Preliminary Vision Statement
Pertaining to
"The Civic Mentor Concept"
(The "Soil" in which Civic Mentor is Planted;
The "Rock" on Which it Stands)
Pertaining to
"The Civic Mentor Concept"
(The "Soil" in which Civic Mentor is Planted;
The "Rock" on Which it Stands)
1. PURPOSES
"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen."-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Friends,
(This is for what, if anything, this might mean to you. If no one reads this -- I still had to write it, I believe -- in order to get a big job done as best I can for us. Please don't be surprised if you find this bulletin in a constant state of flux, for a while. I have to keep tinkering with it, until it is just so -- for this is a crucial statement and a vital system-building tool -- and it's hard to say it in precisely the way it needs to be said.)
1. As I work my way through this "Civic Mentor" project -- which, by its complex nature -- and my ever-present awareness of the fast-shrinking life-span remaining to me -- and which, therefore MUST be performed in haste and, in very large part, under public scrutiny -- I find I must always keep reflecting and reporting to you on the fundamentals -- the big picture, as I see it -- on which all of this is based -- in order to see, more and more clearly, even for myself, where I am going with all of this. For this thing is so vast and elusive -- and one brain can only contain so much.
2. The rest has to be laid out in the physical world -- or not at all -- evaporating into eternal oblivion -- opportunity forever lost as illusion or delusion -- at least at my hands -- making very real, the risk that fate may have been playing a terrible trick on me, all along.
3. For, I am determined to help get us to a much better place -- if fate allows. Obviously, I think I can. I think I have equipped myself, sufficiently. It would be a dreadful public embarrassment if I fail -- after opening my heart and closest plans to you, so "loudly" -- but, more importantly and in all humility, I believe it would close a door I think I've been "assigned" by fate to help open.
4. Everyone of us can change this world for the much better. Believing that, how can I exclude myself from attempting what I think I am "supposed" to be doing, to the best of my limited abilities?
5. I thought I would share some of the most basic views which drive, direct, and empower my resolve. I think I must do this, for I am trying to turn the very abstract into practical reality. That's hard, I'm finding. But, as the abstract crystallizes for me, I will eventually be able to explain it to you -- reducing, yes, hundreds of thousands of thoughts and observations -- amassed over five decades -- since 6th-grade -- to "10 words or less" -- so you will truly get it that I am speaking to and for each fellow human, personally and earnestly -- and seriously mean to back it up. For me, it has truly become NOW OR NEVER.
I quite certain that I can truly succeed if, and only if, I can get you to join with me, sooner or later, and help accomplish what I believe to be an attainable vision for our MUCH GREATER personal and collective well-being, during this complicated moment in human history. I am but one more catalyst and can only go so far -- but far enough, I think, to get something wonderful, I dearly hope -- well and securely started.
6. But, I can't ask you to join something whose potential benefits to you aren't absolutely clear and undeniable -- with you unable to confidently trust that all is derived from something designed with due care -- and with no hidden motives. For we all have very busy lives and no time to waste on bad bets promising poor returns or on unfounded suspicions. Give me a little more time and patience and I think all will become clear. Then, you can truly judge and decide if this is worth your pitching-in. And, if it is not, I am more than ready to go back to the drawing board until it is -- or until I am all used up. Homework is being done as rapidly as this particular human can do it.
2. INTENTIONS
1. STRATEGIC TARGET and THRUST: Within days, hopefully on or before 4 July 14, I expect to offer the FIRST practical demonstration -- beginning with a deepening of the well-being of ALL our neighborhoods, eventually, nation-wide -- never in competition with the other social systems, but in better conjunction and more fruitful cooperation with them.
a. You will come to see that the Civic Mentor Concept seeks to address the TOTALITY of human existence. To do that, thoroughly, I presume that we can reasonably say, at least for our administrative purposes, that everything having to do with us humans falls into 12 (more or less) successively larger, interconnected DIMENSIONS of physical reality -- each one enveloped by the next higher level -- and interdependent, in some sense, with them all. (*Philosophers, please see the proviso, at bottom of this bulletin)
b. For each so-called dimension within this concentric hierarchy, there is to be a corresponding Civic Mentor Sub-system which deals with it. Taken together, they should satisfy the entire case. Those dimensions are identified in ascending order, as: (1) The Individual Human Being; (2) The Family; (3) The Household; (4) The Neighborhoods; (5) Cities (and equivalencies); (6) Counties (and equivalencies); (7) Economic Areas (or State-regions); (8) The States (or equivalent departments); (9) National-regions (or Time Zones); (10) The Nations; (11) The World; and (12) The Universe. (These dimensions may fluctuate, as things progress and common wisdom grows, but should stabilize by the time the project is completed.)
