In principle, each group of decision makers is part of a larger group or larger community. Ultimately, we are all part of the great community we call Earth.
I want what is best for my group, but which group? Over the long run, it is not okay for my local group to profit at the expense of my larger group—that simply shifts expenses to others. Over the long run, doing what is best for my club is not okay if it hurts my town. Doing what is best for my town is not okay if it hurts my country. Doing what is best for my country is not okay if it hurts Earth community.
Practical Tip: As your group makes decisions, consider the impact of those decisions on other groups and over time. Expand the circle of concern all the way to Earth community and into the future. Decide things locally that will help the whole world. Decide things now that will help our kids and our kids’ kids. To make good group decisions, we resist the temptation to be guided entirely by local, short-term gain.
– Craig Freshley
Click here for one-page PDF of this Tip, a great way to print or share.
I agree with the tip and find it very thought provoking. I don’t believe it is “impossible”, as one reader wrote, to try and base decisions on the earth community. Maybe if we tried making decisions in this way, it would make a difference in the world. If we have that intent, I believe it would work. It’s kind of a cool thing to be encouraged to think in this global way. I believe there is much more to the universe than we know, and our actions, thoughts, beliefs make an impact on others and on the Earth. I also believe in a spiritual aspect of ourselves, which goes beyond data and science. I believe the spirit was present before any other part of ourselves!
This little tip is, in my opinion, a trip to in action because none of us have sufficient information and data to make decisions based upon “The Earth”. We often don’t have enough information or data to make logical decisions based upon our country. For any organization, the best decisions are those that advance the goals of the organization while conforming to the ethical, moral and legal restrictions that our society has evolved. Market economies and free societies are based upon free choice and free will as long as the actions are in accordance with the ethical and legal restrictions of the society in which we live. Trying to operate and make decisions based upon an environment, such as “the earth”, is impossible because we do not have enough information and data to make the best logical decision. Consequentially, decisions become based upon emotions, which are neither logical nor best.
This was a very nice tip and well timed.
I agree with what you write below, but a number of scholars have pointed out that our western style of decision making is an anomaly, and that the world in general is made up of tribes (in the larger sense), led by strong leaders (like Putin) who tend to make and support decisions that benefit themselves personally, and then the tribe, often to the detriment of neighboring tribes. I wonder which model will prevail in the long run?
If what you mean by our “western style of decision making” is democracy, I’d say that’s more illusion than not. and that the interests of the few generally and routinely overrule any other concerns.
Our country undermines or takes over when other countries attempt to serve their own people – not for the sake of “democracy and freedom,” but for profits, resources, control to those few. What’s different is that we/the people/ are immersed in a mythology that we live in a democracy, so we stay rather placid about it all.
I like the Group Tip, it feels good. Though I have to admit that I can over-complicate decision making by trying to serve too wide and complex a scope (the butterfly wing and all..) and never get out of the bag sometimes!