How many times have you heard someone say

If I had his money I could do things my way

Little do they know that is hard to find 

One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind

. . . .

But suddenly it happened that I lost every dime

But I am richer by far 

With a satisfied mind.

. . . 

When my life has ended and my time has run out

I will leave this world with a satisfied mind.”

A Satisfied Mind by Joe “Red” Hayes and Jack Rhodes

The number of artists who have since covered this song is too long to list. This nation is rich in the wisdom tradition of folk music, lyrics and poetry.  How have we lost the thread that made us the United States of America? How have we lost the natural humility of healthy humanity that can leverage street wisdom into poetry and song without resorting to unrefined rage and anger?  Actually we haven’t. We have only lost our focus on the innate wealth we have. We live in this time trapped in a trance that pays homage to wealth and it is wealth accumulating in private fortunes that is taking us down. The anger and division that is tearing us apart is fueled by the thinking error that wealth can cure the dissatisfied mind.  The wisdom of our culture from the birth of this nation demanded something more from us.  Our rich tapestry of religious teachings and personal practices could free us from this dangerous fixation if we would simply take the core wisdom teachings seriously in this 21st century.

Short Suggestion with a long tail for Good

As we chew into the 21st century we do not need to jettison our democracy as the current administration seems to think is necessary. We do however need to find the language that supports the spirit of the original dream. We are now an adult nation with the power of adults and we cannot continue to play the ‘adolescent rich-kid games’ that seem to fascinate our leadership these days in Washington.  This project is about the “Next Democracy” which would be this democracy with the nuances necessary to speak directly to the majority in this emergent century.  That would be good.

To see a nuanced body of suggestions regarding the Next Democracy click to The Good Decision website here: