“If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.”
–Yogi Berra
Tag Archives: the future of the united states
Principled Means, Principled Ends
These are precarious times. We find ourselves confronted with growing social and economic instability and an uncertain future. We do not want to sit on our hands. Yet, unprecedented complexity and uncertainty make it impossible to know what to expect.
How easy it would be to let emotions rule, tipping the future into chaos and endangering the very goals we wish to secure.
It is with this in mind that I take up where I left off in the previous post (June 9). I see two pragmatic reasons why political violence will not get Americans where we want to go. One is tactical. The second is strategic – and the more important.
Any patriot preparing today for armed resistance in the tradition of 1776 will pit himself against an extraordinary opponent. He will be outmaneuvered and outgunned by fully militarized police possessing the most advanced surveillance technology and backed by massive firepower.
The mythic ideal of the citizen soldier remains deeply engrained in the American psyche. But the plain fact is, if you imagine a heroic Star Wars scenario in defense of freedom and justice you are indulging in fantasy.
I am not interested in arguing about this because there is a much bigger problem, and it is this: Who exactly do you intend to fight?
American law enforcement agencies and the United States military are served by loyal, committed Americans. These are our people, our sons and daughters, friends and neighbors. They are working people, they have families, and they care about the future.
It is our responsibility to win them over, not beat them up. They should be approached respectfully, with persuasive argument and attractive example.
As I wrote here last week, violence committed by Americans against Americans would contradict the rationale behind the impetus to violence itself. It would be self-contradictory, pitting us against one another and subverting the integrity and viability of the American Idea as a guiding force for the good.
Our views on politics or government, the integrity of the Constitution, or the corruption of principles, are all serious matters. But, public servants, police officers and bureaucrats are not the problem.
We must respect these people, not just as a matter of principle, but because we need them. They are essential to a constructive solution.
Americans are not to be persuaded when we are attacked, not for some high-minded cause or anything else. When faced with hostility we naturally close ranks, and clear thinking stops.
Even the misguided rebellion of tiny splinter groups will be destructive to the cause of liberty. Any resort to force can easily lead to cascading consequences in which violence begets violence in a downward spiral, tearing the fabric of the republic and threatening the progress of constructive action.
Furthermore, it is simply not necessary.
Change is needed that is real, lasting, and built on the solid ground of dependable communities – not quicksand. I never said this would be easy, so let me be clear – the skills, attitudes, and discipline that create and build community are at the heart of what we need to learn to create and build the future.
This is more than a matter of survival. For thousands of years community has formed the foundation of civilization. The essential concern in the present hour, and the basis by which to judge constructive action, must be the spirit and the quality of the future we wish for. It is the means that determine the end.
This is not a theoretical nicety, but hard-nosed truth. Understanding it will determine success or failure.
We are capable of being decent, patient and forbearing, of cooperating to resolve practical problems and even saving each others’ lives. Personal principles, values and views must certainly be respected. But, rising above our differences will be essential if we are to identify shared values, ensure comprehensive security, and begin to build a stable social economy for the future.
Going to war with our fellow citizens would make no sense. Indeed, the ends we seek could be delayed by decades and possibly destroyed by impractical or intemperate courses of action.
Tom
Next week: A Foundation Based on Values
A note to regular readers: Thank you for all the comments, ideas, and perspectives shared in recent weeks, especially on the Facebook page. You are a valuable “reality test” for me as a writer. This project would be impossible without you.
Ends and Means…
“The principle that the ends justify the means is in individualist ethics regarded as the denial of all morals”
–F. A. Hayek
“He who chooses the beginning of the road chooses the place it leads to. It is the means that determine the end.”
–Harry Emerson Fosdick
“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.”
–Ayn Rand
“They say ‘means are after all means’. I would say ‘means are after all everything’. As the means, so the end.”
–Mohandas Gandhi
“The first sign of corruption in a society that is still alive is that the end justifies the means.”
–Georges Bernanos
Sorrow and suffering enough…
“If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.”
–Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The First Principle
If we are to regain our self-confidence with the vision and values of the founders, it would be useful to employ means that can actually lead to the goals we seek. Let’s proceed then with careful deliberation rather than emotion and ego.
No American responds well to abuse, verbal or otherwise. Nothing will subvert our purpose more quickly than a combative attitude that alienates the very people we need to win over.
Will we allow our differences to tear us apart?
