This blog is dedicated to the
creation of peer-based-communities, which practice the five stewardship
principles of localism. At times I also like to comment on the attitude that
would make the achievement of peer-based communities more certain.
Seeing through the eyes of the
ego frames all our experience as threats and opportunities to our wellbeing and
so fear and desire determine our moment-by-moment choices. We must replace the
eyes of the ego with the eyes of universal love or unconditional love. So what
we see is framed as opportunities for service and personal growth and then joy
and enthusiasm determine our moment-by-moment choices. My last post on Fearless
Love speaks to the particulars of coming to see with the eyes of love.
Relating this attitude of love
to creating peer-based communities.
Decisions made in our
communities and organizations today, which frequently harm the environment and
distort economic growth so it benefits only those who already possess wealth,
flow from an environment of unequal power relationship, or rank-based
management and decision-making structures.
An unequal power relationship
is one where there is a high power position and a low power position, where the
person in the high power position can decide without input or participation
from the low power person, and the person in the low power position can either
do what he or she is told or suffer the consequences and penalties from the
person in the high power position. Most, if not all, of our communities and
organizations are structured around unequal power relationships due to our
habit of designing our organizations with leader-based hierarchies.
The peer-based model shows a
way to create and maintain a system of equal power relationships when it comes
to managing information, decision-making, resources, and human cooperation. In
place of leader-based hierarchies and rank-based systems of control, the peer
model provides a system of peer councils, rotational stewardship positions, and
mentors.
I trust in the intelligence and
moral decency of human beings. I believe when people feel empowered to be full
participants in the decisions affecting their lives, then they also feel
accountable to do the right thing. Peer-based communities and organizations, I
think, will quite naturally practice the five stewardship principles of
localism.
What does love have to do with
it?
Where rank-based communities
and organizations of unequal power relationships must be strictly regulated to
prevent them from destroying themselves, their people and the planet,
peer-based communities and organizations of equal power relationships will be
self-regulating due to love. Love is what it will take to move our communities
and organizations to the peer-based model. Only love will allow us to overcome
fear and let go of control to step into a more authentic and complete human
life. Only love will lead us to surrender unequal power relationships over
others and engage one another as equals, as peers.
