How do cultures cope with widesread, serious and overwhelming loss?

I recently received a ‘newsletter’ from old friends with whom I collaborated on the book, ‘Making it Happen: A Positive Guide to the Future,’ many years ago. They come in the mail two or three times each year. My friends might have changed the format of their newsletters to email or a blog, but, even though they are environmentalists, they have remained with the printed word. This means that their communications are less frequent than those transmitted by other members of my network. One consequence is that I always read the entire missive, either immediately or later.

Here is a reflection from the newsletter on the current heath care debate and social inequities that draws on Elizabeth Kubler-Ross insights about the stages of coping with loss. They write:

[Kubler-Ross] talks about the coping mechanisms, first denial, then ANGER, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance - diagnosed... when played out in he personal lives of people both dying themselves or losing loved ones. What if this diagnosis... is also the diagnosis, the template for understanding how cultures go through a time of coping with widespread and serious and overwhelming loss.

Despite the Kubler-Ross diagnosis of the source of all tht anger, we contemplate with a heavy heart the truth-distorting debate about health-care reform and the terrible demonizing of President Obama. How can seniors be so pleased with their government-sponsored Medicare coverage and yet fulminate against a ‘government run’ health-care option? How can people who have health care not care about people who do not? And about those whose bad luck with illness reduces them to insolvency? We find such callousness to others both sad and heart-rending.

Why ‘free markets’ often are not really free. The ‘systems trap’ of success to the successful.

I am reading a powerful and evocative short book, entitled Systems Thinking. It was authored by the late Donella Meadows, a close friend and collaborator of many years. It was edited by Dana’s former research assistant, Diana Wright and published posthumously after her death.

The current debate over health brings to mind a ‘systems trap’ Dana identifies (one of several) that she calls ‘Success to the Successful - Competitive Exclusion.’ Dana writes: (p. 127,128)

‘Using accumulated wealth, privilege, special access or inside information to create more wealthy, privilege, access or information are examples of [this archetype]’ This system trap is found whenever the winners of a competition receive, as part of the reward, the means to compete even more effectively in the future. That’s a reinforcing feedback loop, which rapidly divides a system into winners who go on winning and losers who go on losing.” The business executives about whom I wrote last evening are among the beneficiaries of this trap. Here are some other examples:

In most societies the poorest children receive the words education in the worst schools, if they are able to go to school at all. With few marketable skills, they qualify for only low paying jobs, perpetuating their poverty.

People with low income and few assets are not able to borrow from most banks. Therefore, either then can’t invest in capital improvements, or they must go to local moneylenders who charge exorbitant rates. Even when when interest rates are reasonable the poor pay them and the rich collect them.

land is held so unevenly in many parts of the world that most farmers are tenants on someone else’s land. They must pay part of their crops to the landowner for the privilege of working the land and so never are able to by lland of their own. The landowner uses the income from tenants to buy more land.

Dana does not write about health care, but it seems pretty clear that many those who are the leading charge against health care reform, using their wealth and position are not numbered among the 47 million Americans who lack health insurance, a national disgrace. This includes of course, many - not all - members of Congress. No member of Congress, of course, lacks health insurance coverage. That would be unthinkable. Like many - not all - high-level business executives they view themselves as members of a high caste elite, that is not governed by the circumstances, nor constrained by the moral precepts with which ordinary folk (the low caste and untouchables) must deal.

AN ADDITONAL THOUGHT: This blog later evoked a reflection on how to write in a way that will change people’s minds. This is something I discuss in my ‘International Development’ course. It is a challenge that reformers and spiritual leaders face. The blog I wrote was a reflection of outrage and anger, but if its goal was to transform those whom I targeted as complicit in injustice, it almost certainly did not achieve its goal. The great spiritual leaders often write that such transformations must begin with connection, forgiveness and empathy. Among leaders now living, Nelson Mandela may exemplify this best.

America's caste system - a reflection on executive compensation

When I drive back to Washington, from my home in the country, I pass the barricaded parking areas and shuttered buildings of what were once State of Virginia rest stops for travelers on Route 66. Both of these facilities were closed to help meet deficits in the State budget. For some reason, passing by these facilities, which made ordinary traveler’s lives more pleasant in small ways always brings the topic of executive compensation to mind.

For me a poster child of obscene levels of executive compensation is former General Motors Chief Executive Rick Wagoner. This evening, I researched how Mr. Wagoner is doing on the internet. A Fox news posting (Fox News is not unsympathetic to the business community and free enterprise) noted Mr. Wagoner’s accomplishments in an article headlined “Former GM CEO Rick Wagoner Gets $10M Retirement Package." It noted that when Wagoner became CEO, GM shares were valued at $92. Recently, with GM in Bankruptcy, trading in GM shares was suspended with the value at $1.15 per share. According to Fox, GM has issued statements that its stock has, essentially no value. It noted that during the past four years, ‘GM racked up $40 billion in losses.’