We have choices. We can choose to join forces to tackle the practical problems that threaten the safety and security of our communities. We can choose to distinguish ourselves with common decency and cooperation in the interests of a well-reasoned and purposeful future.
It is only in dependable personal relationships tasked with essential responsibilities that we can truly come to know and influence one another.
We live in an era of dangerous instability. It is a time to refrain from antagonistic words; a time to refocus our creative energy away from the dysfunction of partisan politics, so to secure the essential needs of our local communities.
I have described three essential elements that make community possible – trust, dependability, and constructive action. These elements will only be found in communities where neighbors rise above their differences to serve a higher purpose. And, for a self-respecting people, purpose must be something more than “survival.”
As regular readers know, I have chosen the term “constructive action” to describe the positive means by which we can realistically engage with one another and progress. And, I have explained why a shared sense of purpose is helpful in guiding constructive action.
Shared purpose, I wrote, is a lens through which a community can bring the challenges of necessity into focus, and coordinate the efforts of diverse personalities. Purpose can provide a standard by which to determine priorities and judge progress.
So, how can we understand constructive action?
Constructive action is based on the refusal to do harm. It is action taken in a spirit of respect and kindness, a spirit founded upon the refusal to do violence to fellow citizens.
The principle here is the refusal to hurt – by impatience, dishonesty, hatred, or wishing ill of anybody.
I submit to you that this is the essential first principle upon which all other principles, values, and purposes depend.
Please do not misinterpret constructive action as merely a negative state of harmlessness. Quite the contrary, while constructive action in its purest form attempts to treat even the evil-doer with grace, it by no means assists the evil-doer in doing wrong or tolerates wrong-doing in any way.
The state of constructive action requires that we resist what is wrong and disassociate ourselves from it even if doing so antagonizes the wrong-doer.
There is a close relationship between the positive spirit of kindness, respect, and trustworthiness that characterizes constructive action and the moral integrity of the civil society we wish to build. As means and ends, the two are inseparable.
Constructive action is the means. Unity of purpose, grounded in the truthfulness of moral integrity, is the end.
Western political thinking has always considered means to be either an abstraction of tactics or simply the character of social and political machinery. In both cases means are considered only in their service to the goals of particular political interests.
We will approach our understanding of means in quite a different way, replacing end-serving goals with an end-creating purpose.
Such an approach to means is necessary if we seek to apply traditional American values to rapidly changing circumstances.
This is the reason for my insistence on the meaningful engagement of all Americans in this endeavor, despite our vast diversity.
A vital and energetic future can only be realized by leveraging our differences in knowledge, skills, perspectives. And, the closer we work together the greater our opportunity to influence, attract and inspire.
Again, we have clear choices to make. Either we choose to recover and refine the fundamental meaning of the American Idea, or we can walk away forever from the safety, stability, and purpose of a future we can trust and believe in.
Tom
Next week: The Second Amendment, Then and Now.
A note to regular readers: Your ideas, views, and constructive feedback have been immensely helpful to me, especially on the Facebook page. This project would be impossible without you. To receive alerts by email you may click on “Follow” on the right side of this page.
To build or destroy…
“To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day.”
–Winston Churchill
Security and the Use of Force
I will address two considerations involving the potential use of force in defending ourselves. The first is related to the security of our families and communities, the topic of recent blog posts. The second relates to our ultimate purpose, the effective means by which the foundations of the American Republic can be secured and strengthened.
I will consider the first in this post and the second in the coming weeks.
I have mentioned several security issues that will concern us if the current deterioration of the economy and social order continues. While food security may be the most likely serious threat to a community, the most unpredictable danger will be the unstable individual or group approaching from outside.
Whether unexpected visitors might be psychopathic, motivated by religious or political ideology, or simply in a state of desperate need, may not be immediately apparent.
We would do well to deal with visitors in a respectful and humane manner, while remaining cautious and defensive. The potential danger is real. We must respond judiciously and communicate clearly, while summoning fellow community members for assistance.
In my view, we would also do well to remain sensitive to any positive value that might be presenting itself. New faces will sometimes come to us with good character and valuable skills.
Graceful hospitality will always set the right tone, even if a visit needs to be kept brief. Some of us have better verbal skills than others, or possess more disarming personalities. Others may have weapons training or know martial arts.
An effective set of tools is offered by Target Focus Training (TFT), which includes physical skills for personal defense against lethal weapons.
