What would be the character of an adult conversation about federal and global regulations? We would likely consider how corporations would behave without regulations and what that behavior would say about their capacity for consciousness and conscience. What would many do if they regained the freedom to pay literally the lowest wages possible and produce any profitable toxins and debt possible? And could any government or network of governments ever have the ability to do anything sustainable with corporations who would gladly buy political freedom from profit diminishing regulations?
According to some, stocks would increase considerably which would lead to greater increases in political buying power. According to others, next generations would have medical, environmental and social problems they might not be able to mitigate or resolve.
In the conversation about the next generation, the question of what kind of world we want our children to have is a different question than what kind of world we want all children to have because of our stewardship and legacy. This is a larger conversation than social and environmental justice, or the legitimacy of profit from war, oil and wars about oil.
Adult conversations, I would argue, are those whose character is dialogue motivated by new questions and mutual learning for mutual gain. We need them in these arenas more than ever.
