Cross-Cultural Inspiration

An Op-Ed in the New York Times on Sunday (1-25) by Scott Atran and Jeremy Ginges comments on the nature of inspiration, even though they never actually use the word. Atrans and Ginges addressed the Israeli/Palestinian issue, suggesting that conflicts based on a moral principle could not be dealt with in a secular way. Put another way, they suggested that all of the practical solutions in the world would be ignored until the “moral” issues perceived by the principals were addressed in a non-objective way. To take the discussion out of the religious arena, they suggest that controversies that have to do with core values are absolute and inviolable. They chose to study this with an extensive survey of both the Israelis and the Palestinians, trying to determine if objective solutions by themselves would ever result in a solution to the fundamental conflict.

They concluded that no formula of actions could resolve the issue without the parties first addressing the core values at stake. Their research first suggested a combination of “straight-up offers” as the basis for the brokering of peace. The second case included added objective incentives; while the final case included a symbolic sacrifice of a sacred value. For example, the first case might offer that if Palestinians gave up the right to return to their homes in Israel, then the Israelis would recognize a separate state. To sweeten the deal, the second case added $10 million a year in reparations. Neither of these met with approval by any significant number of  Palestinians. But when complemented with the proposal that Israel would officially apologize for the displacement of civilians in the 1948 war, both Palestinians and their leaders agreed that it would be a good start.

Likewise, the Israelis were recalcitrant when asked about the same objective solutions, trading land for peace or the offer of material reparation, but when the researchers suggested that Hamas would recognize the right of the Jewish people to an independent state in the region, they agreed that such a symbolic gesture would be a good starting point.

What does this have to do with inspiration? Just this:  When our most precious values are ratified, we are moved to connect. We are inspired by what we consider to be the voice of god, a god who hears us and speaks back. It seems, from the basis of this research, that material considerations are inferior to the simple act of acknowledging that which is most important to us, even if those acknowledging our values don’t practice them.

How do we inspire others who don’t share our values?….by acknowledging their values, even if we don’t agree with them. We don’t have to sanction the actions they take to affirm their values, only affirm that the values themselves are valid and vital to them.

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