The 2002 book "Society's Breakthrough! Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People" presents a strategy for transforming "The System", which is causing society's biggest problems. The book suggests an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, what was then called "The Citizens Amendment." But through experiments with the Wisdom Council Process since then, we've discovered that the Amendment is more like step 10 than step 1. That is, we (just us) can set the process in motion effectively. And the Amendment will come into being naturally as a result.
It turns out that they "magic sauce" for transforming "the System" lies not with an actual change to the underlying structure of the System, the Constitution. More importantly it lies with our ability to reliably facilitate into being a legitimate, inclusive, empowered "We the People". And that depends on our ability to reliably evoke the spirit of "choice-creating" at large scale.
In the last 20 years the Citizens Amendment has become the "Wise Democracy Amendment", described below.
The Wise Democracy Amendment
Note #1: It’s hard to find any risk to this proposed amendment. There is no coercion of any kind. It's just adding a new conversation to what already exists. And this new conversation only works if we all reach unity. ... But given understandings about choice-creating and Dynamic Facilitation, achieving this is not that hard. It just seems difficult because our current system is based on competition. And conversations within that system usually degenerate into partisan gridlock. ... But the Wisdom Council Process, especially if enacted as a Constitutional Amendment, helps us step out of the System.
Note #2: With enough money and media support, it's possible to start this process without an Amendment. One idea is for a small funded group to just begin and do it until its value becomes clear. Ideally, an Amendment similar to this would be added to the U.S. Constitution quickly because we need to become collectively intelligent soon.
Benefits include:
The Wise Democracy Amendment provides a way to:
It turns out that they "magic sauce" for transforming "the System" lies not with an actual change to the underlying structure of the System, the Constitution. More importantly it lies with our ability to reliably facilitate into being a legitimate, inclusive, empowered "We the People". And that depends on our ability to reliably evoke the spirit of "choice-creating" at large scale.
In the last 20 years the Citizens Amendment has become the "Wise Democracy Amendment", described below.
The Wise Democracy Amendment
- Section 1--Establish a national Wisdom Council Process: There shall be an ongoing series of national Wisdom Councils, at least three per year. Each Wisdom Council is comprised of ten to twenty-four citizens randomly selected from voter registration roles who gather for two to five days. Each one is presented with an issue of vital importance and is dynamically facilitated to create a unified perspective, which is shared with all citizens.
- Section 2 —Determining the issues: The issues may be determined and presented to each Wisdom Council in a number of ways. In rotating fashion the executive branch and each political party will present issues to each randomly selected Wisdom Council. In addition, Wisdom Councils may be convened citizen-determined issues when they gather enough signatures. Note: Since each Wisdom Council is dynamically facilitated, the original issue may evolve to be different than was first presented. So the random group ultimately determines the issue. And it creates a story of how this issue evolved that can be shared later with the public.
- Section 3 — Establishing a "Community Cafe": All citizens are invited to come together in different venues to hear each successive Wisdom Council present 1) its unified perspectives; 2) the story of how this perspective evolved into being; and 3) personal reflections from members of the Wisdom Council on their experience. Then it disbands, while the citizen audience takes over. They visit with one another in face to face small groups and online live conversations, share their reactions and build on the unified views of the Wisdom Council. Afterwards, there is a brief register of the level of resonance by the audience to the Wisdom Council perspectives. Note: The Wisdom Council report is not a set of recommendations to decision-makers. Rather it sparks the next level of citizen participation in a spirit that is similar to the choice-creating conversation of the Wisdom Council.
- Section 4—Supporting the rise of "We the People": After the live Community Cafe people are encouraged to continue this new public conversation, where whole-system unity is the ultimate aim. Much of this "We the People" conversation can continue online and in the public media until the next Wisdom Council is randomly selected. To the extent that people keep talking and reach unity we are adding a new element to our system of democracy, where "all" the people come together as "We the People", creatively address our most pressing issues and provide responsible leadership to "decision-makers" in government and the economy. This process provides elected leaders with the freedom to serve the "public interest" and to collaborate with colleagues and to be supported in doing so by the public at large.
- Section 5—Assuring the Essential Quality of Conversation: Each Wisdom Council must be facilitated in a way that reliably evokes "choice-creating," which is the essential quality of talking and thinking for “We the People” to come into existence. Choice-creating is heartfelt, collaborative and creative where citizens seek unity on “what's best for all”. Dynamic Facilitation reliably evokes choice-creating and establishes the dynamic of "unity through diversity". The Wisdom Council Process reliably extends this creative, collaborative dynamic to the whole system.
- Section 6—Establishing a Wisdom Council Commission: A rotating group of twelve former Wisdom Council members will be convened to manage the process. A maximum of three people from any one Wisdom Council can be selected. They will determine how the issues will be selected and given to each Wisdom Council, provide for capable Dynamic Facilitation and assure ongoing support to the new “We the People” conversation. The Wisdom Council Commission itself will be dynamically facilitated.
Note #1: It’s hard to find any risk to this proposed amendment. There is no coercion of any kind. It's just adding a new conversation to what already exists. And this new conversation only works if we all reach unity. ... But given understandings about choice-creating and Dynamic Facilitation, achieving this is not that hard. It just seems difficult because our current system is based on competition. And conversations within that system usually degenerate into partisan gridlock. ... But the Wisdom Council Process, especially if enacted as a Constitutional Amendment, helps us step out of the System.
Note #2: With enough money and media support, it's possible to start this process without an Amendment. One idea is for a small funded group to just begin and do it until its value becomes clear. Ideally, an Amendment similar to this would be added to the U.S. Constitution quickly because we need to become collectively intelligent soon.
Benefits include:
The Wise Democracy Amendment provides a way to:
- Transform the quality of political conversation so that it becomes more inclusive, respectful, creative and consensual.
- Co-create shared truth that can obsolete media silos.
- Generate a shared vision and clear sense of the “public interest.”
- Generate new solutions to impossible-seeming public issues, along with the will to implement these solutions.
- Generate a spirit of national (and global)community.
- Facilitate a new system of ”Wise Democracy" where “We the People” provide responsible leadership to government, the courts, and society in general.
- Preserve and enhance individual freedoms, celebrate diversity, and support the expression of people’s individuality.
- etc.
Resources
1) Chart comparing the "Citizens Amendment" of 2002 and the "Wise Democracy Amendment" of today.
2) Website for the 2002 book "Society's Breakthrough".
3) Five part video seminar "Essential Wisdom for Solving Society's Biggest Issues"
4) Video interview on the Wise Democracy Amendment (8/27/10) See below ...
2) Website for the 2002 book "Society's Breakthrough".
3) Five part video seminar "Essential Wisdom for Solving Society's Biggest Issues"
4) Video interview on the Wise Democracy Amendment (8/27/10) See below ...