C4Chaos
December 2008 
Zymposium 3: The “Consciousness†in Conscious Capitalism
Posted on Oct 9th, 2007
by 
Brian
Brian
Zymposium 3: The “Consciousness” in Conscious Capitalism.
--> See Julian's intro, Siona's post and Christiana's post <--
So, what shall I write on “conscious capitalism”?
Hmmm…
I have to say I’m much more interested in the “conscious” than the “capitalism.” Capitalism is really only interesting to me b/c, as the dominant economic ideology, it dictates much of how we live. Part of a much longer chat, but, at the root of it, I think it all comes down to how we, as individuals, choose to show up—the higher the level of our own individual consciousness—as both consumers and creators—the higher the level of capitalism we’ll see. (Obviously.)
I will say that I do not think that the idea of capitalism is inherently flawed. I used to, but now I see capitalism as a free market framework that allows me to freely trade with my neighbor. We could get into deep pedantic discussions on the subject, which I find very interesting at times, but usually I like to let Jeff Klein, Michael Strong and John Mackey from FLOW do that arguing for me. (I will say this is worth reading. :)
When Julian (thanks again for your inspiring dedication to your craft and to your commitment to empower others) invited me to play in his 3rd Zymposium (1 and 2), I figured I’d use a piece I wrote for a class I taught on entrepreneurialism (called AreteÌ & The Entrepreneur).
But that didn’t quite seem to fit.
Then I realized I was in a bit of a bind b/c I actually don’t really care that much about business (especially now that I’ve shifted into “student of life” mode) and I definitely don’t enjoy writing “traditional” stuff that much at all. Shit.
Shall I talk about the two roles we play in the conscious capitalism equation? The conscious consumer who votes with every dollar they spend? Or the conscious “earner” who does the work to figure out how to get paid giving their greatest gifts to the world? Or both?
Or, should I just have some fun and share some random ideas and see where it landed?
After a little creative wandering, I figured I’d throw this out there:
As “spiritual” individuals, we have a moral obligation to figure out how to get paid to give our greatest strengths in the greatest service to the world.
Yes I said “moral.” And, I said “obligation.”
Here’s how I arrived at that:
I think we’d all agree that the essence of “being spiritual” is to connect to spirit/source/etc.
I also think we’d agree that the embodiment of that connection, regardless of the road taken to experience it, is love.
And, the outward act of love is service.
So far so good?
So, if I want to live in integrity as a “spiritual” person, I will connect with spirit, live with love, and serve.
Yah?
Now, it’s the 21st century. Capitalism is unquestionably the dominant ideology. If we’re going to function within society, we have a practical need to pay the rent, buy some groceries and do other mundane material things.
Yah?
Now, in my opinion, if we take our spirituality seriously, if I’m going to have any integrity to my spirituality, I need to figure how to get paid to serve.
Fair?
My biggest gripe on this subject is that too many “spiritual” people can’t figure out how they’re going to “fit” into a capitalist society and then project that energy/frustration onto the system rather than into their own deeper self-inquiry. (Reminds me of Tolstoy: “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”) (And, for the record, I speak as an expert on the subject as it was out of this angst that I merged spirituality and capitalism to create Zaadz…so I’m keenly aware of the challenge…)
The next logical question (assuming we’re in essential agreement here), is, How does one figure out how to get paid to use his/her greatest strengths in the greatest service to the world?
THAT is where our moral obligation comes in.
We all need to do our own work to discover our authentic voice. And then, with the support of a community like this, courageously give ourselves to the word.
It’s all part of a much longer chat I wish I could have with each of you and what I’m going to spend the next chunk of my life working on. (See the first wave of the 1,000 “Big Ideas” I’m distilling as I lay the foundation for teaching a 21st century philosophy on optimal living.)
If I may, I’ll close with a random thought:
On Spending vs. Circulating
Why do we say we “spend” money?
That’s insane. “To spend” means “to use up” or “to wear out; exhaust.” It’s totally linear and pays no attention to the beautiful ecology of circulating money.
I don’t know about you, but when I buy a meal at a restaurant or buy a pair of tennis shoes or a new tire for my car, or whatever, I see the INCREDIBLY interconnected ecology of human beings that went into that simple purchase.
