Our Purpose
We are joining together to create and sustain a movement dedicated to the pragmatic promotion of world-views that lead to the universal survival and well-being of humanity through compassion and intellect. Or simply to, advocate The Framework.
The Framework
It is obvious that no organization, civic, religious, or commercial is capable of defining the needs and controlling the actions of the whole human race, though there are those that believe they can and should. On the other hand there are those that believe that if we all act in our own self-interest or the best interest of a family or other small group that some magic will happen and all will work out for the best. This Movement has no such delusions. What we can and have done is to define, an extremely simple yet very broad framework to test ideas and actions against. Those ideas and actions that fit within the framework are recognized as being good for mankind and should be encouraged, or at least investigated and tested. Those ideas and actions that are outside of it are to be held as highly suspect and dangerous. This framework is critical in two areas; It will be the guiding principle within The Movement proper. And it will be the primary paradigm we will foster, in one form or another, across the globe.
The basic framework;
Universal survival and well-being of humanity through compassion and intellect.
The Framework is divided into two areas; The objective and the tools to achieve that objective.
The Objective: The universal survival and well-being of humanity.
Universal
Universal is used to refer to the totality of the human race alive today and those of future generations. The democratic value of equality must include the future generations as well as those of all other cultures. It is no more acceptable to sacrifice the rights of survival and well-being of future generations for our present survival and well-being than it is to build an opulent life style off the back of slavery or the impoverished. Later, we will discuss the fact that future human survival will depend on inter-generational cooperation.
Survival
Survival is used to refer to the continued existence of the human species. Universal survival then indicates that we must always keep one eye on the survival of future generations. The new threats to humanity are so complex that a single generation may not have the time and resources to thwart or adapt to the danger. In fact we know that there are a number of threats including excess population and climate change that this generation or the next must begin correcting or accept the lingering suffering and death of human civilization. Some form of a formal inter-generational communications might be developed to identify and address some of these long-term problems.
For The Movement, survival does not refer to genetic or cultural sub-groups. We do not have the time or resources to consider complexities that do not directly contribute to overall human survival. In fact modifying and/or integrating subgroups may be necessary to advance the greater human cause.
Well-Being.
Well-Being is used to refer to the state of being or happiness of each individual human. Well-being is defined by each individual, more often than not based on the physical, social and economic environment to which they find themselves relegated. Well-being includes the security of adequate sustenance and shelter, freedom from physical and emotional threat and the opportunity to participate in normal human activities. Though survival of life is probably the prime directive, an evolved key tool for that survival and the tool that truly makes life worth living is the reward of happiness. To deny well-being and happiness is to deny life. The factors that deny or contribute to human happiness or its antithesis are complex and make up one of the more important fields of human investigation. We envision a world of safe, sane and happy people.
The Tools of achievement: Human compassion and intellect.
It is noteworthy to keep in mind while reviewing “tools of achievement” that the set of tools described apply equally to two systems: 1.Compassion and intellect are the tools that we want to cultivate and grow into cultural norms or values. 2. This tool-set is also the framework for the operation of the movement. It is the adherence to intellect tempered by compassion that is the hallmark that will lead to our success.
Human Compassion
Human compassion is used to refer to the evolved genetic predisposition for human beings to be aware of the suffering of others and a desire to mitigate existing suffering, avoid causing suffering and often to contribute to the well-being and happiness of others. Compassion includes the scientifically validated cooperation instincts of humanity. For individuals it may be, and in many different forms has been expressed as “treat others as you would have others treat you”. But most human interactions affect many people, tens, thousands, millions of people, most actions will have a positive effect on some people while having a negative effect on others. An antique yet pertinent homily that acknowledges this problem is “Do the least harm” or “do the most good”.
Intellect. The most critical tool for human survival.
Intellect is used to describe a set of the mental tools that tend to deliver an accurate, predictable and controllable reality. Evolution suggests that human survival was the direct result of our superior intellect. Some of these intellectual tools are evolutionarily hard wired but our most powerful intellectual tools have been discovered or worked-out by a few men and women who had the time, resources, energy and a desperate need to understand the world around them. These tools include; Critical thinking, the scientific method, education, intellectual integrity and transparency. The use of these extra or augmented-intellectual processes are absolutely critical for our survival and well-being. A challenge we face as a species is that much of our evolved mental process were developed to solve primitive problems and many of those same processes are ineffective and even counterproductive in resolving today's problems.
