The Problem With Good Intentions

The problem with good intentions is that they’re subjective. Plus, I may have good intentions but what ‘good’ are they if my impact is still harmful?
Wise intentions are different. Wise intentions are objective and aspirational. When I remember to set and follow them, I’m less likely to hurt anyone and more likely to be helpful and even, maybe, contribute in some small way to the good.
…
Dedicated to the U.S. women’s soccer (football) team, for the win
…and for a much bigger win in November.

Transcript

Hey everyone,

It's Judy Cohen,

And this is Wake Up Call 453.

And here we are,

Feet firmly planted on the eightfold path,

The eight steps to the end of suffering,

Or the eight steps to waking up,

Which again,

Are wise view,

We talked about that.

Now,

Today,

Wise intention,

Wise communication,

Wise action,

Wise livelihood,

Wise effort,

Wise mindfulness,

And wise concentration.

So today,

Step two,

Wise intention.

And just wanting to acknowledge from the beginning that there's a big conversation right now about how,

You know,

Good intention is only half the equation,

And about how it's important to have good intentions,

But impact also matters,

Or maybe it matters more.

And about how no matter how good the intention,

If the impact is harmful,

Then we have to make amends if we can.

And I really agree with this conversation.

You know,

I feel like for too long in the world,

And including,

Or maybe especially in the law,

The people with privilege and power have said to the people without as much of one or the other,

Or both,

And who are hurt by their words or actions,

Who are hurt by the words and actions of folks who have more privilege,

More power.

Those folks have said,

But my intentions were good.

It's too bad.

You just can't appreciate that and let it go,

Right?

And I mean,

I have a problem with this on a number of levels systemically.

I feel like this approach has landed us in this moment of deep divisiveness where,

You know,

Very,

Very few humans feel free or,

You know,

To feel free to sort of be careful about imposing their views on other people.

And they're doing this under the guise of good intentions,

But fundamentally to profit or consolidate power.

So systemically,

I think that's what we're seeing is this situation where a few people are feeling free to,

And they even,

I think there's some kind of sense that they feel morally bound to impose their views and they're not wise views on others.

And again,

It's under the guise of good intentions.

And then interpersonally causing harm and claiming innocence,

Because in my own estimation,

My intentions were good,

Is a recipe for causing more harm.

And personally,

I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of a powerful person's,

You know,

Purportedly good intentions.

So from a mindfulness perspective,

I can't only agree with this conversation,

Though,

Because I also have to say yes and yes,

Good intention,

Genuine or bogus is not enough when it's shadowed behind a kind of impact that causes harm.

So at the same time,

Good intention is still crucial.

And then I want to say,

No,

Not good intention,

But wise intention.

And the reason I want to say that,

And I don't know if this is a distinction without a difference or not,

But it seems to me like good intention is subjective.

So if my personal view is that my intention is good,

Then what more can anybody say?

And what more can I say,

You know,

Until we get to the part about how I've nevertheless caused someone harm,

And am I going to look at that or not?

But with wise intention,

It's supported,

You know,

The understanding of wise intention is supported by 2,

600 years of scholarship and reflection and practice and whole cultures that more or less implemented this way of living a life both on and off the cushion.

So what are the elements of wise intention from a mindfulness perspective?

And what they are,

They are essentially what is called in mindfulness,

The five precepts.

So the five precepts are aspirational.

They're not like the 10 commandments,

But when we practice them,

The idea is that they will point us towards greater ease,

Greater well-being,

Greater happiness,

And they derive from the ancient texts also as a recipe for a harmonious society.

So we'd have to see if everybody in the world or everybody in whatever communities we are in began to practice with these five precepts,

Whether that was true,

And each of us ourselves has to see whether if we practice with them,

This is true,

That they bring us greater ease and well-being and happiness.

And so we could do that.

We could check it out.

It's kind of a thought experiment,

Maybe one of the biggest of the thought experiments of mindfulness,

If maybe most of mindfulness isn't a thought experiment,

But this is.

So here are the five precepts.

The five precepts are to do no harm,

To not steal,

And this is framed in different ways and I'll get to that in a minute,

To not cause harm with our sexuality,

To communicate wisely,

And to not use intoxicants to cloud the mind.

