Common Good Collective

Reader

This Reader is an expression of Common Good Collective, a vision for an alternative way, rooted in the act of eliminating economic isolation, the significance of place, and the structure of belonging. Whether you come at this from a place of economics, social good, or faith, we hope these reflections help orient your day in fresh, provocative, courageous ways. And most importantly, we hope these lead you into the sharing of gifts in particular communities—into co-creating a common good.

We read hundreds of articles and select the best ones for you by sending them to your inbox on Thursday.

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Eliminating economic isolation, Imagination: The Prophetic Act of Living an Alternative Narrative, Reader Permalink

The Discipline of Adaptive Changemaking

“When we say Destination Crenshaw is ‘unapologetically Black,’ we speak about the entire process, not just the end product,” says Jason Foster. Foster and his group created an artistic display more than a mile long. But not only have they created art, they have built a process of community engagement that tries to be equitable at every step along the way. The result looks to be not only a destination for tourists and lovers of public art, but also for community builders who seek to build beauty that stays rooted in a specific neighborhood.

The Discipline of Adaptive Changemaking
by ArtsFwd

What is it and who can benefit?

“The entrepreneurial spirit is strong right now – we want to plunge into doing things differently!” “People are tired, exhausted right now – we want to get back to certainties, to doing what we know.”

These two views, put to us by arts leaders, sum up the tension of the moment. Seize the crisis by adapting to find new and better ways to serve our communities? Or pursue stability by planning for the return of past successes?

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Imagination: The Prophetic Act of Living an Alternative Narrative, Reader, Structure Of Belonging Permalink

Somebody To Lean On

To be completely transparent, I am tired of typing “in these tumultuous times.” The world seems to groan out of a longing for peace and wholeness, and our spirits are becoming weary with what appears to be an endless stream of crises. Those of us who are here, however, have two blessings we can hold on to: breath and community. Our neighbors — both immediate and extended — will not only bring us through this current challenge, but together we will imagine ways to irradiate these social, economic, and environmental ills, once and for all.

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“A Palestinian Might Say”

Many of us who read the Common Good Reader come from places where we observe conflict from afar. This vantage point often makes simple things appear complicated, as news anchors and political commentators attempt to translate the world for us. Poet Naomi Shihab Nye reminds us that it is our neighbor who deserves our ear, even if that neighbor is half way around the world.

A Palestinian Might Say
by Naomi Shihab Nye

What?
You don’t feel at home in your country,
almost overnight?
All the simple things
you cared about,
maybe took for granted. . .
you feel
insulted, invisible?
Almost as if you’re not there?
But you’re there.
Where before you mingled freely. . .
appreciated people who weren’t
just like you. . .
divisions grow stronger.
That’s what “chosen” and “unchosen” will do.
(Just keep your eyes on your houses and gardens.
Keep your eyes on that tree in bloom.)
Yes, a wall. Ours came later but. . .
who talks about how sad the land looks,
marked by a massive wall?
That’s not a normal shadow.
It’s something else looming over your lives.

This poem was first published online by the Poetry Foundation.

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Flourishing is Connected to Community

Languishing does not have to last indefinitely, according Harvard professor Tyler VanderWeele. The gateway to “the other side” lies is a combination of quiet reflection, gratitude, and community. Reporter Dani Blum expounds on these simple yet transformative practices in today’s article selection.

The Other Side of Languishing Is Flourishing. Here’s How to Get There.
by Dani Blum

With vaccination rates on the rise, hope is in the air. But after a year of trauma, isolation and grief, how long will it take before life finally — finally — feels good?

Post-pandemic, the answer to that question may be in your own hands. A growing body of research shows that there are simple steps you can take to recharge your emotional batteries and spark a sense of fulfillment, purpose and happiness. The psychology community calls this lofty combination of physical, mental and emotional fitness “flourishing.” It is the exact opposite of languishing, that sense of stagnation Adam Grant wrote about recently for The Times.

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Languishing: Mental Health’s Middle Child

May is Mental Health Awareness Month here in the United States and there is certainly much to spend time considering after the year we have come through. Organizational psychologist Adam Grant reveals what’s behind the emotional struggle many of our neighbors are feeling: languishing. He also illuminates how understanding this struggle as communal is one of the first steps towards healing.

There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing
by Adam Grant

At first, I didn’t recognize the symptoms that we all had in common. Friends mentioned that they were having trouble concentrating. Colleagues reported that even with vaccines on the horizon, they weren’t excited about 2021. A family member was staying up late to watch “National Treasure” again even though she knows the movie by heart. And instead of bouncing out of bed at 6 a.m., I was lying there until 7, playing Words with Friends.

It wasn’t burnout — we still had energy. It wasn’t depression — we didn’t feel hopeless. We just felt somewhat joyless and aimless. It turns out there’s a name for that: languishing.

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