Again and again I find myself circling back to the concept of Respect as I observe the current global developments in the economic and political sphere.
Just like the old saying that “all roads lead to Rome”, I realize and confirm to myself that “all global problems lead to Respect as the central solution”.
Another famous quote belongs to Albert Einstein and points to a necessary process in order to solve a complex problem:
“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
This implies that the problem-solving process is a simultaneously dual process - (1), a process of simplification, and (2), a process of identifying and acknowledging the problem’s complexities.
This means that in order to simplify a complex problem we need to finds it's root(s) from where all of its complexities stem.
I'm not a Mathematician, so this is as far as I dare venture into this field. But I am a human being, decently educated, an educator myself while remaining a passionate student, and a parent - among other things.
From those qualifications I can vouch that when a baby is screaming, the root of the problem can be only one - discomfort.
Reducing any and all reasons for a baby to scream to a single root - discomfort - seems very simplistic and even irresponsible. And yet, from the perspective of a baby, from the perspective of what the baby EXPERIENCES, screaming represents a signal alerting us to a state of discomfort - may that be hunger, fear or anxiety, pain, etc.
If the screaming represents the presence of a problem, discomfort is the simplification AND acknowledgment of its central root.
The acknowledgement of the root problem - discomfort - allows us the opportunity to solve it. This is part of the process in negotiating ANY and ALL problems we, as humans, are facing on a daily basis.
This is also a crucial moment in how we respond to a problem because it engages us analytically and emotionally giving us a ln amazing chance to display a fundamental component of a true progressive civilization. The ACKNOWLEDGMENT of discomfort is an invitation to solve the problem we face, or to ignore it.
Should we choose to attempt to solve it, we can only do so from a position of respect.
Let's sidetrack on an absurd tangent here:
If the screaming of a baby represents the baby's discomfort, but our solution is to dump the baby in a back room and return to our couch with the TV set louder, we did NOT solve the baby's problem, but ours. As such, we ignored the problem even if to our nerves it may seem to have solved it.
Going back to the actual solving of our problem, by simplifying and acknowledging the discomfort at the root, we now have a next-level problem solving to face.
What causes the discomfort?
And the process, now driven by simplification and respectful acknowledgement, repeats itself aided by a series of inquiries and eliminations.
We may discover that the baby was too hot, or hungry, or gassy, but finding out the active issue would not have been possible if we failed to pinpoint and acknowledge the root cause of the screaming.
"Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains." ~ Steve Jobs
In other words, problem-solving is not simple just because we use a process of “simplification” to achieve it, but the acknowledgement of a root problem and not ignoring it is the path of resolving it.
In human relationships and situations, this moment of “not ignoring it” is called RESPECT.
It is really relevant at this point to ask ourselves where does this “respect” come from? In other words, at that moment of acknowledging the root problem, what makes us choose to ignore it or to solve it? What exactly is the mechanism or process that tips the scales one way or another?
I for one, was unable to find another element that answered the above question any better that this:
Respect is the expression of recognizing the intrinsic value of someone or something.
To be clear, respect is not when recognizing what someone or something is worth to us, but when recognizing the value of someone or something regardless of our individual needs or wants.
When Respect is the guiding principle of our human-problem-solving, when we recognize the value of someone or something regardless of our individual needs or wants, we can confidently state that we have truly engaged in a process of conflict (problem) resolution in a truly peaceful, progressive, and mutually beneficial way.
When we engage in any other way, we clearly signal to all parties involved our lack of respect for the matter at hand.
This, in turn, becomes a new problem with a new root - how can all parties involved find their way towards recognizing the value of all parties involved, regardless of individual needs or wants?
Unfortunately, there is only one way to reach a respectful mindset, which is a long and tedious process of education.
When it comes to regional conflicts between countries, such an educational path must be walked by all parties involved - making this a true conundrum.
When respect is demanded or imposed by force and through fear, it is not respect at all, and the aggression must be identified and acknowledged so that no victim should be left alone and defenseless against acts of aggression.
On a planetary scale, this is still utopian. We are still operating from a “worth” position, and more often than not we fail to see the value of those who bring us nothing worth our efforts.
Our countries need a new model of governance, one based on respecting human values. This cannot be achieved without global educational campaigns, global outreach across all nations and cultures, and without individual effort to “move the needle” every day towards a true peaceful and progressive civilization.
I will end this thought exploration with a sublime quote attributed to Confucius, a quote I first read as a young and full of dreams teenager:
"To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order; we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right."
A Part Apart is my personal “view over the world's Cuckoo’s nest” and at the same time an open invitation to dialogue and exploration.
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