Elevating Obligations
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Elevating Obligations
This week, I am reflecting on the price of our liberties and the possibility that we are overemphasizing our rights and underemphasizing our obligations.
We all love liberty and freedom. It's an idea central to all human desire. And it also plays a major part in the American psyche. We even greet people coming to our shore on the East Coast with the green Goddess herself: the Statue of Liberty.
The idea of "juxtapositions" or "counterbalance" is, of course, central casting in these posts. There is always "another side" to the story we are told. Given our media landscape, it is easy to ignore or forget the other side. After all, the people who are selling their ideas are clever in their way of making you believe there is no other side. And social media algorithms are also effective bubble enablers sending you only stories you like. Seeking to restore a better balance in our public conversation is of course the purpose of this newsletter. Pursuing Elevation!
In our Constitution, we have certain inalienable rights that we hold dear. They are integral to the success and fabric of both the United States, but also much of the western world as we know it. However, the point I’d like us to examine is the price of these rights.
When argued for, rights are often viewed in isolation. But rights are never just a right. They are the "benefits of belonging". There are no free lunches. There is a price of admission to belonging: our behaviors. We are a collective, a community bound by norms, traditions, and values. Without them, the price of our freedom is diluted and ultimately completely revoked.
Some people have argued that we should put a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast to balance our liberties. Not a bad idea. We certainly need to upgrade our public discourse with more dialogue about what must be done in order to protect our freedoms.
Richard Haass, the President of the Council on Foreign Relations for the past 20 years, has written a new book, called The Bill of Obligations, where he eloquently makes this similar argument that we ought to "balance" our Bill of Rights with another Bill of Obligations. It's a good idea. At least, spiritually (not sure how to do it constitutionally!).
I have listed his 10 suggested obligations with my interpretations of them here:
Be Informed - In order to make better decisions, elect better leaders, and have the government representatives we want, we have to raise our own expectations. To some degree, we get the government we deserve. And the way to get something better is to ask better questions, have higher expectations, and be more informed.
Get Involved - I chose the image of voting as the picture for this post because voting is our right, but it is also an obligation. We can't really have opinions about our leaders if we don't even vote. Writing to your elected leaders, voicing your opinion, and getting involved are critical parts of a healthier democracy.
Stay Open to Compromise - Well, here we have some work to do. The art of leadership is getting something done. And the path forward always involves compromise. As business leaders, we know this. A deal most often settles above where a buyer wants and below where a seller desires.
Remain Civil - This is one of my favorite of Haass’ obligations. Let's stop dehumanizing people just because we don't agree with them. We can be kind, civil, and much more agreeable in our disagreement. George W. Bush said (quoted in the book): “Civility is not a tactic or a sentiment; it is the determined choice of trust over cynicism, of community over chaos.”
Reject Violence - Well, this one may seem rather obvious, but important to state. As Gandhi reminded us: "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind."
Value Norms - Norms are, as Richard Haass says in his book, like the lubricant or scaffolding of society. They are the connective human tissue in our public body.
Promote the Common Good - We live in a very interdependent world and the outcomes of others affect all of us. It can't be stated much better than Martin Luther King Jr's words: “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”
Respect Government Service - We are all guilty (I know I am) of having disbelief in government solutions. But at the same time, there are 25 million people working for our government in various capacities. Many of them are necessary for most people. Whether it is the police, defense, fire, judicial system, infrastructure, or the many other services we all depend on. Yes, we can and should debate efficiency. Can it get done better? Certainly. But his point is that we probably get what we expect and the way to get a better government is to expect more, not less.
Support Teaching of Civics - There is currently an erosion of civic education. These obligations will never be lived by unless we also teach how, why, and what the government is all about.
Put Country First - The point here is, of course, that we all must, often, put our self-interests behind the interest of our country. We don't see this particularly often in our politics today and it is sad.
You can read his entire book here. It's a quick read. I think Richard makes a very good case to "counterbalance" our rights with a set of obligations. Personally, I’ve been disappointed for quite some time that so many conversations about responsibility end up pointing outward. The reality is, we ALL have some level of responsibility for everything. As I have said here many times: things can be my problem even if they are not my fault.
So, any time we get frustrated or concerned with something, the best cause of action is always to consider what you can do. If I can do something, I should. And I should just do it. If I can't or am not willing to, perhaps I should be less frustrated! It's a good way to live.
Have a great week!
