GLOBAL SENSE: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

PART I: MINDFUL SELF RULE AND MODERN REPUBLICS

. 1. Personal Democracy

. 2. Origin and Rise of Government

. 3. Constitutional Republics

. 4. A House Divided Against Itself

. 5. Clear and Present Dangers

. 6. Genuine Democracy
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The discipline of desire is the background of character. - John Locke

Chapter 1. Personal Democracy

• What does "mindful self rule" and "personal democracy" mean to you in terms of your own growth as a person?
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• Discuss the dynamics of the interactive Communication Model and the process of "sense making." How does your own mental map of reality shape your daily life choices?
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• Can you name instances when "split perceptions" prevented you from seeing a truth about yourself, other people or a situation?
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• What accounts for the public impact of Common Sense in 1776?
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• Compare and contrast the philosophies of Hobbes and Spinoza with those of Locke and Rousseau. Where does Paine fit in?
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• What was the meaning of "natural law" for Paine?

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Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master. - George Washington

Chapter 2. Origin and Rise of Government

• Thomas Paine believed the best form of government is the one most likely to secure our freedom at the least expense. How well do your local to national governments meet this criteria?
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• Discuss Paine's parable of an imaginary community going from self rule to a democracy, then to a republic, then sliding into tyranny. At what stage is your nation today?
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• Discuss any government that's decayed from freedom to tyranny. What were the cultural and political forces involved?
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• How do breakdowns in communication between the people and the government tend to result in authoritarian regimes?

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The fundamental principle of a free government is the equal representation of a free people - Mercy Otis Warren

Chapter 3. Constitutional Republics

• How is the British House of Lords like the U.S. Senate?
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• How is the House of Commons like the U.S. House of Representatives?
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• Should the U.S. House vote on Supreme Court appointments?
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• Discuss McCarthyism in the U.S. during the 1950s and the forces that ended it. What are the parallels to society today?
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• Discuss the social and cultural impact of media "consolidation." How can we ensure that journalists report abuses of power?

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Whenever a separation is made between liberty and justice, neither, in my opinion, is safe. - Edmund Burke

Chapter 4. A House Divided Against Itself

• Is the "balance of powers" in the U.S. Constitution still effective?
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• Discuss Thomas Paine's machine metaphor for how government works. Do you agree or disagree with his Industrial Age analogy?
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• How does our situation today compare and contrast to the fate of Charles I and the causes of the English Civil War?
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• Discuss the theory that a violent revolution against any tyranny often produces another tyranny. Please cite examples.

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Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin

Chapter 5. Clear and Present Dangers

• Discuss Roosevelt's 1941 "four freedoms" speech. Why is each freedom important to individuals and society as a whole?
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• Do you agree or disagree that the "war on terrorism" chiefly has produced more terrorists and made the world less safe than before?
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• Do you believe or doubt the official reasons given for the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq? Was the war justified?
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• Do you believe the USA PATRIOT Act is unconstitutional and should be repealed? Are we unduly sacrificing liberty for security?
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• Research the Alien and Sedition Acts signed in 1798 by President John Adams. Compare them to the modern Patriot Acts.
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• Discuss the author's worst case and best case scenarios. What would be your own best and worst case scenarios for today's crisis?

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That government is best which governs the least, because its people discipline themselves. - Thomas Jefferson

Chapter 6. Genuine Democracy

• Why has no modern nation ever tried direct democracy? What stands in the way of genuine democracy in your country?
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• Is humanity mature enough for government by the consent of the governed? What would help us become ready?
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• Why and how is genuine democracy becoming more feasible?

Global Sense by Judah Freed
Awakening our Power for Democracy and World Peace
> CLICK ON ANY CHAPTER FOR DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

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FOREWORD
What Would Paine Write?
- by Thom Hartmann

PREFACE
Safety and Liberty
- by David Wann

INTRODUCTION
Why Update Common Sense?
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PART I - Mindful Self Rule
and Modern Republics

. 1. Personal Democracy

. 2. Origin and Rise of Government

. 3. Constitutional Republics

. 4. A House Divided Against Itself

. 5. Clear and Present Dangers

. 6. Genuine Democracy

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PART II - Male Rule and
Authority Addiction

. 7. The Divine Right of Kings

. 8. Hereditary Succession

. 9. Inherited Wealth

. 10. Authority Addiction

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PART III - Thoughts on
the State of World Affairs
. 11. From Argument to Arms

. 12. Sacrifices to Superstition

. 13. The Seat of Wretchedness

. 14. Conquering the World

. 15. The Tyrants' Last Stand

. 16. Hints for Global Democracy

. 17. A Government of Our Own

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PART IV - Our Ability for
Democracy and World Peace
. 18. Common Global Sense

. 19. Global Sense Counts

. 20. The Price of Peace

. 21. Practical Idealism

. 22. Morality, Spirituality, Politics

. 23. Seed Time of Good Habits

. 24. Begin the World Anew

AFTERWORD
Self Rule:
Our Responsibility, Our Birthright
- by Dr. Vandana Shiva

About Thomas Paine
Who's Who