Sunday, May 08, 2011
Transforming Values
Indigenous philosophers always speak of transforming dominant society values as the path to reconciliation. Perhaps the most sacred of indigenous values is generosity.
What gets lost in translation is that indigenous generosity is not the same as dominant society philanthropy. In philanthropy, a portion of what was gained through greed is given to those cheated out of a decent life. Indigenous generosity means abandoning greed in all relations.
Collectives, cooperatives, and communal societies already operate from this principle; if dominant society transforms its values to conform with it, such misanthropic behavior as we see on Wall Street or in the World Bank will no longer be tolerated.
What gets lost in translation is that indigenous generosity is not the same as dominant society philanthropy. In philanthropy, a portion of what was gained through greed is given to those cheated out of a decent life. Indigenous generosity means abandoning greed in all relations.
Collectives, cooperatives, and communal societies already operate from this principle; if dominant society transforms its values to conform with it, such misanthropic behavior as we see on Wall Street or in the World Bank will no longer be tolerated.
