I read several years ago that many of the Native American tribes used a
collaborative process by which to govern themselves. Though the structures of those ruling
councils and their constitutions varied, many operated by a set of
guiding principles that premised decisions on ecological sustainability.
One
of those commonly accepted principles was this: Always make decisions with the
7th unborn generation in mind.
Oren Lyons,
Chief of the Onondaga Nation, is
quoted as follows: "We are looking ahead, as is one of the first mandates
given us as chiefs, to make sure and to make every decision that we make relate
to the welfare and well-being of the seventh generation to come. . . ."
"What about the seventh generation? Where are you taking them? What will
they have?"
Thinking
in terms of the well being of our descendants alters the urgency we feel in
decision-making, and it brands those decisions with the wisdom of sustainability.
If we took the long view of sustainability in our daily decision-making, how
might
our organizations,
our communities,
our “tribes” and
our families
benefit?
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