(Where Joy Resides)
Why are your loves and friendships your loves and friendships? Why have you chosen particular institutions to belong to and support? Why have you defined your identity as you have? Why are you opposed to what you are opposed to? What will you fight for or against and why?
Everything in human experience is ultimately about commonality. Commonality assigns the nature of all that exists. It’s how we know the difference between a human and a rock. Commonality determines the state of society. It’s how we create status quo or change. Commonality is the ground of all human knowing. It’s how we define the difference between truth and falsehood.
Just how imperative is commonality in human relating? Consider the following:
- Community is the bonding of value commonality. There is no bonding without it. The depth of bonding is the degree of commonality. If we prize community we prize commonality.
- Covenant is the commitment to commonality of purpose. There is no community fulfillment without it. The degree of fulfillment is the depth of commitment. If we prize purpose we prize commonality.
- Nationality is the embrace of a common view of reality and its governance. There is no nationality-governance without it. The strength of embrace is the strength of nationality-governance. If we prize nationality-governance we prize commonality.
As soon as commonality ceases so does community bonding, purpose fulfillment, and nationality-governance. There can be no civilization, safe living, or ethical standards without devotion to the norms defined by commonality. Human culture, whether of two or millions, is its child.
The importance of differences and growth is that they challenge what is actually common and this keeps commonality vital and healthy by pruning it of the paralysis of status quo and the limitations of immaturity. This is the role of science, curiosity, and exploration. Commonality creates both restraining boundaries and protesting breaches.
Commonality destroys what commonality creates. Just as commonality of purpose created the American Revolution that led to a united nation, it also created the southern tradition and economic imperialism that threatened this unity and led to the Civil War.
Whatever the changes or challenges of civilized living, it’s constructive or destructive edge is always commonality. Nothing happens without it and something happens with it.
Thus, the final issue of all human relating is the ability to shape commonality into our highest state of noble living which creates the most rewarding state of civilization. We may be called on to honor differences but the purpose of this honoring is to allow us to live the benefits of commonality.
This highest state of human relating always compels difference to bow before commonality. This is what the bonding of respect and love are all about. When we lose this imperative we lose all ennobling human possibility. When we honor this imperative we take a step further toward our highest human capacities. And within this step further is where joy resides.
Robert
Yes, this is what is wrong with America today. Instead of having a national commonality, we are divided up into warring groups that do not want to listen and debate respectfully with each other. Until we learn to listen to and really hear what all groups have to say ( regardless of if we agree), we are doomed to travel the road of destruction. We need to have a stronger commonality of nation ( we the people) , and learn acceptance of those that are different from our individual groups. Then we will truly learn what is good for all of us and our nation.