We the People and Cultural Alzheimer’s

As a nation we have come a very long way; unfortunately, we have forgotten who we are and lost our way. We forget that protesting has been part of our culture, and ultimately led us to the revolutionary war. Because of our cultural Alzheimer’s, we are now a nation flooded with emotion and drowning in a tsunami of uninformed opinions.

From 1607 to 1760 people came to America to access resources, to create colonies, build a new life and a new world. There was no such thing as a computer, automobile, airplane, radio, telephone, or television.

In 1765 colonists began to protest the fairness of taxes. It is from the voice of protest that an idea would grow into a new type of government. Something fairer and more just than that of an autocratic monarch. A government of the people, for the people, by the people.

When our nation was formed, there were no political parties, no railroads, or other big businesses. All we had, in the beginning, was people – collaborating, working together to build communities and commonwealth – a term then associated with the results and happiness produced by the collective community.

As "the people" we share certain cultural elements like traditions, customs, and beliefs that frame our social norms and influence our collective behavior.

As individuals, we each exist as distinct entities; unique, not different. We are separate from other people, possessing our own gifts and needs. Because we share interests and values with some, we have an affinity that offers the potential for connection and relationships.

When together we are societies molecules, forming the systems that represent functions of society. We are the molecules that form family systems, community systems, and economic systems – just to name a few.

How does it work if everything about us is unique, including our perspectives, our understanding, and our concept of reality?

It is important to grasp that our understanding is not different – it is unique. We are all born to learn by our common senses of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching. Because we can learn, each of us is an adaptable piece in a really big jigsaw puzzle. Collectively we see the breadth and depth of reality in its entirety.

Though we each bring unique contributions to society, the value to an individual may not be of value to the market; and value to the market may not be of value to the individual. Finding our place in society takes time. Systemic relationships must be found to bring us into the economic system.

More important than time is collaboration. We cannot collaborate if we don’t know how to connect with one another. We cannot connect if we don’t know how to learn and evolve our thinking beyond the limits of common sense.

If we are not ready or willing, to learn, connect and collaborate, we the people will remain lost.