Reflections on "Re-establishing Expectations"

Autonomy & Goodness

Current attitudes emphasizing self-interest might suggest that associating autonomy with goodness is far-fetched. THEE investigations, however, regard self-interest as intrinsic to goodness, and itself an ethical obligation. See more in Ch.6 of Working with Values.

The association of autonomy with goodness is particularly apparent in the framework for producing goodness (RsH") which oscillates between a focus on self and a focus on goodness. All of the mantras of self-control that provide for inner strength can be associated more or less closely with levels in the emergent framework of PH-L6s.

G"21: Do What You Love relates to your identifications-KL2 and your work paradigm-KL3.

G"22: Reach the Truth relates to respect meaning-KL7 and perhaps representing the situation-KL6.

G"23: Give an Account relates to representing the situation-KL6, as well as to explaining judgements-KL5.

G"24: Be of Service relates to your professional principles-KL3.

G"25: Stay the Course relates to learning-KL4 as you go, especially from set-backs.

G"26: Accept Reality relates to participating-KL4 (because you must even if no one else does); and perhaps also to choices-KL1.

Ideological Movements in Society

Society is often unjust and its institutions favor powerful elites. In bringing about change, this framework is often used. Those who are committed to particular ideologies (e.g. libertarianism, socialism) are energized by that identification-KL2.

Meanings that accord with their views are respected, others are subject to a sustained argument or dismissed as thinking wrongly. They appeal to others to make a similar identification and hope that many in society will learn-KL4 the value of the new values.

Ideological leaders impose their picture of what is bad in society-KL6 and encourage formation of community groups where everyone is able to give their accounts-KL6. Using group facilitation techniques, the leaders explain their judgements-KL5 of what is going on and examine alternative judgements-KL5 offered by group members, official authorities, or those adhering to different ideologies.

Acceptability (KL3) of these movements is often weak, because insistence on their own ideology-KL3Y is allowed to dominate the other paradigms that society requires-KL3S. Indeed, viability of social functioning is much less of a preoccupation than triumph of the preferred ideology. The movement organizers look to people to make choices whenever and wherever they can in order to forward the ideology.

Society is not an organization. It cannot be designed, even by libertarians, without infringements of personal freedom. Ideologists regard individual autonomy as an obstacle to their dreams. Their solution is often to alter mindsets so that people willingly become subservient. To enable this, application of this framework may be supported by using the framework constructed from PH-L3s, which enables propaganda.

Initially posted: 20-Sep-2013.