Systemic Reform: A Call for Action 

Preface

A preface is written by the author and tells readers how and why the book came into being.

The preface gives you, as the author, the opportunity to introduce yourself to your readers and explain to them why they should hear what you have to say. This is where you build credibility, so you should give some insight into how you got to be an expert on your subject. You can toot your own horn a bit here.

You should use a preface to spark curiosity about your content and draw readers in. Here, you speak directly about the purpose, creation, or importance of your book. How did your book’s genesis come about? What was the pain point you were seeking to address when you decided you wanted to write a book, and why is that important to your readers? The preface is where you explain the who, when, and where of it all.

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1. While the preface does a good job of introducing the author's background and expertise, it could benefit from a more personal touch. The author may want to consider sharing a specific experience or anecdote that inspired them to write about the subject matter. This could help to create a deeper connection with readers and make the content more relatable.

2. The author could consider adding more concrete examples or case studies to illustrate their points. While the preface provides an overview of the author's proposed systemic reform movement, it could be helpful to include specific examples of individuals or organizations that have successfully implemented similar strategies in the past. This could help to build credibility and make the proposed movement feel more tangible.

3. The author could also consider adding a call-to-action at the end of the preface to encourage readers to engage with the content. This could be something as simple as asking readers to share their thoughts or experiences related to the subject matter, or it could be a more specific call-to-action, such as asking readers to join a specific organization or take a specific action to support the proposed movement.

For 60 years, I helped organize egalitarian communities whose members enjoyed each other’s company and supported each other in becoming better human beings. These efforts tackled many specific problems. Now I pause to sum up what I’ve learned and present some unique proposals for meaningful action.

My main goal has always been to empower ordinary people and control the powerful. Over time, my methods have changed and will likely continue to change.

In recent decades, to explore how we activists might be more effective, I’ve conducted strategy workshops, engaged in extensive research, shared drafts of proposals, interviewed individuals, circulated online surveys, and experimented with specific methods to help bring about fundamental and comprehensive reform.

Greater fairness and compassion throughout society are an urgent necessity. Every part of life — social, personal, cultural, economic, environmental, and political — matters. Each is equally important. Improvements in one impact the others. If these changes move in the same direction, they can reinforce each other in a positive upward spiral.

Self-development can serve a greater end. We can care for ourselves so we can better care for others. We can find a balance between being selfish and sacrificing too much. We can build strong communities and strong individuals. We can find solutions where everyone wins. We can prevent suffering by correcting root causes.

Countless individuals and organizations work for justice and help those in need, but this compassionate humanity community is fragmented. It fails to unite to fight for the most urgent issues. Ego, arrogance, the desire to dominate, and the willingness to submit get in the way. Bitter power struggles divide organizations. People assume leaders are those who can get followers to do what they want, which undermines mutual empowerment.

I’ve experienced this problem myself. I know it's better to work with others to solve problems, but I've struggled to live up to this ideal, I’ve formed strong opinions about the right action plan and recruited people to support it. I’ve been too focused on proving myself and gaining recognition and become too vulnerable to hostility, criticism, and disappointment.

I’m not alone. Society encourages everyone to climb social ladders and look down on, dominate, and exploit those below — and submit to those above — for personal gain. Our institutions, our culture, and ourselves as individuals are woven together. We reinforce this social system — the System — with our daily actions. The inflated quest for personal power afflicts most of those who want to address personal and social problems.

Most people who engage in compassionate action have these flaws, but few focus on overcoming them. I know of no political organization that sets aside time for its members to support each other with their efforts to undo or control the desire to dominate and the willingness to submit for personal gain.

Twelve-step support groups and many other projects have demonstrated that peer support can help people reach their goals. Social service and political activists can learn from these efforts.

This website promotes holistic and systemic change. It’s holistic because it involves the whole person and the whole society. It’s systemic because it proposes a new primary purpose for our society and new ways of organizing our activities (structures) to serve that purpose — while preserving healthy traditions.

For this new shared purpose, my associates and I currently suggest: to serve humanity, the environment, and life itself.

We’ve experimented with and confirmed methods to cultivate this shift. Many of these practical, easy-to-use tools are posted on the site in the Actions sections.

Right now, we suggest that small teams of like-minded people affirm core principles (such as our mission statement) and at least once a month open their meeting with a moment of silence for reflection, meditation, or prayer, and then report on their recent efforts to overcome the urge to dominate or submit for personal gain.

A network of these groups could be the base for a powerful grassroots systemic reform movement that fundamentally improves our society, our culture, and ourselves as individuals by promoting fairness, compassion, and democracy.

We can celebrate our unique identities while also seeing ourselves as part of the human family. As global citizens, we can work together for our shared interests, live in harmony with nature, and appreciate the invisible spirit that animates life.

This constantly updated website is dedicated to this mission. The proposals presented here aren’t a blueprint. The focus is on articulating a worldview that might serve as a foundation for lasting unity. Specific policy proposals that flow from this worldview are presented for the sake of discussion to clarify possibilities. We assume eventual policies will be the result of negotiation and compromise,

Many people have helped with this project and continue to do so, but I assume responsibility for the final edits. I invite you, dear reader, to share your thoughts, experiences, and suggested resources to help us improve our content

—Wade Lee Hudson