What is It REALLY all about?

We often hear the phrase, “That’s what it’s all about” in reference to honor, taking care of our families, winning, doing the best we can, or whatever – even in songs: “You do the hokey pokey, and you turn yourself around, that’s what it’s all about.”  And when we say or hear “That’s what it’s all about,” we understand that “It” probably isn’t ALL about winning, or the hokey pokey (or whatever.) That said, is it reasonable to ask: “What is ‘It’ really ‘ALL’ about?”  Wise men and women have indeed given this question a lot of thought over the millennia.

The Holy Grail in moral philosophy is a single principle that serves as a touchstone for resolving all moral dilemmas, and thereby offering us a glimpse into that elusive ‘meaning of life.’  Classical philosophers (St Augustine, Cicero, St Thomas, among others) called this single principle the “Summum Bonum” or the highest good, that which is good in and of itself, contains all other goods, and from which all other goods are derived.   The Summum Bonum is the purpose, the goal, the description of the life best lived.   In their quest for this first principle, different philosophers and religious thinkers have arrived at various versions of what they believed to be the Summum Bonum.    

Over the years, I’ve made a list of different visions of this source principle I’ve encountered in my reading and studies.    This is where my list stands today, and I offer it as a simple man’s necessarily over-simplification of some very nuanced ideas, which I can only pretend to understand. But here is what I’ve found:

     Excellence/Fulfillment/Wisdom – Aristotle

     Moral Duty – Immanuel Kant

     Quality – Robert Pirsig (author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)

     Power (properly applied) – Frederick Nietzsche/Robert Adler 

     Pleasure (broadly conceived)– Sigmund Freud  

     Enlightenment – Buddha

    The moment (suspending rationality) - Zen Buddhism

    Dignity/Honor – The Stoics

     The greatest Happiness for the Greatest Number – Jeremy Bentham/John Stuart Mill

     Authentic and passionate commitment – Albert Camus, Martin Heidegger

     Don’t Worry. Be Happy – Meher Baba

     Self-Actualization – Abraham Mazlow

     Self-Actualization thru one’s work – Karl Marx

     Beauty -  James Joyce, Friedrich Schiller

     Kindness/compassion/love - Dalai Lama, Buddha, Christ

You’ll note that some of the ‘first principles’ on this list are oriented toward self-development, while others are oriented more toward how we relate and interact with others.    There is clearly much overlap in these different approaches, but there are also clearly values, life choices and life-styles unique to each.  Each speaks to a different perspective on what makes us human and what human excellence looks like.

Some will argue that God has to be on this list, since a relationship with God or Christ or another religious leader is the Summum Bonum in most religious traditions.  I agree, but I choose to separate matters of faith from matters of the mind and reason.  For the theist, the Summum Bonum is necessarily a reflection of God’s will; for the atheist or agnostic, it is arrived at through reason and empirical observation.  I contend that these two perspectives are not mutually exclusive.

Probably my favorite interpretation of ‘what It’s all about’ is from the Roman poet Lucretius.   In his  search for the key to the life well lived, he studied all of the great thinkers and philosophers of his era, and distilled what he learned into two maxims:  “It is better to love than to hate,” and “Live life fully, even if imperfectly.”

For many of us, this may be simply a theoretical question of little ‘practical’ import.  For others, and for the individuals and traditions associated with the different first principles listed above, this is a life-defining, existential question:   What is the one most important value I stand for, live for, strive for, and am willing to die for?  Why am I here?  It is a question that many of us consider more and more as we get older.  But had you asked me that question as a young man, I would have responded with a wry smile, “What’s it all about?  That’s easy:  Eat. F$@#. Skydive!”

Hmmm….. Maybe “Having Fun” also needs to be on that list.  You know: “You do the hokey pokey, and you turn yourself around, that’s what it’s all about.”  :) 

Note: This list of different interpretations of the ultimate good reminded me of the list of different religions’ versions of the Golden Rule  . Or more amusingly, the list of different religions’ interpretations of Shit happens . (click hotlinks)

The Single Measure of Merit: Profits and Grades

Be careful of the ‘single measure of merit.’  We have a tendency to seek simple criteria to judge whether something or someone is successful or not.  In business, it might be profit; in politics power; in school, grades and the GPA; in work, pay or promotion; in the military, killing the enemy; in sports winning.  Not that these are unimportant – but ‘success’ is more complicated than that, and other things may be more important.   Frequently these single measures are useful tools, but they can be deceptive – they are often means to other ends, which are usually more important.   If not pursued with wisdom, these intermediate goals – the means – can undermine the ends which they are meant to serve.

