Humans are social beings; we cannot exist without each other
We create and are created by families, cultures, organizations, and institutions, including corporations and governments, and assign or accept meanings about them
History has us creating ever larger and hopefully, more effective institutions
Solving problems and creating more effective institutions is a dialectical process, both collaborative and conflictual
Most institutions have both collaborative and authoritarian aspects, embodied in individuals, policies, and processes
Unmet needs, economic decline, and large differences in status and power create distress
Current technology and productivity could support basic needs fulfillment for all
Social action is efficacious in alleviating symptoms of distress, i.e. depression and anxiety
Our backward political and economic systems prevent meeting everyone’s needs
Those in power would have us believe that change is not possible
There are millions of good, loving, constructive actions and interactions occurring daily
The road to caring and creativity is often unblocked and we proceed
What blocks the road is authoritarianism, elitism, alienation, and hostility
The domain of democracy can be conceived to extend from the individual through organizations, institutions, and corporations, to the government