c. I believe the most logical public starting-point and "keystone" component of the Civic Mentor Concept must be OUR NEIGHBORHOODS -- for this is the most basic, most direct, most immediate but, most under-recognized level of collective self-government available to greatly help serve our needs and desires -- making it a singularly important focus of attention. It is in the "grass roots" of societies that virtually all of the people are to be ultimately found and reliably reachable -- no matter what else they may happen to do in this life. (AND THESE FACTS ARE MOST CONVENIENT TOWARD THE COMMON GOOD)
d. For, as "Civic Self-Mentoring" becomes stabilized and standardized at the neighborhood-level, we will be ideally positioned to better tackle the rest of the dimensions in a sensible, essential order -- together -- energized as ONE mighty, agile, and mutually-supportive team -- able to do MAGNIFICENT things that would be difficult or impossible to do, otherwise. There is much that we can do to deepen our well-being in every dimension, especially if and when we're playing from the same sheet of music.
Rationale. To do this work, everything needs to flow from a solid, overarching core of reasoning -- a clear beginning-point in the progression of logic -- and a secure anchor-point -- to which everything can ultimately refer back -- for internal consistency, direction, and reliable philosophical "authority" -- thus, affording us our best chances for timely success -- at lowest possible cost, in terms of the scarce, precious things this life allots us -- including time, itself. The following assumptions, then, surround and generate the starting-point which, for me, generates -- and energizes -- all the rest that are flowing from it.
3. For now, the specific emphasis is on the American case -- since that's where I believe my understanding is greatest -- yet, also on the general human case, as well -- since I've been looking hard at that, too -- coming to realize that ALL human life can be reasonably said to be -- ONE great, integrated network and SINGLE chain-reaction --(connecting the very FIRST humans with the very LAST) -- and never a vacuum. From the day anyone of us was born -- the whole world changed -- for better or for worse. EVERYONE MATTERS. [The only exceptions I can conceive of are those rare, isolated, self-contained cultures that still exist, here and there -- and even they, arguably, affect (and are affected by) the whole thing, albeit, not as obviously]
4. So the work continues, within the rock-solid limits of the much-hoped-for continued kindness of fate and inevitable human frailty.
3. MY MOST BASIC ASSUMPTIONS
I Truly Believe That it is Reasonably Correct and
Proper to Claim That:
I Truly Believe That it is Reasonably Correct and
Proper to Claim That:
1. Democracy is often a struggle and can be messy -- but it is a beautiful and extremely fortunate blessing to have inherited, at the very same time. Hundreds of millions of people -- trying our best to grasp and reconcile an accurate (or, at least, reliable) world-view -- so we can predict and manage our futures in our favor -- as we are rightfully entitled and obliged. A task, much like assembling a huge jig-saw puzzle, acres in size, comprised of millions of pieces -- with the aid of a fuzzy picture, at best, on the puzzle-box to go by. All while still working hard to live our busy, full, day-to-day lives -- under such often frightening complexity. Trying to be rational (i.e. doing the very best our circumstances will allow -- as we each understand those circumstances) -- and are so blessedly FREE to be so.
Small wonder there is so much frustration and confusion out there -- on this life's "playing fields" -- yet such astounding progress, just the same.
2. And, there are HUMAN forces, all around us, who seem compelled -- by circumstance -- to exploit and aggravate and confuse the complexities -- even further -- perhaps, to their own perceived short-term advantage and our discomfort. Who, perhaps, haven't yet grasped (or who need more and better proof) that we are all in this together -- or who fail, just for the time being, to understand how best to proceed -- or even why they should care and hope -- or who presently find themselves powerless to change circumstances, favorably, on their own.
3. And, then there are the awesome NON-HUMAN forces which "listen" only to fate's agenda -- and which challenge us with their urgency. We can only bend these just so far in our favor -- the rest we have to work with and around.