Some of the most important intellectual tools are fairly new. They are in the fields of human behavior and thought. They include an ever improved understanding of the fallibility of the human mind and methodologies to work around those innate weaknesses.
The importance of intellect as a tool for The Movement and for a successful society cannot be overemphasized. This subject will be expanded upon later.
Our Identity
The primary identities of what we have been calling simply “The Movement” is important. It must be easily translated from a name and/or symbol into fundamental concepts and eventually even into positive emotions of pride, community, strength and respect.
The Movement will be know by it's charter; Advocate(s) for Human Survival and Well-Being through Compassion and Intellect. Or more simply Advocate(s) for Human Survival and Well-Being. Or more simply the Advocates. Or A-4 (advocates for/four). The following will be the universal logo
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Organizational Methodology:
The Advocates will develop and promote the pragmatic advocacy of the necessary values and infrastructure through the use of effective intellectual tools tempered by compassion to bring about our stated purpose.
Please note that the values of the stated “Purpose” of compassion, intellect and integrity are also found here, in “Methodology“. Surely if we believe that compassion, intellect and integrity are critical values for a world culture, they must be important and practical values for those involved in creating such a culture. In fact many movements based on promoting human compassion and science/naturalism exist. They have been founded and continue to operate by bright and dedicated people that can and do successfully argue their positions. They lecture, publish periodicals and books. They lobby governance. They are to be admired and respected for their success. Those organizations that fit within the Advocate Framework will be supported by us. However our focus must be on quickly moving cultures from self-destructive paths to paradigms of humanity and survival.
Key Parameters of The Advocates-4;
1. Pragmatism:
Person or organization that takes a practical approach to problems and is concerned primarily with the success or failure of actions.
Success for the A-4 is the achievement of “Survival and well-being of humanity through compassion and intellect".
Pragmatism coupled with a sense of urgency make up the The Advocate's internal culture. If it were not for the need to create real defined cultural changes, in a timely manner there would be no need for the Advocate movement. The concepts of the survival and well-being of humanity and world views based on compassion and intellect have been expressed in many forms by individuals and organizations. Many are successful in achieving many admirable objectives but none have recognized the urgency required nor seem to be interested in making pragmatic use of modern intellectual tools to create the necessary paradigm shifts to save the world: That's our job. So with a sense of urgency, we will do what has a high probability of success while monitoring the results and making adjustments as necessary. We must avoid becoming bogged down in ideological arguments. If it does not fit in the Advocate Framework we should not devote resources to it.
2. Survival
As long as there is any possibility for the survival of humanity and or contributing to universal well-being, the Advocates and it’s objectives must survive. There must be an initial plan for survival and a process for periodically reviewing and adjusting the plan to fit new circumstances.
3. Growth
Growth of “The Framework” within individual and cultural consciousness is a primary objective. A major goal of this organization is pragmatic promotion of a worldwide culture that minimizes human suffering and maximizes human well-being and happiness for existing and future generations through the enthusiastic application of science, reasoning, education, transparency and intellectual integrity. When building a cultural consensus, perceived popularity and power (numbers and authority) attract more numbers and power. Activities will be directed through research into creating that point where our stated values and intellect/science are so accepted that peer pressure begins to drive culture in that direction. Another tipping point will be reached when a significant voting block is created and politicos must start accepting and promoting our message in order to gain and hold political power.
Note that it is the rapid growth of the general world-view that is important. It may mean directly growing this organization, helping other organizations to grow,influencing cultures with no reference or tie-in with any named organization , most likely some combination. This may lead to one project or long-term objective to build cooperative voting blocks made up natural allies.
4. Focus
Establish and maintain a limited scope of objectives. It is critical to narrowly define the objectives in order to attract the most followers, and to maximize our options and potential allies.
5. Diversity
Attack each objective from multiple fronts using multiple tactics.
Embrace all ideas and organizations that will be useful in reaching the objectives (fulfillment of The Framework). This could involve alliances with those that we consider less than ideal or working to modify or absorb some existing organizations. It will be important to keep our organization open and flexible so we can encourage simultaneous allegiance of those that are committed to other organizations such as Humanist, Universalism, Atheist and Theist such as Christians, Muslims etc.. Differentiators of this organization are the clarity of our goals (survival and well being) and our tools (intellectual integrity). These will allow and perhaps even dictate the need for forms of religious expression even under the A-4 banner, as long as the activities (not beliefs) fall within The Framework.
It may make sense to encourage spin-off organizations or subcultures that attract congregations with different foci and/or social needs. This would be similar to the many differing Christian and Muslim denominations that may be divided over theological points and practices and yet come together to present a united
political and social force on fundamental issues.
