Conflict or Cooperation

  The Value of Commerce    

  What is Community and Why Is It Important

  .

Most of us function primarily  in one of two modes.   We may, at times, shift to the opposite pole, but for the most part, we either work together in unity, cooperation and harmony or against each other in duality, competition and conflict.    

Duality - Conflict - Fighting:  In the duality mode, it's us against them.   Football is a good example of this.  It's primarily about fighting, pushing, shoving, knocking the other side down, claiming territory, and scoring points.   If an opponent is injured, that's considered to be good by the opposing team, because when an injured player is out of the game,  this increases the other side's chance of winning.  It's a zero-sum game.   In order for one side to win, the other side must lose.   

Unity - Harmony - Cooperation:  In the unity mode it's us with them.   An orchestra is a good example of this.   Everyone is  part of a unified team.  All  work toward a common goal.   It's about cooperation, harmony, synchronized rhythm, and mutual support.   Everybody adds to the product produced.   The higher and stronger the quality of each participant's input, the grander the overall result.   In this example, the product is beautiful music, a blessing for all to hear.   The same product can be given to ten people or ten million, and it is not diminished in the slightest by sharing.   It's an infinity-sum game.   The more everyone shares the bigger the product.   Everybody wins.   The success of the Hubble orbiting telescope is another excellent example of the unity and harmony mode of living.

Ref. 1:   The Value of Commerce    

Ref. 2:  What is Community and Why Is It Important  

Supporting Evidence:   This contention is supported by the renowned scientist, inventor and futurist, R. Buckminster Fuller.  Here are two quotes from his book:    The Critical Path.   (St. Martin's Press,  New York,  N.Y.,  1981)

"Evolution has accelerated into revolution, which if it goes bloody, will render humanity extinct, but if it goes via the design revolution, all humanity will win.   This is a new kind of revolution, it is one that, instead of revengefully pulling down the top fortunate few, will elevate all the heretofore unfortunates and the fortunates alike to new and sustained heights of realized life far superior to those previously tenuously attained by the most privileged few."   (Page 201)

"We have learned in the latest decade from our behavioral science studies that aggression is a secondary behavior of humans --- that when they get what they need, when they need it, and are not overwhelmed, they are spontaneously benevolent; it is only when they become desperate that they become aggressive because what they have relied upon is no longer working."    (Page 67)

A Physical Example:  Perhaps you've noticed that if you put just one log in a fireplace it's difficult to keep it burning and the fire often simply goes out, but when you have three or four logs in there together, they keep each other burning resulting in a hot, roaring fire.   

  .

Your Job:  Obviously, if you choose to accept our  invitation, you'll be asked to play in the unity mode where everybody wins.   That's not to discount yourself.   You're still number one.   The secret is that everybody else is also a number one.   (And how many number one's are there?   As many as work together in harmony toward the common goal.)   

  .

Every free transaction between individuals increases the personal well being of the exchangers and also the overall well being of society.  In a free exchange, both buyer and seller receive something that they believe is of greater value than that which they gave up.  For example, in a restaurant where the customer pays ten dollars for a meal, the customer would rather have the meal than the ten dollars and the restaurant owner would rather have the ten dollars than the meal.  It's win/win situation.   

The overall well being of society is increased because both exchangers are now more fulfilled and satisfied.    Both are in a better position to interact with other members of the society.   

The opposite is also true.   Every time a free transaction between consenting individuals is interfered with by poverty or lost opportunity, or by government imposed restrictions, or by corporate exploitation for profit, both parties to the lost transaction are poorer.   

The overall well being of society is decreased because both exchangers are now more frustrated and less satisfied.    Both are in a harder position to interact with other members of the society.    

One might then ask,  Why was George Bush and Company ² intentionally destroying the American middle class? ²

  .

Mutual support,     Teamwork,        Freedom,       Diversity of ideas.     

In a well functioning community, decisions are made by consensus and not by the domination of the most powerful.   A loving marriage is a private, personal example of this.   NASA's fourteen-year-long and 2.3 billion dollar project of landing a space craft on one of Saturn's moons is is an excellent social example of this.   When the NASA team finally succeeded, they were asked what were the key requirements for their success.   They gave three answers:   1) communication   2) cooperation, and 3) diversity of ideas.   

Diversity of ideas is critical because almost everyone needs someone  else to keep them on track, to be an outside observer, to keep them focused, to bring in a different perspective, to point out the pitfalls, to encourage in the low moments, and to simple to be nearby when a hug is the only response one can offer in a difficult moment.   

  .