Meliorism

The belief that the world can be made better by human effort.

Meliorism - believing that the world can be made better by you and me.

What effort would make your life better?

When I ask myself this question my mind goes to one of two places - internal or external.

A few internal (in your control) life improving things come to mind.

Here are the top few (that might also be true for You too):

• Better Relationships

• Better Health (This includes mental health, grit, perspective & decisions)

• More Income (or Power/Agency to Influence things)

• And improving the process - learning, optimizing, training…

The quality of your life ultimately depends on the quality of your contributions—how well you harness your energy to create value.

The list of external things that could improve life - unfortunately - mine keeps getting longer.

One danger of hearing my list, or constantly listening to the biggest external challenges in other people's lives - is they can distract you from making progress on positively impacting the thing you feel the most passion for.  (Unless they share the passion for your thing - then you can collaborate).

What is your top external challenge you want to influence towards resolving?

I am sad to admit I shut down. 

I didn’t see an obvious way to fix the things I saw as problematic in the world.  I couldn’t find a holistic solution that would improve people's socio-economic status, health, relationships, peace, and access to better data that would improve all the decisions people make. The attempts I made felt so small, volunteering, leading and teaching, working in government… And in comparison to the size of the issues I wanted to shift, my efforts felt like a drop in the ocean. I did have one insight that feels very important.

Building improves more than destroying.  It’s about creating pathways, not just removing obstacles.

I am not saying that a Doctor shouldn’t remove a malignant cancer - what I am saying is that building your health before, during and after the surgery may have a bigger positive impact than the destruction of cancer.  It was the constitution, not the revolution, that influenced the 1780’s USA to grow and thrive.

What actions could you take - even if they are small - that might positively influence the challenge you want to see made better?  

Please note - if you are very angry and can vote in the US and want to radically change things - there is a clause in the constitution that would allow you to peacefully do so.  The challenge then would be to create a majority agreement on the constitution you want to replace the old one with.  So why not start there - how could you create a groundswell of agreement on a few things that matter even to people that disagree with you on most positions? 

True collaboration emerges when contrasting perspectives harmonize into solutions that resonate across groups with conflicting interests.

In the spirit of collaboration and improvement, it's important to acknowledge the roadblocks we'll inevitably face. As we endeavor to foster change, the path is rarely smooth. It's filled with challenges that test our resolve and commitment. Here's what I've learned from my experiences:

Maintaining Momentum Through Challenges

When I started on this path to forge new ways of living, I quickly learned that change isn’t always welcomed with open arms. Every step forward seemed to attract criticism—sometimes even from unexpected corners. I’ve come to realize that this resistance is a natural part of pioneering meaningful change.

In my journey, the headwinds of dissent have often been strong, but they’ve taught me the resilience to keep pushing.

It’s crucial for you to keep moving forward. In the beginning - planting the seed and germinating growth - protecting the early ideas from criticism - and insulating from intolerance allow for enough ideas & momentum to be generated to overcome and collaborate with future challenges.

Ensure that as you develop you have a space where disagreements and critiques can be aired safely without derailing your progress. Remember, you’re not just dismissing criticism; instead, you're listening to it, learning from it, and using it to sharpen your strategies. This isn’t about rejecting all feedback, but about recognizing which pieces can truly refine your approach and lead to substantial improvements.

Staying true to your mission while being flexible in your methods is essential. It means you should stay attentive to various voices, especially those quiet, innovative whispers that might initially seem to be hiding on the sidelines. This proactive stance helps you not just react to challenges but anticipate and adapt to them.

"Change is constant, and managing it requires keeping your goals in clear sight while adapting your tactics along the way." - Alfred North Whitehead

By embracing both persistence and adaptability, you ensure that your efforts are robust. You’re opening doors to insights that not only withstand but thrive under scrutiny, setting the stage for long-lasting and inclusive success.

How could you collaborate and work WITH people that disagree with you - or don’t view the world as you do?

In my early 20’s I went to Germany and I found a piece of the Berlin wall being sold.  It had the graffiti of a heart on it.  The contradictions of the piece inspired me.  The declaration of love of a daring graffiti artist on a wall meant to divide people.  The wall was broken by people seeking to better the human condition.  The fact that the rubble of the destruction could be seen as art by me.  I like this because it embodies the evolution of perspectives and includes the symbolism of opposing views.  

Every challenge you face becomes an opportunity to refine & improve your approach to life and its multitude of complexities.

I want you to know - that the big issue you want to improve - is worth your effort, and so are the internal aspects of your life.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve your health, get more sleep, or make enough to live on from your work.  In fact, it is a luxury to even consider bigger issues.  Because I found a way to have that luxury and consider not just how to improve my own life - but how my investment of time could influence the improvement of others - I feel a responsibility.  

I want to collaborate with other meliorists - to work to make it possible for more people to join in the efforts of improving our shared lives.

How could we collaborate to improve your life?