Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good
Those who are fans of actor/humanitarian Paul Newman will recognize this phrase - "shameless exploitation in pursuit of the common good." It comes directly from Mr. Newman and is the tongue-in-cheek mission statement of the enterprise that produces his salad dressings, spaghetti sauces, popcorn and a variety of other tasty goods, with all profits going to charity. At the time of his death, the amount donated stood at around $250 million dollars.
Much could be written on all that could be learned by the example of Mr. Newman’s life. We could start with his total disregard of the egoistic temptations that befall the majority of those who achieve similar public popularity. He was dedicated to his art and avoided the attention, idolizing and false glamor of the entertainment industry. He consistently demonstrated the ability to focus on things that mattered and dismissed the superficial.
“Newman’s Own” was one of the things that really mattered to Mr. Newman, and he expressed his vision for the company as “shameless exploitation in pursuit of the common good.” What was he trying to say and what were his thoughts behind these words?
The Common Good
Did he really think that he was shamelessly exploiting? Probably not. More than likely he was referring to the world of marketing and advertising that he was forced to enter to sell his products. Perhaps he was commenting on the irony of his company exploiting an industry known for exploitation in order to achieve a greater goal.
And who or what is the “common good,” those who seem to be the beneficiaries of this shameless exploitation? Mr. Newman once stated in an interview that he felt himself to be incredibly lucky and he wanted an opportunity to give to those who had been incredibly unlucky. Does this mean that he defined the common good as those who had been incredibly unlucky? Probably not. More likely, he is referring to a larger picture: the thread of goodness in each of us, all tied together into one common spool/common good. This spool is humanity. This spool is us and by his actions to help the less fortunate he helped us all.
Recognizing the Common Soul
What Mr. Newman personified on a material level, the science of Kabbalah addresses on a spiritual level. Kabbalah expands on the concept of the common good by teaching us that we are all part of a common soul. We have lost sight of this reality in our quest for independence and self-sufficiency, but the thread of goodness that unites us can be strengthened and then used to pull us closer together, until we are so close we cannot tell one from another.
We are beginning to see the artificial boundaries that humanity has created collapse, much like the Iron Curtain collapsed at the end of the last century. Technology enables people around the world to connect with each other, financial problems have global impact, and natural disasters produce ripple effects for people thousands of miles away.
These changes will help us realize that by working toward the common good, we are actually helping ourselves as a component of that single soul. “Love thy neighbor as thyself” becomes the primary law, because the neighbor and the self are the same.
If we all focus on taking care of each other we will never have to worry about taking care of ourselves. We are the common good and it is truly better to give than to receive. We are a small organ in a large body and Kabbalah can teach us to feel this body as our own.
Related Material:
- All Are One and One Is All - Do our five senses really provide us with a picture of the world that surrounds us?
- Human Nature - Video clip explaining how the true nature of humanity is as one interconnected soul.