Now let’s talk about profits and grades.

In business, profits are clearly important, but they are not an unqualified good, and many argue that they are not the primary goal of business.  There are other criteria that must be considered in evaluating business success. Though profits are necessary, they are not a sufficient condition for judging business success. 

While businesses often measure their success at the end of the quarter in profits, students similarly often measure their success at the end of a semester by the grades assigned by their professors.  We know that the quarterly profit and the student’s grade tell us something, but they don’t tell us everything.  They may not even tell us the most important things.

Is the purpose of a business primarily to make a profit, and ideally, to make a very good profit? Or is it something else?  Are profits a means to another end?  Milton Friedman made the provocative statement that the purpose of a business is to make a profit.   Advocates of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) respond that the purpose of a business is to create goods and services in a way that serves the needs of society, and to be well rewarded for doing so.  They claim that profits are a by- product of and reward for doing something else well.   

Is the purpose of taking a class to get a passing grade, and ideally to get a very good grade? Or is it something else?  For some students, some classes are merely a hurdle to get over to get something else -   a mere means to another end.  Most of us believe however that taking a class should serve a broader purpose – to better understand the subject matter, how the subject matter relates to the student’s broader life goals and other areas of interest.   In that case, taking the class and getting a passing grade are a means to a broader end. 

I think you may see where I’m going with this.  If the student focuses on learning, works hard, and becomes engaged with the subject matter, ideally s/he will get a good grade as a matter of course. But if the student comes to better understand the subject matter, learns how the subject is important in a broader context, but doesn’t get the grade s/he wanted, the student can still view the class as a success in meeting that broader goal.  That said, a poor or failing grade, which does not allow the student to progress, can become a serious liability to continuing one’s education and learning.  Students cannot ignore grades and still serve their broader goals.

Likewise in business, by providing a great service or product to one’s community and customers, most companies will indeed be profitable as a matter of course. But even if fantastic profits don’t ensue, the business that is meeting its broader goals can still be considered successful, as long as it meets its financial commitments.  But as with learning, if the business doesn’t take care of the ‘business of business,’ it can lose money and ultimately fail, no matter how good its product/services and support to stakeholders.

In both business and school, there are certain practical functions that have to competently managed in order to achieve desired profits or decent grades. In business, these include marketing, accounting, legal compliance requirements, and building and sustaining positive relationships with employees, customers, and the supply chain.  In academics, these practical functions include reading and research, writing, critical and disciplined thinking, time management, etc. In both fields, performing these practical skills poorly will lead to failure, no matter how much passion, integrity, service, and long term focus one has.

In business and in school, there are people with natural aptitude and talent – for getting good grades in school or making money in business.  It comes relatively easy for them. There are business people who can make money without passion or a quality product or service, or strong business processes. Some people just know how to play the business game well to make money.  And in school, there are students who are intelligent and efficient and have a natural gift for figuring out how to meet professors’ expectations without seriously engaging with the material or even learning much.

 And, there are others in business who work hard, with great passion, and provide great products and service, but just can’t seem to make a strong profit.   Likewise, there are students who are positively transformed by the class and the subject matter, but somehow struggle to put things together with all the fundamentals necessary to play the grade game well and come up with an A, no matter how hard they seem to work.  It isn’t fair.  Life isn’t fair.  There are some for whom things come easy, and there are others who always seem to struggle to keep their heads above water.

Just think of athletics.

But then think of character.

Under stress, the business person for whom profits are everything, will be sorely tempted to fudge the books, lie or tell half truths to customers, or otherwise violate ‘the rules’ of the game to achieve their primary objective – profits and the trappings of success.  Those who keep a broader primary goal in mind will see violating the rules to maximize profits a violation of trust with their customers, employees, supply chain and others.

Likewise under stress, the student for whom the grade is all important, will be sorely tempted to plagiarize or otherwise violate the rules of academic integrity to get that A, and maintain a high GPA.  Those focused on learning will take their lumps with lower grades if they are struggling or under stress, but they will stay focused on the learning itself.

