Cool Revolution
It seems as though the world is changing faster than we can make sense of it—and even maybe falling head-long into a collapse of some kind. With now several years of COVID-19, political unrest, and shifting climate patterns, there is a general sense of fear and being unsettled, this feeling that nothing is solid. It is calling for a change in our culture at large, yes—and it appears to be coming whether we want those changes or not—but maybe most readily, it calls for a change in our own hearts. I offer a glimpse into what Tenzin Robert Thurman calls a “cool revolution.” This is not a revolution that comes from war and genocide on one extreme, nor the type that comes from incessantly ‘othering’ one another on the other extreme, but one where our whole worldview shifts toward what it means to be ultimately joyful and free. We each contribute our individual mind as a drop of meaning to the collective mind—whether we realize it or not. What is it that we are giving one another? What kind of future do we want? This cool revolution viewpoint calls for a radical shift in perspective, one where we become big enough to have compassion for our enemies instead of hate, to find our inner goodness despite our addictions, and to courageously believe in a better world despite the overwhelming negativity we are confronted with every day.
A common question one might ask is isn’t this too passive? Doesn’t this lead to apathy? We must fight! My response to that is—what is the tone of our actions? Are they out of aggression and hatred or are they skilled responses that see all beings as deserving of our care? Anger is a valuable tool for protection and motivation. It gives us the heat and energy to take action. And it is like a fire that once out of control can burn the house down. A cool revolution comes from our inner goodness and shifts the conversation toward an environment where something new and nurturing can sprout.
Thurman, Robert, Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness, Riverhead Books, New York, 1998.