- Details
- Written by: Kamran Mofid
- Hits: 5476
Photo: youtube.com
A Common Good Message for Matthias Müller, VW’s new chief executive
A well functioning capitalism, business, politics, or indeed anything else in life cannot operate without trust, a trust that has been destroyed by neo-liberalism that values everything else, but trust.
“If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen” ran the slogan of one of VW’s most iconic ad campaigns: Volkswagen Golf - Squeaky Earring - UK Advert - YouTube
It is sad to see a great company, much trusted by all, falls, like many others before it, to greed and neo-liberal capitalism, where nothing but profit maximisation, cost minimisation, lies, dishonesty, huge bonuses, salaries and suchlike are valued and prized.
The behaviour of these individuals, companies and businesses, led by their “good” looking CEOs, wearing Armani suits and flashing golden Swiss watches, with brilliant hair cuts, whitened teeth and manicured nails, holding MBAs and PhDs from this so-called top university or that business school have brought the world of business, finance, banking, commerce, politics, education and everything else in life into total disrepute and disaster.
Many books, 1000s of articles, billions of words have already been written on why such scandals have taken place, on what has gone wrong, or what can be done to put things right. Most of them agree on the role of one vital element: dishonesty fuelled by greed. We forget at our own peril that honesty and greed are essentially spiritual and moral issues.
Enacting laws, increasing the need for more governance will help, but more is needed.
To be good and trustworthy, to act good and take action in the interest of the common good, can not be legislated for. These come from somewhere else.
Volkswagen’s new boss, Matthias Mueller, said upon his appointment that the company faced “unprecedented challenges” in winning back trust: “My most urgent task is to win back trust for the Volkswagen Group"
To see more on these issues and what the new VW’s CEO needs to reflect upon carefully in “winning back trust”, see the Open Letter I had written to the Founder of Davos Forum in January 2015 :
An Open Letter to Prof. Klaus Schwab, WEF, Davos
To address and solve the long running corruption and scandals in our world today which has so adversely affected all aspects of our lives, all over the world, is not a complex issue to tackle, if there is a will to do so.
The key that will unlock the door to a corrupt-free world is EDUCATION, the one that is moral, ethical and spiritual, a education that is for the common good, as simple as that. Let me explain:
- Details
- Written by: Kamran Mofid
- Hits: 5317
A Heart-felt Message to the World's Leaders gathered in New York on 25-27 September 2015: Why the Common Good Matters- Why Values Matter
“It’s all a question of story,” wrote Thomas Berry. “We are in trouble now because we do not have a good story .. . . and the old story, the account of how we fit into it, is no longer effective. We have not yet learned the new story.”
But it shouldn’t be that way. We can begin to see a better world; and for sure, we can begin to inspire others to see it too.
But again, we need a different story to tell. Not the continuous story of the need for more “Economic Revolution”, but the story of our need for a “Spiritual Revolution”. A story rooted in human needs and dignity; taking action, leading to a sweeping transformation of global economic and political systems to deal with the threats of uncontrolled migration, poverty and injustice, as well as climate change and environmental degradation, amongst others.
I wish, with the utmost humility to offer you “my story” for your kind consideration.
"Already a billion of us go to bed hungry every night. Not because there isn't enough, but because of the deep injustice in the way the system works."-OXFAM International
In the year 2000, the world leaders adopted the Millennium Declaration: A commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, and just world. The declaration included a set of targets for development and poverty reduction to be reached by 2015. These came to be known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Refugees making their way to Europe
Photo: cdn.i24news.tv
Hungarian police officers patrol the new razor wire fence
Photo: AFP. GETTY
An injured migrant carries a child during clashes with Hungarian riot police at the border crossing with Serbia in Roszke, Hungary. Hungarian riot police used tear gas against crowds of refugees and migrants packed with children and the elderly. | Photo: Reuters
The World leaders are arriving in New York to approve the U.N’s new socio economic agenda for the next 15 years: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targeted to be achieved by 2030.
For sure, there will be no question, the gathering in New York will be a regular jamboree, a spin doctor arranged forum, with the usual nice words and promises. There will be mutual backslapping about the progress that has been made over the past 15 years, since the MDGs were adopted. They will solemnly pledge to meet the 17 sustainable development goals, with 169 specific targets, by 2030. They will turn a blind eye to what is happening in Serbia, Hungary, Croatia, and the rest of Europe, where some countries have put up razor wires to keep the unwanted, untouchables out: A far cry from the year 2000, when the world leaders adopted the Millennium Declaration: A commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, and just world!
- Details
- Written by: Kamran Mofid
- Hits: 11853
Simorgh: Thirty Birds
‘In the famous epic Persian poem "Conference of the Birds," the birds of the world gather to decide who is to be their king. The hoopoe, the wisest of them all, suggests that they should find the legendary Simorgh, a mythical Persian bird. The hoopoe leads the birds, each of whom represent a human fault which prevents man from attaining enlightenment. When the group of thirty birds finally reach the dwelling place of the Simorgh, all they find is a lake in which they see their own reflection. They realize that they were the Simorgh (which in Persian literally means "thirty birds") all along. The leader they sought was each and every one of them.’
‘Hundreds of birds embark on a perilous journey across seven treacherous valleys in search of a king who can right the wrongs in their world. They are led by the poet Attar, who has been transformed into a sharp-beaked, crested hoopoe. The troubles that spur them into flight — "Anarchy — discontent — upheaval! Desperate fights over territory, water, and food! Poisoned air! Unhappiness!" — are of course all too familiar in our world.’
As I continue to further and deepen my research on “Values-led Leadership and the Common Good” I came across the story of Simorgh as depicted in Farid ud-Din Attar’s famous 12th century epic poem, The Conference of the Birds (منطقالطیر).
I believe Attar’s classic Persian story can teach us a lot about the principles of vision, participation, values-led and collective leadership we must embody in order to build a better and more harmonious world.