Society of Esteem

26March2012

Is there competition in a Society of Esteem?

Posted by Cecilia under: Attitude; Economy; Education; Philosophy.

10April2011

A new society is about compassion and esteem

Posted by Cecilia under: Philosophy.

If we want to think of a new society we have to leave old paths of thinking. What would a new society be about that we don’t have realized yet in our society?

A new society relies mainly on compassion and esteem. Alone this fact distinguishes a new society from ours. The idea of the Society of Esteem has this base of compassion and esteem.

Where people give each other unconditionally compassion and esteem there is no reason anymore for crime or injustice. Every single person receives the esteem they deserve just for being here and now. Everybody receives compassionate esteem for their unique talent with which they contribute to the functioning of the society. A society like that leaves old paths creating new life structures with compassion and esteem.

4January2011

Society of Esteem is more than a Big Society

Posted by Cecilia under: Economy; Society.

According to Wikipedia “the Big Society is the flagship policy idea of the 2010 Conservative Party general election manifesto and forms part of the legislative programme of the Conservative - Liberal Democrat Coalition Agreement. The aim is “to create a climate that empowers local people and communities, building a big society that will ‘take power away from politicians and give it to people’.”

It might be an impressive attempt to reframe the role of government and unleash entrepreneurial spirit. The idea to create a voluntary system for the relief of poverty might meet the need of some kind of effort to get hold of a strong sense of civic responsibility. It still isn’t taking away the experience of social differences.

The Society of Esteem is based on esteem for everybody. Alone this basic thought creates voluntary activities as wished by the Big Society but it feeds from a lasting esteem creating justice. As long as people can do what they can do the best and they get esteem for it as well as a safe life in society there is no need for empowering communities. The Society of Esteem works through and with people giving all their power and talents to the society.

10October2010

Talents slumber in everybody

Posted by Cecilia under: Education.

In September 2009 a pilot project for the integration of jobless youngsters began in Germany. 61 young persons, allegedly slow learners, got the possibility to start an education in a German Telecom company. A year later the project proved that it’s worthwhile to give such young people a second chance. Most of them found their own unique talent and work.

A society of esteem allows everybody to discover his own unique talents and develop them in an environment of mutual respect and esteem. Everybody has a talent just waiting for being discovered. In a society of esteem people don’t need a second chance to discover their talents. They already can take the first chance.

Everybody who is already able to live and work his talent knows that doing that work feels very satisfying and fulfilling.

4October2010

Healthy economy in a Society of Esteem

Posted by Cecilia under: Economy.

A healthy economy serves predominantly the people. Many thoughts about how a healthy economy should look like are already made. I found recently a contribution of Erich Fromm, psychoanalyst and committed and insightful social theorist. In his book “To Have or To Be” he listed 6 points describing a healthy economy. These are his thoughts:

1. Production has to serve the fulfillment of people’s true needs and not the requirements of the economy.
2. The relation of exploitation of nature by men is substituted with a relation of cooperation between men and nature.
3. Mutual antagonism between people is replaced by solidarity.
4. Uppermost aims of the social arrangement are human well-being and the prevention of human harm.
5. Maximal consumption is substituted with reasonable consumption (consumption for the good of all).
6. Each person is motivated to actively participate in social life.

A society of esteem encourages each of these points in order to create a healthy and wealthy economy.

16September2010

Being special in a Society of Esteem

Posted by Cecilia under: Attitude; Philosophy.

In a certain manner we all wish to be special. Being special is in fact just another wish of getting attention and esteem.

In a society of esteem everybody is special. Everybody can claim to be extraordinary and unique without falling in the trap of comparisons. In a society of esteem every single person receives esteem, the same esteem as the others.

Being special means in a society of esteem that everybody is able to live his special and unique talent while getting the same esteem than everybody else. As long as being special isn’t connected to being compared to others in a valuing kind society of esteem allows it to be expressed. When being special means others are more special than us it doesn’t fit the thought of a society of esteem.

A society of esteem allows people to be special without comparing each others.

7September2010

Society of Esteem is just a thought away

Posted by Cecilia under: Philosophy.

Quoting Dr. Wayne W. Dyer who said that our transformation is just a thought away I take it to answer the question if and when a society of esteem could be reality.

Making a society of esteem reality is indeed just a thought away because it certainly starts in our thoughts. As soon as we start to live esteem in our lives we start to build on a society of esteem. It’s on us to make it real.

Society is nothing else than us and our thoughts. We create our society and we can choose if we want to live in a society which is based on esteem. Society of Esteem is in fact just a thought away.

1September2010

Copyrights in a society of esteem?

Posted by Cecilia under: Art; Economy; Science.

In a society where esteem replaces competition, where esteem replaces the hierarchy of values there is no need for copyrights.

Having copyrights is needed where our reputation depends on our possessions.  Innovations or art works need to be protected by copyright because their possession guarantees us a good life and most of all money, the most important sign of esteem in our society. We need to prove that a certain work is ours to benefit of it.

In a society of esteem we don’t need any copyright anymore. Esteem is given to everybody for whatever kind of work we do. We can feel free to give our talent to the good for all freely and fearlessly because we receive esteem for our work.  A society of esteem acknowledges any innovation, any idea or art work and gives esteem freely to the creators.

There are indeed some first moves in this direction even in our society. The essay “File-Sharing and Copyright” of Felix Oberholzer-Gee discusses the need or not-need of copyrights arguing that file-sharing technology has not undermined the incentives of artists and entertainment companies to create, market, and distribute new works.

These are first steps toward a society of esteem being free of copyrights. People will share their knowledge freely.

13August2010

Society of Esteem as ideal life

Posted by Cecilia under: Economy.

How does ideal life look like?  When we ask ourselves this question we might find a lot of answers leading us eventually to the final answer of being happy and fulfilled.  The ideal life looks like a fulfilled and happy life.  As working persons we can create a fulfilled life when we do what we like and at what we are good.  Work we love fulfills us and makes us grow and develop further.

A society of esteem gives people the opportunity to do the work they love and are good at.  When the “wage” for the work is esteem and not money, and when this esteem is given to everybody in the same amount we have no reason anymore to choose a job we don’t like but through which we make enough money.  A society of esteem is based on esteem and makes its citizen work with great pleasure and success.  This is the first and ultimate step toward an ideal life.

28July2010

Society of Esteem as state of perfection

Posted by Cecilia under: Uncategorized.

I was reading a statement in the Swarmcreativity Blog which could be as well a thought of the society of esteem. It says: “In perfect state there is no need for competition, for beating or killing the competitor anymore. Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go. But if we can get rid of aggression, of getting our satisfaction from working together to create new things instead of competing against each other, we have come at least a little bit closer to perfection.”

In a society of esteem there is no need for competition anymore - not for an outer competition anyway - because everybody lives his own talent getting honest esteem for it.  Therefore the only competition people of a society of esteem have is the internal competition, the kind of motor which keeps people moving on in the development of their talent and skills.

Competition is destroying progress instead of supporting it. In a society of esteem real progress happens through people who work in what they love to do and do the best. People who are esteemed for what they are and do, as it happens in a society of esteem, use competition as incentive to get better in their skills and talents. This allows real development and progress for the whole society.