Pull the thread from any one of the components of a recent purchase and look at it. Let’s say you go out to eat. So, how’d that soup spoon get there? There are so many connections in that one object, it’s mind-boggling. Let’s give thanks to the person who set it on the table (as well as the person who made the table) and the person who bought it for the restaurant and the person who made the machine that made it and the person who packaged it up and the person who shipped it to the restaurant and the person who built the truck they drove and the person who built the stoplight and fixed the pothole and … and …. and…
That ONE item touched a remarkable number of people.
And what about everything else that went into that evening out?
Staggering.
It’s an infinite interconnected loop and if we took it far enough, that ONE meal comes pretty damn close to touching every person in the world.
So, I joyfully participate in that process with a huge amount of gratitude. And, I think we should call it “circulating” money from now on. :)
Ahem.
…
Julian: Thanks again for the opportunity to share some meandering thoughts.
And, everyone reading: thank YOU for participating in Zaadz and helping me discover my greatest strengths and how I can best give them in the greatest service to the world.
* looks for place for all of us to stand *
Group hug,
-bri
--> See Julian's intro, Siona's post and Christiana's post <--
“Some believe there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the world’s ills – against misery, against ignorance, or injustice and violence. Yet many of the world’s great movements, of thought and action, have flowed from the work of a single man. A young monk began the Protestant reformation, a young general extended an empire from Macedonia to the borders of the earth, and a young woman reclaimed the territory of France. It was a young Italian explorer who discovered the New World, and 32 year old Thomas Jefferson who proclaimed that all men are created equal. ‘Give me a place to stand,’ said Archimedes, ‘and I will move the world.’
These men moved the world, and so can we all.”
~ Robert F. Kennedy, 20th century US political leader
These men moved the world, and so can we all.”
~ Robert F. Kennedy, 20th century US political leader
So, what shall I write on “conscious capitalism”?
Hmmm…
I have to say I’m much more interested in the “conscious” than the “capitalism.” Capitalism is really only interesting to me b/c, as the dominant economic ideology, it dictates much of how we live. Part of a much longer chat, but, at the root of it, I think it all comes down to how we, as individuals, choose to show up—the higher the level of our own individual consciousness—as both consumers and creators—the higher the level of capitalism we’ll see. (Obviously.)
I will say that I do not think that the idea of capitalism is inherently flawed. I used to, but now I see capitalism as a free market framework that allows me to freely trade with my neighbor. We could get into deep pedantic discussions on the subject, which I find very interesting at times, but usually I like to let Jeff Klein, Michael Strong and John Mackey from FLOW do that arguing for me. (I will say this is worth reading. :)
When Julian (thanks again for your inspiring dedication to your craft and to your commitment to empower others) invited me to play in his 3rd Zymposium (1 and 2), I figured I’d use a piece I wrote for a class I taught on entrepreneurialism (called AreteÌ & The Entrepreneur).
But that didn’t quite seem to fit.
Then I realized I was in a bit of a bind b/c I actually don’t really care that much about business (especially now that I’ve shifted into “student of life” mode) and I definitely don’t enjoy writing “traditional” stuff that much at all. Shit.
Shall I talk about the two roles we play in the conscious capitalism equation? The conscious consumer who votes with every dollar they spend? Or the conscious “earner” who does the work to figure out how to get paid giving their greatest gifts to the world? Or both?
Or, should I just have some fun and share some random ideas and see where it landed?
After a little creative wandering, I figured I’d throw this out there:
As “spiritual” individuals, we have a moral obligation to figure out how to get paid to give our greatest strengths in the greatest service to the world.
Yes I said “moral.” And, I said “obligation.”
Here’s how I arrived at that:
I think we’d all agree that the essence of “being spiritual” is to connect to spirit/source/etc.
I also think we’d agree that the embodiment of that connection, regardless of the road taken to experience it, is love.
And, the outward act of love is service.
So far so good?
So, if I want to live in integrity as a “spiritual” person, I will connect with spirit, live with love, and serve.
Yah?
Now, it’s the 21st century. Capitalism is unquestionably the dominant ideology. If we’re going to function within society, we have a practical need to pay the rent, buy some groceries and do other mundane material things.
Yah?
Now, in my opinion, if we take our spirituality seriously, if I’m going to have any integrity to my spirituality, I need to figure how to get paid to serve.
Fair?
