The Prevailing Order

The winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, and the strife that divideth and afflicteth the human race is daily increasing. The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order appeareth to be lamentably defective. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that He may graciously awaken the peoples of the earth, may grant that the end of their conduct may be profitable unto them, and aid them to accomplish that which beseemeth their station.- Bahá’u’lláh, Gleanings CX

I ran across this quote again earlier today, and... well... It got me thinking. Which I know, right? That's a good thing, isn't it? That's what sacred text should do.

What hit me, though, was not the similarities and differences between when this was written and today. Nor was it the short prayer at the end. Nor was it even the word "lamentably", which I have contemplated many times over the years.

No, this time it was one phrase, and the countless things we take for granted when reading it. It led me to the very real question, how do we understand the words, "the prevailing order"? What does it refer to? What does it look like? And why would He say it is "lamentably defective"?

We often think of it as the various forms of government, perhaps even the corporations or various church organizations. In general, we think of it in terms of administrative structures. But when I looked up what the phrase meant, what I found surprised me.

A basic dictionary definition says that it refers to the current or generally accepted system, structure, or set of rules guiding a specific environment or society. The phrase signifies what is most common and widespread at a given time.

So, while it can refer to the various administrative structures, it goes far beyond that. It also refers to the framework in which those structures exist.

Let's take one example: the way in which we engage with economics. We think of our various economic activities as transactional. You give me money and I give you an object. Boom. We're done. That's it.

Even if we were to try using a barter system, the very structure is still the same. It's still a one to one system, in which the people involved don't make a difference.

And perhaps that's the problem: the people involved don't make a difference.

In a relational model, the people are more important.

In such a system, the interactions are not begun when you hand me the money, nor are they concluded when I give you the object. Our relationship is integral to the very system itself. It is why in some Indigenous cultures, transactions were made between nations, not individuals. In each culture, everyone gave what they could, and took what they needed. People were at the centre of every interaction. And any abuse of that system was corrected by the entire community.

As I've mentioned before, I'm an artist. And one of the things that has been central to my particular business model is that I don't actually see my customers as customers. I see them as friends.

Most vendors I meet at the various shows tend to see the people attending as little more than walking wallets. Oh, they wouldn't say it like that, but when you watch them and their interactions, it is fairly evident.

Most fashion designers tend to see the models who wear their work as little more than human hangers. To me, they are first and foremost people. I ask their advice about what they would like to wear, and watch their reactions to the different outfits I show them. I don't want them to merely wear an outfit. I want them to shine with the joy of wearing a piece they love.

In both these cases, the people come first. And that is at the heart of my business. I may lose a number of sales by wanting to interact with people who merely want to have over some cash and be done with it, but in the end it is always worth it to me. It helps bring a little bit more warmth into what is otherwise a cold situation.

Another example of something we tend to take for granted is that of sovereignty. It has been said that the greatest tests in the coming times will be the balance between the rights of individuals, institutions, and communities.

In some areas the rights of the individual override the rights and well-being of the community. In other places, the right of the community tramples over the rights of the individual. What we need is to find a balance between these various rights. Whether it's personal sovereignty or the rights of the nation, it is something we need to seriously reconsider.

We are already beginning to understand that the right to free speech does not protect one from the consequences of that speech. The right of personal autonomy does not permit someone to abuse another.

But when it comes to nations, we still have not quite looked at the natural limitations of their rights. Shoghi Effendi, in the World Order of Baha'u'llah, spoke of that international commonwealth, organized along similar lines to the federal government of the United States in its relationship to its independent states, and said, "This commonwealth must, as far as we can visualize it, consist of a world legislature, whose members will, as the trustees of the whole of mankind, ultimately control the entire resources of all the component nations..."

Many see this as quite controversial, but as we continue to witness the abuse of these resources by various parties, we are beginning to discern the necessity of such a step.

What will this do to the global economy? Well, upset it, for one. And totally change how we see the value of these resources.

This will also challenge the very notion of success being defined by "winning against others". It will help us make the move, and transformation, towards a more just system as we begin to replace competition with more collaboration and consultation.

On the micro level, this would also change our work experience, moving us from working under the rigid authoritarian style of leadership to one that values the empowerment and success of every individual within the structure.

In every sphere of life, we would see dramatic and drastic change, for this would effect our style of education, our understanding of what it means to have a service-based healthcare model, how we view farming and agriculture, and many other areas as well. It would truly impact every aspect of our life.

And at the heart of it all? Understanding that the human being is at the very centre of every relationship. Not the corporation. Not the "bottom line". Not the GDP. The human being.

And at the centre of every human being is their heart.

When we begin to understand this, the cautionary statement from 'Abdu'l-Baha, "Beware! Beware! Lest thou offend any heart", takes on an even greater importance.

And then we can begin to see why "the prevailing order" is not just deemed defective by the Most Great pen, but "lamentably defective".