Truth, Beauty and Wealth

Three pursuits have stirred people for millennia. This curation of ideas is connected to a method to advance needed public discourse based on discipline that recognizes a common basic desire to pursue truth, beauty and wealth.

Immigration truth

 Michael Sandel, Harvard University political philosopher, delivered the 2017 LaFontaine-Baldwin lecture on the topic “Does Democracy Have a Future?” It was broadcast on the CBC Program Ideas in Nov 2017. He cites two tendencies at work in western society that threaten democratic ideals. (1) We have become a market society where everything is up for sale. (2) Our public discourse is such that the participants are not listening to each other nor engaging in real argument.

Discuss the important issues

He argues that citizens want to engage big questions of justice, equality, and inequality and are frustrated with politicians who avoid discussing more consequential concerns.

Ayun Halliday, writing about The Hobo Ethical Code of 1889, claims that hoboes prided themselves on their self-reliance and honesty, as well as their compassion for their fellow humans.

1. Decide your own life; don’t let another person run or rule you.
2. When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times.
3. Don’t take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hobos.
4. Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but ensure employment should you return to that town again.
5. When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts.
6. Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals’ treatment of other hobos.
7. When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out, another hobo will be coming along who will need them as badly, if not worse than you.
8. Always respect nature, do not leave garbage where you are jungling.
9. If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help.
10. Try to stay clean, and boil up wherever possible.
11. When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, act like an extra crew member.
12. Do not cause problems in a train yard, another hobo will be coming along who will need passage through that yard.
13. Do not allow other hobos to molest children; expose all molesters to authorities…they are the worst garbage to infest any society.
14. Help all runaway children, and try to induce them to return home.
15. Help your fellow hobos whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday.

David A. Zubik comments that we need to recapture the sacredness of language. It is through words that we express life, that we express all that we love, all that we fundamentally believe. He suggests “Nine Rules for Civility and Integrity for Faith Communities and Everyone Else.” They come from his  experience in ecumenical and interfaith dialogues, from which he has learned much and has formed treasured friendships with faith leaders of other traditions. We can disagree on profound theological and social issues but love what we see in each other’s hearts.

In a healthy, civil dialogue, we listen to one another
Civil conversation presumes that we are each working for the common good
Any civil public discussion recognizes the validity of contending groups in society
Civility shows respect for the person with whom I differ
Civility works for the inclusion of all members of society
Civility distinguishes between facts and opinions
The flip side to this rule is that facts can only take us so far
We should not assume or impugn motives
We must be willing to be self-critical

The audio of the discussion led by Michael Sandel is an example of people of differing views on immigration advancing public discourse to reveal truth to all participants.

References
(2017, November 28). Michael Sandel - CBC. Retrieved June 27, 2018, from https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/why-democracy-depends-on-how-we-talk-to-each-other-michael-sandel-1.4423076
(2016, November 18). The Hobo Ethical Code of 1889: 15 Rules for Living a ... - Open Culture. Retrieved August 22, 2018, from http://www.openculture.com/2016/11/the-hobo-ethical-code-of-1889.html
(2018, June 26). 9 rules for civility from the Catholic tradition | America Magazine. Retrieved June 27, 2018, from https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/06/26/9-rules-civility-catholic-tradition