[Neurons] 2021 Neurons #33 SAVING POLITICS

[Michael Hall]

From: L. Michael Hall

2021 Neurons #33

June 11, 2021

How Self-Actualization 

Can Save Politics #1

 

SAVING POLITICS

 

For many people, politics is beyond saving.  But not for those of us who
believe and operate from Self-Actualization Psychology, for us the
possibility of actualizing the highest potentials in people include the
realm of politics.  Now while I've written an entire book on
Self-Actualizing Politics and Politicians (2014) and given examples of
self-actualizing politicians, in more than seven years, politics has become
even more divided and divisive, and it seems headed in that direction.  This
series of articles is designed to counter-balance that trend.

 

To understand politics is to understand that we are talking about human
relationships.  That is ultimately what all politics are- the ways that
human beings get along or fail to get along with other human beings.  That's
why politics occurs everywhere when there are at least two human beings.
Every couple has their own unique politics.  Every group has its politics.
Every business, every office, every board.

 

The question is never, "Shall we or shall we not allow politics into our
business or group?"  That's a false question because it is not a
possibility.  The question always is, "What kind of politics do we want?"  

           Do we want respectful, thoughtful, and reflective politics or
the opposite? 

           Do we want transparent and open politics or politics of secrecy
and hidden agendas?

           Do we want politics that include all voices or just a select
few?

           Do we want politics that starts with the equality of all persons
or do we want a politics based on skin color, ethnic origin, and "race?"

 

Politics is about human relationships, about how we get along with each
other, and how we govern ourselves.  The term itself comes from the Greek
word for "city" (polis) and originally referred to a "household" and how the
household functioned and was governed.  Who did what? Who made decisions?
How are resources allocated?  How do we work together to create a functional
home where we can be productive, safe, and respected.  Where we can grow to
become our best selves, find and actualize our best talents, and create a
loving and caring environment.

 

Given this, the idea within politics is a most honorable idea.  It
inherently assumes that we are family and that by means of collaboration, we
can create a mutually supportive environment that is the best for all.  In
this, politics is about creating a win/ win/ win set of arrangements.  A
win-win arrangement between individuals and a meta-win arrangement for the
whole.  This blows out the myths that misunderstand politics seeing it as
something dirty, competitive, and inherently ugly and hateful.  These are
descriptions of politics gone wrong.

 

What then do we need in order to save politics from turning ugly, dirty,
competitive, cruel, etc.?  What will save us from the partisan politics of
today that views things in either-or terms, that posits solutions as
black-or-white and which cut off conversation so that we cannot have the
difficult conversations that we need to have?

 

Obviously, the quality of our politics is a function of the quality of the
people who exercise the most influence on politics.  To have good
self-actualizing politics, we have to have good people.  Abraham Maslow said
that anyone who wants power is precisely the person who should not have
power.  Yet far too often, the very people who "go into politics" (at the
office or nationally) are people who are hungry for power.  Yet these
power-hungry people are the very ones who will not handle power humanly and
respectfully, but misuse it.

 

Having good people, however, is not enough.  It is a good start, but only
the beginning.  We need good ideas as well- good policies, good
understanding of societal and cultural bonding works, how economics work,
etc.  Nor are these two sufficient.  We also need good strategy.  You can
have great ideas and correct understandings, but without effective
strategies for implementation, the good ideas will not get you very far.

 

Is that enough?  Good people, good ideas, and good strategy?  The answer is
no.  We also need good governance.  Once we have set up a system that is
good- separation of powers, shared powers, transparency, due diligence for
selecting intelligent and ethical people, we still need the ability to
govern in an unbiased way.   To supplement good governance, we need good
accountability.  How many governments go to hell precisely because those in
power are not held accountable?   They live by the "good ole boy" practice
of protecting each other's hindside, and letting officials "get by with
murder" (sometimes literally).

 

It takes a lot to create good healthy self-actualizing politics.  It takes
an informed population, an educated population, people who care about the
quality of the governance, who will speak up about injustices.  When we put
these ideas together- whether it is for a family, a business, a nation- they
describe human relationships.  How we think, feel, talk, and act with each
other.

              Good people: Intelligent, caring, open, transparent,
collaborative individuals.

              Good ideas: Intelligent understanding about how things work.

              Good strategy: Effective processes for how to make things work
efficiently for all.

              Good governance: Effective management of the processes that
builds trust and respect.

Good accountability: Holding those in charge accountable to their
responsibilities and duties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L. Michael Hall, Ph.D., Executive Director 

Neuro-Semantics 

P.O. Box 8

Clifton, CO. 81520 USA                             

               1 970-523-7877 

 

Books can be purchased at www.neurosemantics.com 

Many other PDF books can be purchased at "The Shop" on
www.neurosemantics.com

 

131688 NeuroSemantics ThinkingMetaphoricalyCover FRONT

 

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