4. Our special, eternal strength, I think, is our core values -- including our humanity, decency, rationality, courage, determination, and a craving for the best possible existence for the greatest numbers of people, if not ALL of them (some might even call that humanly LOVE). We know that our lives and fates are connected, somehow, with the entire earth and universe. The more we can improve the whole thing, the better off we each and all MUST become. When it all boils down, this tells us what the "universal objective morality" and "our ultimate human goal" are and must be -- EVER-GREATER HUMAN WELL-BEING -- for the entire species. To make ourselves ever-stronger, ever-wiser and ever-good, so we can increase the world's inventory of goodness -- and squeeze out all room for the bad. If we always (and frequently) return to those, much of the confusion seems to drop away.
5. When we look at things from the 10,000-foot level, across the broad scope of history, we can't help but notice that we have inherited a "crown jewel" among the species and over all time, this America of ours. (Remove America and we remove one of humankind's greatest, hardest-won stepping-stones on the eternal climb toward better and better days.) Imperfect, of course, since it is a human "invention" and a work in progress. But we have so much good material with which to work -- designed and nurtured by sheer genius and wise recall of history's lessons -- defended with much courage, blood, sweat, and tears -- sculpted by much severe trial-and-error -- blessed by a generous allocation of resources -- and powered, by-and-large, by reason and good will and excitement about the future possibilities. I think this implies a special responsibility and burden, unique in all the world, for this particular, blessed nation among nations to bear. (More on this, elsewhere)
And, thankfully, the human "crown" is adorned with many other noble, ever-striving nations of humans, dedicated to the same basic things that drive us, here -- forward, rather than backward -- as the uniquely self-aware species of life we happen to be. There is room in that crown for all who respect and prize our common humanity.
6. Despite what people say in their weaker moments and transitory moods and hasty misperceptions, we are very lucky. It's true that each of us is at a different stage of development (and life-experience) -- yet each of us is ever-maturing till we no longer can (death is the end of growth) -- for we each have our own unique trials to pass through. So we each proceed under different conditions -- and arrive at our maturity at different times, with much similarity, but with awesome variation, as well. This added complexity, too, must be reconciled, somehow, to at least tolerable levels, if not ideally. Constructively reconciling our varied, often conflicting states-of-being is but another key part of the very interesting mutual learning and growth processes.
7. Similarly, whole societies and civilizations mature -- despite and because of the many growing pains. This causes things to not always seem as smooth-going and "natural" and inevitable as they really are -- YET, PROGRESSING AS THEY ARE DOING, BECAUSE WE ARE THE WAY WE ARE -- MARVELOUS BUT IMPERFECT CREATURES. Close to the scene, we see the flaws, which so often obscure the big picture. We notice the inevitable "sun-spots of imperfection" but forget that those are relatively tiny -- though seemingly large -- until we deliberately stand back and bask in the glorious sunshine of our common humanity and compassion. (Alas, in too many parts of our world, that sun still remains hidden by storm-clouds of adversity -- but we can fix even that sad state -- and MUST -- the moment we build-up sufficient wisdom, will, and power -- as I am certain we shall -- once waiting has been filled.)
8. I think if we keep "our eyes on the prize -- HUMAN WELL-BEING," constantly focusing on it, in all good will, the confusion will continue to drop away. Our duty is to keep pointing this out to our world of companions in this life -- and to keep on keeping on.
9. Our chances have never been better in all of history. Ever-evolving humanity was waiting for the next magnificent invention to help us cross the next Rubicon in our struggle for fulfillment of the human dream -- to resolve the next great barriers on the "to-do list" -- time and distance and inadequate information -- which had been long keeping us so separated, so fragmented, so disunited in spirit and body. Barriers that had only allowed us to connect just so much, and no more -- never quite sufficient, but ever-improving, nonetheless -- as maturing individuals and societies and civilizations.
