November 1, 2003
In this issue:
1. Newsbrief: Want to be Coached by John?
2. November Editorial: Debunking the New Myth
3. More Newsbriefs: Free Article Available
John Accepted as TI Fellow
4. Next Month: Working as a Jazz Combo
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NEWSBRIEF:
Want to be Coached by John?
John has a couple of openings for private coaching clients; under the product ID of “Conscious Choosing Coaching,” these engagements include weekly, one-hour telephone sessions over a minimum period of 12 weeks; in an highly-unusual offer,
John’s compensation is totally negotiable;if you or someone you know might be interested; see Coaching for more details.
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NOVEMBER EDITORIAL
Some of the more widely-known myths in human history: “The world is flat.” “All the planets revolve around the Earth.”
A new myth – more pertinent to our time: “We can’t really do anything about the way things are.” A couple of possible corollaries to this new myth might be “What can I do; I’m only one person” or “There’s no way I can change the way ‘they’ do things around here.”
I hear many references to the infamous “they” – inferring there are others in charge, people other than us. As long as we insist that there is a hypothetical “they” who are given credit or blame for running things and maintaining the status quo, we affirm that we have no control since “we” are not “they”, we are victims at the whim of others, which often leads to resignation. This kind of thinking also maintains our separateness rather than affirming our interconnectedness.
This assignment of responsibility to others is totally bogus. Taking this position is telling ourselves that we are powerless and helpless to make things better or bring about any positive change. It affirms that there’s nothing we can do, avoiding any responsibility for the way things are.
It is ‘understandable’ that we do this. It offers us an excuse for why we aren’t doing anything about the conditions we dislike. It serves as a consolation or a salve for our egos – explaining to our intellects and other people why we tolerate unwanted situations. It serves as an anesthetic which insulates us from our true feelings if we were to engage the human condition with our full humanness. With this anesthetic we are able to “make it through the night” and not feel the unwanted emotions we avoid with such fervor – emotions like powerlessness, helplessness, hopelessness and despair. Only by feeling these emotions can we get past them so we can fully engage the human condition.
I contend that a part of each of us knows what needs to be done and that we do our best to deny, suppress, anesthetize or ignore that wiser part of ourselves. We distract ourselves as a means to maintain the denial, the suppression or the ignorance. One primary way we do this in the West seems to be by staying so busy we don’t have time to think or do anything about the conditions we claim to dislike. Some use substances to numb themselves but it would appear that the most widely-practiced way we to this is by overworking ourselves. We live in hope that someone will eventually come along and save our butts, like waiting for daddy or mommy (or God) to make things right like they used to when we were children.
This condition of denial and pretense is further evidence that modern humans are still in an adolescent phase despite our technological know-how and the wealth of information we share today. As a species, we are hardly demonstrating mature, adult behavior in the way we engage one another, settle our disputes, or treat our home – planet Earth.
There are millions of choices we can make to improve the conditions we claim we want to see changed. But we must engage them in order to improve or transform them. Before we can engage them, we must be with them; we cannot engage them remotely from some insulated distance.
So let’s stop perpetuating the myth that we can’t do anything about the way things are. We created the problems we have in the world and we have the ability to solve them. Like Einstein told us decades ago, we need to engage them with a new consciousness – a different mindset from what we had when we created them.
It is time to “fess up” about our denial and admit that we can improve the condition of humanity. We can do it by coming from another context that allows for the conditions we endure to be transcended. We can dare to dream the Big Dream. We can “dare to know” as Kant wrote about in 1784 when he penned his “What is Enlightenment?” essay. But with the know-how comes responsibility. Knowing precludes pretending we don’t know.
I urge you to join me in debunking this myth, this modern lie. I invite you to dare to know that you can do something about the unwanted conditions in this world and realize that there really isn’t anyone out there besides us. The “they” so many people talk about is really the “we” we haven’t accepted. Knowing means accepting that we are this mythical “they” who have all the power. We are the ones we have been waiting for to save our butts, not mommy and daddy, but us. All we need to do is own that we know what to do, know that we know how, and get to work.
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Next Month’s Editorial: Working as a Jazz Combo
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NEWSBRIEFS:
Free Article Available
John is offering his 1,200 word article “Spartacus, Spartacus, Wherefore Art Thou Spartacus?” to anyone requesting it, it will be sent pasted in the body of the email and those receiving it are free to forward it under two conditions: 1. it is forwarded in its entirety and 2. it is not changed in any way.
John Accepted as TI Fellow
The Massachusetts-based foundation Trusteeship Institute, Inc. has accepted John as a Fellow, supporting a special project of his; a bit over $100,000 is required and supporters receive tax deductions for their contributions; if you are looking for a year-end tax deduction, check it out!
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About John Renesch
Better Future NEWS is prepared monthly by John Renesch, a San Francisco writer, business futurist, and consultant/executive coach.
His latest book is Getting to the Better Future: A Matter of Conscious Choosing. For a list of all the SERVICES John offers, go to Services.
Join ASAW Today!
Come Join Us! The Association of Spirit at Work is a membership organization with a vision to make a difference in the world by expanding the role of businesses, groups and organizations in transforming society. Memberships start at $39/year for students; John serves on the Association’s Board of Directors; see for details and how to join.