Coming Together to Solve Problems is Better than Coming Apart

November 25, 2019 9:35 AM
by Rick Cole

Last Saturday more than 800 community members participated in the first-ever Wellbeing Summit at the new Santa Monica College campus on Stewart.  Six years ago, Santa Monica received a $1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to pioneer measuring community and individual wellbeing. The Summit was designed to engage a broad cross-section of our community to both understand and use the work that’s been done to make a better city for all.

The Wellbeing Index pinpoints both strengths and weaknesses in Santa Monica.  Our rate of volunteerism is greater than the national average, while a lower average feel they can count on their neighbors.  While nearly 3/4s of our residents are “living comfortably” or “doing okay” economically, one in four worry about affording their rent or mortgage payments. 

To build on our strengths and address our shortcomings, the Wellbeing Summit featured dozens of panel discussions and interactive sessions along with music, art, food and activities for all ages.  It focused on bringing together a wide range of community partners, including our school district and Santa Monica College, to talk about -- and tackle -- the challenges and opportunities before us to make Santa Monica a city that works for everyone.

So much of our public discourse these days is adversarial.  In our world, nation and local community, there is an increasingly sharp, negative and personal edge to social dialogue.  A “slash and burn” approach to politics seems to work – and so more and more are adopting it.  Social media may be a cause or a symptom, but reading how people attack each other now is frustrating and discouraging.

The spirit of the Wellbeing Summit was dramatically different.  Pursuing a positive approach to our problems is not a naïve denial of them. All the challenging issues of our time were addressed on Saturday – but in a spirit of “what can we do to make things better?” instead of “who can we blame for this mess?” 

As community leader Liz Cruz said at the kick-off reception on Thursday,

“I believe in wellbeing. I believe in hope. Above all, I believe that each of you can make a difference today . . . to promote equity, social justice and opportunities.” 

There was dissent – otherwise, it wouldn’t be Santa Monica.  A couple of activists stationed themselves near the entrance early on with signs questioning why the gathering was focused on “wellbeing” instead of crime and homelessness.  One answer, of course, is that crime and homelessness represent the absence of wellbeing and if we are ever going to make sustainable progress against them, we need to attack the roots of the problems.

A single Summit, no matter how encouraging, won’t alter the powerful dynamics that fuel the polarization all around us.  Yet I believe that every one of us who adopts that spirit can make a difference, not just on one day, but every day.

My personal faith teaches me that before I judge others, I need to look at my own conduct first.  I admit that too often I fall prey to the temper of our times.  Criticizing before seeking to understand.  Condemning before the facts are in.  Responding to criticism in kind -- instead of with kindness.

Hoping that the world will change before we do means neither will happen.  Each of us has the responsibility to set a better example for others by resisting the tendency to be jaded, cynical and judgmental. 

This is not just a path to better character.  It is also the path to community success.

Years ago, I heard a compelling talk by a standout community leader from Silicon Valley.  Cities around the nation invited him to their towns to share the secrets of the Valley’s powerhouse economic success story. 

Carl Guardino boiled it down to a common-sense formula:

“As I’ve talked to civic leaders everywhere, it turns out that in every community, 80% of the people agree on what the vital issues are – and there is generally 80% agreement on what to do about them.  That leaves about 20% disagreement, which is natural in a healthy democracy.  When people put 80% of their time and energy toward accomplishing the 80% they agree on, those communities succeed.  When communities spend 80% of their time and energy fighting about the 20% where they disagree, they fail.”

He’s right. There is always a place – in any community -- for healthy debate and dissent.  But when debate degenerates into a catfight when dissent becomes dissonant complaining, communities don’t just miss the opportunity to solve their problems – they actually magnify those problems.

I hope we will all draw on Saturday’s encouraging spirit.  As we approach Thanksgiving, we all have much to be grateful for, especially being a part of this remarkable community.  In these times, creating a city that works for everyone involves hard work.  Yet working positively -- individually and as a community -- not only sets an example for others, it can sustain us through even the toughest challenges.

 

Authored By

Rick Cole
City Manager