A New Vision for a Humane World

Need for Evolving Leadership to LovinShip

Olivier Onghena-‘t Hooft, Founder & Executive Chairman

For someone who knows what it means to be brutally shot and violently kidnapped by a group of FARC terrorists, but who miraculously survived such a Life-changing event, I am shocked by the constant stream of horror that we, as the so called most evolved species on Earth, have been confronted with the last couple of days, weeks, months and years .

Fortunately only a very small part of the world population has been through what I went through, an actual kidnapping. But millions of people are and have been going through a similar kind of horror with the wars in – amongst others, and not limited to – Syria, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Ukraine, South Sudan, Libya, and now the Middle East, …

And I am not mentioning all the other dramas of mass killings by lunatics or unstable individuals in the US, the lone wolf terrorist acts in different cities (we, in Brussels, recently experienced it once more), the disastrous direct and collateral damage of terrorist groups around the globe, the cocaine wars in important parts of South America and Europe, the refugees trafficking, the people smugglers, …

I find it a horrific thought that we get used to all that killing, slaughtering, terrorizing, violating, abusing, exterminating, massacring, diminishing, degrading, … children, women, innocent men. The media play a terrible role in looking for drama to be shared on our screens and in the news, tapping into the human psychological connection with fear.

Although I do not believe, as a model for society, in the “Homo homini lupus est” idea (Man to man is an arrant wolf) of Roman author Plautus (+/- 200 BC), and much later reinterpreted by the philosophers Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau in their vision of modern society, I am convinced that we have come to a point in history where we need to call loudly for different leaders and more humanity. More human dignity also, and more collective responsibility.

The bloody leadership – what I call ‘BlooderShip’ in my The Book of Noble Purpose (LannooCampus, 2019) – of leaders who are driven by ego, self-interest, power, narcissism, low self-esteem, little or no self-consciousness, let alone societal consciousness, is an outdated style of leadership!

Ego-driven power leadership has been a historical norm, but it does no longer align with the evolutionary needs of Humankind. In our modern world, where interconnectedness and interdependence are increasingly evident, a collaborative and respectful society is not only desirable but necessary for our survival and well-being. Leaders must recognize the importance of empowering others, embracing diversity, resolving conflicts, and fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. By doing so, we can create a world where the evolutionary needs of Humankind are met, and our collective potential is unleashed for the benefit of all.

To understand the evolutionary needs of Humankind, we must recognize that we are a social species. Our ancestors survived and thrived through cooperation and collaboration within tribes and communities. This innate drive for social interaction and mutual support has contributed to our survival as a species. It is this very evolutionary need that has enabled us to build complex societies, advance technologically, and progress as a civilization.

I call upon our collective consciousness to elect leaders who not only understand this evolution, but who make it their Life goal or noble purpose, to build such a new vision and who will concretely do all they can, individually and collectively, before and after they are elected, to build this more human society and world.