Care should be taken to avoid being perceived as being anti-religious or anti-atheist for that matter. Becoming the enemy of powerful organizations could distract A-4 from it's critical purpose. It will be easy for this to occur because of our emphasis on critical thinking and science balanced with compassion. But our Success is more likely through cooperation than through antagonism.
6. Constructive/Positive
It will be assumed that unless and until research demonstrates otherwise this organization will strive to create a public image that is friendly, constructive and positive. We will attract support by:
Making visible our superior world-views (by humans, for humans, through intellect). Note that world-views is plural because this organization will support and even create other independent organizations that satisfy the different needs or focus that is innate in the diversity of the human family. This is similar to the multitude of sects found in Christianity that are separated both in theology and tradition but stand united under the general heading of “Christianity”.
The public image of this organization will be positive. It will point to the strengths of our world-views rather than criticize and attack others; with the caveat that scientific evidence does not suggest otherwise.
The public image of this organization will be constructive. Whenever possible we will demonstrate the superiority of our world-view as opposed to claiming such. The organization will find opportunities to contribute to just and humane causes. The Advocates will use indirect, but successful methods of making our successes and our message visible. In fact subtle Public Relations will be an important activity of the Advocates or family organizations.
There are many anti-theist movements and those that focus on defending a humanist world-view. They are to be commended for their contribution and we will court some as allies, while our alignment with the more negative groups will be no less earnest it may be much less “visible”. I believe The Advocates should be neither anti-theist nor theist but we will quietly support groups that are, when it will lead to achieving our stated purpose.
7. Intellect
If there is to be a future for humanity, It will be a future of intellect.
There are two equally important roles for Intellect in this movement.
First we must bring to bear all tools of intellect and sciences to develop projects and tactics that have high value and high probability for success. This would be facilitated by creating research groups that stay abreast of the sciences such as biology(brain), sociology, psychology, game theory, history of movements etc. This “think tank” would be a consulting group that would concentrate on using science to assure that A-4 can make the most intellectually sound decisions. It is critical that this organization values and operates on sound intellectual grounds, it is the most significant advantage we will have.
The second role for intellect is that of promoting cultures that have the highest value and trust in intellectual integrity. The two tools we are offering to save-the-world are compassion and intellect. The failure that is leading us to suffering and destruction is a failure of intellect. Human success will only be assured when we have raised the intellectual interest and capabilities of humanity.
8. Political
We must understand the important role that both politics and government play in the development and maintenance of a cultural world-view. Political power influences government actions that in-turn influences the attitude and actions of the population.
We must develop influential voting blocks made up of ALL those that are loosely aligned with our world-view. We should support government processes and personnel that are humane, intellectual and transparent and oppose those that are not.
Consideration should be given to influencing political parties and/or developing our own.
We must create institutional changes in governments that reflect and support the goals of universal survival and well-being and the role intellectual and scientific integrity must play in the pursuit those values.
9. Social/cultural
The Advocates, like all moments directed at changing human attitudes and actions must garner the willing support(often referred to as the hearts and minds) of a significant percentage of the population.
This is certainly an area that we will use the expertise of our Special Knowledge Trust to assist in building the most effective plans for rapid success. In the meantime here are a few examples;
A. Public Relations Groups that find opportunity to inject The Framework and our logo into the culture;
There needs to be both local and national/international public relations. A charter would exist to find and fill opportunities to inject aspects of our world-view and positive actions into the public consciousness. The opportunities could be as small as a few lines in a local paper about a meeting or a local radio spot about the results of an Advocate charity drive. Perhaps getting stories published with an Advocate/ humanist hero /heroin saving a community or the world from the clutches of religious fanatics, or dogmatic anti-intellectual conspiracy. Another area would be monitoring media stories and correct, challenging them to include the truth within The Framework ie correct the spin. Of course all opportunities to make The Framework visible or even taught would be pursued.
B. Local community centers with a focus on our world-view with a structure based on investigation of the most successful movements of the past (The LDS should be looked at as a recent success) and the latest knowledge of human needs . Perhaps there would be multiple “types” of centers, each type or group of community centers having a unique focus or perspective. These would provide social needs and community services. The only required commonality would be that they serve a community and
that their commitment is to include The Framework.
C. Education beginning at the earliest years. We are not speaking of indoctrination. But there should be a core integrated curricula in school systems that include a combination of critical /science/skeptical thinking skills and the human mental fallibility.
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