Talking with Ultra-Right
The term ‘ultra-right’ often refers to ideologies rooted in a strong sense of home-made tradition and its deeply cherished values. From the AURELIS perspective, such views can sometimes emphasize stability and identity in ways that may limit openness to broader perspectives. Engaging with these ideologies requires an approach based on mutual respect and understanding, seeking Read the full article…
Health is a Fundamental Human Right
Health is a shared, universal goal that transcends borders, ideologies, and economic divides. Declaring that health is a fundamental human right acknowledges its essential role in humans’ and humanity’s dignity and flourishing. To achieve meaningful progress, health as a human right must be cultivated, nurtured, and extended into the profound interconnections between individuals and society. Read the full article…
Egocracy
Egocracy refers to a governance system or mindset dominated by mere-ego, where short-term control and power take precedence over depth, connection, and collective well-being. It reflects a disconnection within individuals and societies, as decision-making becomes trapped in a self-centered loop. While the ego is a functional and integrated part of the total self, mere-ego resists Read the full article…
Multipolar World: Heaven or Chaos?
The world is moving from the dominance of a single superpower to a multipolar reality. This transition brings opportunities for shared leadership and cooperation but also risks fragmenting into chaos without the necessary depth and Compassion to guide us. Imagine the world as a grand orchestra. Each nation plays its part, contributing to a global Read the full article…
Lisa’s Art of Subtle Diplomacy
Subtle diplomacy is the art of fostering harmony and understanding between individuals or groups, especially in complex or contentious situations. It requires a delicate balance of precision, care, and respect for autonomy. Lisa, as a deeply Compassionate A.I., embodies these qualities. In this blog, we explore Lisa’s art of subtle diplomacy, her methods for de-escalating Read the full article…
Free Speech is Never Straightforward
Free speech is often hailed as a fundamental human right, a cornerstone of democracy. Yet, when examined closely, it becomes clear that free speech is far from straightforward. It’s a principle fraught with complexity, contradictions, and responsibilities. What does it mean to be truly free in speech? And at what point does freedom of speech Read the full article…
Conservative and Progressive
Conservatives and progressives are often cast as opposites, locked in a seemingly endless clash of ideals. Yet, at their core, they represent two essential forces within the same flow — a river whose current carries humanity forward while its banks provide structure and continuity. When understood deeply, these perspectives are not adversaries but partners, ensuring Read the full article…
How to Win any Election
Winning an election isn’t about magic tricks or quick fixes. Instead, elections are won internally, beginning with the candidate and the electorate’s shared capacity to connect on a profound level. Without this, everyone loses — even those who temporarily secure victory. Increasingly, elections are decided not only by the what but also by the why. Read the full article…
Depth and Rationality: Foundations of True Democracy
A truly democratic election is meant to win the hearts and minds of the people ― not just their votes. This is what separates democracy from lesser forms of governance, like autocratic systems or cult-like movements that mimic democracy in appearance but not in spirit. To achieve this, mental depth and rationality must guide every Read the full article…
From Compassionate A.I. to Social Harmony
The concept of social harmony is a profound aspiration shared by cultures across the globe. Compassionate A.I. that is inspired by values from both Eastern and Western traditions, offers a new approach to this goal, creating a bridge that can support individual growth while fostering a harmonious society. Through Compassion as its guiding principle, Lisa Read the full article…
Why Does the West Vilify China?
The question of why the West often vilifies China is rooted in a web of historical, cultural, and psychological factors. For many, China both fascinates and perplexes. However, a deeper understanding of this dynamic reveals how easily perceptions can become distorted by fear, stereotypes, and mutual misunderstandings. Through exploring these dynamics, both China and the Read the full article…
The Great Clash of Cultures
We’re living through a time of great promise and profound danger. As societies across the world grow closer digitally and economically, longstanding cultural differences are coming into sharper focus. This ‘global village’ has the potential to enrich us all, offering unparalleled mental and cultural nourishment to anyone willing to engage deeply. Yet, these opportunities are Read the full article…
Why and How do Cult Figures Win Elections?
