"The truth that for our life one law is valid -- the law of love, which brings the highest happiness to every individual as well as to all mankind." This is what Leo Tolstoy wrote and the contents of this letter eventually ended up in the hands of a certain Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
Where there is love there is life. Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend. Our human compassion binds us the one to the other -- not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future. In order of appearance, the first quote is of Gandhi, the second of Martin Luther King, Jr and the third of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Philosopher Baruch Spinoza said: "Men who are governed by reason -- that is, who seek what is useful to them in accordance with reason, desire for themselves nothing, which they do not also desire for the rest of mankind, and, consequently, are just, faithful, and honorable in their conduct."
According to philosopher Confucius the three recognized moral qualities of men are wisdom, courage and compassion. From Gabby Young's We're All In This Together to Bob Marley's One Love. Love is the message and the message is love.
If business true aim is to exist for the better use and in service of all humans and whole humankind it has to be based on what the Dalai Lama calls warm-heartedness. Under the guidance of the Dalai Lama there's a global commitment to create secular ethics. Something all people can connect and relate to and which binds us all, whether one is religious or not. In my view, it is one of the necessary building blocks to get to the ultimate goal of global compassion. In his newest book on this topic professor emeritus of psychology Paul Ekman even proposes that a compassionate act can generate a feeling of joy. Ekman further suggests that being compassionate supports a positive view of oneself, a sense of wellbeing and purpose. It is my believe that feeling compassion and love is essential for connection with yourself, others and with what I call the universe and someone else might call god. The multiple bridge between multiple different worlds. For me everything is connected by the law of love and compassion.
Since I realized the above, the advice of Sir Richard Branson not to do something you do not enjoy makes even more sense to me. Peter Lacy, managing director of Accenture Sustainability Services, Asia Pacific, stated that we need to reframe the sustainability debate. I totally agree. Please watch his thought-provoking talk on finding a true north for a sustainable economy. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the IMF, said: "At the end of the day, when the global economy is more inclusive, the gains are less elusive.
The market is more effective, and a better future -- for everyone -- is more likely." The B Team, a cooperation between global business leaders, believes the world is at a critical crossroads. And that global business leaders need to come together to advance the wellbeing of people and the planet. In his newest book The Age of Culture D. Paul Schafer writes the following on creating a new corporate ideology:
The key to creating this new corporate ideology lies in crossing the threshold from the economic age to a cultural age. In a cultural age, corporations would serve human, social, and environmental functions, as well as economic ones. Clearly, corporations will always be needed to produce the goods and services that are required to satisfy people's needs, fuel economic growth, stimulate consumption and investment activity, and power industrial and technological development. However, in a cultural age they would also be expected to play a major cultural role, through a careful balancing of commercial and cultural objectives, especially in the communities, cities, regions, and countries in which they function.
Schafer also declares that the essentials for a cultural age should be conservation, cooperation, education, the arts, learning, friendship, human love, spirituality, the quest for excellence, beauty, creativity, and equality, and the need for free expression. But, how does one begin to translate this to the day-to-day activities in our society? American Secretary of State, John Kerry, is one of the great inspirational leaders making a giant leap forward in this renaissance-movement. And he's welcoming everybody to come on board this inclusive train to a glorious future for the whole world family. Jean-Luc Picard would and should be proud.
The next generations are stepping up to the plate. The just held Our Ocean Conference is a fantastic example of this. It was hosted by Kerry, and is a crucial first step in transforming politics to the needs of the 21st century. Apparently, the next item on the constructive agenda of our global coordinator, John Forbes Kerry, is to engage the greatest international thinkers to jointly create a world energy policy for our shared future and prosperity. Kerry is talking about us all and about the coming generations. He's looking for and trying to find a common approach to a shared problem. John Legend in his commencement speech on love preached profoundly: "When you actually care about something, you want to lead. Apathy is not so cool anymore." It is said. It is written. Amen!
Listen to the many different ways in which the voices of all the times speak to you. And decide for yourself.