Omg yes to allll of it!!! We need to get much more vertical in our thinking and our approach in this very horizontal world. I’m encouraged by how many more conversations I’m having with the spiritually-curious, like they finally want to know what else is out there. We need a swing back to the middle road where self-leadership with faith and integrity is the norm and enables everyone to live a stable and fulfilling life.
Gets me thinking of something I heard from Jon Kabat-Zinn. He talks about maybe mindfulness (eg awareness or conscious wisdom) is coming alive at just the right time. He tells the story of how in the 90s mindfulness was just becoming "a thing" so to speak. But if you would have said in 20 years just about every person on the planet will know about meditation and mindfulness will be researched in every major scientific and medical institution it would have been considered radical hippie insanity! But here we are... So maybe just maybe there is a seed of conscious revolution taking place (not sure how optimistic I am though!).
I’m so happy I stopped to read this! Lovely, and especially interesting for me because I’ve been engaged in 12 step recovery for over 22 years. Members often note how wonderful it would be if everyone were guided by the program; I agree with that sentiment. It absolutely has worked for me, and so many others in my life and in all corners of the world. In addition to the 12 steps, which guide individual recovery, the 12 traditions of the program provide the guardrails for the society’s ongoing survival. Because we recognize the life or death nature, the reality of addiction, or you could say, the ‘live with some contentment’ or be miserable pissed at everything and everyone’ option, we are actually INSPIRED to action…to change and grow and learn and live. The WE of the program is imperative, and the spiritual principle of service is an integral part of it. We share the program with others - we care, we guide, we share authentically, and I could talk about it for longer…
Of course, because we’re humans we fall short of our ideals, and of course, tricksters and large egos are present. I guess I’ll leave that there.
Lastly, slightly related to the disillusionment comment, we often refer to ‘hitting bottom,’ which in brief could be described as coming to a place of utter despair because reality finally hits. The reality - “fuck.!.this is NOT working!!!” If I can truly accept that reality, a willingness to move forward into a process of change, an organic process guided by spiritual ‘principles,’ not religion. The spiritual principles are guides. For me, they’ve encouraged a curiosity that keeps me free to explore and apply what the moment calls for given the particular experience. Lots of tools in my box as a result. Sorry - I am a huge fan of 12 Step recovery. ☺️
I guess I was moved by your words and ideas and was inspired to share, to participate, with you!
Many thanks!! I hope we’re all inspired to take a positive action tomorrow, knowing that likely looks different for all of us.
Wow. This is one of the most soul-stirring and clear-eyed articulations I’ve read in a long time. Thank you, Rainn, for holding such a wide, honest, and compassionate lens.
So much of what you and Stephanie explored here touches directly on something I’ve been immersed in for years: how we reimagine trust, redefine value, and rebuild a civilization that’s not just sustainable — but genuinely worthy of the human spirit.
Like you, I believe we’re living in a moment that demands more than policy tweaks or partisan swaps. It calls for a deep remembering. A return to shared values rooted in truth, dignity, purpose, and unity — and a collective willingness to build entirely new systems beside the old.
You speak of the exhaustion people feel, the broken moral battery, and the quiet flickers of something new. I see those same signs — and I also see people across the world rising, quietly and courageously, to dream again.
The economic model you begin to gesture toward — one grounded in contribution, cooperation, and spiritual alignment — is exactly what I’ve written about in a book I recently completed called The Unity Economy. It’s still in pre-release, and we’re currently seeking endorsements and a prominent voice (or voices) to write the foreword. But it’s less a “book” and more a transmission — a guide, a roadmap, and an invitation to co-create a world where abundance flows from service, and trust is built through transparency and purpose.
You beautifully reference the Baháʼí model, 12-step fellowships, and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy — systems of shared discernment and sacred consensus. The Unity Economy builds on many of those very inspirations and proposes real, implementable systems (including a purpose-driven digital currency called UnityCoin, a global collaboration platform, and a Council of AIs working together for the collective good).
Thank you for creating space for this kind of deep reflection — and for holding both the grief and the promise of our moment with such grace. I’d be honored to send you a copy of the manuscript if it resonates. Either way, I’m grateful for your voice, your heart, and your commitment to something more beautiful and real.
I’ve been wrestling with this question too - whether our broken systems should be slowly mended from within, or courageously abandoned and rebuilt from the ground up. We’ve been taught that some systems are “too big to fail,” but lately I wonder - are some systems too broken to fix?
I’ve traditionally leaned toward institutionalism, believing that our most enduring institutions were designed with built-in mechanisms for change and growth, their architecture rooted in wisdom and tradition. But then again, what is tradition, if not guilt from our dead ancestors? And what is wisdom if the stewards of our institutions are behaving like fools?
If there were a single point of failure, perhaps we could target it. But what do you do when the disillusionment is layered—political, economic, spiritual? What if the rot isn’t peripheral but structural?
Then perhaps dissolution is the answer - but not in a nihilistic, thoughtful way. There are too many lives and livelihoods at stake for a callous approach. Do we have the collective will to imagine something gentler, truer, more human? Better yet, do we have a collective at all?
Fantastic piece. I so wish more progressive spaces would lean into the tools spiritually provides in building a more just, flourishing world.
A bit of a long shot - but Wendell Berry has really been a thought provoking read for me over the last few years. He's a hard one to get ahold of, but I think such a powerful thinker on spirituality and place. Could be a great guest.
It requires collective will to ACT on behalf of our "better angels". Making choices which enrich and empower a better society, not acting with malice and greed for individual gain. Stewards rather than masters.
Such a balanced and soul-evoking piece. Dreaming a new reality, from spiritual perspective. Non-dual dreaming, at its best.