Fox News sympathized with Mr. Wagoner’s plight. It noted that during his 32 years with the company he earned only $62.3 million $38.7 million for his services as Chief Executive, leading GM into bankruptcy. It noted that in contrast to the $400 million received by the Chairman of Exxon Mobil, the $161.5 million earned by the Chairman of Merill Lynch, culminating a disastrous tenure, and the $140 million awarded to Michael Ovitz after a brief tour as Disney President, Wagonner’s compensation was modest indeed and, according to an ‘executive compensation specialist,’ not at all out of line. The fact that this occurred when GM slashed previously guaranteed benefits for most of its retirees was not viewed as a problem.

For those, such as myself, who have spent many years researching in South Asia, especially India and Sri Lanka, the explanation is simple. Compensation in ‘free market’ America as become part of a caste system. Corporate Executives such as Wagoner, Stan O’Neil of Merill Lynch, Disney’s Ovitz and many others simply view themselves as a different species of human beings, governed by different rules and guided by different moral precepts and entitlements. The are the Brahmins, those they employ are low caste or untouchable. Their 'needs' are described using an entirely different discourse.

Except when I drive past shuttered rest stops on route 66 I think little about this immoral system and the ill-gotten financial gains it has produced for a privileged upper caste few. But I do wonder how they are spending the munificence that deprived-stockholders, employees or, in some cases, the US taxpayers have unwillingly (or unwittingly) bestowed on them. Are they spending it on expensive vacations and $10,000 watches, first class travel, and $100 plus bottles of wine for dinner. Or have they, perhaps, established scholarship funds for the children of fired employees or contributed to the creation of social businesses such as Nobel Laureate Mohammed Yunis described his recent book, A World Without Poverty.

If they are looking for a worthy target for some surplus cash, perhaps they could consider creating a special fund to open the closed rest stops on Route 66, for the benefit of the less privileged lower caste Americans - teachers, truck drivers, commuters and ordinary tourists - who miss them.

An amazing customer service experience

Since I often grumble about customer service, when traveling, I want to share an amazing positive experience.

As is my practice, I arrived early at the Madison, Wisconsin Airport and, after an intense two days of travel, conference-going and an 8:30 AM panel, I decided on a leisurely lunch. I chose a sit down restaurant, at a nice looking establishment called ‘The Great Dane’ ordered a Reuben sandwich and a beer, which I consumed slowly, answered emails on my iPhone and made calendar notations on my computer. All was well with the world. As my flight time approached I exchanged pleasantries with my waitress, left her a generous tip, packed up my portable technologies and departed - leaving my winter jacket, with a recently purchased pair of Gortex gloves in the pocket, hanging on the back of the chair. This, I realized only as I crowded into the pack of a ‘regional jet’ five minutes before departure. There was no hope of retrieving the garment.

How could this happen? When traveling, I have a regimen of checking to forestall absentmindedness. My ‘travel vest’ has designated pockets for iPhone, passport, wallet, glasses, iPod, and plane tickets. When I departed the restaurant for my flight, all were in place. But for the past six weeks, I had been traveling mostly in Asia and a winter jacket simply was not part of my travel habit pattern. In the plane, I took a few moments to accept my fate and possible beneficial lessons I would glean from the experience. In January, I will be traveling from Iceland to Brussels to Singapore and It will be important to not to leave my winter clothing behind.

But wait....I had a credit card slip that included the telephone number of the restaurant. When I called from Detroit, a most pleasant member of the wait-staff said that yes, they had found my jacket and it was safe in the managers office. It would be waiting for me when I returned to Madison, except that, I explained, that would not be until next year’s South Asia Conference. She had no guidelines for this, but said her manager would call me on Monday. On Monday afternoon, he did. Much to my surprise and delight he said he would be happy to mail me my jacket. I have not doubt that in his rebirth he will attain Nirvana or be well on the road.

Should you be passing through the Madison Airport or other airports, please patronize the Great Dane Restaurant. The food is good, the beer is great and the customer service is other-worldly.

A quotation from Vaclav Havel on dangers of seeking to create democracy, with haste

I realize with fright that my impatience for the re-establishment of democracy had something almost communist in it; or more generally, something rationalist. I had wanted to make history move ahead in the same way that a child pulls on a plant to make it grow more quickly.