My biggest gripe on this subject is that too many “spiritual” people can’t figure out how they’re going to “fit” into a capitalist society and then project that energy/frustration onto the system rather than into their own deeper self-inquiry. (Reminds me of Tolstoy: “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”) (And, for the record, I speak as an expert on the subject as it was out of this angst that I merged spirituality and capitalism to create Zaadz…so I’m keenly aware of the challenge…)
The next logical question (assuming we’re in essential agreement here), is, How does one figure out how to get paid to use his/her greatest strengths in the greatest service to the world?
THAT is where our moral obligation comes in.
We all need to do our own work to discover our authentic voice. And then, with the support of a community like this, courageously give ourselves to the word.
It’s all part of a much longer chat I wish I could have with each of you and what I’m going to spend the next chunk of my life working on. (See the first wave of the 1,000 “Big Ideas” I’m distilling as I lay the foundation for teaching a 21st century philosophy on optimal living.)
If I may, I’ll close with a random thought:
On Spending vs. Circulating
Why do we say we “spend” money?
That’s insane. “To spend” means “to use up” or “to wear out; exhaust.” It’s totally linear and pays no attention to the beautiful ecology of circulating money.
I don’t know about you, but when I buy a meal at a restaurant or buy a pair of tennis shoes or a new tire for my car, or whatever, I see the INCREDIBLY interconnected ecology of human beings that went into that simple purchase.
Pull the thread from any one of the components of a recent purchase and look at it. Let’s say you go out to eat. So, how’d that soup spoon get there? There are so many connections in that one object, it’s mind-boggling. Let’s give thanks to the person who set it on the table (as well as the person who made the table) and the person who bought it for the restaurant and the person who made the machine that made it and the person who packaged it up and the person who shipped it to the restaurant and the person who built the truck they drove and the person who built the stoplight and fixed the pothole and … and …. and…
That ONE item touched a remarkable number of people.
And what about everything else that went into that evening out?
Staggering.
It’s an infinite interconnected loop and if we took it far enough, that ONE meal comes pretty damn close to touching every person in the world.
So, I joyfully participate in that process with a huge amount of gratitude. And, I think we should call it “circulating” money from now on. :)
Ahem.
…
Julian: Thanks again for the opportunity to share some meandering thoughts.
And, everyone reading: thank YOU for participating in Zaadz and helping me discover my greatest strengths and how I can best give them in the greatest service to the world.
* looks for place for all of us to stand *
Group hug,
-bri
“We must be the change we wish to see.”
Mahatma Gandhi, 20th century Indian spiritual & political leader
Mahatma Gandhi, 20th century Indian spiritual & political leader
P.S. What have YOU learned about spirituality and economics that has influenced your life?!!? I'd love to collect some AWESOME lessons here!!! So Share!!! (pretty please :)
Access: PublicTagged with: consciousness, conscious capitalism, julian walker, zymposium, z3, eco business and conscious capitalism, siona van dijk, brian johnson, zaadz, gaiam, thinkarete, c4chaos, tommy rosen, eco gift expo, christiana wyly, green mountian energy, jeff klein, flow, whole foods, environmentalism, spirituality, eco business
YAY BRIAN! Just say YES to moral obligation. I love it. For all the reasons you've mentioned and more, my currect lecture series is called “From Debts to Dollars: Making Spiritual Sense of Your Finances.” After being in banking/finance for 14 years I've seen the many creative ways people have blocked money (abundance) from their lives. And your point is so well taken… Why do people who have such good intentions often block money the most? Time for a shift in thinking, I'd say. Thanks, Brian. Once again you are an inspiration.
~In Abundance,
Katrina
hey katrina:
wow. gave me goosebumps with that post. thank you for your kind words and for your wisdom.
I'd LOVE to hear more about what you teach!!
gah! just lost my add-on comment (user error :).
wanted to say that two books have had a HUGE impact on my consciousness around money:
1. Spiritual Economics by Eric Butterworth. (Quotes here.) This book rocks. HIGHLY recommend it.
2. Science of Getting Rich. (Braces for beat-down from Julian as this book influenced the secret peeps :). This book rocks. Big idea: we have a moral obligation to live at our highest potential; to do that, we need money; therefore, we have a moral obligation to have money. (I actualy recorded this waaaaay back when. (plus: who wouldn't want to read a book by a dod named “wallace wattles”?!!? :)
[er, “dod” = “dood” (15 minute shock clock violation got me on that one :)]
and while I'm comment spamming here, I'd love to reiterate my request from my P.S. :
What have YOU learned about spirituality and economics that has influenced your life?!!? I'd love to collect some AWESOME lessons here!!! So Share!!! (pretty please :)
Brian!
