These simple statements offered a new idea about governance, a form of cooperative self-governance that honors above all the rights of each individual to have the opportunity to make the most of their limited lifetimes.
That is the promise of the American Experiment. It is an idea that has not been well-understood or practiced, yet for more than 250 years, the idea of cooperative self-governance has enabled tremendous capacity for people to do good for themselves and others. Even in its imperfect form, the idea of cooperative self-governance has inspired an unprecedented era of human progress and productivity.
​
However, the true potential of a cooperative self-governance has only been partially realized. Since its inception, the American Experiment has been plagued with inequities, bureaucracies, entitlements, and other corruptions. Much of this is because we the people have never understood why this idea of cooperative self-governance is directly connected to our ability to thrive.
​
In spite of what we've been told from the beginning, these truths are not self-evident.
Change is in the air, and we risk losing the promise of America simply because we've never understood why protecting each individual's right to their life, liberty and pursuit of happiness is how you create a just and humane society. It's time for that to change.
​
Welcome to Not Self-Evident.
​
This site is intended to be a path towards the proper form of self-governance that has forever been just beyond our collective reach. The purpose is to make evident the truths behind why this form of government is essential to human flourishing and for liberty and justice for all. The hope is for this site to expand and mature over time and become a crowdsourced manual. Our north star is a just society that protects everyone's right to pursue happiness and make the most of their lives. Along the way, we will seek to understand why this requires a cooperative form of self-governance and why this needs to be evident, knowable, and teachable.
​
Your help is needed for this effort to be successful. This site will be constantly under construction, corrected and expanded to provide more clarity and content. For now there won’t be a comment section, as those quickly get out of hand and off topic. Instead, please email your suggestions to dennis.strait@notselfevident.com, challenging, or supporting, and/or expanding on the content and approach. The requirement is that you not be anonymous. That aspect of social media has not seemed helpful, and we all need the practice of contributing the value we each bring to the world. I look forward to your help.
​
Below is a Table of Contents of initial ideas, posts that are defined as "chapters" on this site, along with future topics to explore. Please click onto the Chapter link in the menu bar to review the initial ideas, then send me your comments and suggestions. And thank you in advance for all that you have to offer.
​
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Current Chapters:
1. INTRODUCTION: It Has Never Been Self-Evident
2. Belief Set (Reset?)
3. Animals Becoming Humans
​
Ideas for Future Chapters:
* Cooperative Self-Governance
* The Pyramid: Animals Striving to be Humans
* Rule of Law: Avoiding the Commons Tragedy
* Promoting Freedom of Speech
* Top-Down, Power-Seeking vs Citizen-Driven, Humble Governance.
* Cronyism, Tribalism, and Other Forms of Corruption
* Governing Democracy: The Majority Rule Problem
* Producers Rather Than Consumers
* Rethinking Representation: Rank Choice Voting
* The Potential for Un-Doing (go Gautam!)
* Unleashing Our Capacity for Good
* Patience and Incrementalism
* Economics of Scarcity vs. Superabundance