Further managing the assholes (as defined by Harvard's Robert Sutton)

 Considering that Governments' foundations around the world lay on one or an amalgame of the following ethics' form:

(i) judicial ethics/ethic of justice/rule-of-law (Ex. US, most but not all of the EU, Australia, Japan, etc),

(ii) religious ethics/moral (Several Muslim countries)

(iii) Authoritarian ethics (ex. China, Russia),

 

We argue that none of these ethics' forms can deliver on the SDGs nor keep the world temperature increase under 1.5oC or even 2oC.

It is impossible for these ethics to allow those limited by these ethics to even envision the changes that are needed, work on the changes needed, much less to implement them.

It is urgent to go beyond Kant (and a few others), if we are to make it as a species.

Many feel what is needed but few are able to give it a name. I did not invent the name nor the concept either.

The ethic that can deliver these and, as a collateral, a humane world, and a chance to keep the Hss species alive is "an ethic of care".

 

An ETHIC OF CARE.

One may ask, why are we not moving in the right direction? The answer is that we fooled ourselves to believe that people capable of violence demonstrate strength. By doing so, we have given them in many places withing governments and the private sector, executive powers. These are in many cases, our "leaders/upper management". And they have become good at what they do, namely oppressed the people/employees they are suppose to lead. It will take as much true strength to take away their power as they are willing to use violence to keep it. 

Now, we are a bit in a tough situation because the basis of all societies on earth is an ethic of justice (rule-of-law). Yes, granted, some are more just than others but nevertheless even in societies where you do not risk your life to criticize your boss, your government, or an institution, the justice system that is in charge of applying the law can not deliver on a task that seem to increase by the day. The abusers who are in charge, know very well how to abuse the judicial system. As an example, the many court cases against Trump require millions in resources and will deliver very few. There are many other examples that include the frustration of the police forces because it is so complicated and resources intensive to bring a criminal to jail. Yes the jailing system is another topic that needs to be addressed but for now I will leave it at that. 

The judicial system is overloaded worldwide and desto can't deliver on its promise of justice. The solution to be more rapid with judicial procedures was attempted many times but the assholes, again, know how to use this rapidity to incarcerate critics and opponents. One way or another, an ethic of justice is stuck in a place where it can not deliver on its role because it either takes too much time and resources to handle correctly (which is used by the abusers like Trump) or it handles rapidly and increase the risk of faultive condemnation (which in turns is used by the abusers).

All this to demonstrate that an ethic of justice can only be one element of a humane society.

If the goal of individuals is limited to follow the law, then we have what we live now: abuse of the environment (pollution, climate crisis), obscene wealth and poverty, abuse, violence, faltering systems (education, social, etc.)

What we need to develop is an ethic of care.

It is urgent for our societies to work on what a society based on an ethic of care would be. This means work, discussions, participatory development. And as for democracy, it will vary from culture to culture. 

Once this discussion will be started, it will be possible to rewrite a social economy, and justice system that will work for all.