Foolishly perhaps I have imagined that a paradigm shift from the independent mindset to the interdependent worldview would be brought about by individuals coming to understand the mindset and then living according to its values. Now, just days after the US midterm elections, I am seeing a different possibility, maybe even a probability. In response to the divisive corruption of Trumpism people of all political affiliations and varied backgrounds are calling for policies that can heal divisions and bring people together. A sense of we’re-all-in-this-together has emerged from the cross-cultural suffering inflicted by Donald Trump and his entitled supporters. This sentiment is a recognition that we exist interdependently.
Values of the interdependent mindset such as compassion, equality, and sustainability are entering the public discussion about the future. Senator-elect, James Talarico rode the campaign slogan “Love Thy Neighbor” to victory in Texas. Following his projected victory in Michigan’s Senate race, Abdul El-Sayed focused his remarks on domestic priorities, advocating that public resources be re-anchored toward local needs like schools, healthcare, and infrastructure rather than foreign wars. In his election/runoff remarks, Jon Ossoff outlined a generational vision for the future, calling for a society free from environmental destruction, guaranteed healthcare, and an end to the threat of nuclear proliferation.
If, as I suspect, there is a ground-swell of recognition of aspects of the interdependent nature of our existence we can thank Donald Trump for making the kind of world we don’t want to live in blatantly obvious. We don’t want economic or social inequality. We don’t want our children going to war. We don’t want to bully our allies. We don’t want corrupt leaders. In short, we have had enough of the kind of world that the Independent Mindset has created.
What we do want is a world where kindness, inclusion, and justice for all are valued. We want a world guided by the interdependent worldview’s values.
So, rather than the paradigm shift from an independent to interdependent understanding of existence occurring as a top down phenomenon we are hopefully witnessing the onset of that shift emerging from the bottom up as a response to Trump’s cruel and malicious example of the way things must never be again.