On the Road to Real Change

Having watched the election coverage on CCN, MSNBC and FOX and listened to their many invited guests and specialists, and having read reports this morning in the NY Times I asked myself how real change takes place.

Lasting social change depends upon values change. When values and principles change, the whole social structure tends to change. New values are the building blocks of a transformed society.

Obama’s election has changed many values in different areas and pushes US society to a new level of awareness of opportunity and possibility. However, they may not yet be integrated enough to form a coherent perspective and vision that can inform and inspire.

I, for one, believe that we need a vision that defines the “common good” not only in terms of the well-being of the human community, but, especially, in terms of the community of life. We have to search for and implement a vision based upon the integration of social and ecological values. The present benchmark version of the Earth Charter is a good place to start with. We cannot solve our serious social problems in the global financial system, etc without at the same time dealing with the Earth’s most serious challenge of the climate crisis. We need strong spirituality on the road to real change. “Without vision, people perish” states Proverbs 28:19.