While he was in office, the Mayor of Toronto lied about his usage of crack cocaine. The previous director of the biggest school board in Canada was guilty of plagiarism and also lied about the fact that he had copied the work of others. A tenured professor at the University of Toronto who had previously served as the deputy minister of education was taken into custody for writing explicit child pornography and is now expecting to go to trial. Am I the only one who contemplates whether or not the world has gone a little bit insane? Every single one of us exists on a spectrum that is halfway between positive and negative, and we all possess components that are both light and dark inside ourselves. Individuals who acquire significant wealth and power are at risk for developing even more negative qualities and behaviors if they do not have a strong ethical compass to guide them. This is because jobs in the government, finance, military, and corporate leadership all involve power over other people. Every one of us, and particularly our leaders, has the potential to become disoriented. The development of the exterior is given a significant amount of importance in North America. We contemplate the possibility of getting larger living quarters, more powerful automobiles, the next promotion, and a larger paycheck. Our priorities are power, control, prestige, and the acquisition of material goods. Because we place such a strong emphasis on the superficial, it is easy for us to lose sight of what really counts, which is not just being kind and compassionate but also assisting other people and making a difference in the world. We are now in what some people refer to as a communal state of insanity at this point. The manufacture of fast food using the techniques that we now use is harmful to both individuals and the environment. Presently, we are living in a period of global economic collapse. We are becoming more and more reliant on oil, we have seen a significant decline in public trust, and the ecological health of our world is in jeopardy. We are seeing hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, snowstorms, and floods of unprecedented intensity, all of which are worsening our weather patterns. There is a widening gap between the wealthy and the impoverished, there is an increase in the number of food and water crises, and there are more than one billion people hungry. The food supply in other regions of the globe is threatened by natural disasters such as floods and droughts, despite the fact that one billion and a half people are overweight and that half of the food that is produced in North America is wasted. In spite of the fact that we have reached technical brilliance, we have not yet acquired the wisdom or conscience to match it. A quote attributed to Omar Bradley states that “Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical babies.” What are some ways that we may change ourselves from ethical newborns to ethical giants in a manner that is similar to the advancements that we have made in technology? Beginning with our inner selves, we shift our attention away from our outside selves and onto our inner selves. We don’t need more powerful computers, more advanced iPhones, larger homes, or espresso machines that are both smaller and more powerful. All of these are aspects of our life that are beyond our control. Our society need a greater amount of compassion and care, as well as kindness and empathy, wisdom, and improved ethics. The aforementioned are aspects that are internal to our life. The term “me,” “us,” and “all of us” refers to the three main phases that are associated with the development of the human interior, according to developmental psychologists. In the present moment, we are unable to go beyond the “me” stage in North America. More than we care about other people, we are more concerned with ourselves. It is necessary for us to shift our attention away from ourselves and onto other people in order to go to the subsequent stage of our emotional growth. When we start shifting our focus from “me” to “us” and eventually to “all of us,” we reduce the amount of narcissistic behavior we engage in, we improve our capacity to take into consideration more profound and expansive points of view, and we show compassion and concern for everyone. Having reached the “me” stage of development, we are confronted with a significant ethical dilemma. It is of the utmost importance that our governments, legislators, organizations, and educational institutions have leaders who have developed their inner selves and who are able to tap into their hearts in a constant and deliberate manner. In the event that our leaders lack the emotional and intellectual capacity to effectively handle dangerous technologies, what is the point of having access to such technologies? It is of no use to have mayors who are in charge of our cities, directors who are in charge of our school boards, and deputy ministers of education who are in charge of our classrooms if they exhibit a lack of wisdom by engaging in activities such as smoking crack cocaine, plagiarizing the work of others, or allegedly writing child pornography. Despite the fact that everyone of us is responsible for focusing on our own personal growth, it is absolutely necessary for our leaders to undertake the same endeavor. What we need are leaders who are not ethical and moral babies but rather giants in terms of ethics and morality. Leaders are required who are able to continually strive toward building their own inner knowledge and who are able to always act in a manner that is morally sound, even when no one is looking. In addition to leaders who have progressed beyond the “me” stage in their life, we want leaders who consistently show compassion and care for everything they encounter. The development of our materialistic, exterior self has been accomplished to an excellent degree by us. At this point, it is time for us to shift our focus to cultivating our compassionate, inside selves. The next crucial phase in the growth of our society is the development of the human being on the inside, particularly for those who hold leadership positions. In addition to being the author of the book Lotus of the Heart: Reshaping the Human and Collective Soul, Debbie L. Kasman also maintains a blog where she discusses themes that are related to spirituality, education, and female leadership on a weekly basis. Debbie’s blog, which can be found at www.debbielkasman.com, offers readers the opportunity to download a free chapter from her book. You may purchase a copy of her book from anywhere, including BookLocker, Chapters, Amazon, or even your favorite retailer in your neighborhood. Print and electronic book formats (PDF, ePub, and Kindle) are two of the available options.
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