And we could talk about each one of these for weeks and weeks or days or years or lifetimes.

What I love is Thich Nhat Hanh has created something that he called the five mindfulness trainings and which open up these five precepts to this moment in time.

And his full version is too long to share,

But I want to share a consolidated version.

And this is my editing,

So if you go to Google and look this up,

You'll see that it's fuller and there's a lot more there.

But here's how he frames it,

Reverence for life is the first one,

Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life,

I am committed to cultivating compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people,

Animals,

Plants,

And minerals.

I am determined not to kill,

Not to let others kill,

And not to support any act of killing in the world in my thinking or in my way of life.

Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger,

Fear,

Greed,

And intolerance,

I will cultivate openness in order to transform violence,

Fanaticism,

And dogmatism in myself and in the world.

So you can see what he's doing is he's bringing in a lot of mindfulness,

A lot of the Dharma into each of these,

These simple precepts.

The first one of which is to do no harm,

He calls reverence for life.

The second one,

Not to steal,

He calls true happiness.

He says aware of the suffering caused by exploitation,

Social injustice,

Stealing,

And oppression,

I am committed to practicing generosity in my thinking,

Speaking,

And acting.

I'm determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others.

And I will share my time,

Energy,

And material resources with those who are in need.

I am aware that happiness depends on my mental attitude and not on external conditions,

And that I can live happily in the present moment simply by remembering that I already have more than enough to be happy.

I am committed to helping to reduce the suffering of living beings on earth and to stop contributing to climate change.

The third,

Which is not to cause harm with sexuality,

He calls true love.

And he says aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct,

I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals,

Couples,

Families,

And society.

I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct.

Recognizing the diversity of human experience,

I am committed not to discriminate against any form of gender identity or sexual orientation.

And then for the fourth precept to communicate wisely,

He calls this loving speech and deep listening and he says aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others,

I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening.

Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering,

I am committed to speaking truthfully using words that inspire confidence,

Joy,

And hope.

When anger is manifesting in me,

I am determined not to speak.

I will practice to nourish my capacity for understanding,

Love,

Joy,

And inclusiveness and gradually transform anger,

Violence,

And fear that lie deep in my consciousness.

Beautiful.

And then here's the last one.

And this is the one where the more classic precept is to not use intoxicants in order to cloud the mind.

He says nourishment and healing.

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption,

I am committed to cultivating good health,

Both physical and mental,

For myself,

My family,

And my society by practicing mindful eating,

Drinking,

And consuming.

I am determined not to gamble or to use alcohol,

Drugs,

Or any other products which contain toxins such as certain websites,

Electronic games,

TV programs,

Films,

Magazines,

Books,

And conversations.

I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing,

Healing,

And nourishing elements in me and around me,

Not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past,

Nor letting anxieties,

Fear,

Or craving pull me out of the present moment.

I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness,

Anxiety,

Or other suffering by losing myself in consumption.

I will consume in a way that preserves peace,

Joy,

And well-being in my body and consciousness and in the collective body and consciousness of my family,

My society,

And the earth.

So I feel like let's practice with these in our sit if they resonate for you.

And just one last thing is just I feel like we are so fortunate to have had this teacher on this planet in the time that we had him and his teachings,

Of course,

Will live on because he he was alive and teaching and really grappling with the world as it is well into the 21st century.

And so,

Yeah,

I feel like we're really fortunate.

Okay,

Sorry for rambling on for a little much quite a bit longer than usual.

And now let's sit together.

So finding your your sit for today or your posture if you're not sitting down if it's some other posture.

And just taking a moment to settle into the beautiful body that is yours right now.

And beginning to just be aware of your breathing or the sounds in your environment.

And then maybe beginning to consider your own wise intentions,

The reverence you have for life at whatever level you have that,

The intention to point towards true happiness and away from exploitation and social injustice and stealing and oppression,

Your commitment to true love and to avoiding sexual misconduct and discrimination,

The intention you have to speak in a loving way and to listen deeply.

And the intention to nourish and heal yourself and your family and our society and the earth.

Thanks everyone for being on the wake up call today.

Be safe out there.

Have a good Thursday.

Good weekend.

I'll see you next week.