Cooperation – Division of Labor – Do you dream of Getting Help? You are engaged on any difficult task and Someone Else shows up to assist? Do you dream of villages and businesses running perfectly – everyone setting about their Daily Chores like the mailman, the crossing guard, the fruit seller, the fireman like characters in a children’s book? Looks like a Perfect World, doesn’t it?

You Don’t Have to Do Everything – It’s an enormous relief when you first realize you’re not responsible for everything. Children are very solipsistic thinkers – they “assume” magical responsibility not just for parental divorce but for World Wars. But we are tiny cogs in a huge enterprise. Every task we assume is part of something much bigger. We are surrounded by helpers, if we could only see it.

Challenge – In life we have Group Tasks and Individual Tasks. The challenge is to figure out which is which. Social pressure tends to ‘erase” our individual tasks because the daily round is so overwhelming. Yet we cling to our Personal Goals of maturation, Mastery, Learning, Finding Meaning & Bliss, Growing Love. Cooperation surrounds us in all these challenges if we could only see it.

Danger – Our capitalist society is based on competition and scarcity. Politics wants us seeing others as competitors for scarce resources, instead of willing hands helping us build. No wonder Main Street is falling into disrepair, volunteer activities go begging and community resources are depleted! Without a sense of community we can’t see each other as anything but rivals. When looking for co-operators it is wise to re-visit the warnings of Wisdom seekers and avoid people who aren’t seeking helpers but hostages:

1. Projection – There’ “right” and “wrong” and they’re never “wrong.” Nothing is ever their fault.
2. Nonsensical conversations from hell – Arguers. Word salad, circular conversations, ad hominem arguments, projection and gaslighting to make them the gate-keepers of reason and you the thirsty aspirant. Prople only capable of vertical, not horizontal relationships. Someone needs to be “on top.”
3. Blanket statements and generalizations – Thick layers of protective blather will keep you from getting through to discuss any task at hand.
4. Misrepresenting your thoughts and feelings to the point of absurdity – You are a simplistic thinker and a deficient reasoner and they are the source of all wisdom. No cooperating with these people.
5. Nitpicking and moving the goal posts – Different rules for everyone and every day.
6. Changing the subject to evade accountability – “You shouldn’t have given me that job to begin with.”
7. Covert and overt threats –“If people know what you REALLY are, say, do, no one would be your friend.”
8. Name-calling – “Identity politics.” “You are a _” Fill in the blank. And that’s all you’ll ever be in this guy’s eyes.
9. Destructive conditioning – Abuse, frustration and disrespect are this person’s calling cards but it’s never their fault that they live in a cloud of toxicity. They want you in there, too. Decline.
10. Smear campaigns and stalking – “Office politics.” Need I say more?
11. Playing the Martyr – “I have so many enemies!”
12. Demands Immediate Unthinking Fealty – When someone stresses the fact that they are a “nice guy” or girl, that you should “trust them” right away or emphasizes their credibility without any provocation from you whatsoever, WALK AWAY.
13. Baits and badgers you – testing your limits. Can you be made to lose control?
14. Boundary testing – “Everyone does it” to drag you into unethical enterprise
15. Aggressive jabs disguised as jokes – “Can’t you laugh about yourself?”
16. Condescending sarcasm and patronizing tone – Know-It-Alls
17. Belittling, Degrading, Shaming About ANYBODY. A very good piece of advice is watch how they treat wait staff. Underlings. Anyone totally in their power or people who can do nothing for them and you’ll soon get a picture of their inner world. Stay away.

Opportunity – You will meet Your Best Friends Ever! This is even more important than Getting the JOB DONE! Because friends last for life and they change YOU. Reach out for advice and cooperation to all who treat others with respect. You won’t be successful ALL the time – no one is – but you will learn so much in the course of finding out How to Live In the World and Who to be.

Models & Mentors – “The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation” – Bertrand Russell

“Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is progress and working together is success” – Henry Ford

“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”

– Isaac Newton

“Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

Mantra – “Go Team!”

Meditation –

#Haiku: Unlikely Friends

You explain
Each other –
Crossed perspectives:
Fireworks:
Transmute –
Osmosis