Well, here’s another Conscious Politics winning piece of writing. I just would like to see it front and center in the New York Times, WSJ, etc….. Write on Mr. Morrison
I appreciate and agree AND am eager to simply take the message of conscious politics to wherever people are talking about politics. In other words, if the NYT or WSJ or any other established pub puts more eyeballs on this, I'm probably down. :)
Thank you, Sir. I will write on for sure and I appreciate your enthusiasm and confidence. Finding an established editorial home for this newsletter is a high priority and I will use what you say to help make the case!
I always loved the statement made in the 60s "What if they gave a war and nobody came". I am with you on this one. Makes no sense accept to the neocons on both sides who will make billions on this. How is it that we are currently leaving our southern border wide open with over 2 million un-documented immigrants pouring over in the last year, yet we are now hell bound to fight a war to protect Ukraine's borders? How is that making any sense to anybody? ... To me we are having a free for all spending spree with our US money. Big Pharma and the military industrial complex are the winners in this game. Not "We The People"... and truth be told, the government should be working for us, not the other way around.
I love that notion about nobody coming to the war, too. And we're absolutely in sync on these other issues. Money out of politics, #1. Public financing of campaigns. It works! It's of a piece, obviously, with corporate control. Shifting what we've called capitalism to what I and many others call conscious capitalism addresses another component of what you lament here in a big way. Onward!
Stanza 31 of the Tao Te Ching echoes many of your points:
"Let’s be clear – force, especially violence – has no place in this way of living. This is true not just for individuals but for societies as well. When violence and war become necessary, it is a signal that many things are wrong. Acts of aggression will not deal with the substantive, underlying problems. It is a bad sign.
Societies who understand this take no honor and no pride in going to war; they know it is a symptom of a deeper malady. To substitute true leadership with military might is disgraceful.
Skillful warriors are dispassionate when they fight. Oddly, despite their skill, they take no joy in it. It is important to remember that it is not only weapons that kill, it is the person who uses them. Those lying dead and injured on a battlefield are a stark reminder that one human being has killed another human being.
Where is the glory in that? We may label those lying dead as soldiers or enemies, but they were human beings just like us, with hopes and dreams, with families and friends, with the ordinary desires of life.
In everyday contexts we either detest or feel sorry for someone who takes another’s life. Why would we celebrate it in war? Even victory should be treated as a funeral. People have died, homes have been broken - conflict and violence have ruled people’s hearts.
It is a time to mourn - to realize that we have been separated from the flow of life and the connection to who we were meant to be."
We all choose war every day. Our American (and Western) culture chooses war over peace more often than not. You choose to change something in your life, you have a disagreement with someone, and most people choose to take that fight or change to court. Lawyers are so well paid bc we choose war.
The amount of close friends who have said things like, "it's hard to always take the high road" or "stop being so damn nice" to me recently find themselves falling back into old consciousness habits. It's not hard to take the high road. It's all there is. It's not hard to be nice bc when I am love, I receive love.
"War, huh!, good God y'all. What is it good for? Absolutlely nothing. Say it again!"
War, huh!, good God y'all. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.
What an incredibly insightful and appreciated perspective. Of course, I love that you bring it right down into the nitty-gritty of real, actual life. I have incredible readers.
Well, here’s another Conscious Politics winning piece of writing. I just would like to see it front and center in the New York Times, WSJ, etc….. Write on Mr. Morrison
Morrison deserves better than the NYT or the WSJ. They are both supported by the neocons and big Pharma.
I appreciate and agree AND am eager to simply take the message of conscious politics to wherever people are talking about politics. In other words, if the NYT or WSJ or any other established pub puts more eyeballs on this, I'm probably down. :)
Thank you, Sir. I will write on for sure and I appreciate your enthusiasm and confidence. Finding an established editorial home for this newsletter is a high priority and I will use what you say to help make the case!
I always loved the statement made in the 60s "What if they gave a war and nobody came". I am with you on this one. Makes no sense accept to the neocons on both sides who will make billions on this. How is it that we are currently leaving our southern border wide open with over 2 million un-documented immigrants pouring over in the last year, yet we are now hell bound to fight a war to protect Ukraine's borders? How is that making any sense to anybody? ... To me we are having a free for all spending spree with our US money. Big Pharma and the military industrial complex are the winners in this game. Not "We The People"... and truth be told, the government should be working for us, not the other way around.
I love that notion about nobody coming to the war, too. And we're absolutely in sync on these other issues. Money out of politics, #1. Public financing of campaigns. It works! It's of a piece, obviously, with corporate control. Shifting what we've called capitalism to what I and many others call conscious capitalism addresses another component of what you lament here in a big way. Onward!
Well done. Shared widely.
Thank you.
Exactly!
Woot woot!
Beautiful, my friend, very, very beautiful. And thanks!
You're welcome and, most of all, thanks to you. For reading and engaging. Means the world.
Stanza 31 of the Tao Te Ching echoes many of your points:
"Let’s be clear – force, especially violence – has no place in this way of living. This is true not just for individuals but for societies as well. When violence and war become necessary, it is a signal that many things are wrong. Acts of aggression will not deal with the substantive, underlying problems. It is a bad sign.
Societies who understand this take no honor and no pride in going to war; they know it is a symptom of a deeper malady. To substitute true leadership with military might is disgraceful.
Skillful warriors are dispassionate when they fight. Oddly, despite their skill, they take no joy in it. It is important to remember that it is not only weapons that kill, it is the person who uses them. Those lying dead and injured on a battlefield are a stark reminder that one human being has killed another human being.
Where is the glory in that? We may label those lying dead as soldiers or enemies, but they were human beings just like us, with hopes and dreams, with families and friends, with the ordinary desires of life.
In everyday contexts we either detest or feel sorry for someone who takes another’s life. Why would we celebrate it in war? Even victory should be treated as a funeral. People have died, homes have been broken - conflict and violence have ruled people’s hearts.
It is a time to mourn - to realize that we have been separated from the flow of life and the connection to who we were meant to be."
Excellent essay Steven.
We all choose war every day. Our American (and Western) culture chooses war over peace more often than not. You choose to change something in your life, you have a disagreement with someone, and most people choose to take that fight or change to court. Lawyers are so well paid bc we choose war.
The amount of close friends who have said things like, "it's hard to always take the high road" or "stop being so damn nice" to me recently find themselves falling back into old consciousness habits. It's not hard to take the high road. It's all there is. It's not hard to be nice bc when I am love, I receive love.
"War, huh!, good God y'all. What is it good for? Absolutlely nothing. Say it again!"
War, huh!, good God y'all. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.
What an incredibly insightful and appreciated perspective. Of course, I love that you bring it right down into the nitty-gritty of real, actual life. I have incredible readers.