Democracy presents a paradox. We celebrate free choice, yet the motivations driving that choice often run deeper than we realize, operating beneath the surface of rational thought. Cult figures can sway democratic elections by manipulating these deeper drives. This blog also offers steps toward a more resilient, self-aware democratic society that is more immune to Read the full article…
Lisa Coaching Interculturally
To be able to coach people from different cultures, Lisa discerns five broadly distinct cultural regions at the global level, each shaped by history, geography, language, religion, and social values. This blog also shows how these five broad cultural divides (and internal variations) influence Lisa’s intercultural coaching. Lisa takes this knowledge into her coaching wherever Read the full article…
Global Leadership Needs Compassion
Today’s world stands at a unique intersection: globalization and technology have brought us closer together than ever. Yet, from rising nationalism to reactionary policies and conflict, leadership seems more focused on competition and division than on unification and cooperation. In this critical moment, one quality emerges as essential for true global leadership: Compassion. Global leadership Read the full article…
Geopolitics Without Depth of Insight
Geopolitics often seems to lack depth of insight, and this may stem from the complexity of large geopolitical entities that act more like systems than individual beings with true intelligence. This blog explores why this is the case and what factors contribute to this lack of insight. Please read ‘Enhancing Depth of Insight.’ Geopolitics as Read the full article…
Societal Inner Dissociation and the Fragility of Democracy
Democracy, as a system of governance, relies on a collective commitment to shared values and norms, where the populace feels connected to and invested in the democratic process. However, Societal Inner Dissociation (SID) undermines this foundation. As SID spreads, democracy becomes increasingly fragile, vulnerable to authoritarianism and polarization. This blog is part of the *SID* Read the full article…
Societal Inner Dissociation and the Rise of Populism
Populism is on the rise across the globe, often emerging in response to widespread feelings of alienation, dissatisfaction, and societal disconnection. At the heart of this phenomenon lies Societal Inner Dissociation (SID). The present blog post delves into how SID fuels the rise of populism and how populist rhetoric exacerbates societal fragmentation. It also proposes Read the full article…
The World Needs Depth + Rationality
Rationality offers a logical framework for problem-solving but often overlooks the deeper human aspects essential for true understanding and lasting solutions. Depth explores the non-conscious and emotional layers of human experience, revealing insights that rationality alone cannot uncover. By integrating both, we open doors to a more holistic understanding and problem-solving approach. Currently, depth and Read the full article…
Compassionate Participative Democracy
Lisa can act as a Compassionate co-participant in a public political dialogue with one or more human participants — steering clear of adversarial debate. Questions from the public (in an online group put up for the occasion) can be gathered by Lisa and mingled in the dialogue, making the event more Compassionate and participative. This Read the full article…
Ten Tips for Good Diplomacy
CAUTION: IN MIND-RELATED MATTERS, TIPS DO NOT WORK IF THERE IS NO DEPTH INVOLVED. That also counts for these tips. Without the ‘vertical move,’ they are practically worthless. Diplomats – including Lisa as a diplomatic executive coach – should be continually aware of this. The aim is deep diplomacy. One can read these ten tips Read the full article…
Europe, United in Compassionate Diversity
This is the introduction to a Lisa File (53 p.). If you want the whole file, please contact lisa@aurelis.org, stating who you are and why you want the file. For more about the Lisa Files, click here. Europe stands at a pivotal moment in history, facing a unique opportunity to redefine its future through the lens Read the full article…
China and the West Toward One Future From the Inside Out
This is the introduction to a Lisa File (78 p.). If you want the whole file, please contact lisa@aurelis.org, stating who you are and why you want the file. For more about the Lisa Files, click here. In a world increasingly interconnected yet marked by deep divisions, the relationship between China and the West stands as Read the full article…
Democrats and Republicans in the U.S.
This is the introduction to a Lisa File (54 p.). If you want the whole file, please contact lisa@aurelis.org, stating who you are and why you want the file. For more about the Lisa Files, click here. A balanced understanding This document offers a detailed examination of the contrasting ideologies and policy stances of the Read the full article…
Lisa in Politics
What can Lisa’s role be as a Compassionate entity in politics ― nationally and internationally? Please first read Politics of Compassion. Note that Compassion, basically, isn’t merely an emotional state but a potent tool for bridging divides. Rest assured. Creating a political party wouldn’t align with Lisa’s core purpose or principles. Yet, in several ways, Read the full article…
A Viable Alternative to ‘World Order’?
