends on it.

We face a multi-layered challenge.  Building trust in personal relationships depends on genuine dialogue and our lived experience with one another.  But we rarely find this possible in our lives today. Clearly, it is necessary to re-establish trustworthiness as the foundation for the character and prosperity of American society.

Learning to trust is most possible in functional local communities—because this is where genuine interpersonal dialogue and loyal engagement is most possible. When the going gets tough, local communities are where trustworthiness truly matters. 

When we build trust in important relationships, we gradually bring it to life in ever-widening circles and relational circumstances.

Trustworthiness becomes real as we experience its dependability.  We will want it because we need it. Yes, this will take a long time.  There are no shortcuts.  Building a stable, prosperous society will take as long as intelligent and determined people need to make it so.

This is the first challenge on the path to creating safety and resolving problems.  To seek interpersonal dialogue where distrust and alienation prevail, requires courage and foresight.  Only then will solutions follow.

Kind words can open doors and penetrate hearts, but making this effort requires steadfast patience.  An interest in genuine understanding, and the willingness to be the first to listen, makes many things possible.

Even the most stubborn attitudes can be penetrated with curiosity and generosity of spirit—however long it might take.  When we encounter pain or defensiveness in others, respond compassionately.  Make it clear that you have heard and tried to understand.

When others are not ready to listen or respond, leave them to themselves.  We must keep moving on. 

But remember: Personal integrity and trustworthiness live and grow through interactive engagement.  They are created in thoughtful relationships. Relationships that accept the mystery of differences and diversity need not be threatening. 

The greatest tests on this rocky road are those that call for grace, constancy, and generosity of spirit.  No one is asking us to change our views and our values, but only to seek dignity for others as well as ourselves.

This is indeed honorable.  But we are called to something greater.

Trust can grow from the smallest of beginnings.  People want to be able to trust.  And the light we bring to their lives can be a great gift. The integrity that takes root in dialogue—in the honest engagement of interpersonal relationships—soon spreads to implant itself in the character of the world around us.

A nation led by fear is a nation destined for tyranny.  The choice between freedom and fear, between empowerment and defensiveness, presents us with a fork in the road to the future.  This is the choice that leads to safety; the understanding that makes loyalty and cooperation possible, whatever the hardships and challenges we are made to endure.

Tom.

Note to readers:  You may watch for the next post on or about July 1. 

Past and Future

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Americans have an extraordinary history and heritage as a nation—a vision and exemplary model for governance which are unprecedented in the world.  As citizens, it is an honor to be responsible for this.  We are called to ensure a future that is free, just, and constructive. 

We are also challenged by the shadow of a violent and contentious past, and now the looming threat of a multitude of crises.  We can easily lose ourselves in self-doubt and endless recrimination—forever relitigating the details of a very human past.  But learning from the past is made real by living our best intentions into the future.

Americans cannot afford to compromise a commitment to an honorable future.  While it is quite true that responsibility depends upon truthfulness, the future also depends on the maturity, understanding, and generosity of spirit that will enable the United States to secure civil order and a free society.

We are Americans; we can do this together.

As individuals, there is but one way forward—personally and without constraint–and this is within our own local communities.  It is for this reason that I have challenged us all to rise above our differences, to engage with one another in the authentic dialogue necessary for problem-solving.

The necessities of shared needs cannot be compromised.  Safety and survival will soon require that we think about what we can accomplish by working together.

Doing this effectively will allow communities to address the future constructively.

We find ourselves confronted today by extraordinary circumstances, a multitude of dangerous and deepening crises.  And yet, this narrow place in American history presents an unprecedented opportunity.

We must rise to the next level, having no choice but to turn to the future with clear-eyed intentionality.

Herein lies the importance of knowing and understanding our neighbors; listening to one another with genuine interest despite our differences.  The failure to engage constructively will threaten the future as threats grow.

The number and diversity of crises confronting us is unparalleled.  Most of us know that something has changed.  The experience of normalcy has evaporated.  Our lives are disrupted and the end is nowhere in sight.

The world is experiencing dramatic structural change.  The rapid development of digital technology without accountability, exponential population growth, the loss of farmland and access to clean water, unprecedented weather—all this imposes on our lives even if it is happening elsewhere.

