Of the three building blocks of the Enlightened Citizenship Ideal –
- The first one is about evolution: the search for inner freedom (requiring a shift from “function” to “being”)
- The second is about enablement:
inter-human relationships (requiring a shift from “man-object” to “man-man”) - And the third is about engagement: expansion of self (requiring a shift from “me & family” to “institution & society”)
1. Evolution
How do I evolve? I evolve from ‘function’ to ‘being’.
A man always wants to grow. But, when I am at a “functional” level evolution is equal to the 3P’s – pay, prospects, and promotion. At a “being” level evolution is about inner freedom, strength, responsibility. There is a shift in the plane of evolution from a social plane to a psycho-social plane. If I focus on the outer level alone, my inner identity gets corroded.
2. Enablement
Enablement is the relationship between man-to-man. When it is man-to-object, I acquire, I transact.
But, when it is man-to-man then there is no transaction, there is only enablement.
The best relationships in the world are enabling relationships not transactions.
3. Engagement
Only if one engages deeply, can one expand as a human being.
As one engages more and more, one’s consciousness grows larger and larger.
The Citizenship Ideal is the synthesis of an evolutionary vision of life, an enabling relationship with other human beings, and an ever-expanding engagement with life itself.