This is beautiful. Of course I would think so; it reflects a bit my own philosophy or understanding or nebulous what-have-you around the relationship of spirituality and money.
Anyway. I do feel the same way about the capitalism side of the equation—if we lived in a predominantly communisitic culture, I feel have no doubt I'd be urging a conscious communisim—and quite similarly about that moral obligation to make a living (to make money) doing what it is you love. To me it's a moral obligation to both oneself (if you don't love yourself, how can you possibly claim to wholly love others?) and to the rest of the world (being a model of this commitment is important, sure, but as important is the fact that the world is waiting for all our gifts. What else are we here for?).
But that's pretty much what you just said. :)
So I'll move on.
You asked about the lessons in spirituality and economics. Damn, boy. That's something I could go on about for hours. Frankly, it took me a looong while to get there, just because I had so much psychological poop to shovel through first. (Thought: is the abundance of The Secret the economic equivalent of spiritual bypass? Interesting…) I had money so bound up with ideas of self-worth and all sorts of other psychological intangibles, like security and freedom and power. It took me working through all that, and finding a place of 'enoughness' in myself first, before I could start looking in a remotely clear-eyed way at a spiritual relationship with economics.
And I'd in no way claim to have sorted that out yet.
This is perhaps a bit of a tangent, but I'm a little less interested in helping others make money (this can be such a treadmill of dissatisfaction unless the relationship to basic needs and belonging needs and needs of self-actualization are met; it's easy, I think, for money to serve as a surrogate) than I am in helping them realize they (or we) have (or are) enough. And I don't mean to insist that this is the case for anyone—if you feel you don't have enough, that's certainly fair!—but only to share that it's made my life more than a little bit wonderful.
I think I discovered this for myself when my own yearly income was four figures, but I suppose it can happen anywhere on the economic ladder. I woke up to the fact that I had enough to eat, and enough to stay warm, and more than enough to survive, and that this, until I died, would always be the case. (Tautological, I know—if I freeze or starve to death I'll obviously not have had enough, but I'm content to wait to worry about that until it actually happens. :) There was such freedom in this, and such security, in that it helped me realize that the work I did was and is my choice. I'm not doing it to prove anything, or to gain security, or to earn my way to 'financial freedom.' I feel I have nothing to prove, and that I'm as secure as I'll ever be (even billionaires run the risk of the economic system collapsing; even wholly self-sufficient, off-the-grid folk risk being overrun by those who'd not “prepared” if some system collapse occurs), and, too, that I'm as free as I'll ever be. I find my life profoundly enjoyable, and sometimes my greatest issue involves understanding that what worked for me might not work for everyone, and just because I've relished this discovery doesn't mean I should assume that others will feel the same.
Also, I know there are objections that could be raised about those that truly don't have enough; those children who might be dying of hunger in other countries, or the millions of homeless in the United States. Perhaps I should be expending more of my energy making sure that these people are taken care of first, before running around reminding those of us who don't need to worry about where our next meal is coming from how fortunate we are. I'm not sure how to answer that, but I'll acknowledge it, at the least.
In any case, this is getting long and I'm getting a bit self-conscious, so take my own shared lesson for what it's worth, and we'll see where the rest leads.:)
brian! this is inspired, inspiring, boldly stated and eloquent.
i will have a look at the thinkarete piece in a moment here,, but i have a question not dissimilar from the one i asked siona:
it has to do with a working definition of what conscious capitalism is and with the third (and i think biggest) wheel in the mechanism you guys are invoking - the capitalist.
so far both of you have mentioned our process as both worker (follow your bliss/integrity and get paid to serve) and as consumers (vote with your dollars) but this is still just one side of the “capitalism” equation” and isn't what this group in particular specializes in oriented around conscious business practices so that the capitalist - the producer of goods, the ceo the big business tycoon can become a force for positive change by making their biz model and their intentions conscious?
i sense that this has somethig to do with realizing that/figuring out how to have earth-friendly/people friendly practices and choices turn out to actually be the most profitable with regard to an integral bottom line - but also, in the long run. with regard to sustainable profits….
anyway i look forward to your next chapter and to having a go at the science of getting rich! :O)
GAH!! just lost my second comment today accidentally clicking on a link I thought I was right clicking with my new mac and it opened the window in the same tab and shitzbah! comment gone.
