Optimism and Virtue: Change, Politics and the Good Life

By Dr. Russ,

This essay is the first entry into a series of articles on the subject of optimism and virtue.  First, I address the question: What is the relationship between optimism and virtue? 

Virtue is defined as striving to live the good life not for the sake of some extrinsic reward or avoidance of punishment, but instead for the intrinsic value of goodness for goodness sake.  We can never achieve a state of perfect virtue, because God is the only perfect being and since God is limitless, so too is virtue.   Thus, the goal is not to become virtuous, but to learn to engage in a continuous process of self-improvement and becoming.

Optimism is defined as a view or perspective that no matter what circumstances of life we encounter, we believe we can find a way to make progress by building on positive events and solve the problems inherent in negative ones.  Like virtue, optimism is a continuous striving to improve and make our lives better. 

The “good life” of living virtuously could be defined based our own personally derived sense of what is “right living,” or we could look to a spiritual source for the characteristics of the “good life.”  In these essays, I use the Bible and the life of Moses as depicted by 4^th century scholar Gregory of Nyssa, as the standard for virtuousness.

I will argue that in order to live a life of optimism in each and every moment, i.e., viewing each and every moment of life as an opportunity for growth and self-improvement, we must be pursing goals of learning to live virtuously as set forth in the Bible, particularly, the life of Moses as characterized by Gregory of Nyssa.

First Lesson of Optimism and Virtuous Living

Development of virtue can only occur in an environment of change.  Gregory of Nyssa argues the Pharaoh’s decree to kill all first-born males sets the stage for change as a constant in Moses life and demonstrates how his response to change created opportunity after opportunity to learn more virtue.

Application of Lesson to Politics and Change

At the close of the Republican National Convention and on the eve of the Democratic National Convention we are being bombarded with calls for the need for change.  Romney argues that his plan will bring prosperity and Obama asks for four more years to complete the changes he has begun.  Everyday, no matter where I go, I come upon a homeless and down and destitute person looking for some help with their dire economic circumstances. 

How are we to maintain a perspective of optimism in light of all of this change?  The first step is to focus on the goal of virtue and not leading the “good life.”  The “good life” is one of wealth and accumulation of material stuff.  Virtue is pursuing some good for its own sake. 

Doing good for its own sake requires us to stop looking at our own welfare and start working toward improving the welfare of others.  Trying to discern what is or might be beneficial to the welfare of others in the context of today’s political climate and economic circumstances is truly a challenge, but a much more worthwhile endeavor for enhancing optimism than trying to figure out how to “feather our own nest.”  The key is in the trying and striving toward better and better service toward others.

In conclusion, do not be disheartened by the constant change and challenge of day-to-day living in our modern American society because it gives us the continuous opportunity to improve in our ability to maintain an optimistic perspective and simultaneously pursue a virtuous lifestyle.

As we live through the daily changes of the next two months leading up to election day, we have two ways to pursue optimism and virtue and rise above the fray of negativity: 1) We can simply ignore all the rhetoric and go out and do something to help someone in difficulty of less fortunate.  I guarantee that when you make that effort, you will feel both positive and good about yourself, in a way that lasts. 2) You can demand from whichever candidate you support that whether they are going to give tax brakes to the rich or middle class, they find a way to make sure every monetarily enriched individual gives back the money, 2 to 10 fold, in kind or service, for the betterment of society and the less fortunate.

[Note: The key reference for defining and illustrating virtuous living is: Gregory of Nyssa, The life of Moses (Harper Spiritual Classics; trans. A.J. Malherbe and E. Ferguson; San Francisco: Harper, 2006].

Ten Holy Week Tips to Let Go of Ego in a Moment or Two

By Dr. Russ

Throughout his ministry, Jesus, proclaimed over and over that new life was possible here on earth if we let go of our worldly, ego concerns, and follow Him.  What does it mean to follow Him? 

• Think of yourself as a servant to others;
• Put the needs of others above your own;
• Find your personal cross to bear in service of making the lives of other’s better.

Please bear with me as I wax a little “utopian.”

• Imagine a world in which everyone was trying to put the other and not themselves first.  We would all then be first because as we hold everyone else up, we are mutually supported as well.  We no longer have to worry about, “what will happen to me,” because everyone has “our back” just as we have theirs.

Such a world may seem impossible, but in my opinion, such a vision is what Jesus meant when He said we could have the “Kingdom of Heaven” here on earth. 

As we celebrate Holy Week, I offer these ten tips to move your life in the direction that vision of the “Kingdom” here on earth.

1. Take time away from others for meditation and self-reflection about how ego concerns are playing out in your life. 
2. Ask yourself, “What is important about these concerns?”  You will often find some specific or general sense of low esteem driving the concern.  The ego is feeling low and weak and looks for an artificial way to build itself up with worldly concerns.
3. The hardest place to let go of ego concerns is within a relationship when we spend more time worrying about whether the other is or is not meeting our needs as opposed to what we are doing to meet theirs.
4. Make a list of 3-5 actions you can take to please another today.
5. No matter how simple or mundane you think your job is, think about you can redefine it as contributing to a higher cause, outside yourself.
6. Turn your ego concerns over to God.  Put your trust in Him and He will keep the ego protected.
7. Once you turn your ego over to God, you are free to think creatively and without inhibition of fear of risk taking.
8. Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come with a conquering sword, someone who would save and protect them.  God sent Jesus with only one sword, eternal love.  God and Jesus were telling us that we didn’t need a sword dripping in blood to protect our ego.  They told as that we didn’t need that kind of protection because if we had faith in Jesus and followed in His loving footsteps, ego concerns simply drift away like a thick fog that burns off by noon under the brightness of the Son.
9. As you give a daily prayer of thanks to God for His love and forgiveness, note how your ego protective concerns just fade into the background.
10. If you find yourself intolerant and unaccepting of another or others, in any given moment, time to step back and ask, “What about this person, who is different from me, is threatening my ego?”   Acceptance and tolerance can only come from an ego that is rich in the spirit of concern for the welfare of others above oneself.

