Transform the System: A 10-Step Guide (Part One)

Transform the System: A 10-Step Guide (4/25/12 Draft)

By Wade Hudson

Preamble

The following guide offers ideas for how to grow a network of holistic communities that serve the whole person and help transform our social system. Anyone is welcome to use and/or modify this proposal for the development of a “Social Transformation Network,” which is the tentative name proposed for this project.

I do not plan to organize this project myself, but would like to participate if and when the opportunity presents itself. The latest draft of this document will always be on the Web at:
http://progressiveresourcecatalog.org/index.php/Transform/Home .

Introduction

Humanity faces a turning point. Modern society produces ever more inequality, insecurity, limited opportunity, corruption, self-centeredness, social isolation, materialism, cutthroat competition, environmental damage, and a host of other problems.

The economy could collapse like a house of cards and rising seas could occupy Wall Street permanently. Life as we know it is at stake.

To prevent disaster, massive numbers of concerned individuals must learn how to work together in small groups and large movements to correct the problems we confront. The proposal presented here is based on the conclusion that our best option is to transform the root cause of our crisis – our social system – by advancing fundamental, comprehensive, and systemic social transformation.

Would you like to participate in a joyous, holistic community whose members nurture the whole person, spread contagious happiness, cultivate caring friendships, foster personal growth, engage in effective political action, do life together, eat together, play together, commune with Mother Nature together, and thereby demonstrate the kind of society we seek – while recognizing that many members might have only a few hours a week to contribute directly to the community?

Would you like to do more to influence public policy but aren’t sure how? Might you for example want to participate several times a year in a public forum with one of your elected officials to listen, learn, and express your opinion?

If so, you may want to join the Social Transformation Network.

Our mission is to help transform our society into a compassionate community dedicated to the well being of all humanity.

Our primary methods include:

• Evolutionary revolution;
• The Gandhi-King three-fold path;
• Deep nonviolence;
• The Charter for Compassion;
• The Contract for the American Dream;
• The Be the Change Pledge, and;
• A monthly dinner meeting.

If you already belong to a politically active organization, you may want to invite fellow members (and/or the organization itself) to form a Social Transformation Network home-based team that uses this guide (and helps improve it).

If you already belong to a spiritual community or some other non-profit organization that is prohibited from political activity, you may want to invite fellow members to form a home-based team and engage in joint political activity informally.

If you don’t belong to any such organization, you may want to invite friends and relatives to form an informal, home-based team affiliated with the Social Transformation Network.

If you’re unable to recruit others to join a home-based team, you may want to participate in our online community (and perhaps eventually find others with whom you can interact in person).

In this way, we can work together to build the social transformation movement.

This guide is offered to assist your efforts. It is not a blueprint to be followed precisely. We don’t expect everyone to totally agree with every word. We encourage each home-based team to modify this guide as you see fit and report on your efforts.