Will 21st-century pro-empathy voters master culture diplomacy in time to save humanity?

My reflections from a Empathy Surplus Network USA adult weekly forum discussing how to apply the latest insights of the brain from cognitive scientist George Lakoff's book entitled Whose Freedom?

Annual Rotary Day at the United Nations, Palace of Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Armistice Day 2017, celebrating 50 Rotarians from around the world, who in 1945 helped write the United Nations Charter. Rotary’s 1940 Human Rights Resolution, passed at its international conference in Havana, Cuba, was foundational to creating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Will 21st-century pro-empathy voters master culture diplomacy in time to save humanity?¹ Culture diplomacy is to progressivism, what culture war is to authoritarian conservatism - changing brains² to build an empathy surplus or deficit, respectively. Effective culture diplomacy is the consistent commitment by American progressives to protect and empower America’s strong, diverse communities of nurturing families, caring for each other, and expanding freedom for all. The culture diplomacy of Quakers and Methodists, launched in 1775 to eradicate slavery from the colonies, ³ forced conservative representatives to go on the record against ⁴ the human right to freedom for all. Consequently, James Madison demanded the first ten Amendments of the Bill of Rights,⁵ and Ben Franklin introduced the first anti-slavery bill ⁶ in the first Congress.

Will 21st-century pro-empathy voters master culture diplomacy in time to save humanity? It’s a toss-up. Not enough progressives have embraced the latest insights of the brain on civil discourse. Nevertheless, progressive pro-empathy voters did step up in the 2020 Presidential election and the midterms. But pro-empathy voters must embrace culture diplomacy as a lifelong pursuit because conservatism’s white culture war on human rights isn’t going away. Remember authoritarian conservative Louis Powell, who launched a new era of conservative culture war with his 1971 memo ⁷ to corporate America. Then he laid out a stealth recipe for returning America to our colonial slave state roots. And for 50 years, authoritarian CEOs and billionaires quietly infected American brains with the rot of limited empathy in governance. Then the twice impeached cop killing former POTUS revealed conservatism for what it is - cruel autocracy - comfortable with daily mass murder.

Will 21st-century pro-empathy voters master culture diplomacy in time to save humanity?I am hopeful despite culture war misinformation. Here are the skills needed for a progressive culture diplomat to change brains in civil society and ethical business, as well as in public government, to advance human rights: (1) Commitment to protecting and empowering diverse communities of nurturing families, who care for humanity, (2) framing conversation skills around core values of empathy and responsibility, both personal and social, (3) a strong work ethic, (4) progressive measures resourcefulness, (5) the ability to build progressive relationships, (6) decision-making skills that build empathy, (7) attention to progressive framing details, (8) commitment to creating caring, circular economies, (9) ability to work under pressure, (10) initiative, (11) flexibility, and (12) commitment to lifelong learning on framing a progressive message. ⁸

75 years ago this year on December 10, 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was passed: Of the 58 United Nations member countries there were 48 Yeses, 8 abstentions, and 2 failed to vote. The first US Ambassador to the UN, Republican Senator Warren Austin, was appointed by Democratic President Harry Truman.

Our Empathy Surplus Network USA recently approved an updated Pledge to the People ⁹ for our website footer. The public is invited to recite it at public meetings while facing the flag and holding a neighbor’s hand:

Pledge to the People

I pledge allegiance to the people of the world

and the United States of America

and to their human rights, which I defend and promote,

one world committed to empathy and responsibility,

with liberty and justice for all.

1.  Lakoff, George, Whose Freedom? The Battle Over America’s Most Important Idea, Ch. 7, Causation and Freedom, p. 110, last paragraph: “It is surely not the case that conservatives are simpleminded and cannot think in terms of complex systems (culture war): Indeed, conservative strategists consistently outdo progressive strategists when it comes to long-term, overall strategic initiatives.”

2.  Lakoff, George, and Rockridge Institute, Thinking Points: Communicating Our American Values and Vision, Chapter 3 Frames and Brains, Section Lessons from Cognitive Science, p.22 of online version at https://proempathy.us/Thinking, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 2006

3. History Channel, First American Abolition Society Founded in Philadelphia, https://proempathy.us/abolition

4. History Channel, Why Thomas Jefferson's Anti-Slavery Passage Was Removed from the Declaration of Independence, https://proempathy.us/Jefferson

5. National Constitution Center Staff, James Madison Introduces the Bill of Rights, https://proempathy.us/BillOfRights

6. Franklin, Benjamin, Anti-Slavry Petition to 1st Congress, “The petition was introduced to the House on February 12 and to the Senate on February 15, 1790. It was immediately denounced by pro-slavery congressmen and sparked a heated debate in both the House and the Senate.” from US Government Archives https://proempathy.us/AntiSlavery

7.  Powell, Louis, Letter to Mr. Eugene B. Sydnor, Jr., Chairman, Education Committee, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 08/23/1971, https://proempathy.us/PowellMemo

8. Empathy Surplus Network USA’s 1st Empathy Activity - INWARDLY DIGEST and use the latest brain insights of Dr. George Lakoff to frame daily caring conversations that promote human rights education. https://proempathy.us/framing 

9. Watts, Charles, Pledge to the People, Empathy Surplus Network USA website footer, https://empathysurplus.com - People of different countries are welcome to insert their own country in place of “the United States of America.”