On Care For Our Common Home

On Care For Our Common Home
Pope Francis
June 18, 2015

A negative double bind is a situation in which a person is confronted with two irreconcilable demands or a choice between two undesirable courses of action. The Pope’s Encyclical of June 18 describes the present double bind for humanity and a way out of the dilemma.

Economic, environmental or energy policies related to climate change are criticized as having disastrous impacts on America’s economic competitiveness. If we believe government can not impact climate change, and that China and India will not harm their economies, then the consequences of climate change will have a disastrous impact on our economy.

First, we are wrong no matter what we propose to do about climate change and the very existence of climate change is denied. Second, something or someone else is to blame for climate change. The complexity of the system of control over maintaining the status quo freezes individuals into inaction.  The negative double bind has worked for decades to delay action on climate change.

Pope Francis has taken the first step out of this dilemma.  First, the Encyclical describes in detail the dilemma and makes the negative double bind construct visible to everyone. This first step builds awareness, transparency and a common understanding of the problem.

Second, the Pope promotes transformation of the dilemma and reframing our perception of the problem by making positive statements about our common humanity. The Encyclical describes how interconnected human beings are with nature.  In the Encyclical, the words “Integral Ecology” encapsulate the inter-related system of humanity and nature described in more detail throughout.

The Pope has taken the verbal stick away from the bullies who believe they have the authority to decide what is right and wrong for everyone else. His Holiness has told the public honestly about the dilemma, made positive statements and transformed the dilemma into actions with options, possibilities and opportunities.

Double-loop learning is the modification or rejection of a goal in the light of experience.  Single-loop learning is the most common learning style and involves problem solving based on assumptions. The Encyclical encourages everyone to question our values and goals: double-loop learning.  The learning style suggested by the Pope re-evaluates and reframes our values and goals.

Criticism of the Encyclical reinforces the negative double bind dilemma to maintain the status quo. The bullies will want to engage in verbal abuse and use every wicked way possible to attack the progressive agenda proposed by the Encyclical. The Pope suggests non-violent methods to develop a global double-loop learning style to work our way out of this dilemma.

Here is where individuals have the advantage.  We can choose to use all of the non-violent strategies proposed by Gene Sharp in his book “From Dictatorship to Democracy.” We can go to public meetings and give testimony to object to fossil fuel facilities exporting products. We can buy an electric car. We can move our money to credit unions.  We can buy local goods and services. We can volunteer at a nonprofit or school. We can stand in silent protest at a strategic public location.  There over 100 different non-violent actions for individuals and groups to take in protest that support the Pope’s Encyclical. One of the most fundamental and powerful is to not obey the rules of the consumer economy dependent on fossil fuels.