I begin anew. :)
first, thanks for the personal compliment you gave me by deciding to read science of getting rich. hehe. :)
ok.
you say, it has to do with a working definition of what conscious capitalism is and with the third (and i think biggest) wheel in the mechanism you guys are invoking - the capitalist.
so far both of you have mentioned our process as both worker (follow your bliss/integrity and get paid to serve) and as consumers (vote with your dollars) but this is still just one side of the “capitalism” equation”
(Don't you hate when already said something so well and then you delete it and need to try to re-capture the magic of your prior flow!!? Breathe… :)
So, I think this is a common misperception. to think that only the “capitalist” (that evil bastard!) plays on the capitalist side of the equation is totally missing the power of the consumer and the worker. the fact is that the capitalist simply DOES NOT exist without either the consumer or the worker. I stop buying your shit? you're out of biz. I stop working for you? ditto. We abdicate WAY too much responsibility to that greedy “capitalist” methinks. (and the ceo wouldn't fit into your def of “capitalist” unless he also invested capital…)
Mises is a must-read if you want more on this. (Get the book. It's a REALLY quick read…)
Steps down from soap box.
thoughts?
thanks, brian. great thoughts. i especially like “circulating vs. spending”.
another great aspect of circulation is that rather than implying a consumeristic hype of cheap throw-away junk, it rather implies a market in which the products themselves are circulatable. products that can be reused or recycled rather than just thrown away- for if the boughten product is simply discardable, then the circulation is an illusion.
“I think I discovered this for myself when my own yearly income was four figures, but I suppose it can happen anywhere on the economic ladder. I woke up to the fact that I had enough to eat, and enough to stay warm, and more than enough to survive, and that this, until I died, would always be the case.”
This was the case for me, also. A turning point of, “oh. I guess that didn’t matter after all!”
Hugs your way, sir.
“I'd LOVE to hear more about what you teach!!”
Thanks, Brian! I love working with people around finances. I guess that is why I got into banking and finance even though my BA is in English and my MS is in Communications. Go figure.
I became a fully licensed stock-broker/investment advisor about 12 years ago and have been fascinated by the people that have come to me for advice. I have helped thousands of people both directly, as their advisor, and indirectly ,as a regional manager to hundreds of other advisors. And over the years, the stories don't change a whole lot.
One of the biggest obstacles to having wealth (or enjoying it if you already have it) is a lack of self-worthiness. On some level people don't think they deserve it and shouldn't have it. When I coach people on this issue, we often find that unblocking the money “stuff” helps unblock so many things in their lives.
Another “new age” blocker of wealth is the phrase that “money doesn't really mean anything.” I'm not sure which came first, the chicken or the egg, here. Either these people truly don't believe that money means anything and so they don't have it. Or they don't have it and so they say it is meaningless so they feel better. After all, who wants something meaningless in their lives. Whatever the reason, this phrase is toxic.
And yet another HUGE blocker of wealth is the accumulation of junk in our lives. This junk is a form of abundance and when I point this out to people they very often have an AHAA moment. If you are praying for abundance, then guess what… you already have it. Yes it may be tons of crap that has accumulated in your garage/basement/attic/living room/office. But, whether you like it or not it is a form of abundance. So clean out the crap and make room for true wealth.
And my final point (for this blog comment anyway) is the idea that money circulates, as you mentioned in your blog. You need to give to receive. It flows like water. On this topic I do a powerful meditation with the analogy of the ocean as a source of abundance.
I could go on and on, but these are a few of the major points I work on with people. Thank you for asking Dod… I mean Dood. : )
Wishing you a beautiful and abundant day!
Katrina
Great discussion!
My two cents about the capitalist like Julian raised the question. The amount of money that we do not spend on goods and services we save. And this we can invest (or let other people to invest it on our behalf - for example, your bank) in order to build new goods and services. So, if you look carefully you will see that everyone has all these roles: worker, consumer and capitalist and typically we are all of those, partially, all the time!
No new goods or services come available if no one is building them. Nor any business will flourish if there are no consumers or workers. Like Brian elegantly pointed out we are dependent on each other and the society works because so many of us are contributing and making the production of goods and services available.