10. I firmly believe that that earth-shaking, much yearned-for "missing piece" -- THE INTERNET -- is the next great invention and stepping-stone on fate's kindest agenda for humankind. I am convinced that it changes virtually EVERYTHING for us -- and it arrived on the scene, exactly when we (and I) most needed it, to deal with this modern era. (Without it, this Civic Mentor project-phase would have been a virtual non-starter)
Never have we had such an opportunity to connect -- soul-to-soul, mind-to-mind. To see, wonder at, further develop, and exploit -- so much more of the unique and common beauty and genius -- which reside inside each and every one of us -- and which have been muchly locked away, often hopelessly out of reach, till now. What was obvious to some is becoming obvious to many.
11. Now, FINALLY, we can truly combine and consolidate our great mass of selves -- from deep within our individual beings -- into ONE common, coordinated, harmonious, far more powerful, forward-looking mind and spirit -- to much better confront and overcome the negative forces, large and small, that tend and conspire -- in absence of our deliberate intervention -- toward our undoing -- and to optimize those forces that favor us -- so as to more surely prevail -- as the ONE SPECIES WE TRULY ARE AND MUST BE -- to the outer limits of our expanding potential. Time, distance, and good information flows are surrendering, more and more, to our convenient finger-tip control and vast blended intellects.
12. Civilizations are still figuring out what to make of all the recent human advances -- and are doing so faster and faster! Within fate's framework, the momentum seems unstoppable -- as our understanding of the hazards and opportunities of the ENTIRE universe unfold to our ever-questing minds. GIVE US THE RIGHT TOOLS, AND WE WILL FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT TO DO WITH THEM.
13. My daily interactions with fellow humans -- most readily, within the social networks -- where I need to be very active -- is so encouraging. Every day, I thrill at (and draw much power from) all the marvelous evidence of the creativity, kindness, friendliness, energy, and wisdom within us -- which is still unlocking, door-by-door. Everyone teaches me so much -- and I try my hardest to return the favor. It is so consistent with the entire fabulous, unfolding story of human existence -- a part of history's next logical, almost inevitable chapter -- the chapter which is our turn to write. We truly stand on the shoulders of our ancestors and each other -- AS OUR DESCENDANTS WILL STAND ON OURS. The dam seems to be just about to really break open, its widest, at long last.
14. Multiply that, a multi-billion-fold, and you'll see why I am so utterly optimistic about the future -- if fate continues to be as kind as it has been (though it often humbles us, keeping us from taking too much for granted). We are on our way. Humanity is coming together and mobilizing. Not smoothly and fast enough, to our eyes and limited life-spans, perhaps -- but in our hearts, we can deliberately make ourselves see this as truth -- and let it light our common path into the great unknown. In the long-view, humankind and its achievements are nothing less than miraculous -- and, in a sense, seem to be only just getting really started.
15. Lucky, brave, beautiful us! We are, by our reasoning nature, ever-increasingly and collectively determined to leave this world far, far better than we found it -- for ourselves and loved ones yet to be. It's the best we can ever do -- and the whole thing is simply remarkable. We are building much on this state of things -- and the evidence seems undeniable.
16 "Forward," with great confidence and a bit of humility (but not too much of either -- in deference to fate's over-riding agenda), is the watch-word for us humans. And I think that is an absolutely grand state of affairs in which to find ourselves. In a very real sense -- we are more than a species of life -- WE ARE THE HUMAN FAMILY.
David Nelson
Fellow temporary citizen of a remarkable world.
The ball is in our hands, for a time.
A more systematic treatment of this entire subject
is being prepared in its own website.
*Philosophical proviso: Dimensions of total human existence -- This has been a subject of philosophical debate since ancient times -- a debate which continues to this day. I understand that. But, for the purpose of bringing a practical system into the world, which is sufficiently thorough -- seeking to overlook nothing -- then, it is, at least, administratively convenient to divide reality, from our every-day human standpoint, into these so-called "dimensions." I am constantly adjusting these sub-divisions and expect to do so, again and again, as the work continues. The Civic Mentor is constantly teaching me, so when the project has matured and stabilized enough, we will know how many dimensions are really needed (and are philosophically defensible) to get the job done, without creating deep and unforeseen problems for itself -- and for those who might come to depend on it.
All Original Content © 2014, The MENTOR Enterprises / ELMS, All Rights Reserved -- BUT, I hereby waive those rights, to this extent: You may freely copy and pass this along, if you think it will do some good -- as long as it's free of charge, unchanged, and you include this statement. When you can, I'd be grateful to learn how you might have found this to be useful.
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