by Hugh Taft-Morales
After three days attending the National Leaders Council meeting in New Jersey, I was honored to join over 350 people for the rededication of the home of the New York Society for Ethical Culture (NYSEC). Designed by Art Nouveau style pioneer architect Robert Kohn, a life-long member of NYSEC, the building was completed in 1910.
The ceremony for this historic Ethical Culture building included greetings from Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and the premiere of a documentary about the building narrated by James Naughton entitled, The Meeting House. The three current Leaders of the NYSEC, Anne Klaeysen, Joe Chuman, and Curt Collier gracefully ushered the program along, while the Ethical Culture Fieldston School Chorus added musical warmth.
But the highlight of the program for me was the keynote address by David Brancaccio, host of the public radio program Marketplace. Mr. Brancaccio offered insights into how we might best “fix the future.” I will not go into detail about the wisdom Mr. Brancaccio shared, gleaned from his conversations with Americans in all different places in our economic landscape. He encouraged novel approaches to getting our needs met outside traditional economic systems, such as with “hour banks” where people swap their time rather than their dollars – I will tutor the dentist’s son for two hours in exchange for a cavity filled. And look, no sales taxes!
What struck me most, however, was that Mr. Brancaccio reflected a refreshing mix of Ethical Culture values and real world economic savvy. He pointed out the growing gap between rich and poor in the United States. He critiqued the misguided measuring tools of economic success that count stuff but not satisfaction. He recommended how we might better make the economy work for more of us with alternative economic approaches.
The rededication ceremony stressed Ethical Culture’s role in generating, and providing a platform for, creative thinking to serve ethical ends. Having just completed a three-day retreat with my fellow Ethical Culture Leaders, I am energized that we have begun our ethical action focus on Economic Justice for 2010-2011. I hope that the Baltimore Ethical Society, like that of our founding sister society in New York, uses its platform to stimulate the creative conversations so central to Ethical Culture. Given the state of the economy, it is particularly necessary today. It was nice to rededicate a building. It was inspiring to rededicate ourselves to progressive ethical thinking!
