Sunday, June 05, 2011

Respectism and The Endeavour for a Respectul Society

espectism is the belief that a respectful society is a pragmatic necessity for survival.

When we talk about containing pollution or genocide or nuclear weapons, it is surprising that we have not recognized the central truth: We are the problem.

At this late date, too few have recognized the most basic political issue: We have got to get along better, or we will kill ourselves off.

Until the truth about the universal need for a respectful society is recognized and addressed by enough of us, we will never be able to solve the perilous riddle of how to survive our weapons and our waste.

Respectism defines a respectful society as one in which enough of us are cooperating to help each other balance the three everyday, instinctual elements of respect: respect for self, others and place.

Respect for self honors the individual will to survive and thrive, respect for others honors all human beings and the life that surrounds us, respect for place honors everything from a shared table to shared earth, water and air.

The respectism tri-model presents respect as a centering of three values that usually overlap, but which are not the same, honestly admitting that true respect is a skill to be developed over a lifetime.

Not everyone is ready to believe that a more respectful society is essential to our survival.

Throughout history, there have been selfish and mean leaders, those who have willingly followed them, and those who have said we will never change.

Those of us who believe that a more respectful society is essential and possible will want to do the following.

First, individual and institutional respect for self, others and place will have to be relentlessly advertised.

Second, the abusive must be respectfully kept from power, and the personality types of those who rule through fear, abuse, exploitation of prejudice and distortion of principles must be commonly recognized in order to assist with that endeavour.

Third, fair dealing, based on listening dialogue and honest negotiation, must be promoted as the mechanism for creating a respectful society in public and private relationships including leadership, governance, justice, economic exchange, the meeting of basic human needs and love.

Fourth, the success of a respectful society must be measured by the decrease of all acts and threats of violence and involuntary detention, including those needed for true self-defense of the individual or society, as well as the decrease of hunger and homelessness, and the quality of our air, land and water.

Fifth, the principles of a respectful society must be kept simple and clear enough for young children to learn, adults to believe and the weak to own as well as the powerful, so that respectism is never confused with an illusion of respectability or authoritarianism, or made the enemy of liberty and equality.

If a respectful society seems like an idealistic fantasy, please answer this question: "How will we survive without changing our behavior towards one another?"

No one knows exactly how we will create a respectful society anymore than the inventors of the first flying machine could have imagined a space shuttle.

We must start performing countless experiments in respect, if we are to survive.

We should start now.

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