I believe we must learn to wait as we learn to create. We have to patiently sow the seeds, assiduously water the earth where they were sown and give the plants the time that is their own. One cannot fool a plant any more than one can fool history.

The quotation is from a speech given to the Institute of France and quoted in the 13 November 1992 International Herald Tribune. Donella Meadows used in her book Thinking in Systems (2008) to illustrate the importance of taking the presence of delays in complex systems seriously when attempting to play the role of change agent.

Kishore Mahbubani’s The New Asian Hemisphere: A book that every AU student - and every American - should read.

I have just finished reading one of those special books that provides a new lens through which to view the world and crystalizes thoughts previously held, but not crisply structured. It is intended for general readers and refreshingly devoid of international-relations academic jargon. Its author, a long-serving Singapore diplomat is founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Regular Dormgrandpop readers will know that my recent international travels included a two week stay in Singapore and that Singapore will be my home for this coming Spring semester of my Sabbatical year.

The New Asian Hemisphere is subtitled, ‘The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East.‘ Chapters address the ‘rise’ of Asian nations (especially China, India and many ASEAN members), the relative decline of “Western” dominance and the the degree to which hypocritical, self-serving and ineffectual Western policies have alienated many of the 88 per-cent of the World’s population who do not identify themselves with ‘the West.‘ In a concluding chapter, Mahbubani calls for a new practice of global leadership, based on ‘principles, partnership and pragmatism.’

Perhaps I found The New Asian Hemisphere particularly engaging because the author’s no-punches pulled-critique of ‘The West” and “Western pundits” highlights observations I have reached independently and in some instances written about in my blog and elsewhere. He characterizes the invasion of Iraq as ‘a seismic error, one of the greatest acts of folly of our age.’ He scores the hypocrisy of agricultural subsidy programs, disadvantaging global south producers, that are ten times greater than often ineffectual foreign assistance programs intended to assist them. His critique of US opposition to regulatory regimes intended to mitigate global warming reminds us that when addressing problems arising in the ‘global commons,’ “it is natural to expect the wealthier members of the global community to take greater responsibility. Those of us who pioneered the field of “Global Modeling” have been arguing this position, often to deaf ears, for more than 30 years. He notes that widely documented hostility of many Muslims toward America should not be surprising, since America seems to have a double standard, vis a vis the Muslim world, when it comes to promoting democracy, controlling nuclear proliferation, human rights and the value of life itself.

Yet despite the critical tone of some chapters, I found the New Asia Hemisphere’s message to be empowering and hopeful, not only for people living in Asia but for those living in the West. The future world Mahbubani envisions is rich, diverse, multipolar and resilient. The development trajectory leading to that world is one that should be embraced, not feared by the West. He ‘writes, “The end result of the powerful processes of de-Westernization should, therefore, be the world moving toward a positive destination in which many rich ancient civilizations are reborn, adding to the cultural wealth of the world and unleashing new instincts of cultural tolerance and understanding. The unpeeling of the layers of Western influence from around the globe could well lead us to a happier universe where we will have, for the first time in human history, several different civilizations at the same time, with simultaneous explosions of knowledge and wisdom. All this could lift the human condition to a higher level than experienced in any previous century.”

This is an important book for Americans to read, and especially for students at American University. You should buy it (or take it from the library) read it, discuss it and ponder its message.

Another hubris lesson - this one having to do with laundry

Melatonin not withstanding, I woke up at 3:30 this morning could not get back to sleep. The time difference between Singapore and Washington DC is 12 hours. After 45 minutes of meditation I removed a large load of laundry from the dryer, planning to fold it before I started the day’s tasks. I was very proud of the fact that, despite fatigue on Monday night, I had put my white laundry in the washer and, then, yesterday morning, loaded it in the dryer. Focus and efficiency! Except that... I noticed some curious black spots on my favorite white cotton Khurtas. I had left a pen in pocket of one and all were stained. My morning agenda changed. I spent the next hour our so scrubbing out stain spots with a clorox detergent mixture and then removing stain marks from the inside of the dryer. These were not the tasks I had planed for my wide awake early morning hours.

There is a useful lesson in this about smugness, hubris and not putting a large load of unsorted laundry in the washer when one is exhausted from and international trip. Hopefully I will remember on my next return from overseas.

If you want to realize your hopes and dreams...

Lee Kuan Yew, who was independent Singapore’s first Prime Minister and served for many years is regarded by many as a key architect of Singapore’s ‘success story.‘ A new colleague at the Lee Kuan Yew School told me, ‘the greatest development challenge is to find leaders of Lee Kuan Yew’s caliber.' Lee is also a controversial figure, viewed by some as an autocrat whose authoritarian ways have limited democracy in Singapore. I number myself among Lee’s admirers, and this was true long before joining the staff of the school that bears his name was even an idea.

