ABSTRACT

Although instinctual drives and capacity to reason shape human behavior, the moral precepts we hold ourselves to determine how those processes play out. The third commitment we and the organizations we are involved with must make to realize the shift from "Me" to "We" that is essential to resolving many crises, is to abide by society's most deeply held universal principles of morality and justice. Without a commitment to abide by long held codes of morality and justice we, and our organizations, easily sink into selfish, narcissistic and destructive behaviors. We must make a commitment to voluntarily impose on ourselves a clear set of moral standards that help us control our thinking, emotions, and behavior. A moral commitment to restraint and pacifism must become firmly embedded in our culture if we are to avoid incessant climate disruption and biosphere breakdown-induced harm to other people and ourselves. The lack of a moral commitment to low consumption reinforces feelings of personal insecurity.