By Lily Rockefeller
Elections have a way of bringing into focus both what divides us and what we hold in common. In the days surrounding this past week's midterm elections, Americans across the country invested enormous energy, hope, and concern in determining the direction of our shared future. Whatever our political affiliations, moments like this invite us to consider not only what kind of society we want, but how we might navigate our differences while working toward it.
After all, you may consider politics as a way of organizing a shared world.
Here at the Garrison Institute, and particularly in our podcast The Common Good, we take as a starting point the idea that our world is fundamentally interdependent. We are a small part of something much larger than ourselves, and we have a responsibility to act in service of the greater whole.
In a recent conversation on collective action, Native Hawaiian Zen master and political organizer Norma Wong introduces the term kuleana, a Hawaiian concept of mutual responsibility and stewardship. Kuleana reminds us that our own well-being is inextricably bound up with the well-being of our communities and the wider world.
This way of thinking recognizes that individuals cannot truly thrive when their communities are suffering, nor can humanity flourish at the expense of the planet. Yet our human tendency to prioritize individual gain over collective well-being can distort our experience of this interconnectedness, encouraging actions that burden society and degrade our planet.
This tendency is part of a longstanding human struggle, but the world’s contemplative traditions offer a path to the lived experience of interdependence. In her podcast episode, Roshi Joan Halifax explains how meditation can help us loosen our attachment to the idea of a separate, fixed self.
As we learn to observe the arising and passing away of our thoughts and emotions, rather than automatically identifying with or reacting to them, we begin to see beyond our habitual self-protective patterns. We become less defensive and more available to others. This capacity, she suggests, is foundational to social change.
Political organizing is undoubtedly essential to shaping our shared world. But whatever the outcome of an election, the deeper work of building the common good asks something of us beyond election results: It asks us to tend to our inner lives, because the way we relate to ourselves shapes how we show up for others. This is why the Garrison Institute has long advocated for contemplation as a vital foundation for social and political action.
Yet, even when we sincerely strive to live according to the principles of interdependence, we fall short. And sometimes, in our determination to do good—no matter our political affiliation—we become impatient with ourselves and judgmental toward others. Our convictions can harden into certainty; our desire for change can make it difficult to remain open and attentive. In the process, we risk losing sight of the very interconnectedness we seek to honor.
Building a better world therefore asks us to meet imperfection with patience and compassion, without abandoning our convictions or retreating from the struggles that matter. It asks us to remain engaged without becoming hardened, and to act with conviction while staying open to others.
The common good is not secured by any single election. It is something we practice together, in how we show up for one another every day.