If we keep weapons in the home we must manage them with utmost care. Any weapon is an ever-present liability when kept in close proximity to our families. Emotions can run high when we experience hardship. As we all know, a gun can easily kill a loved one, even without an external threat.
In addition to first aid training, which is essential, each of us can gain conflict management and other defensive skills, both verbal and combative. We would be well-advised to prepare ourselves well in advance. A list of self-determined guidelines and personal thresholds for action can be memorized in preparation for the unexpected.
To the extent possible, our conscious purpose should not only include safety and survival, but also the ultimate concern for which we are living.
Courage is a priceless virtue. Not the courage to fight, but the courage to care. It takes a brave heart to make peace, but compassion must be buttressed by backbone.
Women sometimes embrace this balance with natural equanimity, but the presence of danger must never be forgotten.
Approaching difficult encounters with a positive attitude is an ability that can save lives. This can make the difference between friendship and enmity, between collaboration and catastrophe.
We have entered a long crisis. People are coming unhinged. We will often encounter the walking-wounded, and danger will not always be obvious.
We will meet good people who have lost hope or are grieving deeply. They may appear abrupt or angry at first. We may not be sure who or what they are, but will soon come to realize that we need not fear them.
Each of us is wounded in some way.
I think most of us understand that this is not about being nice or even socially responsible. This is about treating one another with mutual respect as Americans. It is about reconstructing the United States as the kind of country we want to live in – one soul at a time.
It all comes down to purpose: Security requires preparedness; rebuilding the foundations requires grace.
We cannot afford to live in a state of siege behind walls that isolate us and appear hostile to others. To give in to fear and retreat into defensive enclaves of survivalists would be to admit defeat.
Let us rather win over the confused, heal the wounded, and welcome the returning prodigal friend. This is the true path to security.
Mature leadership greets each day with an open heart and an inclusive vision.
Tom
Next week: A Severe Choice
Adversity…
“Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that afterward we see ourselves as we really are, and not merely as we might like to be.”
–Arthur Golden
Hard Realities, Practical Necessities
Americans know that something is wrong. We can feel it. It is easy to place blame; there is a lot to find fault with. But, many of us sense that something profound is happening, something that goes far deeper than the headlines, something that has been a long time coming.
For the majority of Americans, social and economic conditions have been deteriorating for a long time. We are increasingly vulnerable to potential systemic disruptions. Some threats are obvious; others lie hidden in a complex web of instability.
Our failure to prepare reflects a lack of both information and imagination. We accept the present as normal, even when it is unhealthy, distorted, or dangerous. Most of us expect that every day will be like the last.
To recognize that something is not right, or that current circumstances could lead to pain, requires some imagination. This can be overdone, of course. But, so too can carelessness.
Imagination applied rationally is a survival skill. Let me offer an example.
James Rickards is a monetary economist who advises the Department of Defense and the CIA concerning terrorist threats to the global monetary system and financial markets. Writing about our well-equipped intelligence agencies, staffed by smart people who are intent on protecting the United States, he tells us that these agencies were monitoring most of the individuals who subsequently carried out the 9/11 attacks.
Analysts were aware that several were being trained to fly airplanes. In short, the intelligence community had the information it needed to warn of the impending attack.
The only thing missing, says Rickards, was imagination.
That our family and friends think we are being alarmist when we express concerns about the future is easy to understand. They are human. At some point we may need to care for them, so we must trust our perceptions and think through the implications.
There are numerous resources available, in bookstores and on the web, which can help us prepare for a long crisis.
However, this blog (and book project) is focused instead on the personal, social, and relational challenges involved: the effort to build dependable communities, and to accept moral responsibility in an increasingly disrupted and desperate world.
Local communities can organize themselves around felt-needs, when we are ready to rise above our differences. But, having little positive experience working with groups can be a problem when trouble strikes.
We may have experienced community in a church group, club, or sporting pastime, but not usually in the immediate neighborhood where we live, and not in the face of threats to our safety and well-being.
A dependable bond among neighbors will be necessary to meet essential needs. But, most of us do not know our neighbors and cannot depend on them. We might not even have introduced ourselves to those we see regularly on the street or in the grocery store.
Our natural inclination to be independent and to avoid troublesome arrangements has led to the widespread loss of local associations and trustworthy relationships.