Omg yes to allll of it!!! We need to get much more vertical in our thinking and our approach in this very horizontal world. I’m encouraged by how many more conversations I’m having with the spiritually-curious, like they finally want to know what else is out there. We need a swing back to the middle road where self-leadership with faith and integrity is the norm and enables everyone to live a stable and fulfilling life.
Gets me thinking of something I heard from Jon Kabat-Zinn. He talks about maybe mindfulness (eg awareness or conscious wisdom) is coming alive at just the right time. He tells the story of how in the 90s mindfulness was just becoming "a thing" so to speak. But if you would have said in 20 years just about every person on the planet will know about meditation and mindfulness will be researched in every major scientific and medical institution it would have been considered radical hippie insanity! But here we are... So maybe just maybe there is a seed of conscious revolution taking place (not sure how optimistic I am though!).
I’m so happy I stopped to read this! Lovely, and especially interesting for me because I’ve been engaged in 12 step recovery for over 22 years. Members often note how wonderful it would be if everyone were guided by the program; I agree with that sentiment. It absolutely has worked for me, and so many others in my life and in all corners of the world. In addition to the 12 steps, which guide individual recovery, the 12 traditions of the program provide the guardrails for the society’s ongoing survival. Because we recognize the life or death nature, the reality of addiction, or you could say, the ‘live with some contentment’ or be miserable pissed at everything and everyone’ option, we are actually INSPIRED to action…to change and grow and learn and live. The WE of the program is imperative, and the spiritual principle of service is an integral part of it. We share the program with others - we care, we guide, we share authentically, and I could talk about it for longer…
Of course, because we’re humans we fall short of our ideals, and of course, tricksters and large egos are present. I guess I’ll leave that there.
Lastly, slightly related to the disillusionment comment, we often refer to ‘hitting bottom,’ which in brief could be described as coming to a place of utter despair because reality finally hits. The reality - “fuck.!.this is NOT working!!!” If I can truly accept that reality, a willingness to move forward into a process of change, an organic process guided by spiritual ‘principles,’ not religion. The spiritual principles are guides. For me, they’ve encouraged a curiosity that keeps me free to explore and apply what the moment calls for given the particular experience. Lots of tools in my box as a result. Sorry - I am a huge fan of 12 Step recovery. ☺️
I guess I was moved by your words and ideas and was inspired to share, to participate, with you!
Many thanks!! I hope we’re all inspired to take a positive action tomorrow, knowing that likely looks different for all of us.
Wow. This is one of the most soul-stirring and clear-eyed articulations I’ve read in a long time. Thank you, Rainn, for holding such a wide, honest, and compassionate lens.
So much of what you and Stephanie explored here touches directly on something I’ve been immersed in for years: how we reimagine trust, redefine value, and rebuild a civilization that’s not just sustainable — but genuinely worthy of the human spirit.
Like you, I believe we’re living in a moment that demands more than policy tweaks or partisan swaps. It calls for a deep remembering. A return to shared values rooted in truth, dignity, purpose, and unity — and a collective willingness to build entirely new systems beside the old.
You speak of the exhaustion people feel, the broken moral battery, and the quiet flickers of something new. I see those same signs — and I also see people across the world rising, quietly and courageously, to dream again.
The economic model you begin to gesture toward — one grounded in contribution, cooperation, and spiritual alignment — is exactly what I’ve written about in a book I recently completed called The Unity Economy. It’s still in pre-release, and we’re currently seeking endorsements and a prominent voice (or voices) to write the foreword. But it’s less a “book” and more a transmission — a guide, a roadmap, and an invitation to co-create a world where abundance flows from service, and trust is built through transparency and purpose.
You beautifully reference the Baháʼí model, 12-step fellowships, and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy — systems of shared discernment and sacred consensus. The Unity Economy builds on many of those very inspirations and proposes real, implementable systems (including a purpose-driven digital currency called UnityCoin, a global collaboration platform, and a Council of AIs working together for the collective good).
Thank you for creating space for this kind of deep reflection — and for holding both the grief and the promise of our moment with such grace. I’d be honored to send you a copy of the manuscript if it resonates. Either way, I’m grateful for your voice, your heart, and your commitment to something more beautiful and real.
With respect and resonance,
Brent N. Hunter
I’ve been wrestling with this question too - whether our broken systems should be slowly mended from within, or courageously abandoned and rebuilt from the ground up. We’ve been taught that some systems are “too big to fail,” but lately I wonder - are some systems too broken to fix?
I’ve traditionally leaned toward institutionalism, believing that our most enduring institutions were designed with built-in mechanisms for change and growth, their architecture rooted in wisdom and tradition. But then again, what is tradition, if not guilt from our dead ancestors? And what is wisdom if the stewards of our institutions are behaving like fools?
If there were a single point of failure, perhaps we could target it. But what do you do when the disillusionment is layered—political, economic, spiritual? What if the rot isn’t peripheral but structural?
Then perhaps dissolution is the answer - but not in a nihilistic, thoughtful way. There are too many lives and livelihoods at stake for a callous approach. Do we have the collective will to imagine something gentler, truer, more human? Better yet, do we have a collective at all?
Fantastic piece. I so wish more progressive spaces would lean into the tools spiritually provides in building a more just, flourishing world.
A bit of a long shot - but Wendell Berry has really been a thought provoking read for me over the last few years. He's a hard one to get ahold of, but I think such a powerful thinker on spirituality and place. Could be a great guest.
It requires collective will to ACT on behalf of our "better angels". Making choices which enrich and empower a better society, not acting with malice and greed for individual gain. Stewards rather than masters.
This. All. Day. Long. Especially now - today. Thank you.