This is my definition:
A Worldview answers four questions:
1. Who are we as humans?
2. Where are we as humanity?
3. Is there anything wrong with humans? If so how can it be "fixed"?
4. Where is humanity going?
Although a Worldview can not be individually held, and it is difficult to articulate, here is an example of what I would identify as a particularly United Statean worldview (there are many Americas):
"I am me, an individual, the free and independent master of my own destiny. I stand in a world of opportunities and natural potential that requires humanity to manage and utilize in order to become economically useful. The only thing keeping me from fulfilling my task as a human is not having enough powerful tools to control the chaos of nature. My hope rests in the certainty of evolution to insure that social progress and economic development uses nature to yield its bounty for human benefit. Only through science, techonology and economic progress will all humans find happiness in a life of material affluence, with no needs and no dependence." 1.
This is the worldview that is killing the planet and causing poverty. I invite anyone to write a better worldview that will lead us all to a more compasionate society.
1. footnote: This quote is expanded but found its skeleton in the book, Transforming Vision by Brian J. Walsh and J. Richard Middleton 1984.
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I shall attempt a definition of the Worldview I would like to live in:
I am a member of many group identities. My individuality is as unique as each leaf on a tree, each snowflake in a storm. I belong in the continuity of the history and place I have been born. This includes the history of my birth family and the history of my fellow citizens in the country of my citizenship. I wander on the land; I do not own it. Every environment I walk in and every item I touch I only borrow for the time being. I am responsible for the care of the environment, all life around me and the respect for all tools in my care.
My task is to love my neighbor as I love my self, love kindness, seek social justice and conduct myself humbly accountable to a higher power.
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