One concept I am very interested in is the concept of the evolution of our collective mindset. So many of the problems we face in society are the result of outdated, mythical mindsets that relate to facts which are untrue, unhealthy and inhumane. Too often our change of mindsets lag in comparison to the changes in the world around us. For example, I read an article years ago that explained that when we are studying, our minds think we're running marathons. That's why we get so hungry when we do intellectual work, yet we don't burn the calories that match the foods we want to eat. Our minds have not caught up with the increase in intellectual work humans do today, and because of this, some of us may overeat when we really aren't burning the calories that match the food we eat.
That's a long way of saying that our collective mindsets are slow to keep up with science and the changing world. We see evidence of this with too many issues today. For example, in the tweet captured above, the tweeter remarks about his experience related to the benefits of parental leave. We know that parental leave helps to elevate the quality of life for babies and young children--when a parent can take time off to focus on their new babies, young children, and family overall, that helps the family and children to thrive. Babies and children that thrive live better lives and cost the public less with regard to health, education, and social issues. This is a good investment for society.
The idea of investment though seems to be an idea that challenges the collective mindset. It seems that too many don't embrace the idea of investing in positive actions, policies, and efforts for the greater good and future good. Instead, it seems that the collective mindset reacts for what's best at the moment and emotionally strong without the ability to think and decide with the big picture of today and the future in mind. It seems that the collective mindset leans towards more shallow, reactionary thinking versus broader, deeper thinking and acting for the greater good today and into the future.
How can we change this? How can we promote the kind of investment thinking that helps people act in ways that spell better living today and into the future for all? What can we do?
I believe we have to point out why specific actions help today and into the future with facts, details, data, and stories. In a sense, we have to prove to people, that the good investments of money, time, energy, decisions spell better living. Specifically, we have to prove the following.
- Less guns and less access to dangerous weapons creates safer, better lives
- Protection and preservation of our natural resources will provide our children and grandchildren better lives.
- Providing the kinds of supports to families that help children and parents thrive creates a happier, more prosperous and healthy population--the kind of population where there is less violence, self-harm, poverty, hate and hurt.
- Allowing people to live the lives that are natural for them leads to greater harmony, peace, and prosperity. When we deny people the choice to be who they are, love who they love, and work as they desire to work, we cause troubling conflict, prejudice, and harm in society that hurts lives and wastes a lot of money, time, capacity, and potential too.
- Self-serving, egotistical, maniacal, ignorant, corrupt leaders promote tremendous conflict, harm, hurt, death, and destruction in our world. We need to have international parameters for who is allowed to lead on this Earth--we cannot accept leaders like Putin, Trump, and others who work against the common good in hateful, hurtful, corrupt, and deadly ways.
- Education is life changing and world enriching--we have to work towards providing every individual on Earth a positive education.
- Good nutrition and health creates a more peaceful, prosperous society--we must work to uplift the health and nutrition for every individual on Earth.
- Prejudice harms our world in tremendous ways, we must work against prejudice.
- Consumerism needs to be watched carefully--senseless buying creates waste in society in multiple ways. In general, simple living provides a path to good living for all.
- The arts and nature bring out the best in people--to promote the arts and nature is to invest in strong, loving, positive communities.
- One-size-fits-all laws that deal with complex, natural situations in life hold people hostage--we have to promote greater freedom while also guiding people with policies that foster the common good and best living today and into the future.
