MISSION
Clarify understanding of our self-perpetuating social system — the System.
Advance synergistic, holistic, and systemic change throughout society.
Serve humanity, the environment, and life itself.
Respect the essential equality of all people.
Overcome oppression based on skin color and other arbitrary traits.
Improve living conditions and establish economic security.
Nurture personal and collective empowerment.
COMMENTS
Larry Walker:
Subject: Mission Related Thoughts
The Mission states seven 'goals'; however, it seems that the goal of understanding our self-perpetuating social system is a prerequisite for being able to address the other six goals.
1. Would you agree with this observation?
2. If yes, what items within the Systemopedia must be grasped in order to best understand our current social system?
3. What is the best way to find this full set of items?
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Wade Lee Hudson:
Great comments and questions. They prompted me to rewrite the mission statement. The latest draft is here. What do you think?
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Larry Walker:
What I like about the existing Mission is that it is a different format from the other items in the Front Matter. Your new version is ok, but it sounds a lot like what is said in some of the other Front Matter sections.
I liked the clarity of the 'goals' in the original Mission.
Reflecting on the original Mission, it seems like The System Category and a related System Tag would bring together the majority of the items that would clarify your negative view of the existing system.
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Steve Gerritson:
While I agree with Larry’s comment that understanding the System is a predicate to other actions, your rewrite of the mission statement seems more like (and indeed, is very similar to) the introduction. The first paragraph, in bold, strikes me almost as circular reasoning: the Systemopedia supports the growth of compassionate, democratic communities whose members nurture compassion and democracy.
My suggestion would be to keep the format of the current mission statement, perhaps moving the « clarify understanding... » element to the top. Your current mission statement sets out clearly and concisely what all of us who signed this feel we should strive for. The introduction and subsequent sections explain why.
In my humble opinion, it ain’t broke - no need to fix it.
Wade Lee Hudson
I like Steve’s suggestion about rearranging the sequence and did so. This seems to avoid the problem Larry highlighted. The unique and most important element of the Systemopedia is highlighted, rather than lost in the forest.
COMMENT HERE