The ideal in business is that the business with the best product and services, the best support to customers and supply chain, and respect for environmental impact will also be the most profitable. We know that is not always the case. Sometimes it’s because of inadequate attention to the business processes necessary to maximize efficiency and profitability.  Sometimes the market is not ready for their product/service; sometimes competitors may just have greater talent for business.  And sometimes the playing field is not level. And some people get away with lying and cheating. Life isn’t fair.

The ideal in school is that the student who is most engaged, puts in the most work and learns the most, gets the best grades. We know that is frequently not the case. Sometimes it’s because of inadequate attention to the mechanics of research, writing, engagement with the professor’s objectives, or a disconnect between what the student wants to focus on and the professor’s approach. Sometimes other students are simply more talented and intelligent.

But in business and in school, the Quality End we seek is not measured primarily in profits or grades.  Both profits and grades are necessary, but as means to other ends.  If the businessman and the student stay focused on the right goals, while still giving adequate attention to the means, in the long run, success will usually come their way, even if there are some short term failures.

Let’s return to the ‘single measure of merit.’  The message is: Be careful not to confuse means and ends.   You’ve heard the old saying: Be careful of what you want, you just might get it.  Knowing the right thing to want is very important.  Aristotle once said that the clever person knows how to get what he wants. The Wise person knows the right things to want.

Ideally, we want to be both wise and clever.  Given a choice, I’d rather be wise.

The Unseen Order of Things, or Unscrewing the Inscrutable

I recently had a couple of interesting experiences that provided glimpses into that ‘big’ question that sits silently in the background as we live our daily lives. I am certain that most people have had these types of experiences and glimpses, and then usually dismiss them as ‘weird’ or strange, and then slide back into our more comfortable ‘consensual’ reality without really considering the implications.

I was recently sitting in a meeting when for apparently no reason, an old friends name came to mind, and I realized we hadn’t communicated in over a year. It also occurred to me that he had probably visited San Diego in the years since we’d last seen each other. On an impulse, I sent him an email, with “What the heck?” in the subject line, accusing him of coming to San Diego and not getting in touch. He responded shortly with an email whose subject was: ‘Busted!’ He was in San Diego at the time at a conference, and was scheduled to leave that night. Coincidence, right?

I try once or twice a week to get out for a road-bike workout in the morning, but I hadn’t ridden in a couple of months. A few weeks ago, I prepared my bike the night before, got everything ready so that I could quickly leave the next morning on a short ride before work. That night I had a vivid dream of being on the side of the road with a flat tire on my bike. I got up that morning, put on my bike regalia and went into the garage to find my bike with a flat. Rarely has that happened before. Another coincidence, right?

Almost everyone has similar stories they can tell. There are however people who have regular and much more dramatic experiences of something that could indicate that there may be a connection between people, and events and places which goes beyond our normal, consensual experience of everyday life. And while some people consider these unexplained and seemingly random experiences as merely strange coincidences, a considerable amount of effort has taken place within the scientific community to reliably and consistently replicate and explain these phenomena. So far, such para-normal phenomena and experiences have not been able to be repeated with consistent or mathematical reliability in a controlled environment.

Those people who regularly and routinely have such experiences, usually can’t explain them, nor can they reliably call them up at will. Joe McMoneagle was studied by the Army and the CIA for years because he had an amazing ability to do what is called ‘remote viewing’ – describe a place with amazing accuracy where he’d never physically been. Edgar Cayce, when put into a hypnotic trance, could seemingly take his mind to anywhere in the world and describe what was there, as well as accurately describe the lives of people he’d never met – even when not in their presence. Other people have had dreams or visions that have accurately portrayed events that subsequently happened exactly as their dream or vision predicted – way beyond statistical probability.

I recently read a book entitled The Third Man Factor by John Geiger that seeks to explain the phenomenon recorded so many times of people in a life threatening situation sensing a ‘presence,’ which guides and comforts them, enabling their survival. (Those of you familiar with Ernest Shackleton’s trek over South Georgia Island know what I’m talking about.) One of my favorite philosophers, Colin Wilson, has recently written a book entitled Super Consciousness in which he explores what Abraham Mazlow described as ‘Peak Experiences’ and how people can intentionally induce these experiences. Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Blink seeks to explain how our minds frequently make their best decisions without ‘thinking’ – and Gladwell makes no claims on any ‘unseen reality.’ String theory and Quantum physics (neither of which do I begin to understand) challenge our consensual reality and whether ‘reality’ is truly limited to the 4 dimensions of space and time.