This is inevitable and no one’s fault.  That it has generated confusion and divisiveness is hardly surprising.  It is natural to look for someone to blame, but this is not useful.

Will we pull ourselves together as Americans did during World War 2, to make America whole?

In the midst of rapidly changing conditions, in a world confronted by hardship and awash with fear, we are forced to discipline ourselves as responsible, trustworthy people. 

The foundation for well-being is trust.  This is the secret of integrity in inter-personal relationships, in communities and in nations.

Dependable neighbors may soon become our only source of security.  We need to know how to make this work, and it begins with ourselves.  We might need to be trustworthy even when no one else notices or reciprocates.

It is true that trust lives in relationships.  It cannot exist in isolation.  And, yes, good-will is helpless if the relations between us remain unchanged.  However, trustworthiness is personal and in fact begins with ourselves!

To establish true community, we must turn away from the impersonal collectivism of mass society—to represent our real selves in authentic relationships.

We prove ourselves ready for community by living genuinely with others as dependable, trustworthy co-workers and neighbors.

Each of us is responsible independently.  No one can do this for us.

Tom.

You may watch for the next post on or about June 4.

A note for new readers: A project description and several sample chapters from the forthcoming book are posted in draft at the top of the homepage.

What Is True Leadership?

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How can responsible people respond to the multiplicity of crises confronting us?  How can we best protect our families and strengthen our communities?  We have been discussing the growing need to create safety in the face of deteriorating conditions.  You don’t need me to draw you a picture.

What does it mean to take initiative?  I invite you to think about this constructively.  We will need to rethink our assumptions about the nature of leadership.

We see examples of assertive, self-styled leadership on the news every night—people who want us to think they have everything all figured out.  I think most of you know this is not what we need. In a rapidly deteriorating social order, safety and security are actually local concerns.  To think and act responsibly will mean engaging effectively with our neighbors, regardless of our differences.

I do not think we will get very far if we depend on those we see parading themselves self-assuredly on the evening news.

In the oncoming confluence of crises, effective problem-solving will depend on our neighbors. And it will only begin when we engage with respectful sensitivity in every interpersonal relationship.

Taking initiative does not, and should not, be associated with leadership in the usual sense. We have never imagined facing such extraordinary circumstances.  It is understandable to doubt ones’ own capabilities.  But there is work to be done.  Needs must be met and conflicts averted. 

As individual citizens we are called to recognize and respond to immediate local needs as they present themselves.  None of us can resolve the great questions and complexities in today’s world.  But necessities will confront us each day with real consequences.

We are not helpless.  Words can be misunderstood and people can be manipulated, but consistent responsible action speaks for itself.  It will never be too soon to initiate dialog and foster collaboration.

I will share a few thoughts here on personal initiative and collaboration.

When forming relationships with neighbors you may find your efforts appreciated by only a few.  Do not be disheartened!  Even a small number of those ready to listen will allow productive endeavors to take root.  A nucleus of thoughtful citizens can consult about local needs, begin to plan, and build trust.

Your initiative will be appreciated by perceptive neighbors.  Indeed, some may project a leadership role on you against your wishes.  This could become problematic.  You will not be happy with the consequences of such assumptions.

With the nation in a devastating downward spiral of dishonesty, delusional behavior, and pervasive fear, true leadership has never been more needed.  But, never has it been perceived with greater suspicion.  Responding effectively to clearly apparent needs will not be possible if we present ourselves as lightning rods.

Responsibility and constructive action are integrally related.  We can invite others to join us in exploring how this works.  Leadership is best shared and understood as grounded in the community itself.

In authentic community, true leadership assists us to overcome fear and hesitation.  It encourages responsibility and fosters trust.  Effective leadership can see the end in the beginning, and understands the road ahead when others only see stumbling blocks. 

Leadership remains calm in the fog of uncertainty, and unperturbed by the anxieties of others.  It patiently gathers frightened or troublesome people to unite in response to practical necessity.

This kind of leadership proceeds with a self-effacing demeanor and a low profile.  It often goes unrecognized, and this is as it should be.

When a genuine leader has been effective, a community will feel they have been assisted to take on challenges and win success for themselves.  And, when a truly great leader has been present, people will say only, we did this ourselves.

Tom.

You may watch for the next post on or about May 1.