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Introduction
Perhaps you have heard of the concept of 6 degrees of separation. This view holds that we are all six, or fewer, social connections away from each other.
A core belief here at Revolution 2.0™ is that if we are more than 2 degrees of separation away from actively participating in researching and implementing the solutions to the mounting issues our society, our nation faces, that we not doing all that we can to make a difference. And, no, being smarter or more strident than others on social media does not count. Neither does hanging out and agreeing with people you already agree with count. Even individual voting by itself does not do all that much to drive change. Voting every 2 years is a responsibility, assuming that you are a well researched, well informed voter. But still not likely to move the needle to any significant degree.
It takes finding common goals, doing the deep research into all sides of the issues to look for the most pertinent facts, then applying non agenda-based reasoning to those facts to achieve those common goals in order to move our country forward. We need to do this ourselves as the main thing we do politically. Then work with others. Working with others is 1 degree of separation. And work with those people to influence yet another set of participants, for example, politicians, school boards, bureaucracies, organized groups, etc. That’s 2 degrees of separation.
That is the subject of today’s 10-minute episode.
Continuing
Part of our unique and exceptional role in America is to know what we are talking about and to act on that knowledge. Know your stuff, then act on it. Knowing your stuff without acting is empty; acting without knowing is dangerous.
Question. So, Will, how do we get involved? How do we participate in a way that makes change? By that I mean change for the better, Will. Answer. How do you get anything done? Here are the steps.
At Revolution 2.0™, we start the process by finding the common goals related to to the myriad and divisive issues facing all of us, then looking for the related facts. Courts call facts like these evidence, so perhaps we should have some court-like standards for judging what is a fact and what isn’t. For example, is the, “Hands up, don’t shoot.” mantra based in fact, or is it simply an incendiary rallying cry? The same goes for, “Lock her up.” Both positions assume that the facts supporting the two positions are known and valid. Remember, just because we saw something on TV, the Internet, or heard it from someone we know does not mean that there is any truth to it at all. Increasingly sources are either biased or, well, completely full of it. We have to dig for the facts, dig for the truth. And dig into multiple and diverse sources. Then we need to apply those now determined facts using non agenda-based reasoning to achieve the common goals.
None of this needs to take a major amount of additional time; much of it is simply a matter of thinking differently. And we are certainly not taking any real risks. No, we will not make everyone happy with our thoughts and positions. Let’s pause to listen to Steve Jobs, founder of Apple and Pixar. “If you want to make everyone happy, don’t be a leader, sell ice cream”. Having people disagree with us can be uncomfortable, but it is not risky.
On the other hand, the Founders, Revolution 1.0, were declared traitors by the British Crown, and their lives were forfeit if caught. We risk very little by stepping up and participating in Revolution 2.0™. In fact, we risk our futures if we don’t. I am inviting you, recruiting you, to join Revolution 2.0 today. Join with me in using what we know how to do–what we know we must do–to everyone’s advantage. Let’s practice thinking well of others as we seek common goals, research the facts that apply to those goals, and use non agenda-based reasoning to achieve those goals together.
Let’s continue to build on the revolutionary vision that we inherited. Read the blog, listen to the podcast, subscribe, recruit, act. Here’s some of what I mean by “acting.”
The key here is to do something constructive, and be consistent.
Today’s Key point: The main ingredients to success at Revolution 2.0 are common goals, common sense and uncommon people. Uncommon people; that’s you.
Segueing from the specifics of today’s topic to overall principles, the core, driving principles at Revolution 2.0, are:
And do it all in love; without love, these are empty gestures, destined to go nowhere and mean nothing.
If we apply those two core principles, personal responsibility and brother’s keepers, simultaneously, never only one or the other, we will always be on the right path. Depending upon what we face, one principle or the other may appropriately be given more emphasis, but they are always acted upon together.
Revolution 1.0 in 1776 was built by people talking to other people, agreeing and disagreeing, but always finding ways to stay united and go forward. Revolution 2.0 will be built the same way.
Join me. Join the others. Think about what we are talking about and share these thoughts and principles with others. Subscribe, encourage others to subscribe. Act. Let’s grow this together.
And visit the store. Fun stuff, including hats, mugs and t-shirts. Recommend other items that you’d like to see.
Links and References
America’s Unqualified Voters (EP. 89)
Contact
As we get ready to wrap up, please do respond in the episodes with comments or questions about this episode or anything that comes to mind, or connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. And you can subscribe on your favorite device through Apple Podcasts, Google, or Stitcher.
Remember: Know your stuff, then act on it. Knowing your stuff without acting is empty; acting without knowing is dangerous.
Will Luden, coming to you from 7,200’ in Colorado Springs.
