Show notes
In this episode Joanne Williams, LCSW discusses with Simon Chadwick a South African born, British educated, American citizen. Grew up as the son of a prominent anti-apartheid activist, lived in two totalitarian societies so African and Kenya and sees it happening in the USA. He has a Career as CEO in Italy, UK and USA. Owner of a firm of management consultants. Intensely interested in and concerned about politics and society in modern-day America. His book 'For the People: A Citizen's Manifesto to Shaping Our Nation's Future' A guide to start a conversation to heal American divisions. So today we focus: Solutions for building a safer more secure society to reduce our common anx. While creating a shared reality that we all want to live by. Summary of today Podcast: The basic contract that exists in a democracy that we hold dear that we may have forgotten we do have to work from How fragile this contract can be when authoritarianism takes hold How authoritarian rulers all have a psychopathology that drives their need to be right and a mindset that is a challenge to their very core self that needs to be protected at all costs. How fear can be used to divide us, but security unites us. Question for today is? How to open up conversations between democrats and Republicans and Americans to have a common reality. American Tribes and same values Simon Chadwick shared his life story of a Living in So. Africa, where his father was clergy, jailed and exiled for working with Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu for apartheid justice. Simon wrote his book as a guide to not allow what happened in South Africa happen in America, as he saw the red flags of authoritarian rise since 2015. In a democratic society, there is a social contract between government and electors: government provides a framework of security in return for payment of taxes and observance of reasonable laws so that all can be long and thrive. "Security" derives from the Latin word "securitas", which can be translated as "freedom from fear". In modern society, fear (or anxiety) is not just something that is physical. It can relate to economic anxiety, ill health, lack of education and opportunity, the environment (small and large), and security in old age. It can be rooted in discrimination and oppression. The social contract requires an equitable framework for all people – government "of the people, by the people, for the people". This Social contract between the government is missing the safety net so that the American people can live within the framework of security that the government is supposed to hold sacred for the people to be able to go to work and pursue happiness. It has broken down, since the loss of labor unions, no more pensions, or health benefits and good enough paying jobs to own a home or keep in business. In America a real safety net has been eroding for the last 50 years, since President Ronald Reagan. It was about Individualism-pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, it is the individual's fault, if they don't have a job or pension. Many disenfranchised workers, that lost their good union jobs in steel, manufacturing, car industry were left out to dry, without re-training or finding better jobs. They watch their jobs go over seas for lower waged jobs to replace them. There have been years of a slow decline of mostly white males losing jobs, status and they may feel resentment and angry and want someone to blame. They may blame the government or someone that has been more disenfranchised for longer than them, black and brown people they can again beat up and feel superior too. Then on Jan. 6th, 2021 there were white supremacists invading the US capital in the name of the President of the US. Who is someone admired for his power, and willing to do everything he can to keep his power. The last 20 years the republican party policies have been more toward more authoritarian rule. Part of why that works is that someone will take care you. Anxiety is a product of insecurity. We all need and seek security so that, ultimately, we can belong and succeed. Look at Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. What can we do as Americans to restore our Democratic ways: One way is to listen to know the disenfranchised person's story. Listen and ask questions to understand their story, not to change their mind, but to understand. Present another side with facts. Use these 3 Principals: 3 Principals that Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu used in So. Africa in apartheid to have a peaceful transition of power. Always use Nonviolence means Always stick together. Other countries step in to boycott and pressure the country Always Speak from Love 3.Be involved and speak up and use your voice 4.Find ways to restore belonging and Unity, with your neighbors and family members who disagree. 5.Focus on solutions for increased consciously awareness turning away from it only about me, to us mentality. Understanding that we at a cross point. 6.Commit to a shared reality of what we want as a country. Democracy of the many decide the rules and laws, or autocratic ruler wants few to have power. You must pick a side. All anti-social personalities or Psychopaths need someone to say no to them. Like any bully they need someone to stand up to them. If you see any of these behaviors, beware and see it as a red flag. There are Psychopathic tendencies, one sturdy found, in 20% of our Corporate leaders. A Psychopath has a need to protect their beliefs, that they are right at all costs, they want power to the few, politician and corporation instead of the people in the republic with building more labor unions and policies that support basic human rights, like health care, voting rights, nondiscrimination of all types of people, including immigrates, who are the backbone of our country and have always been? Psychopathic tendencies they can feel Threatened- first response is to blame. This is a defense against feeling they have a part in this issue. There are women leaders in the world that have done a good job with Covid 19 like New Zealand, Finnish countries, where they have more Social conscious awareness. Simon Chadwick book is: For the People: A Citizen's Manifesto to Shaping Our Nation's Future At: simonchadwick.us Join the Conversation Our favorite part of recording is answering your questions, from Facebook at AnxietySimplified5. Leave comments in the comment section, we will answer on a Podcast on that subject. So, listen for your question. Or share it with someone who may be helped with that answer. Our next podcast: is Part II Nelson Mandela used these 3 Principals That Every Americans Can Use Now See other podcasts at AnxietySimplified.net