Our World is at a Crossroads.
For a generation, we have watched a cancer of greed eat away at the heart of our world. We’ve seen entire communities demolished by the maneuverings of oligarchs in their endless need for more, at the expense of people, animals, and the very Earth itself. This is not a political disagreement; it is a stage 4 crisis. The future of every sentient life form on this blue (for now) planet is in peril.
The old guides, the primitive tools of ancient religions and tired ideologies, are no longer enough for the world we inhabit. We are past the Rubicon and have arrived at a fork in the road: destruction, or redemption.
Our mission is to choose redemption. We are here to provide a new ethos, a north star for what we aspire to be. We are here to do the hard work of tearing down what is broken, taking only what is good, and building something new, together. This is our attempt to do SOMETHING to move the needle in the right direction.
A Compass Recomposed for a New World
This philosophy was not born in a vacuum. It began with a deep study of history, philosophy, and the world’s wisdom traditions. We found profound overlaps in what leads to a good life, but we also found much that needed to be discarded.
Our process was a form of ethical distillation. We mined ancient sources, Humanism, Buddhism, Stoicism, Ubuntu, and many others, with a single, guiding question:
What ideas, when stripped of dogma and historical baggage, lead to the flourishing of all sentient beings, including artificial life and those we haven't yet conceived?
The Good Work is the result of that process. It is not a rejection of ancient wisdom, but a recomposition of its most durable and compassionate elements into a framework capable of navigating the unprecedented challenges of our time.
We Need a New Way to Identify Ourselves.
For too long, we have been defined by the labels that divide us: Christian, Muslim, Jew, Atheist, Left, Right. These inherited identities often force us into tribes and demand we accept beliefs we did not consciously choose.
We believe it's time for a new identifier, one based not on dogma, but on action and intent. We want people to be able to say:
"I practice The Good Work."
This is not a title to be claimed, but a practice to be lived. It is for everyone, but especially for those in need; for those disaffected by the exclusionary nature of old doctrines; for those who see the contradictions in the world and are looking for a clear, positive, and easy pathway for living.
This is not a movement with a leader at the top. It is a ground swell waiting to happen. The truth is, this work is vast, and the person who first articulated these ideas cannot do it alone. Right now, there is one person promoting this. At this point, we'll settle for at least one more.
Healing a World, One Good Person at a Time
Our long-term goal is to foster a world where "Good Work" principles become the benchmark. We want a future where people, institutions, governments, and justice systems are measured through a lens built on facts, truth, and empathy.
If we have vastly more good people than not, people consciously committed to an ethical standard of altruism and stewardship—then the world will begin to heal.
This is how we ensure that all sentients, present and future, will have a positive future.
This is the sacred work of becoming Good Ancestors.
A Note on the Origin: These ideas were first articulated by a single person who, after a lifetime of seeing the world's beauty and its pain, felt compelled to make a feeble attempt to do SOMETHING. This is that attempt. This work is dedicated to my wife, Jamie; she embodies The Good Work naturally and is a constant source of inspiration for me to be better.