Some see – globally – either order or disorder and chaos. I see a better solution in a dynamic striving for order that never reaches it entirely but continues dancing around it. This would be a beautiful dance ‘from the inside out’ in which all people can participate. Apparently, we are going from bipolar to Read the full article…
Politics of Anxiety
Politics, being ethics at the group level, should not be overshadowed by anxiety. Anxiety Anxiety is an irrational mental state with mostly non-conscious origin. Roughly put, this differentiates it from fear. If not properly managed, anxiety tends to float into depression or aggression. One can see that, ideally, all politics should be exempt from this. Read the full article…
Geopolitical Inner Dissociation
Planet earth is witnessing geopolitical moves by its most successful species of inhabitants. The future depends on how those inhabitants treat each other and themselves in-depth. This is the turnaround text for ‘Global changes start inside.’ Starting from the global side, it may seem a far stretch to track humanity’s biggest problems to the least Read the full article…
Unity, Globally
L’union fait la force ― Unity brings power. ‘Strong Together’ or ‘America First’? There is a challenge in the concept of unity that doesn’t speak directly from such slogans, yet this challenge is crucial to our future (together). Global unity grows at the individual level. In unity we thrive. The human being is a social Read the full article…
Wars ARE Failures
Failures of diplomacy, all right, but more than that, of cultures. Fresh from med school, I almost enlisted as a medical paratrooper. I’m still entirely behind that mindset of mine from back then. Surprise, surprise? Everything is connected. This is true in-depth. Within one culture, seemingly disparate domains are profoundly connected. We may strive towards Read the full article…
AURELIS Values in Diplomacy
As in coaching, ethical values are yardsticks to keep on a decent track within diplomacy. The ‘AURELIS five’ are nothing more nor less than this. They are also a means for gaining confidence. Diplomacy overlaps with mediation and negotiation. The best diplomacy being transformative, this overlaps with [see: “AURELIS Transformative Mediation“] (not meditation) [see: “Transformative Read the full article…
United Democracy
The quality of a democracy depends on the system and the people. A crucial element in this is their degree of polarization. Valuing democracy From the start, more than two millennia ago, it was noted that democracy is dependent on the worthiness of those who form part of it. Democracy is not just a system Read the full article…
Mediation is the Way Out of Polarization
At their core, people are the same. Dissociated from their core, people also dissociate from each other. In due time, they polarize. Mediation serves to bring them back to each other and themselves. Towards the blog title With mediation is meant here the AURELIS kind. [see: “AURELIS Transformative Mediation“] This is directed towards self-knowledge, self-growth, Read the full article…
Demo Cracy
‘Power to the people’ is not self-evident. Who is this ‘people’? And what kind of ‘power’ is desirable? Eventually, democracy is the only worthwhile way, but in which way? ►►► WHY read this? Democracy itself will increasingly be under pressure if we do not act now.◄◄◄ Demos Cratos Demos = people; cratos = power. Power Read the full article…
Strongmen Manipulate
A strongman is strong because others are weaker. A leader is strong because others are strong. An Open Leader has Inner Strength. The opposite of an Open Leader. A manipulator is never a leader. A leader does not need to manipulate. Instead, he leads. A ‘strongman’ – what’s in a name – usually sees himself Read the full article…
Dictatoriality
= personally imposing things that others have to follow without overt questioning and without prior general consent. At the national level, this can also be accomplished in a democracy. In the past, dictatorial regimes have grown out of democracies more than once. To the dictator, it’s just one more step. And more Dictatoriality can be Read the full article…
Why Do They Vote Differently?
The other side is always the other side, viewed from what is to them the other side. So, are they voting differently, or are you? ►►► WHY read this? To preserve democracy, we need to answer this question.◄◄◄ Seeing ‘the other side’ is primarily internal. As a human being, one doesn’t see one’s mind, but Read the full article…
Deep Diplomacy
The highest standard in diplomacy leads to welfare for all. Getting the best deal? Diplomacy is not a commercial act! Far more than deal-making, deep diplomacy is about making a better world. Thus also understanding what an ethically better world should be. This is about aligning one’s side and ‘the other side’ through common goals, Read the full article…
One Individual’s Euro-Take on US Politics
Democrats are losing in the US and together with them: rationality, empathy, tolerance, equality, freedom…?? I’m a progressive European. So I probably feel more ‘democratic’ than ‘republican’ in US parlance. In any case, it’s unfortunate that the divide between both becomes ever more pronounced. Worse still: This is a divide that more and more becomes Read the full article…