Is it right for the world’s peace, prosperity and future to be in the hands of one person? Regardless of how that person achieved the power they have, it surely cannot be. We don’t know why we have life or why we have developed brains that grow a ‘raw material human’ into an intricate and exotic developer of the assets we are given. But at our most self-interested and fundamental level we must surely consider the welfare of others as of primary importance to making our own existence amenable. And at its most unselfish we see that cooperation yields more joy than avaricious competition, regardless of all the benefits that others’ challenging successes do to improve our own performances.
Why has technological development so exceeded the understanding of what constitutes a good life? Is our species able collectively to see the potential for its maturing into ‘better’? If not, why not? What is absent from our minds and wills that is letting us miss the outstanding opportunity we now have to be our own creator? Why are we increasingly putting that ability into the hands of a machine that can so easily overpower us and looks as though it is already doing so? Shouldn’t we be wary of any world manipulator whether human being or robotic machine?
The answer is that we are thinking too narrowly.
We are taught that we are free to think anything we like. I distrust this indulgence. We are certainly able to think anything we like. You have ultimate control of your mind. But ‘able’ and ‘free’ are a long way apart. We do not treat our bodies to unremitting leisure unless we want to see them deteriorate into corpses. Shouldn’t our minds also be subject to disciplines?
Mindfulness is increasingly seen as a valuable way of composing mainly our bodies. Doing that is highly desirable. However, I am suggesting that composing our minds to serve others as well as ourselves is equally important. The world tells us that, as social creatures, we must now contribute to recomposing our society. Our attempts to elect leaders who can do it for us have failed with the result that we want a bigger say ourselves. But we are demanding that say without equipping ourselves adequately to contribute to it meaningfully.
Our contribution can be in any sphere of interest but it should include some space for society’s growth and governance. If it doesn’t we will neglect the small voice we have which is essential to the rational behavior we generally want to see as normal. Of course, our individual control of events is limited. It makes sense for each to follow the path that interests them, while still devoting a part of their thinking capacity to the issues of community confidence.
What some of the world’s leaders have done in the last few months is shatter community confidence. Let us be a tiny part of restoring it
To exercise the mind is to open the door to learning and appreciating the fruits of life and the satisfactions of feeling. Humans have a special gift for feeling, an asset that cannot be digitized or automated. More powerful than physical excitement, feeling allows us to contribute depth to an experience.
It also equips us to contribute to the well-being of others. It is from such efforts that happiness is made. I know of no more powerful generator of personal well-being.
We can come full circle.
But this time round with reasonable belief that we can contribute.
Good morning
John Bittleston
It is a rule that I don’t use the Daily Paradox to advertise our work. If you think I have slightly broken the rule this time please forgive me. If you want to know how Mindspanning is actually working with our clients please drop me a note and – while keeping client information totally confidential as always – I will tell you.
Your views, as always, more than welcome at [email protected].
25 March 2026
