“Where people of goodwill get together and transcend their differences for the common good, peaceful and just solutions can be found even for those problems which seem most intractable.“ — Nelson Mandela
The common good emphasises collective well-being, shared responsibility, and the ethical pursuit of societal benefit over individual gain. Leading in support of the common good demands high levels of self-sacrifice and the acceptance that one may not always be lauded for one’s efforts. Working tirelessly, often behind the scenes, to help mobilise the intractable (usually seated in human attitudes, mindsets and behaviours), it is as much a job of shuttle diplomacy as it is about humility, heartful connection and willingness to release one’s own agenda.
Dwight Eisenhower offered this perspective:
“To blend, without coercion, the individual good and the common good is the essence of citizenship in a free country.“ — Dwight D. Eisenhower
So not only the responsibility of leaders but also of all of us as citizens – to find ethical ways to meet our own needs and those of the common good. To do that though we must have seeded in our hearts the precious jewel of the common good as something which we can envisage, to which we adhere, to which we strive and which matters.
The writings of Agni Yoga invite us to think about this in daily terms, bringing in the principle of cooperation – seeing ourselves as all part of a great community in which cooperation toward a higher ideal defines the foundation on how we live and work together.
“If humanity had thought about cooperation more often, it would have long since entered into universal understanding of the Common Good.” New Era Community 212
As leaders and citizens, we could journey ever closer to Mandela’s call by applying ourselves to the practice of a few key practices and qualities:
- Ever striving toward the higher goal of the Common Good.
- Inclusivity – encompassing all within our worldview of the ‘common good’, not just those in our own demographic, culture or backyard.
- Persistence in our work ethic – being focused, using time well and not losing a moment – in other words dedicating ourselves to the realisation of the Common Good as a true vocation.
- A genuine desire to help unconditionally and without any prejudice or coercion
- Letting go of any sense of ownership (not easy in our western culture) and seeing ourselves instead as temporary guardians of any material objects we may have use of
- No fear
If we choose a path toward the common good and, let’s face it, we need to be doing that for the sake of our children and the generations to come as well as our planet, we can see that it is achieved through cooperation, ethical leadership, and the responsible use of personal talents for societal benefit. Individual success is most meaningful when it contributes to the welfare of the broader community, and civic engagement, generosity, and justice are central to sustaining a healthy society.
We must summon our courage and our love for this beauty that is Life and dedicate ourselves to leading toward a higher cause.