From awakening, comes freedom.
I recently hosted a workplace workshop and invited Liu Yu, a scholar in comparative politics.
I recently hosted a workplace workshop and invited Liu Yu, a scholar in comparative politics.
You might wonder, what does political science have to do with the workplace?
Yes. Because a crucial underlying capability for sustained career development is the ability to see through multi-layered complex issues.
When examining social issues, particularly global social problems, it is especially beneficial for honing this ability. There is an analogy mentioned in Liu Yu's book. You may see that your surroundings are withered and yellow, but if you ascend to a higher altitude, you might discover lush and fertile water and grass nearby. If you go even higher, you might realize that the water and grass are surrounded by desert, making them an oasis. Ascending further, you can see the continent where the desert is located, and rising even higher, you will find that the continent is surrounded by oceans...
Liu Yu studies the decline of democracy. In recent years, events in Venezuela, Turkey, and Myanmar have reflected a continuous erosion of democracy. This is disheartening, but studying history can help us view current events from a broader perspective. For instance, when we place the last 200 years of human society within the context of the past 3,000 years of history, it becomes clear that the recent 200 years have undoubtedly been far more civilized.
However, such a comparison hardly seems to offer much hope, as each of our lives is limited. Two hundred years is far from enough!
How to maintain hope?
Liu Yu shared two perspectives:
1. It is evident that a broad consensus on many "directions" has already taken shape.
Although there has been regression in the political systems of many countries, globally, cultural trends that align with the progress of civilization have increasingly become consensus in recent years. For example, gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights have become widely accepted cultural trends and discourses. While there is still a long way to go to achieve true equality, a broad consensus on the "direction" has been reached. This was far from the case even in the 1980s. Attitudes toward divorce serve as another example. Today, divorce is not considered shocking or morally unacceptable in most countries, but this was not the case 30 years ago. Therefore, even though many current situations may appear bleak and fraught with various problems, even in societies experiencing democratic decline, many ideas have already become cultural consensus. The formation of these consensuses offers hope, as cultural change is a prerequisite for societal improvement. Once these cultural shifts and trends become widely accepted, it becomes difficult for society to "regress," and this is a source of hope for everyone.
2. Start from the smallest unit.
Democracy may seem like a grand concept, and as ordinary people, we often feel there is little we can do to promote it. However, there is a saying that the family is the smallest unit of democracy. This provides an entry point for every ordinary person.
For example, family education and parent-child relationships may seem unrelated to many major external events, but the smallest unit of democracy is actually the parent-child relationship and family dynamics. If more people realize that at home, they should respect their children, understand them, be willing to open their ears to listen to what their children have to say, and be willing to crouch down to see the world from their children's perspective—this is the progress of humanism at its smallest unit.
This is actually quite difficult, because we need to have an open mind, respect others' differing viewpoints, and be willing to reflect on our own habitual ways of thinking. It’s not about assuming that just because "I" am the parent, the adult, or because I attended a certain university, everything I say is automatically correct.
When we are willing to approach our family, especially our weaker children, with such a mindset, we will also view the "education system" with the same perspective and reflect on the social issues behind education. We will question why, in today'ss education system, such widespread disrespect for children and anti-educational practices have become the prevailing reality.
It's not about "I can't control the external environment, so let's just focus on living our small lives at home." Instead, it should be the opposite: rather than questioning why society is the way it is, we should first ask whether we can foster democracy and civility within our own homes. Can we practice nonviolent communication in our family life, parent-child relationships, and family dynamics? Can we learn to respect one another, embrace harmony while acknowledging differences, understand minority perspectives, and cultivate critical thinking? For ordinary people, this is precisely the starting point for resisting a harsh environment.
The above two points offer similar insights for both our work and life in various aspects:
First, it is about understanding the essential conditions for the development of affairs—not through "dragging," but through progress at the conceptual level. Concepts are something that "I" can learn, internalize, and develop.
Second, it is to understand the significance of "micro" solutions in driving "macro" issues. "Micro" refers to what "I" can do within my "smallest unit."