I was really pleased to hear this story on NPR this morning. It’s about how the participants of the Occupy Wall Street movement are organizing themselves. Everyone gathers together every night at what’s called a General Assembly, where everybody has a say in every little decision on the table. Decisions are made by consensus, where everyone’s views and concerns are openly discussed.
I wrote about a similar consensus process in my own Buddhist sangha about a year ago. While it can be a slow and messy process, it’s a great way to ensure everyone’s participation and buy-in for a collective process. And it honors each individual as a human being with a voice worthy of respect.
This is an ideal to which I personally aspire, and actively work to bring about in any group I help to organize. I’m thrilled to see it happening in other places as well, especially this one.