Each morning during my Singapore stay, I walked through the beautiful entrance hall of the Lee Kuan Yew School and passed by a large picture with one of Lee’s aphorisms inscribed. I have noticed it in several other settings around the school as well. Along with Lee’s picture (he still serves in the cabinet as “Minister Mentor) I now have it posted in my kitchen. The aphorism is this:

IF YOU WANT TO REALIZE YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS

YOU CANNOT DO IT WITHOUT DISCIPLINE

Is air travel worth it?

I’m nearing journey’s end. Perhaps this is not the ideal time to ask such a question, after nearly thirty hours of flying and layover, with more to come. I am sitting at Heathrow Terminal 1, surrounded by the somewhat sterile, commercial wasteland that airports have become. The scene is much like a very upscale hawkers stand. In front of me there is ‘World of Watches,’ ‘Hugo Boss,’ ‘Bally’ another ‘Hugo Boss,’ ‘Ted Baker,’ ‘Smith Books...’ and much much more, People walk by, looking tired and purposeful, mostly oblivious to the commercial blandishments spread before therm. A middle aged woman offers shopping brochures to passers by. Mostly, they ignore her or turn away. A man speaks on his cell phone... loudly... as if he were sitting in this office. His negotiating the sales of some product. Since I am less that a yard from where he is conferring, I make eye contact. He looks away and continues his conversation. A tired mother calls plaintively to her 3 year old son who is wandering away. He does not respond. Finally, she picks up her backpack, hand luggage and baby to chase after him. Nobody seems to be having much fun. Flying and airport waiting times are mostly something to be endured, with the hope that what lies at journey’s end will make it all worthwhile.

Good bye to Singapore - for now, but with challenging future prospects

.My two weeks’ in Singapore passed all too quickly, but confirmed my belief, based on previous experience, that a preliminary reconnaissance trip, when contemplating an extended stay, is essential. The stay was intense, which is what one wants when arriving as uninvited guest, with no previous institutional relationship. Though I had visited Singapore as a tourist, I had little knowledge of the local terrain and no previous contact with the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public affairs, apart from a letter of inquiry and a cordial response from the Dean.

System Dynamics modeling, the computer simulation theory/methodology I have studied and written about from time to time, made the difference. This fall, the Lee Kwan Yew School initiated, for the first time, a course in System Dynamics as an option in the Master of Public Policy curriculum. It is being co-taught by the dynamic, high-energy Director of the School’s Institute of Water policy, who had studied the methodology as part of his graduate studies. His co-instructor is an equally energetic young faculty member whom I had met at the System Dynamics Society meetings in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Thus, on very first working day in Singapore, I was scheduled for a sixty minutes-plus lecture, following a lengthy get-acquainted meeting with the two instructors to discuss course related matters and and research-related opportunities that could be be informed by System Dynamics. This was particularly exciting for me, because it rekindled a long dormant interest in water policy issues, reminding me about the importance of water resources as an element of the development process. On the morning of my second day, I had moved into a temporary office, adjacent to that of the IWP Director. Soon, I was meeting students potential future colleagues, getting a sense of the School’s research agenda and making plans.

The most important outcome is a possible research initiative inspired by the IWP Director’s concept of the “Living City” as a future scenario for addressing urban development challenges and opportunities in Asia. Urbanization is widely viewed as a Yin-Yang dynamic. While urban growth, and especially growth of megacities, is seen as problematic, it is also in cities that the economic future of Asia will inevitably be shaped. Cities must, inevitably, be the engines of economic growth, creativity, innovation and revitalization if the human race is to survive and prosper sustainably on planet earth. The challenge is to define a vision that makes this possibility real and then to implement development trajectories that can attain it.

According to the IWP Director, a living city comprises dynamically interlinked subsystems: shelter, competitiveness, infrastructure, transport and information. Effective governance plays a particularly important role. But more important than the elements themselves is how they are interlinked and function. In his view, a living city resembles a thriving, healthy organism. It is beautiful, livable, sustainable and resilient. It interacts with its environment symbiotically. It offers a hopeful, empowering, attainable option for the survival of the human species on the planet earth. But is this vision attainable? If it is attainable, what development trajectories could move growing cities in the 500,000-population range toward the vision of a living city? How can today’s megacities, presently grappling with major problems of unsustainability and overshoot move in that direction?

If things work out as looks promising, there will be an exciting opportunity begin a project that seeks answers to such questions when I return to Singapore in January.