There’s a parable told in various versions that goes something like this: A Native American elder describes his own inner struggles to a young boy. He says, “There are two dogs inside me. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean and evil dog constantly fights the good dog.” The boy then asks him which dog usually wins. He answers, “The one I feed the most.”
Like the beautiful photograph below which I can hold either right side up or upside down, I can put my attention on the good thoughts or the bad, the positive or the negative. It is my choice.
photo by Rosario Sapienza
I have found this simple parable incredibly valuable as I work to maintain a positive attitude for the future, not only my own but the future of humanity. While a bit of a maverick, I do call myself a futurist and have written and spoken about the future for many years. The future of humanity is probably not at the forefront of most people’s consciousness but, since it is the focus of my work, it almost always is mine.
While I occasionally get a bit down or despairing about the future of humankind - and the trends can be pretty discouraging - I consider this an occupational hazard. These times are when I must focus on the “good dog” inside me and look for the positive that is bringing us to a tipping point – not to a worse future but to a better one.
Another battle that goes on within me sometimes is whether to repair or transform existing systems and institutions or to move on and consider what new structures would better serve the conscious evolution of our species. We often make dysfunctional institutions stronger and more resistant by trying to change them. Putting our energies into those efforts may be counterproductive. In other words, there frequently comes a point when the more we try to improve them the worse they get! What a downer to contemplate!
One of my heroes is R. Buckminster (“Bucky”) Fuller who writes, “You never change things by fighting existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
By feeding the “good dog” inside me I am able to focus more on the positive vision I have for our future – what I stand FOR – rather than focusing on all the negativity confronting us and being AGAINST that.
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