Measuring what matters

 In ten days, on March 18, we will reach the 55th anniversary of one of my favorite political speeches by one of my favorite (there aren’t many) politicians, Robert F. Kennedy. I’m sharing a part of it here today because I just belatedly realized it answers one of my most beleaguering questions: “How in hell did we end up where we are today?”

And this is one of the great tasks of leadership for us, as individuals and citizens this year.  But even if we act to erase material poverty, there is another greater task, it is to confront the poverty of satisfaction - purpose and dignity - that afflicts us all.  Too much and for too long, we seemed to have surrendered personal excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things.  Our Gross National Product, now, is over $800 billion dollars a year, but that Gross National Product - if we judge the United States of America by that - that Gross National Product counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage.  It counts special locks for our doors and the jails for the people who break them.  It counts the destruction of the redwood and the loss of our natural wonder in chaotic sprawl.  It counts napalm and counts nuclear warheads and armored cars for the police to fight the riots in our cities.  It counts Whitman's rifle and Speck's knife, and the television programs which glorify violence in order to sell toys to our children.  Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play.  It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials.  It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country, it measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.  And it can tell us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans.

We ended up where we are today because, as far as I can see, not enough has changed enough for the better in the 55 years since Kennedy delivered his speech, except our GNP has grown stupendously, as have the dangers we face due to greenhouse gas growth and biodiversity losses.

in our GNP, what’s the value of trilliums?

Photo by J. Harrington

We have rogue “persons” with more influence and rights, and fewer responsibilities, than those of us who are real people. Those “persons,” unlike many of us, can commit the most heinous crimes and not be subject to a death penalty because they help produce “GNP.” As I look about at the changes in this country that have occurred during my lifetime, I’m very grateful for the guidance I learned during my career as a planner, “Trend is not destiny!” 

To get a clearer sense of how many issues remain not much changed since 1968, do yourself a favor and read the entire speech. If you want a better sense of what we can do differently and better, take a look at From What Is to What If. We can do better and we must, for our children and theirs and theirs....

Once the World Was Perfect

By Joy Harjo

Once the world was perfect, and we were happy in that world.

Then we took it for granted.

Discontent began a small rumble in the earthly mind.

Then Doubt pushed through with its spiked head.

And once Doubt ruptured the web,

All manner of demon thoughts

Jumped through—

We destroyed the world we had been given

For inspiration, for life—

Each stone of jealousy, each stone

Of fear, greed, envy, and hatred, put out the light.

No one was without a stone in his or her hand.

There we were,

Right back where we had started.

We were bumping into each other

In the dark.

And now we had no place to live, since we didn't know

How to live with each other.

Then one of the stumbling ones took pity on another

And shared a blanket.

A spark of kindness made a light.

The light made an opening in the darkness.

Everyone worked together to make a ladder.

A Wind Clan person climbed out first into the next world,

And then the other clans, the children of those clans, their children,

And their children, all the way through time—

To now, into this morning light to you.

********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.