Whole Life Times: Setting the Record Straight

February 2005 | Letters from Readers

Setting the Record Straight

We Must Go Deeper

In my judgment, our friend Paul Hawken (“Is Your Money Where Your Heart Is? The Truth About SRI Mutual Funds,” 10/04) has done something that must be named and rejected if our values are to be perpetuated in mainstream society.

In criticizing the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) mutual fund industry, he created a simple and unrealistic polarity, the equivalent of “for our troops/against our troops” or “against the UN controlling America/for the UN controlling America.” I know of no one for the latter in either case.

Paul created the dichotomy of “for greed/against greed.” He then placed SRI in the “for greed” camp. This Madison Avenue sales technique currently being used so effectively by Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly and the Republican Party works well in a sound-bite media world where you have the ability to sustain it as the context for the conversation. Given this simple, unrealistic choice, many will not see through the ruse and choose to be on your side because it is the only reasonable option.

This technique can comfortably be used by less mature people, people who believe the end justifies the means. However, more mature people accurately see the process as the end. They cannot do this, or fail if they try, because their lack of inner integrity is visible, i.e. Al Gore and John Kerry pandering to the political middle rather than successfully selling the truth.

To perpetuate our more mature values, like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, etc., we must live them well instead of joining in this manipulative game. SRI had a far more modest goal than ending greed. It was to prove that we could make as much profit investing in publicly traded companies moving in the direction of reducing, rather than increasing greed: the only two options available there. It has also nurtured investment in private companies and non-profits that aggressively give priority to the common good over greed. While Paul advocates this approach, he does not mention the fact that it is being led by the progressive SRI community today.

If George Soros and his new Phoenix Group try to regain power using the-end-justifies-the-means methods, they will fail just as Paul is failing using it to critique our community. We have no choice but to go deeper, not cheaper, to regain respect and leadership. Our values will not allow us to be successful any other way—thank God! — Terry Mollner

Terry Mollner is Chair of Trusteeship Institute, Inc., a think tank and consulting firm in spiritually responsible business and co-founder of Spirit in Business, Inc. He is currently writing a book entitled, What I Didn’t Learn Growing Up In Mollner’s Meat Market: The 7 Layers of Maturity of Thinking. This is an excerpt. To read the full text of Terry Mollner’s response to Paul Hawken, and more of the ongoing SRI debate, click here.

Vitamin E

Some time ago I heard reports that vitamin E could be injurious to your health. I then saw your January story (“Vitamin E… A Good Vitamin is Bad Mouthed”) that set the record straight on vitamin E. I have been taking 400 IUs of natural source vitamin E and 50 mcg of selenium daily for more than 16 years.

I turned 81 two days ago. My only ill health has been a single, then later a double hernia operation. Six months ago I found I had some breathing difficulty, confirmed by X-ray (it was not cancer). I believe I cured it by the use of garlic.

In the last few days I have been clearing snow and ice in sub-freezing weather. I passed the Mensa test in 1981 and I can still remember most things except names, which I think is a subconscious desire to forget most of them!

Thank goodness I have never listened to those who are always ready to tell you that only they can save you from a terrible fate and wish to legislate everything—to protect you of course. — Victor Deboni, Toronto, Canada

Thanks for your article on vitamin E. Alarms about using Vitamin E were widely reported in the mainstream press, but reliable information about the upper limits for using Vitamin E was not. Your article filled a gap. — Tom Johnston, via Internet

Unconquerable Spirit

How sweet, inspiring, clean and to the point Kenneth Hartman’s article is (“Seeking Peace,” 12/04)! In this great game of life when all of us are in our place and totally responsible for ourselves, it is awesome and heartening to be aware of the ‘when there’s a will, there’s a way’ unconquerable spirit of Mr. Hartman’s. I consider Mr. Hartman a saint in the tradition of the great Hindu Valmiki (author of the Ramayana). I know Mr. Hartman has the ability to reach to 12th chakra of yoga in this lifetime, anywhere, if he aspires enough. I am dirt at the feet of those who have made it possible for me and others to be recipients of Mr. Hartman’s maturity, insights, virtue, forgiveness, spirituality, divinity and wisdom. — Ronald Cabral, Santa Monica

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