Would you give a little more of yourself to help meet the needs of others?

By: Jackie Monroe

Early this week I found this heart-warming video of a pet photographer who realized a need around her and decided to take action.  Basically, she figured that if shelters and animal rescues had better photo options to place on their websites of the animals they were trying to help get adopted, maybe they would have a higher number of adoptions!

Her wonderings ended up being true, and in one instance, a rescue's adoption rate went up 100%!  Check out this short video highlighting the idea, implementation, and after effects. 

Optimism Tip of the Week: We can't say "Yes" to every need, want, or cry for help. However, as optimists, we do have the ability to open our eyes, see the need for change around us and act to benefit the causes that mean the most to us. 

We'd love to know: What cause is near and dear to your heart? What do you give of yourself to help? Service can be defined as "action that benefits another."  How are you serving on a daily, weekly, monthly basis? Let us know by leaving a comment below! 

Learn to Live the Dream of Martin Luther King's Promised Land

By Dr. Russ

Today is Martin Luther King Monday.  Monday is Dr. Russ Busster day.  Today I offer up some Bussters to help you knock out any pessimism standing in the way of your belief that you can make a difference for equality and freedom for all humans.

According to Dr. King we all have the following choice:

• Walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness.

King’s persistent call to action, “What are you doing for others?” is as loud today 47 years after his death as it was in 1968.  For King, a life of service was the hallmark of a “full life.”

On February 4, 1968, from his pulpit of Ebenezer Baptist Church, he asked that we remember the following after his mortal death:

• I’d like for somebody to mention that . . . Martin Luther King, Jr. tried to give his life serving others . . . that I did try in my life . . . to love and serve humanity.

We do not celebrate King Day on the anniversary of his death, but on the Monday closest to his birth of January 15 (1929).

On this date we have the opportunity to not just mention King’s service to others, but to shout out, "DR. KING: YOU NOT ONLY TRIED BUT YOU DID LEAD A LIFE OF SERVICE TO OTHERS WITH LOVE FOR ALL HUMANITY!"

Now it is our turn to not just SHOUT but to WALK where Dr. King wanted us to go.  In a recent article, his son --Martin Luther King III-- implores us to not just seek his father’s dream of freedom and equality for all, but to live our lives in each and every moment in service to others.  Today, I take some key ideas and phrases from this article to form the following Dr. Russ Bussters.

Dr. Russ Bussters for Living the Dream

1. If it has to be our way or the highway, we are not living the dream.  We live the dream by solving conflicts with greater understanding, reconciliation and cooperation.
2. If we speak with hateful rhetoric we are exercising our right to free speech, but we are not living the dream.  We live the dream when we invite all sisters and brothers of any race, faith, nationality, sexual orientation or political belief to be part of the human family.
3. We are not living the dream when we claim that God is our side.  We are living the dream when like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King we pray that we are on God’s side.
4. We are not living the dream when we espouse there is only one exclusionary and correct voice of God’s word; one right religious ideology.  We are living the dream when we walk side by side with members of every religious faith.
5. We are not living the dream when we ignore the needs of the poor and less fortunate.  We are living the dream when we show compassion for the poor through donations of time and money.
6. We are not living the dream if we advocate violence over non-violence. We are living the dream if we make non-violence not only the means to the end, but the end itself.
7. We are not living the dream if we simply entitle the poor to a free lunch.  We are living the dream if we teach them how to earn their own wages so they can buy their own lunch.
8. We are not living the dream when we are idle and complacent about any form of injustice anywhere.  We are living the dream when we attempt to fight, with peaceful means, all threats to justice everywhere.
9. We are partially living the dream with donations of time and money to the poor.  We are fully living the dream when we work to find ways to end their unemployment and put them back to work rebuilding our tattered infrastructure, reducing pollution and saving the environment.
10. Learn to live the dream with this commitment:   

• Find new ways to reach out to one another, to heal our divisions, and build bridges of hope and opportunity benefiting all people. (Martin Luther King III).

Ten New Optimism Quotes Inspired by the Words of Martin Luther King and President Obama

By Dr. Russ,

1. Service to others is the ultimate optimistic act.
2. Listen to what our children tell us because sometimes the wisdom of a 9 year old is every bit as wise as that of an 89 year old.
3. Sense can be made of senseless violence only by searching for and finding a new meaning in life that then directs us to a new mission.
4. How we choose to live our lives is not only the means to an end it is the end in and of itself.
5. Martin Luther King told us that when we sacrifice for what is right - there can be no stopping us on the path to our mission.
6. The old adage of be divided and be conquered makes our nation vulnerable to many threats.  It is time once again to recognize the power of collaboration for a collective good.
7. When violent acts take away a loved one, we are once again reminded to take stock of and be thankful for the relationships we still have to celebrate in each living moment.
8. Put more time back into your day by doing what can be done in two minutes of less, right now!
9. It is our choice about whether we will allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the circumstances of reality.
10. We always have a choice about taking action to take on the challenges presented by reality and to try to solve the problems contained therein.