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Grant Whittle, - "I don't endirse this. I think it is very misguided, because of the clearly self-centered position that is taken. If this had any relation at all to the ClueTrain Manifesto, there would be a place availabel for such dissenting opinions. Since the authors have asked ClueTrain signers to look at it, I presume they won't mind all sides of the issue being explored here. My thoughts: 1. We all experience life. NOW. We have no choice; it has nothing to do with what we WANT. Frankly, I frequently don't want to experience what is going on around me NOW. Ask any parent of teenagers and I think they'd agree. 2. The most important things are not self-centered; they are other-centered. True joy comes from helping others and from selfless sacrifice. Whenever we focus on our own selfish desires or needs, we are inevitably never satisfied or fulfilled. Lasting fulfillment comes from selfless service. 3. People may attempt to define their own "passion, energy, success and needs," but people are for the most part clueless. With their limited, biased perspective, no human will ever understand what will meet their long-term needs. Frankly, we need guidance from a loving, all-knowing, supreme being to find the greatest good for ourselves and for all mankind. Mankind's own efforts to define the "greatest good for the greatest number of people" (Humanist Manifesto) has led to unsustainable resource depletion, worldwide pollution, genocide, atomic weapons, etc. If there is no loving God to guide us, what hope do we have trying to define it all ourselves. History suggests we will destroy ourselves long before we find the "greatest good for the greatest number of people." Either God exists to define such things for us, or mankind has no hope. 4. Maybe so, but too many of them are frying their brains with drugs, destroying their bodies with abuse, and callousing their innate concern for others, thereby becoming more and more self-centered. It may be a party, but it is spiralling out of control, because people are selfishly defining what they think they need to be happy. 5. Do what??? Life's most important, selfless work is meeting the needs of our families. Our jobs are a means to that end, and hopefully we can also enjoy our jobs. I enjoy my job, but I would gladly do a job I don't enjoy if necessary to provide for my family. I do strive for balance, with the most important thing being that I work enough to provide for my family, while also having time to meet the emotional needs of my family. Family and work decisions must be selfless, not selfish if we are to find contentment. 6. Our "talents, time, attention, ideas, knowledge and networks" are stewardships to be used in the service of others; they are not merely our own. Our responsibility is to develop them and selflessly use them for the good of others. As we do that, we achieve contentment. 7. YES! A statement I can agree with! That is, as long as all of the people recognize their selfless commitment to others. When individual selfishness prevails, the organization ceases to exist. 8. Ask not what others can do for you, but how much contentment you find in doing for others. How dare you judge another's efforts to care for you, based on what YOU get out of it! How self-centered. Judge the other person's efforts based upon their selfless intentions, not how you personally benefit. How shallow of a statement could you have contrived??? 9. Ideally we don't want to be robbed, we appreciate when we are "touched," but our primary desire is to "touch" others, regardless of personal reward. Noone can ever be "touched" enough. If you judge your contentment or happiness based off of what others do for you, rather than what you do for others, you can never be satisfied. You will always be wanting more. 10. Yes, I must understand the mission, the culture and the people before I commit myself to an organization. And I will not commit to an organization that is clearly selfish in all of its goals, and that is run by individuals who are selfishly pursuing their own goals through the organization. Such an organization will never last. Organizations need a higher, selfless purpose that the individuals can buy into in order to have true staying power. 11. I am loyal to rules that encourage selfless sacrifice. The rules of every major world religion encourage selfless sacrifice, and rejection of selfish desires. People who reject all rules, also tend to reject God. They don't recognize that overcoming selfish "wants" that are often restricted by rules, is the way to growing and finding ultimate contentment iin life. Instead they constantly seek selfish satisfaction which is ephemeral and they never find true happiness which is eternal. I reject beauracracy that is designed to protect selfish laziness in an organization, but I don't reject rules. Often true inspiration places rules around our actions and behaviors to keep us off of the roads that lead to misery. 12. If the "Why" is right, the "what" will generally be right as well. But we can have the best intentions in the world, but if we never do anything for others, "what" have we really one??? I agree with the statement, if there is a simultaneous understanding that if the "whys" are selfish, then the "whats" will have little positive influence upon our lives. Your manifesto needs some serious re-working if it is to have a positive impact on mankind! regards, Grant Whittle"