Preface - Extended

Look around. So many people chase money, power, and status. But there's another way emerging - one where everyone has enough to live on, feel safe, and follow their dreams while helping others.

Our world has a problem: those with power look down on others while following those above them. This hurts everyone.

But people are working to fix this by:

  • Ensuring economic security for all

  • Standing up against unfair treatment

  • Protecting nature

  • Stopping fights before they get violent

  • Creating ways for people to relate as equals

  • Working together in compassionate teams

All these efforts are based on people looking out for each other instead of just looking out for themselves. Rather than some people having all the control, everyone works together and helps each other. Some individuals and communities are already testing these ideas.

Real change comes from regular people working together, not just waiting for leaders to fix things. This means we need both new laws AND personal growth. We must:

  • Look at ourselves honestly

  • Accept when we're wrong

  • Be ready to change

  • Help others grow too

Yes, it's easier to watch TikTok than face hard truths. But working together, we can build something better. Even small changes in how we treat each other can lead to bigger improvements.

Right now, no group focuses on both changing unfair systems AND helping people improve themselves and build better relationships. This website wants to help people fill that gap.

+++++

I've spent my life fighting against selfishness, greed, war, and unfairness while pushing for real change in society. Though I've worked on many different issues over the years, this basic goal has always stayed the same.

I try to live the way I hope others will live while accepting that everyone has to find their own path. I keep working on becoming the best person I can be. And I help create new ways for people to work together as equals and support each other.

But I've got to be honest — sometimes I've done these things just to feed my own ego. Often, I didn't even realize I was doing it.

I'm sharing these honest discoveries about myself hoping you might find them interesting or relevant to your own life. Maybe they'll even inspire you to look more deeply at yourself too.

I'm not alone in this. When I ask people how they want to improve themselves, most say the same thing: "I want to judge others less and be less arrogant."

Usually, I keep my self-centered tendencies in check and don't let them shape how I act. I generally work well with others and show respect. But sometimes, I've wrongly tried to control things on my own.

I try not to believe I’m morally superior to others. Sure, I might be better at certain things, but that doesn't make me a better person. We might disagree politically, but if I lived your life, I might think just like you do. Still, I haven't completely overcome how society programmed me to judge others harshly.

I’ve wanted to be seen as "great," just like my mother always said I would be. I’ve worried too much about what others thought of me. There’s often this undercurrent of irrational thinking. My gut reactions are often defensive. I struggle when people are hostile toward me.

When working with community groups, I often decided what I thought was best and pushed others to follow my lead instead of trusting the group to figure things out together.

I lived in voluntary poverty for years and unfairly looked down on middle-class people for being too materialistic.

I’ve had a strong tendency to reject authority, which often made me refuse to compromise when I should have. But other times, I gave in when I shouldn't have, like not speaking up because I didn't want to lose friends.

But I’m learning and growing.

I gained more respect for the middle class when I started driving taxis part-time, earned good money, enjoyed more of life's pleasures, and learned to appreciate certain comforts.

I now better understand that some authority structures are necessary, even if we don't like them.

I still believe in my basic ideals and work toward them, but I no longer expect some huge transformation that will create a completely "new" world. Instead, we can improve things step by step while moving toward fundamental reforms.

I'm training myself to have healthier automatic reactions by reminding myself how I can do better.

Still, life's big questions aren't easy to answer: When should you fight and when should you stay quiet? When should you speak up and when should you keep silent? When should you stick to your beliefs and when should you go along with the group? This website will try to help you think through these questions with life-minded allies.

Love alone isn't enough. Building relationships based on mutual respect takes real work.

If we face reality head-on, we could create more compassionate alternatives. Really confronting our problems and their root causes would help us build better relationships and take more effective action.

My Journey and Goals

Throughout my life, I've focused on four main goals:

  • Finding and sharing truth, fighting for justice, and creating beauty

  • Connecting personal growth with political change

  • Helping everyday people have more power over their lives

  • Keeping powerful people and institutions in check

While my methods have changed over time, I've always tried to meet real needs in ways that lead to deeper changes in society.

This work has involved many different issues: civil rights, stopping wars, giving students more say in their education, protecting mental patients' rights, improving public transportation, creating food and housing co-ops (where people work together and share ownership), building cultural centers, and fighting poverty by helping ensure everyone has enough money to live on. 

My fellow activists and I hoped our local projects would eventually grow into nationwide movements. This happened a few times, though briefly. I also got involved with several national organizations: Congress for Racial Equality, Alliance for Democracy, Progressive Challenge, Love Army, Barack Obama's 2008 campaign, and the Iraq Peace Team.

To help figure out how we activists could be more effective, I organized strategy workshops from 2004 to 2019. I did lots of research, shared draft proposals, interviewed people, created online surveys, published three books to get feedback, tested different ways people could support each other, and talked with advisors and fellow activists.

I research questions that matter to me, find new resources, and share what I learn on this website. I present ideas for discussion, hoping others will create even better tools that could help more people.

So far, people have responded positively, and many have made important contributions. I keep talking with friends and colleagues about these ideas while working to make this site as helpful as possible.

I feel it's my duty to:

  • Foster respect for everyone's basic equality

  • Help people work together better

  • Encourage compassionate action

  • Help individuals and communities build stronger partnerships

  • Reduce unnecessary hierarchies where possible

  • Support people's right to determine their own path and find personal fulfillment (which for some includes spiritual growth)

  • Strengthen freedom and democracy throughout society

Writing helps me think more clearly. With help from colleagues, I'll keep adding to this digital book and improving it. It's deeply satisfying work.t. 

My beliefs have changed a lot while writing this book. I'm still learning every day. Many people have helped with this project, which I'm very grateful for, but I'm responsible for the final edits.

I welcome your feedback and am always open to new ideas. If you have suggestions, want to help, or would like to share public words of support, please use the Comment form below.

--Wade Lee Hudson, 1/29/25

COMMENTS


From: Ian Faloon
Subject: Right On
Message: Hey Wade,
I think this is a great turn. I read the Denial of Death 3 consecutive times upon first finding it. It has definitely changed my perspective on my own ego-machinations and my purpose in life. The thing I find most fascinating about it is that it leads to Kierkegaard, which ultimately leads to G-d, but Becker is too much of the generation that was rebelling against old religious strictures to let himself go there fully.
Another important book in my own evolution is The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley, which I believe should be required reading in high schools. Some of the core principles of all spiritual traditions from all over the world can be summarized succinctly by the concepts of honesty, humility, and forgiveness, with the latter probably being the most difficult to achieve routinely. So kudos to you for always re-evaluating because another ancient piece of spiritual wisdom is that enlightenment is an ongoing process that takes at least one life to attain.
All my best
Ian Faloon

++++++

Hi Wade, I read the new Preface and believe it reflects the new direction you have decided to take. In that sense it is very good. As you likely remember, I was never a strong fan of your theory that 'domination' was the root cause for the bulk of Society's issues. It is an issue, and your new Preface reflects that very well.

Larry Walker

NEXT: Introduction

Comment

Use this form to submit a comment.