This week’s article is written with deep sadness. The question that so many are asking today, after the devastation in Las Vegas is “When will we ever learn?”
Words fall short.
Does calling the killer evil or insane make a real difference? There always seems to be the next evil, insane one.
The gun lobby says “Well, cars kill so should we ban cars?” We know cars and guns don’t kill. Yet, who is looking deeply enough at the core reasons people use cars and guns to kill.
Then there are those who say we are free to bear arms, no matter what.
Do you know that there is a larger group of people with guns in the United States (42%) than elsewhere in the world?
Is our way of life only about money and profits and greed?
Here’s where I’m going…. I think there is a crisis of meaning and values and that is what we are up against.
Leaders, listen up.
Here is one of the key questions for today. It’s a question that is begging for a dialogue.
We humans have developed consummate technological capability to do almost anything we can imagine wanting to do. How can we now develop corresponding ability to choose wisely what should be done and how we can support each other and the earth as we move forward.
How do we get past the yes, I am for or the no I am against?
That is such an old model.
Leaders, you can begin the dialogue at work. Start with your leadership team. Set up lunch and learn sessions to discuss the cost of short term objectives that ultimately induce long-term consequences.
Bring in some educators who will take your employees down the path of critical thinking.
It doesn’t matter if you sell shoes or underwear or if you provide services such as mortgages or seo support.
We are all smarter than we realize and when we begin to talk and gather together for the common good, wonders can happen. Is this just a simply, cotton-candy way of looking at the world? I sure hope not.
Here is another vital question.
How can we exercise needed societal control without sacrificing individual liberty?
My part of the puzzle is in relationships.
There are no INDIVIDUAL actions. All actions are inter-related.
Think of it this way. We are born from a relationship (those two-people called mother and father) through a relationship (called giving birth) into a relationship (called caretaking).
All work together. And they are all interactive.
So, let’s stop thinking about individual rights and start a deeper dialogue about relationship rights.
Our dominant materialistic world view and accompanying weakness of values and meaning has led to a very deep human concern — alienation. Most of us are alienated from nature and because of that we ignore the Earth’s life support system, our very survival.
Recent posts I’ve read are about loneliness at work, a place that has become increasingly devoid of meaning.
And at the core, we are alienated from each other and thus, from ourselves.
Leaders, start a discussion group at your organization. Maybe only one or two will show up initially. However, it the time is meaningful the word will spread and you will have employees asking for speakers and reading material.
Everything is connected, and no one wins unless we all do.
