“A continued expansion in our moral imagination”
I finally got around to reading President Obama’s Nobel acceptance speech this morning. It is a moving and befitting articulation of what America’s role in the world could and should be. Early on, he refers to Kennedy’s famous remark: “Let us focus on a more practical, more attainable peace, based not on a sudden revolution in human nature but on a gradual evolution in human institutions.” And later on, he refers back to this quotation:
Agreements among nations. Strong institutions. Support for human rights. Investments in development. All these are vital ingredients in bringing about the evolution that President Kennedy spoke about. And yet, I do not believe that we will have the will, the determination, the staying power, to complete this work without something more — and that’s the continued expansion of our moral imagination; an insistence that there’s something irreducible that we all share.
Mahalo for sharing this!
I remember hearing this speech live and how amazed I was at hearing President Obama voicing Baha’i beliefs, whether he knew it or not. It definitely reinforces my belief that the power of the Word is afoot and everyone is welcome to tap in. Thanks for sharing that!
This is a fascinating juxtaposition. Taken together, these quotes from Presidents Obama and Kennedy do suggest an approach to peace that harmonizes with the Teachings of Baha’u'llah.
“The betterment of the world can be achieved through pure and goodly deeds, through commendable and seemly conduct.” On the one hand, this suggests that a “revolution in human nature” is required – or more rightly a revolution in human conduct – perhaps an “expansion of our moral imagination.”
But we also know that the individual is not separate from the environment:
“We cannot segregate the human heart from the environment outside us and say that once one of these is reformed everything will be improved.”
Altruistic action on behalf of individuals alone will not result in an improvement of the social environment. “Strong institutions” in isolation will not result in better conduct on behalf of individuals.
Thanks for sharing these, Geoff.