We have lost our way. The American values that allowed this country to flourish have been blurred or buried by the onslaught of social media and corporate nonsense. Our animal instincts have become the driving force in the policies of both parties.
This post is a plea to return to a set of Higher Human Values.
All humans are born with instincts. We would not have survived as a species without them. They are deeply ingrained in all of us. The Old Wiring takes over in times of suffering.
Procreation — The drive to reproduce is strong and required for continuation of the species.
Survival instinct — Well, duh.
Fear of the other — It is wise to be cautious of strangers.
Fear of change — Change can be difficult and disorienting.
Fear of anything new — That newly seen plant may look good to eat but may also be poison.
Desire — To strive for more than what you have.
Promiscuity — This is a biological drive common to all species.
Overactive pattern recognition — If you jump when you think that you have seen a poisonous snake in the grass, you have lost nothing if it turns out to be a stick. On the other hand, you could die.
The anger response — Pumped-up adrenaline helps when defending yourself.
The fight/flight response — The meek will not "inherit the earth" if they first get an arrow through the heart.
Self-interest — Keep what you have, strive for more.
Superiority — Steadfast pride is a formula for self-preservation.
The Old Wiring can be summarized in the Seven Deadly Sins of pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust.
We thrived as a species because of the adoption of cultural principles. Humans, and all life, thrive when the Old Wiring is moderated by the Graces. The Graces were observed by the early sages, philosophers, and scientists. The Graces were promoted by spiritual leaders such as Jesus, Muhammad, and the Buddha.
These are learned principles that can be easily forgotten in times of suffering.
Honesty — Honesty is required for trust and cooperation.
Trust — As our populations increased and contact with other tribes increased, we began to overcome suspicion by extending trust.
Humility — To admit mistakes and misjudgments leads to better outcomes.
Empathy — When extended to include all life, all life thrives. Everything is interdependent.
Education — Learning how the world works leads to better outcomes.
Generosity — What goes around comes around.
Modesty — Being satisfied with having what you need and some of what you want.
Chastity — This is the opposite of promiscuity. It does not imply abstinence. Procreation is most successful when the parents are dedicated to each other.
Understanding — To be able to understand history and motivations promotes thriving.
Selflessness and sacrifice — You are not the center of the universe.
Cleanliness — As a person and as a society.
Forgiveness — With understanding, we can forgive others for their faults. We are all flawed and struggling.
Is the Old Wiring winning, or are we living our lives with the Graces?
Honesty and trust — We know the friends and associates to trust in our personal lives through experience. The lies, deception, and broken promises from our political leaders have dissolved our trust in our government institutions. Similarly, marketing deception by for-profit corporate entities has dissolved our trust in business.
Humility — All humans make mistakes, but do we ever see contrition from prominent people in business or politics? Not very often.
Do our leaders promote the fear of the other?
Do our leaders brag about superiority?
Do our leaders promote honesty?
Do our leaders live modestly?
Do our leaders promote edification?
Do our leaders endeavor to take from others?
Do our leaders recognize suffering?
Do our leaders promote understanding?
Do our leaders promote violence and oppression?
What about you? Do you live by the Old Wiring, or with the Graces?
The mid-term elections are coming up, and candidates will be jockeying for support. All manner of lies, misrepresentations, and ignorance will appear in political ads to hawk for our vote.
I implore everyone to ask the above questions of each candidate. Even more important is to ask those same questions of yourself.