Renewing the Social Evolution of Humanity (was: Renewing the American Experiment)

[Artur Silva]

Hello all:

First, as I have not read the original message on the
"American experiment", I would like to thank Paul
to call my attention to it (and BJ for sending it).
Indeed I could not open the address BJ sent, but I
have discovered an alternative way at
http://www.futurenet.org/korten/kortenexperiment.htm.
I agree with BJ that this text is worth reading by
everyone in this list.

But should it be discussed here? In the beginning I
would tend to agree with Paul that it was interesting
to know the text but to discuss it here would be
somehow off topic. Then I red the text more carefully
and thought differently.

The point is: we have been discussing about things
that are also somewhat off topic like, for instance:
- the practice of peace
- the evolution of consciousness
- and some others
and no one claimed they were off topic.

So I wonder why is it that this particular subject is
different from the others. The last post from Paul
clarified this:

-- EVERETT813 at aol.com wrote:

>> When 9/11 happened, we had a several posters who
> were blaming the US for that
> cataclysmic event and posting so herein.   They were
> challenged, primarily by
> myself, and eventually left off the polemics.  I
> just didn't want us going
> down that road again.   That was my concern because
> Korten's hypotheses are
> certainly challenge-able and have little or nothing
> to do with OS, the practice
> and processes, etc.   At least with the practice of
> OS, we know somewhat of what
> we speak from experience.

I don't remember anyone blaming the US and, for sure,
not the American people nor the "American Experiment"
but only specific actions from some American
Administrations. Actions that have also been
criticized by many Americans, like the unilateral
interventions in Vietnam or Nicaragua and, more
recently, Afghanistan and IRAQ, not to refer the
change of the US Administration's position about
Israel and Palestine - or about Angola, by the way).

So I think that what worries Paul is this part from
Korten's text:

«Reality: No foreign nation currently presents a
military threat to the United States. The major
threats to our domestic security come from terrorism,
financial instability, environmental stress, and the
inequality and social breakdown that fuel both crime
and terrorism. All are threats that elitist economic
and security policies accelerate. Conventional
military power is not only useless in addressing these
threats; its application further worsens the
conditions that cause them. In nearly every respect
military policies supported by the elitist security
story are increasing terrorism in the world and making
Americans and others less safe.

The claim that the terrorists who most threaten us
hate us for our freedoms and must be countered by
unilateral military assaults against what we perceive
to be rogue states is more than disingenuous.
Terrorists hate us not for the freedom bestowed on our
people by democratic institutions, but rather for our
frequent use of the freedom our economic and military
power gives us to arbitrarily oppress and humiliate
other nations and peoples. The arbitrary and
unilateral use of our military power to which the
elitist security story leads adds fuel to terrorist
anger, swells the ranks of terrorist organizations
with new recruits, undermines the international
cooperation needed to actually deal with the terrorist
threat, and makes us less secure».


And maybe also this:

«The ease with which a small group of elitists has
established a political lock on a nation that prides
itself on its democratic ideals reveals a disturbing
truth: the United States is not a democracy, but a
plutocracy — a country ruled by wealthy elites — now a
deeply corrupted plutocracy of the far right. The
stability of any political system depends on a story
that provides its moral legitimacy. This is especially
true for a political system based on an unjust
concentration of power and privilege»

But there is another very interesting part of the text
were Kroten mentions something that should interest
IMHO all the OS community:

«To renew the American Experiment we must create
spaces in which those who believe in America’s
founding ideals can engage the search for shared
stories that advance a bold vision and a practical,
experience based theory of human possibility — of an
America and a world that works for all — of the world
that can be.»

If those spaces are not "Open Spaces" what is OST
after all?

But as this list is not only American but
international maybe this is also worth reading:

«The United States faces a defining moment of
challenge and opportunity. The goal of creating a
world that works for all is integral to the American
Experiment. The United States is a natural social
laboratory for advancing its realization. Nearly all
the world’s many traditions come together within our
borders by virtue of our rich racial, cultural, and
religious diversity.And we have a long history of
social and technological creativity and innovation.

The time has come to renew the American Experiment.
This is our opportunity to join with all the world’s
people and nations in a cooperative effort to realize
the ideals of liberty, justice and opportunity for all
people everywhere. This work calls us to a national
dialog in search of valid and uplifting answers to
crucial questions in stories with the power to
redefine our national political discourse and lead us
to a new sense of national purpose.»

So commenting Korten's text (and knowing that anyone
can always apply the "rule of two feet" and delete the
message), I would say that I agree with almost
everything but have two main criticisms to Korten's
views:

- in spite of the last quoted paragraph, Korten is too
much "USA centered" to may taste. Maybe this is
important by tactical reasons to talk to the American
people in this moment, but there is not such thing as
"an American experiment". First, because the "American
Experiment" was preceded and the "French Experiment".
Second, because, since the "discoveries", we live in a
global world and there are not "local solutions" for
global problems.
Third because a similar change has happened in other
countries (replace Reagan by Thatcher and the mix
Clinton+Bush by Blair and you will have a similar
"evolution" in the UK, to give only one example)

I have changed the subject, as you have noticed,
because of that - we need a global solution preceded
by a global discussion and pursued by an International
body like the UN. [The universal importance of the
next USA presidential elections is that Americans will
chose the person that will continue to impose (or not)
an imperial and aggressive politic to all the other
peoples (and what I most like in Kerry is his
international experience as well as the international
experience of some of their closest)]

- my second disagreement with Korten is his agreement
with the "religious" dominant view in the USA (and
where the Founders have not been able to follow the
French experience): IMHO all all political discussions
must be civic and not use the sacred. Religious people
should fight, side by side with atheist and people
from other religions, to impose that the name of God
should never "be used in vain" by politics. The state
should be a-religious and political representatives
should be forbidden to speak about God in public
discourses.

We are in need of an ETHIC that can be followed by
Cristian's, Muslims and atheists and that because of
that can not be founded in the "sacred" of a pert of
the population.

[Personally I have always admired Brian's
interventions in this list because, as far as I
remember, he never referred to God. God, the sacred
and Spirit (with capital) should also, IMHO, be
considered off topic in this list].

Regards

Artur





















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