But seriously, how can you say motives aren’t important? I know you subscribe to the same beliefs about brands that I do. We advise our clients on unifying their various actions with core beliefs, with a coherent view on the world. Aren’t those, in essence, motives?

We use motives to judge one auto manufacturers green initiatives against another’s. We use motives to question BP/Exxon’s commitment to renewable energy.

I do agree that immediate feedback on your bad actions is more effective in the long term, but I think we also hope our children grow up in a world where caring about one another is a conscious thing rather than simply a byproduct of connected economies and lives.

Coming together to work on common goals (even if the reason is competition) can drive us to great heights. We raced against the Russians to put a man on the moon, but there was commitment from so many people, politicians, scientists to make that happen.

James Deetz wrote a formidable book called “In Small Things Forgotten” that talks about the rise of individualism in America through the industrial revolution. I think the current trend we are seeing will lead towards another social revolution in the next few years.

If we can put away some of the unhealthy fights (for resources such as oil or peak water?) and replace it with healthy competition towards some meaningful goals the rest of the world can catch up and the revolution will be global! So I’m a dreamer…

I agree. Selfish altruism feels very Republican, and I found it an interesting coincidence that Castellanos planted that seed in my brain a few months ago. Funny thing is that seed didn’t really sprout until your posts of late. In fact, you inspired me to comment on this in my blog (http://jakeybro.blogspot.com) where I had some additional thoughts as well.

With regard to Niko’s statement, I hope that selfish altruism is not leading to nationalism/xenophobia. In my opinion, that would be unfortunate.

I am of the belief (wide-eyed hope) that the more altruistic version of interconnectedness is what we’re seeing.

P.S. The theme of interconnectedness came up on NPR this morning in a profile of who Obama and McCain both cite as their literary hero — Robert Jordan from Hemingway’s For Whom The Bell Tolls.

I wonder if this blurring of the lines between us/them is strictly a western/ideological related phenom?

Your perspective is, as always, extremely thought-provoking. While at this point, I can only contribute yet another example along this theme of interconnectedness, it comes from an unexpected source.

At the 4As Planning Conference, Alex Castellanos (a republican campaign strategist for Mitt Romney) spoke of his belief that we will enter an era of “selfish altruism” — with overt echoes of the writings of Ayn Rand.

He punctuated this prediction with an analogy of building a house in the days of the US’s western expansion. You helped your neighbor raise the walls of his barn with the implicit understanding that he would help you with your project. You were not so concerned with assisting out of benevolence, but you were doing it as a quid pro quo.

That is interconnectedness from another perspective.

What do you think?

Jake