There is a huge body of literature of scientists, charlatans, religious mystics, skeptics, new age philosophers trying to explain these phenomena that don’t seem to fit into the ‘consensual reality’ in which we live our daily lives. I read somewhere that much of philosophy and religion is an attempt to address whether there is only one objective reality, or whether there are multiple dimensions, and whether human beings have the means of bridging these different dimensions of reality and existence. Is there an ‘unseen order of things’? Are these strange experiences ‘leaks’ between one dimension of reality and another? Plato believed yes. Aristotle didn’t agree.

So what are ‘the implications’ of an amazingly predictive dream, or a ‘flash’ connection with someone that seems to have meaning – are they little glimpses of ‘the big question’? Is there an ‘unseen order of things’? Are we all connected by what Carl Jung called a ‘collective unconscious’? Is there another dimension that connects people, events, places and things beyond space and time? Or can indeed all of this be explained by a more thorough and complete understanding of biology, psychology, and physics within the day-to-day reality in which we ALL agree that we live? Struggling with these unanswerable questions can be profoundly personal, and can force one to confront one’s most deeply held values, who one is and how one lives one’s life – which can be awkward, and even scary.

When I worked in the Pentagon, we regularly were confronted with decisions and events within our ‘consensual reality’ that were perplexing and just didn’t make sense. To help us deal with these, my boss at the time used to quote the Hall of Fame football player Dick Butkus: “There’s a whole lot of S@%# going on that we just don’t understand.”

What is Real?

I read a fascinating and entertaining essay in the Wall Street Journal this week that makes the point that we just don’t know what to believe any more. Dan Henninger’s essay, which he playfully entitles Wonderland –We’re all Balloon Boys Now, notes how reality and fantasy have become confused and blurred. He notes that “with fakery everywhere today, people retreat into a shell of cynicism about everything.” Perception Management has become so sophisticated and has gone to such bizarre extremes that we can hardly tell the difference between the legitimate and the absurd, or between form and substance, and we’re never quite sure where reality ends and fantasy begins. With all the spin doctors, photo-shop make-overs, plastic surgery, performance enhancing drugs, lip-synching, 3D special effects, clever marketing strategies, public relations and personal branding consultants, the stretchers of the truth and the outright liars, we’re constantly asking ourselves, “Is this real, or am I being had? Are very clever people taking me for a ride?”

Even ‘reality TV’ is largely fake. There is the famous unattributed claim that “The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you’ve got it made.” So who and what can we believe and trust? What is real?

The Washington Post “On Leadership” discussion, to which I contribute from time to time, recently asked the question: “What is it about airline Captain “Sully” Sullenberger and his ‘miracle on the Hudson’ that has so fascinated the public? What does it say about the public’s hunger for leadership?” My response noted that we hunger for authenticity, and Capt Sullenberger and what he and his crew did to save the lives of the people on their airliner was real, genuine, and required no PR spin, no make-up, no excuses. He and his crew had worked hard to be very competent at their jobs, and delivered on their commitment to protect the lives of their passengers in an emergency. As simple as that. America has become so accustomed to ‘posers,’ fast talking salesmen, and opportunists grand-standing for personal gain, seeking to manipulate the perceptions of this or that constituency, that when someone genuine steps up and honestly does their job well because that is who they are and what they believe in, we are shocked and amazed. Capt Sullenberger, police and firemen, members of the military, corporate leaders who spurn the spotlight, but give generously and sometimes anonymously to good causes – these capture the moral imagination of America, and fan the embers of what is best in us. When we get confused about what is real and what is fake, what is sincere and what are mere attempts to manipulate us and our emotions toward some other end, Capt Sullenberger reminds us of what a genuine hero is, and of that part of the American character that we can continue to believe in.

You can read Dan Henninger’s entertaining and insightful essay Wonderland –We’re all Balloon Boys Now in the WSJ by clicking here.

You can read my response to the Washington Post question on America’s response to Capt Sullenberger by clicking here.

You can view a short video of WP’s interview with Capt Sullenberger by clicking here.