The Permanent Domains of Human Concerns [1 page]

1 – Body

Our bodies are our first and most fundamental source of power, or capacity to live a good life. 

Any interruption in caring for our body, or in our body’s capacity to operate effectively, prevents satisfactory care of all other concerns.

2 – Family

The group of people with whom we live, and sometimes work, and with whom we usually share a common ancestry

Living and caring for them is often a practical necessity as much as it is an existential concern.

3 – Work

Actions people perform to take care of their concerns, especially to earn a living or make money in order to buy the goods and services everyone requires to survive, be free and live a good life

4 – Play

Unselfconscious activity essential for rest and refreshing our capacities to think and act effectively, strategically and competitively to take care of our concerns

5 – Sociability

Our capacities to form healthy and productive relationships with other members of our community for the sake of communication, learning, production, coordinating action and transacting for help (goods and services) needed to take care of our concerns

6 – Education

The practice of learning discourses of moods, distinctions and practices needed to think and act effectively, strategically and competitively enough to fulfill our intentions to survive, be free and live a good life

7 – Career

Public identities of superior trustworthiness, value, authority and leadership used to build networks and make money in the marketplace

8 – Money

The capacity to transact for help  — goods and services —  that everyone needs to fulfill their intentions to survive, be free and live a good life throughout their entire life, including 20-30 years of old age

Money includes gift-giving, exchanging favors, barter, trade and currency.

9 – Membership

Belonging to a group, society, community or association for the sake of accumulating knowledge and power needed to help take care of fundamental human concerns

10 – World

Acceptance of the “fact” that we live in a constellation of circumstances, interpretations and traditions with which we must cope in order to fulfill our intentions to live a good life

11 – Dignity

Public assessments about people’s moral, financial and social integrity  — whole and complete —  and value  — importance, utility and worth —  to their communities

12 – Situation

The array of unique sets of threats we need to avoid, obligations we need to fulfill and opportunities we need to exploit, in order to fulfill our intentions to survive, be free and live a good life

13 – Spirituality

The group of concerns that focus on human acceptance of life’s “facticities”, especially the fact that we are all going to die, and practices for dealing with them