Sunday, October 21, 2007

One World -- Taking risks together | NYTimes article

Here is a really interesting article about how tightly knit our world has become as far as its economic interdependence. It also points out that the attitudes that characterize the Western approach to investment -- lots of speculation and then running when things go south -- is also one of the reasons we are facing such volatility at present.

In the end it helps to underscore the fact that having "one world" physically is not enough. The way we relate to things such as money and the environment need to also change -- we need to learn to be to moderate in our all our interactions and work against the tendency to enrich ourselves at the expense of others. We are just too closely connected not to start seeing all of our relationships in a new way.

As the Baha'i writings state: " It is incumbent upon them who are in authority to exercise moderation in all things. Whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence. Consider for instance such things as liberty, civilization and the like. However much men of understanding may favourably regard them, they will, if carried to excess, exercise a pernicious influence upon men."