For many decades there have been few compelling reasons for Americans to seek meaningful community with our neighbors. Yet, when things stop working we will have no one to depend on except each other.
If we are to find safety and security in a crisis, it will be necessary to develop a range of interpersonal and organizational skills, and hopefully some technical knowledge as well.
Most of us can learn how to grow food, or at least to work with others who do. But, as the crisis deepens we will discover necessities we had not thought about. Organizing our lives without electricity or a functional sewage system or safe drinking water will require that we cooperate to solve problems, and in some cases solve them quickly.
It will be this personal engagement with one another, forced by hard realities, which will bring Americans together where we belong – as good neighbors in our communities.
Hiding under a rock might feel like a good idea in a shooting war, but it will not lead to the kind of world most of us want to live in.
Tom
Next week: Security and the Use of Force.
A note to new readers: Blog entries adapted from the forthcoming book are posted on most Fridays at the main blog site and on the Facebook page. To receive alerts by email you may click “Follow” in the column on the right.
Union and discord…
“All your strength is in union, all your danger is in discord.”
–Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Stability and Constructive Action
Security concerns increase with social instability in the world around us. Our safety and well-being will ultimately depend, as I observed in the previous post, upon the stability and trustworthiness of the conditions we put in place around us.
Stability and security are mutually reinforcing, but without stability any effort to increase security is futile. Stability makes our efforts to create security possible, and it benefits from those efforts.
It is natural to think that security must come first, but actually it is the other way around. The key to security is effective community and the value of our personal investment in each other.
The first priority for any stable community is the strength of interpersonal relationships. These form the basis for trust, for good communication and effective problem-solving.
Dependable community depends on dependable relationships.
Americans are used to thinking of security as the responsibility of trained professionals who are expected to deal with emergency situations. That is because we have been accustomed to stable institutions and dependable systems.
This may not always be true. Things we have taken for granted in the past may become emergency concerns – if we are not prepared for them.
Food security is an important example. Supermarkets typically limit their distribution centers to a three-day supply. If the supply chain is disrupted and their vendors are unable to deliver, we are in trouble.
Unless we use our imaginations, the interruption of systems we take for granted will catch us off guard. A systemic disruption could be caused by an Ebola-type epidemic, a cyber-attack on the banking system or national grid, a global monetary crisis, or any number of other reasons.
These are not unreasonable possibilities.
In my view, we would do well to think about the implications – from public health threats and emergency medicine to the need for a cash economy. Building dependable networks of support among neighboring communities will also be important.
Knowing how to work effectively in groups will be key. This will mean developing personal skills. Group decision-making and resolving interpersonal conflicts need not be traumatic ordeals, if we have acquired the necessary skills.
We are quite capable of preparing ourselves if we remain purposeful and ready to learn. In the coming months I will discuss additional challenges we are likely to face, and tools to address them.
I have written of the importance of such virtues as trustworthiness, dependability, and responsibility. I expect these make sense to you. But, I have also introduced an idea that might seem novel, which I call “constructive action.” And, last week I argued that stability is not possible without forward motion.
Why are motion and constructive action indispensable to our endeavors?
Think of it this way: Keeping our balance while riding a bicycle requires forward motion. In any community, business, or organization, activity guided by a sense of purpose serves a similar function. No social group can sustain coherence or affectionate ties unsupported by vision and purpose.
We will face two important areas of consideration as we consolidate our communities: What we do and how we do it. The concept of constructive action concerns the latter – the way we can work together effectively.
This has a direct bearing on security. To put it simply, constructive action is about being constructive rather than destructive, building rather than tearing down, freeing rather than oppressing.
A constructive approach requires a positive attitude and will contribute to improved safety and well-being. Destructive actions and a negative attitude will set us back, the results of emotional reaction rather than rational purposefulness.
One leads toward the ends we seek; the other pushes us farther away.
Shared purpose is a lens through which the challenges of necessity can be brought into focus and the efforts of diverse personalities can be coordinated. Shared purpose provides a standard by which a community can judge priorities and progress.
With sufficient willpower and discipline, each of us can develop our skills and learn how to do this. And, a positive attitude will support rational thinking and a constructive way forward.
Tom
Next week: Hard realities, practical necessities
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Doing the impossible…
“There is nothing wrong with America that faith, love of freedom, intelligence, and the energy of her citizens cannot cure.”
–Dwight D. Eisenhower
“Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
–Francis of Assisi
Liberty and the American Idea 