Losing sight of the basics

Is our government a three legged
or one legged stool?

In the ferver of a political campaign one can become blind to the basics. In fact there were times during the most recent political contests, on both sides, when a pervading need to win superseded the need for studious reasoning to back up a vote.

That kind of thought is acceptable during the Super Bowl game, but when you are one of the electorate populace deciding the future of the nation, and possibly the planet, voting one way without studied reflection is like taking a side based on the color of the uniform.

It is not difficult to accept the outcome of an election. In many ways, no matter what the outcome it is a reason to celebrate. Still the outcome of the most recent elections should be of concern to everyone, not necessarily because of a difference in political ideology, but because it runs against proven models of success found in social, business, scientific and environmental settings.

In nature it is essential that a variety of animals and organisms exist to give a base to the environment. Adding too many of one species or removing too many of another makes the system unstable. Conditions such as these may be the cause for the predominance of Chronic Wasting Disease among the deer population, as an example.

Communities must also be diverse to remain dynamic and viable. A community with nothing but dwellings is little more than modern day ghost town, and doesn't promote the social or economic needs of a healthy municipality anymore than a city that is made up of a variety of factories, two homes and nothing else. That mix or lack of mix would more than likely be called an industrial park.

In business and finance, among the basic tenants is the need to remain diverse in order to stay flexible and to keep options open, so that all ones' eggs do not end up in the same basket.

Recently philanthropist George Soros gave a talk at the National Press Club. He said:

An open society such as ours is based on the recognition that an understanding of reality is inherently imperfect.

Nobody is in possession of the ultimate truth.

As the philosopher Karl Popper has shown, 'The ultimate truth is not attainable even in science. All theories are subject to testing and the process of replacing old theories with new ones never ends.'

Faith plays an important role in an open society. Exactly because our understanding is imperfect, we can't base our decisions on knowledge alone. We need to rely on belief - religious or otherwise - to help us make a decision.

But we must remain open to the possibility that we may be wrong so that we can correct our mistakes. Otherwise we are bound to be wrong.

The outcome of the recent election concentrated on the presidency. While the choice was satisfactory to some and unacceptable to others a larger concern exists.

We now have a national government in the control of one party - the legislative, the executive and the judiciary - all three branches (albeit the judiciary is supposed to be impartial). It doesn't matter which party it is, this is a situation that by all models is unstable. This is a situation that is very dangerous, because, like the models in nature, sociology and finance, it lacks diversity. It is an imbalance that lacks stability like a one legged milking stool. It is one that will be less likely to promote discourse and render creative solutions.

This leaves us, their collective boss, to remain vigilant. To insist on open debate, and above board decision making. We need to make sure that they do not get too comfortable, and we need to remind them constantly that their work should result in a collective wisdom and NOT the lowest common denominator.

Even debating among colleagues from the same party '... they must remain open to the possibility that they may be wrong, so they can correct their mistakes. Otherwise, they are bound to be wrong.' And we must be vocal and immediate in pointing out those possibilities.

Best to all,

Lloyd