I tried to comment but errored and lost it…. Brian, we have the same thing going on… reformulating… :) more coming….
For now…
This is from my lovely partner…
I loved the bit about the restaurant and the spoon. My consciousness has been much like that lately. Whenever we've flown for the last year or so I've always started the flight by visioning and giving gratitude to every single person that made that particular flight possible…all along the line…on all levels…and it's brought me to tears before. The recognition of each one's contribution to a given moment is absolutely mind boggling…how can we even consider to ponder for a single second that what we do or don't do does or does not matter…in the Universal spectrum it's all revealed and brilliant in its display! When we bring that kind of consciousness to any situation…when we go beyond what seemingly lies right before us and reach into the depths of its entire creation we're blown away by the interconnectedness and the RELATIONSHIP with the all that we experience in every/any given moment. Feelin' the LOVE of our brothers and sisters planet wide…giving gratitude for the ALL.
The amount of money that we do not spend on goods and services we save. And this we can invest (or let other people to invest it on our behalf - for example, your bank) in order to build new goods and services. So, if you look carefully you will see that everyone has all these roles: worker, consumer and capitalist and typically we are all of those, partially, all the time!
Peter: BRILLIANT distinction. Thank you.
…
another great aspect of circulation is that rather than implying a consumeristic hype of cheap throw-away junk, it rather implies a market in which the products themselves are circulatable. products that can be reused or recycled rather than just thrown away- for if the boughten product is simply discardable, then the circulation is an illusion.
David: love that point. McDonough's ”cradle to cradle” concept really inspires me here.…
Katrina: Dod! that comment rocked. :) MORE MORE MORE, please. this is a great place for you (and others) to share your ideas. Please share. :)
Mark: beautiful… I, too, have been brought to tears with gratitude feeling into the stunning connections…
a ritual of mine is to pause for a moment before paying any bill or buying anything and do a quick relection on the gratitude for everyone it took for me to have the opportunity to participate in the transaction…sometimes it's for a second, others it's an entire meditation…
in gratitude for your partner's beatiful post,
-bri
Brian: just plain Mises and Rothbard :-)
i hear that brian - and definitely agree - i am not postualting an “evil bastard” - though of course in reality there are plenty. in reality there are also folks with tons of cash and big businesses who are philanthropic and actively working to use heir privilege for the good…
i am merely asking for a rounding out of the equation and am pointing out that technically capitalism means something like the use of capital to create more via a profit-centered enterprise. our side of the equation viz work and consumption is still only one side - and it is a small percentage of the world that can experience the choices your are pointing out.
we cannnot afford to ignore the critique of capitalism and the realities of exploitation that have been part of it's legacy if we are to attempt a meaningful transformation of it's meaning.
as i alluded to above, i think we also cannot pretend that the two (beautiful and important) things we are already talking about viz: following your bliss and voting with your dollars are to a large extent middle and upper middle class luxuries that most of the planet does not share - why? because they have no capital!
so is the construct that the middle and upper middle class inhabitants of the western world and a tiny percentage of the rest of the plkanet can transform/revolutionize:
a) the inherent and undeniable problems of uncontrolled capitalism and amoral exploitation of cheap labor, sweat shop etc
b) the envoironmental damage done say by multinational companies that we dont even realize we are supporting or whom we are de facto dependent upon with very few if any alternatives
c) the wars being waged to protect capital on behalf of the billionaires
i certainly think there is some merit to this position but i think i am hoping that someone will flesh it out more once the feel-good rhetorical framework has been established.
i am very interested in the thoughts of you all !
The relationship of the capitalist must be in harmony with the worker and the consumer to be successful. The 3 are integral, all part of the whole.
capitalist
worker
consumer
The evolution of consciousness in business asks us how can we serve and be in abundance for the greatest service to the world.
As “spiritual” individuals, we have a moral obligation to figure out how to get paid to give our greatest strengths in the greatest service to the world.
YES!
I ask myself this continually, how can I be in serve and fully in abundance… and Juilan, I AM the capitalist, the worker and the consumer. :)
“The yoga we practice is not for ourselves alone, but for the Divine; its aim is to work out the will of the Divine in the world, to effect a spiritual transformation and to bring down a divine nature and a divine life into the mental, vital and physical nature and life of humanity. Its object is not personal Mukti, although Mukti is a necessary condition of the yoga, but the liberation and transformation of the human being. It is not personal Ananda, but the bringing down of the divine Ananda – Christ's kingdom of heaven, our Satyayuga – upon the earth.”- Sri Aurobindo
love it, mark.
