The Economic Realm
Everything that I do for you.
Remember an activity might have several layers of motivation or purpose, but that part of an action that is for the other is happening in the Economic Realm.
That includes business, farming, industry, but also aspects of every organisation.
If you are going to do something for someone then it is important to do what they need you to do. This may or may not be what they want. However, if you do something that they don't need, then whether they wanted or not, they are certainly not going to be grateful.
Your activity is therefore directed, as far as you can discern it, by the need of the other. This attitude of "being directed" is in polar distinction to the situation in the Cultural Realm where you are free. Activity in the Economic Realm is directed, not free.
There is an interesting distinction needed here, otherwise, we run in to the concept of slavery. The activity in the Economic Realm is directed, once the individual has, out of freedom, chosen to unite to the purpose of the activity.
The need that is being met is the purpose of the activity. This purpose is the thing that directs the activity. It is having this single purpose that allows an organisation to coalesce. It is the meeting of the purpose that links together the individuals in shared endeavour to a system.
It is this shared endeavour that leads us to the next characteristic of the Economic Realm, for this is the realm of Fraternity. This is the realm of team work, or esprit-de-corp. It is here that we find the efforts of the team becoming greater than the achievements of the individuals.
Fraternal endeavour carried out in freedom with love for the deed. That is the motto of the Economic Realm.
There is no place for competition in team-work. Everyone has a role and the outputs of one become the inputs for the next. Together the we achieve our aim of meeting the needs of someone else.
How do the Cultural and Economic Realms connect? In a myriad of different ways. How is the team chosen? There is competition for the places… In our Cultural Activity we consume the product of other people’s Economic Activity. How do we solve problems in the Economic Realm? Someone has an idea – the Cultural Realm provides spiritual nourishment for the Economic Realm.
An organisation has a purpose. It may have a management hierarchy with a Chief Executive. The Chief Executive is accountable to the purpose, and is responsible for discerning the need in reality and directing activity to meet that need. The management team is accountable to the Chief Executive for working towards the purpose. The team members are accountable to the managers for working towards the purpose. Thus the activity of the whole system is directed to meet the purpose. If the purpose is real and meaningful then there is a real possibility of the work being sustaining and rewarding.
These are the basic concepts for the Economic Realm: You, directed, fraternity and co-operation.
Chapter 9, The Idea of Freedom: “Only when I follow my love for my objective is it I myself who act”.
Chapter 13, The Value of Life “He determines the value of life by measuring achievements against aims”.
Thus we see that if we are lucky enough to work in an organisation that consciously organises itself according to an understanding of the Cultural and Economic Realms we stand a very good chance of being truly fulfilled. If we unite ourselves with the purpose of the Organisation and work out of freedom with love for the deed then not only will we be fulfilled but we will help to meet people’s needs. We will be helping to bring strength, warmth and light in to the world.