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Grace Lee Boggs: 'We Need to Grow Our Souls'
Boggs: The "secret to visionary organizing" is a "combination of philosophy and activism"

- Common Dreams staff
At an event to celebrate the work of Grace Lee Boggs, the long-time activist says that "we need to grow our souls" and emphasizes that the "secret to visionary organizing" is "a combination of philosophy and activism."


The Chinese Progressive Association in San Francisco held the event on March 3 titled Building the Next American Revolution: A Celebration and Tribute to Grace Lee Boggs.

In this segment, Boggs explains how the east-west dynamic is changing. Speaking of immigrants like her own parents who came from China, she says, "You came for this golden mountain of the American Dream, but now people are going east -- Apple, General Electric" are going to China. But, she says, "they make a mess of things. They poison the water. They poison the air. They exploit the workers and we envy them because we think they're growing economically and we owe them a lot of money."

In this segment she also gives "the secret to the future." She states that the "secret to visionary organizing" is a "combination of philosophy and activism."
(Boggs begins speaking at around 13:30.)


As Grace Lee Boggs continues she encourages us to "grow our souls."

"We need to grow our souls. We need to find that balance of life that respects each other, that thinks that the most important thing at this time on the clock of the world is not our accumulation of things, is not economic growth which threatens and imperils all life on this planet including ourselves, that the time has come to grow our souls, to grow our relationships with one another, to create families that are loving and communities that are loving, to bring the neighbor back into the hood... There are so many ways in which we can grow our souls and the souls of those around us."

This segment also takes a tender look at pictures from Boggs' childhood and early start in activism.


With hope and wisdom, Boggs says that the "older I grow... the more I feel that young people are the solution rather than the problem" and explains how that perspective has helped transform Detroit.

seemslikeadream wrote:"We need to grow our souls. We need to find that balance of life that respects each other, that thinks that the most important thing at this time on the clock of the world is not our accumulation of things, is not economic growth which threatens and imperils all life on this planet including ourselves, that the time has come to grow our souls, to grow our relationships with one another, to create families that are loving and communities that are loving, to bring the neighbor back into the hood... There are so many ways in which we can grow our souls and the souls of those around us."

82_28 » Mon Jul 28, 2014 11:05 pm wrote:This makes me wonder about myself. Because I actually am a centrist but identify as "anarchist" who gives the time of day to wingers who I should "hate". I am just me and as should we all be ourselves. I remember when (and I still get it from people) that I have "too big a heart" -- whatever. Her wisdom runs deep within all people who 100% wish no harm 100% of the time for any reason all across our planet for any entity.

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing!

No change, I can change
I can change, I can change
But I'm here in my mold
I am here in my mold
But I'm a million different people
from one day to the next
I can't change my mold
No, no, no, no, no

The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony.

It is management who has no concept of the abilities of their workers. It is management who does not listen; too arrogant to learn from their people. Of course when you don’t come up from the ranks what do you really know? Managements (sic) concept of leadership is to brow beat their employees into submission, licking the boots of your senior manager is the way to get ahead. Managements (sic) idea of success is, I’m out for myself. This is what management teaches. However you get there is okay, just don’t get caught.
Some people think I might be kidding or over-the-top! But it’s true. This company does not want your input, except in a chorus of yes sir. A real leader is not afraid of criticism or challenge. A real leader seeks a different opinion, a different view.

We can take solace knowing that this movement -- as with all things -- will be fleeting (relatively speaking), and will have its end. Perhaps even within some of our lifetimes, if enough of us refuse to comply.

peartreed » Tue Jul 29, 2014 12:10 pm wrote:Growing one’s soul is counter-productive to the corporate prime directive of maximizing profit. Therefore, efforts to advance spirituality, ethics and moral imperatives will ultimately conflict with economic enterprise and will be attacked ruthlessly under various guises, slogans and excuses while waving the flag of freedom.

Ultimately and ironically, dangerous altruistic individualism must be crushed so that corporate control prevails.

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