Julian: Good points that need to be addressed (not sure in this post and/or by me, but …)
I'm just going to shine the light on a subtle energy here:
i hear that brian - and definitely agree - i am not postualting an “evil bastard” - though of course in reality there are plenty. in reality there are also folks with tons of cash and big businesses who are philanthropic and actively working to use heir privilege for the good…
[take out the (what I believe to be) exceptions of corporate bastards and] your comment presupposes that the simple act of creating the wealth wasn't a positive contribution to society–that they need to make up for the evil bastardness by being “nice”/philanthropic AFTER acumulating the wealth. I would posit that the not so simple act of creating a fortune that then enabled them to be philanthropic was an INCREDIBLY positive conribution to society to which we all benefited…
peter: nice. what do i need to read by rothbard?
And my final point (for this blog comment anyway) is the idea that money circulates, as you mentioned in your blog. You need to give to receive. It flows like water. On this topic I do a powerful meditation with the analogy of the ocean as a source of abundance.
Katrina, thanks so much for these words!
I see money as energy… as flow in a system. As someone who's lived sorrounded by the ocean on one of the most remote land masses on the world the ocean is truly abundant and continually flowing. To be with the abunance of the ocean is transforming.
As we flow and share we are abundant.
Brian: You will love him. Just type 'Rothbard' on http://books.zaadz.com/books/search and you will get the essentials :-)
http://books.zaadz.com/133885/man_economy_and_state_with_power_and_market/by_murray_n_rothbard
http://books.zaadz.com/133887/the_ethics_of_liberty/by_murray_newton_rothbard_hans-hermann_hoppe
http://books.zaadz.com/133886/an_austrian_perspective_on_the_history_of_economic_thought/by_murray_rothbard
http://books.zaadz.com/12759/americas_great_depression/by_murray_n_rothbard
Just some picks but he's huge: http://www.mises.org/about/3249
The challenges of capitalism exist… and are not to be overlooked….
and I have a hard time relating to business as good or evil at all. I truly believe that the vast majority of people in the set out to make positive contributions to the world. The challenge is not getting stuck in limited doing and limited beliefs. The opportunity is to expand in doing / action from I to greater and greater WE.
Enjoying the flow here, I would like to play with how we can go from conscious capitialism to transformational economics. Anyone interested in sharing?
absolutely brian i totally agree that the creative act of engaging in the world, providing jobs, prospering by participating in the circulation of wealth, goods and services is POSITIVE. absolutely.
i was merely contrasting the archetype you evoked of the stereotypical evil capitalist with one of a capitalist who recognizes their privilege and strives to spread the wealth around and do good in the world.
also let us not forget that not every wealthy capitalist is a successful creative entrepreneur, many if not most come from backgrounds where the possibility of success and wealth was to a certain extent predetermined by their privilege.
the tricky part in merging spirituality and economics lies in avoiding the tendency to self-satisfyingly claim some spiritual superiority from a level of privilege that amounts mostly to a throw of the dice. difficult philosophical connundrum…
i am still longing for a definition of conscious capitalism that is well-situated with regard to the historical context of the word capitalism and it's acknowledged imperfections.
anyway just stirring the pot in the interest of fleshing this stuff out!
best
~julian
This is one way to see the overall picture and especially if we are talking about voluntary cooperation between people based on responsibility.
I know those will extend and maybe go a bit beyond the discussion but after all economics is about society and how it functions. Currently we have mixed economies tangled by politics.
thanks for sharing your thoughts, Brian.
“My biggest gripe on this subject is that too many “spiritual” people can’t figure out how they’re going to “fit” into a capitalist society and then project that energy/frustration onto the system rather than into their own deeper self-inquiry.”
haha. that is one of my biggest gripes too :)
and i like your take on the two roles that we play in conscious capitalism: the conscious consumer and the conscious earner.
the conscious earner, i can relate to (thanks to you for hiring me on Zaadz! :)) but i admit that i'm still working on the conscious consumer part. most of the time, i'd still go for convenience and price since saving up on moolah is my top priority