The American Soul and the GOP
As someone called to attune to and heal the soul of the nation, I watched the GOP debate last night, listening for our nation's shadow beliefs and behaviors, as well as the voices of "our better angels".
On the surface, it was clear that DeSantis, Ramaswamy, and Pence are inauthentic wind-up toys spitting out their prepped catch-phrases and zingers, each vying for their niche in the conservative collective unconscious, "Smarter and more effective, with few fucks, Trump" (DeSantis), "Millenial pharmabro, with zero fucks, Trump" (Ramaswamy), and "Christofascist" (Pence).
There was more gravitas and soul in the way Christie and Haley spoke.
The other candidates were shaky and unremarkable, which I take to mean they are also either inauthentic (disconnected from their own souls and the soul of the nation), or hopefully just unskilled in finding the language to express this connection and care.
From the deeper perspective of the nation's soul, what really matters is one moment, and the word choices of Ramaswamy.
This one moment was when the whole field was asked if they'd support Trump as the party's candidate, if he was a convicted criminal and still got the nomination. All but, Hutchinson raised their hand. Half of the field's hands went up immediately, and then one by one morality gave way to political calculus, as DeSantis's hand went up, then Pence, then Christie.
The meaning I take from this is that whatever moral center that Burgum, Haley, Scott, and Ramaswamy have is completely corrupted by their desire for power. After these folks, in order of most corrupted moral center to least is DeSantis, Pence, and Christie. Any of these folks (save Hutchinson) will basically do whatever they need to do in order to appease the MAGA base, whose goal is to destroy democracy and institutionalize our nation's shadows into a white supremacist fascist apartheid.
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Ramaswamy is a narcissistic savant of political theater. He speaks powerfully while reading from his Trumpian / Orwellian playbook, and dog-whistling a racialized civil war into the conservative subconscious. His "truth" platform is a smattering of regurgitated GOP culture war talking points, a clear mismatch for someone who understands more about science and the US Constitution than 95% of the nation. They're all dangerous, but Ramaswamy, if given any power, will abuse it with as much or more abandon as Trump.
Zooming out, a racialized civil war is afoot and will turn from a cold civil war to a hot one sometime between now and 2025, regardless of who gets the nomination or wins the 2024 general election. We need to understand this moment, heal individually and collectively, accept this moment and lead through it.
So here's what there is to do:
1. LEARN: Read about the civil war in "How Civil Wars Start" and how / why it is situated within this moment in our nation's soul journey in "The 4th Turning is Here" and "Hospicing Modernity", as well as our nation's shadows in "Healing America's Narratives", and our nation's journey to soul in "Spiritual Democracy".
2. HEAL and ACTIVATE: Read "The Quaking of America" and begin doing your own trauma work and building skills to notice and release the increasing trauma from our cold and soon to be hot civil war. Also explore soul and shadow work, and men's and women's circles. Find your unique role in the coming decade of dissolution by activating your purpose. You can work 1:1 with one of my colleagues in the Global Purpose Leaders, or join me and Susan Lucci for the Leader Purpose Intensive.
3. LEAD: To ease this 4th turning dissolution, reduce harm, and build the foundation for the next 1st turning (~2032), we have to immediately transform organizational culture. Orgs are the only place where we have the experience of spending time with diverse people united in common purpose. Activate purpose, belonging, empathy and trust via serial peer learning programs. You can DIY with the best practices laid out in chapter 5 of "Purpose Work Nation", or engage Unity Lab or Imperative to accelerate your progress.
Thank you for listening, for all you do to meet this moment as it is, and for all you must and will do going forward.
Alleviating unnecessary suffering for the willing: Cofounder, ParadoxEdge/Fully Human, Professional Certified Coach, & author of "Healing America's Narratives"
1 年Thanks, as always, Brandon, for your thoughtful articulation of things that matter. I essentially agree with your assessment of the debate performers. Stepping back from the nuts and bolts of last night's performance, the debate was a showcase for what Bill Plotkin refers to as our patho-adolescent culture: chronological adults who choose to reduce themselves to eye rolls, finger pointing, and subtle and not so subtle personal insults and digs as they vie for the U. S. presidency. Said differently, they feign authenticity as they adapt their personas in order to be acceptable to voters who have made it clear that they don't want anyone other than Donald Trump to be president. Even Christie caved when he raised his hand in prospective support of the man he vowed to "take on." All of them, and I apologize for the generalization, are, to paraphrase Daniel Schmachtenberger, offering up their best plans for trying to win at the dying game--the game that's also killing everything. They are caught up in what Thomas Merton called "the anonymous authority of the collectivity speaking through [their masks]" and they don't know or refuse to acknowledge that another story, another game, a true authenticity is possible.
Retired musician, singer, author, Assistant Professor, Mi. State University, Associate Professor, Western Mi. University, Founding Partner at Salveo Partners.
1 年I watched as well much to the chagrin of my wife who couldn't stand to. I had very similar responses, most of which centered around thanking whoever or whatever is in charge that none of those people will ever be president of the united states. If I had to rank the least offensive it would certainly have been Nikki Haley. As far as Ramaswami is concerned, there are no words.
Learning and Development -- Senior Advisor
1 年I watched it with a quiet fascination... that when the base of your party loathes the Federal Government and representative democracy in general there's really not much you have to pitch but Civil War. No meaningful programs, insights, visions, plans, goals, dreams, wishes... the most cogent things said last night were from Nikki Haley (on abortion, Ukraine) and yet her party isn't with her and won't be... access to contraceptives? She's out on a limb there. BUT WOW is there an opportunity for someone to come in and unite the party... The Republican Party has to heal itself or this nation really will be in a Civil War. You know my thinking on this... the new Mason Dixon line is going to be the Rocky Mountains. The Pacific Rim will be the center of the world for the next five hundred years... that shift of power has already happened. Any war in the future will just be to confirm that reality.
Leadership Coach l Gender Equity Activist l University Lecturer l PhD Student researching gender and leadership
1 年Wow. Truly frightening Brandon. Thank you for watching so we don't have to! As Canadians, we are watching closely. Our government is even developing plans for if the US takes an even bigger swing over to fascism. I hope people truly hear what you have just shared. This kind of abject loyalty to a 'ruler' was exactly what those that settled in the US were trying to get away from - and here we are - they are just spilling Bud LIght rather than tea...
Purpose Advisor | Executive Facilitator | Speaker | Author
1 年I'm especially interested in your thoughts, Tim Kelley, Jon Eden Khan, David Gruder, PhD, DCEP, Steven Herrmann, Reggie Marra, MA, PCC, Eric Liu, Kristin J. Hansen, Resmaa Menakem