Progressive Activism 1.0: The good old analog days of community groups, cross-country "revival" style gatherings, and distribution of broadsheets.
Progressive Activism 2.0: Technology made the organization more effective. Phone trees became fax trees, then email lists, web portals, and blogs. More people. More information. Faster responses. Better coordination.
Progressive Activism 3.0: Science makes the individual more effective. It helps each person leverage their personal strengths, such as creativity, social intelligence, and leadership. In the face of adversity, it increases resilience, self-determination, and optimism. It helps the individual find a relevant and meaningful path which contributes to the common good and brings an enduring personal happiness.
Positive psychology offers us tools and research to facilitate the progressive movement's long term growth... Continued...
"Positive psychology is the study of the conditions and processes that contribute to the flourishing or optimal functioning of people, groups, and institutions." (Gable, Haidt, 2005)
There are fundamental parallels between the goals of positive psychology and the progressive political movement. Ultimately, both are intended to bring the greatest possible happiness to the largest number of people over the longest period of time.
Positive psychology offers theoretical support and practical interventions for the progressive movement. Here are some recent research findings and my comments:
· Wealth is only weakly related to happiness both within and across nations, particularly when income is above the poverty level (Diener & Diener, 1996). This is scientific research that supports progressive taxation.
· Activities that make people happy in small doses – such as shopping, good food and making money – do not lead to fulfillment in the long term, indicating that these have quickly diminishing returns (Myers, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2000). This is scientific research that discourages rampant materialism.
· People who witness others perform good deeds experience an emotion called ‘elevation’ and this motivates them to perform their own good deeds (Haidt, 2000). This is scientific research that offers methods on increasing participation.
· People who are optimistic or happy have better performance in work, school and sports, are less depressed, have fewer physical health problems, and have better relationships with other people. Further, optimism can be measured and it can be learned (Seligman, 1991; Lyubomirsky, King & Diener, 2005). This is scientific research that offers information on energizing progressive activists over the longest term.
· Healthy human development can take place under conditions of even great adversity due to a process of resilience that is common and completely ordinary (Masten, 2001). This is scientific research that offers hope for even the darkest of times. -FAQ
Here some other ideas for future discussion:
·How might positive psychology provide a framework for uniting progressive and religious values?
·Can positive psychology provide an "antidote" and "vaccine" to the fear and authoritarian based tendencies of the conservative political movement?
·What practical changes could be implemented by progressive individuals and organizations, based upon recent research results?
·What new types of research can be conducted which would help increase the effectiveness of the progressive movement?