13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
An encouraging little essay, January 5, 2003
This review is from: Seven Words That Can Change the World: A New Understanding of Sacredness (Paperback)
The title, the cover, the preface, the introduction, and various other trappings suggest that it is a religious self-help book that will probably remind the reader of the importance of connecting with his or her inner whatchamacallit in order to find true peace and increased market potential. But the body of the book consists largely of Simonetta rejecting religion. Ten or 15 tiny pages toward the end explain what the seven words are that can change the world.
This book takes about 20 minutes to read, but I never would have read it had the author not suggested it to me. As an atheist and a snob, I would have rejected it on the basis of the title alone. As it turns out, I pretty much agree with Simonetta's main concerns (which include environmental destruction, unequal distribution of wealth, and corruption of democracy by money). And this book rejects religious foolishness as clearly as many that don't come packaged as a new understanding of sacredness devised by a student of divinity.
But the book is indeed simplistic. It doesn't seem likely to appeal to scholars already pressed for time. It doesn't tell me much I didn't already know. However, I might be tempted to buy 100 copies and send them to libraries. Not only is the book's message important, but its simplicity is a part of that message. Moral codes, which have largely been religious codes, have - like other law codes -- always simplified, and Simonetta is aiming here for the most general framework, a new 10 Commandments, an updated Golden Rule. I imagine if Thomas of Aquinas were around today, he might write something of this sort, dropping most of the nonsense current in his day but keeping the careful simplicity.
Simonetta's new code in seven words is: "Be healthy. Be kind. Respect the environment." He presents this as a series of three relationships: to oneself, others, and the environment. After rejecting all previous pretensions to universal truth and disparaging our practice of clinging to old beliefs because we have called them sacred, Simonetta proceeds to call his seven words universal truth and sacred. This suggests to me that he has failed to see the radicalness in their day of various old and now foolish belief systems. Those who developed monotheism, for example, thought they were breaking with all past superstition as radically as Simonetta thinks he is. Of course, now we can lump monotheism with every other sort of theism and nontheistic religion and reject much of what is common to the lot. But declaring our truth universal and sacred suggests we haven't learned our lesson. Simonetta writes about his three rules:
"[T]his is not a human construct. This is simply the way life works. This is not contrived or fictional. This is not arbitrary or subject to dismissal. Nor is this in any way negotiable."
Now, I know that Simonetta is too big a fan of democracy to completely mean to put forth such an edict against negotiation. He intends, in fact, to be generous and inclusive. He sees his code as so general and well-intended that it will not hurt anyone. In fact, he doesn't even think it will have to be imposed on anyone for their own good. He supposes that every reader will immediately recognize its truth. But will they?
Some will certainly object that Simonetta's three rules are not separable, that you can't have one without the other two. And he may not see that as a criticism. But some may go on to question more pointedly the distinction between others and the environment. Are the others other humans or other mammals or other life forms or other discreet objects? Is there anthropocentrism here? Do we need to be kind to humans but respectful of cows, and do we respect cows best by eating them? Would it not be better to respect humans and be kind to cows?
Some may, for different reasons, also question the appropriateness of kindness as a framework for all interactions with humans. Should one be kind to family, friends, compatriots, competitors, and enemies? Is there not a place for respectful competition and even meanness? Simonetta claims that only his way can allow the species to survive; social Darwinians might beg to differ. And then, why put the species on the same level as the environment? Isn't it most important to not destroy the planet as a whole? And why put the self on the same level as either? What if you can best help others through sacrifices that do not allow you the most healthy lifestyle? And isn't kindness an attitude we adopt toward individuals; how does this relate to the benevolence we bestow on society as a whole, sometimes at some individuals' expense?
I am playing devil's advocate to make the point that the seven words are not universal or permanent, not to suggest that I oppose them. While 10 years from now I might reject them as folly, right now I recommend them as critical to improving human society and preserving ecosystems. Even the consequentialism implicit in the seven words and explicit in the book (the recognition that what we do has consequences and that those consequences must be the measure of our ethics) is worthy of the highest recommendation in an age in which we are altering the planet's weather while our university philosophy departments are keeping busy debating the relative merits of consequentialism and deontology.
Of course, accepting the value of the seven words still leaves a huge need for specifics. Simonetta tries to sneak a few in himself with a section immediately following his introduction of the seven words entitled "The Law of One." This section seems intended to make the seven words sound more mystical.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Document for Joy and Release, November 23, 2001
This review is from: Seven Words That Can Change the World: A New Understanding of Sacredness (Paperback)
As I read, re-read, ponder and re-ponder Joseph Simonetta's
"Seven Words That Can Change the World," I feel a surge of joy and release. Part of my lifeling existence has been wrapped around the Old and the New Testaments. To me the "Seven Words..." is a new New Testament..."A New Testament for Our Times." It is not based upon violence, mystery, fear, and
uncertainty--The absolute opposite! In the course of my 82 years of life I have at times prayed most fervently for good things to happen. Mostly, nothing did...except by pure
coincidence. Blessings from the application of the seven words are instant. I think of old Scrooge when he awoke from his dreams of Christmas. By his subsequent acts of consideration he saved himself and his world around him. I think Old Ebenezer must have read Mr. Simonetta's "Seven Words That Can Change the World."
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspired Writing for Our Time, November 21, 2001
This review is from: Seven Words That Can Change the World: A New Understanding of Sacredness (Paperback)
In a time when anything is possible and nothing is certain we long for a sense of wholeness, a direction that we feel has depth and embraces everyone and everything.
In his new book, Seven Words That Can Change The World, author Joe Simonetta presents a simple and powerful vision that fills our yearning and provides an inclusive and ethical compass.
With a Masters in Divinity from Harvard, an architectural degree and an MBA, a near successful Congressional run in Pennsylvania,,careers as a tennis professional, entrepreneur and author of several books including The Heroes Are Us, Joe's passion for deep truth and action permeates his soul's path and we are the beneficiaries. In this small treasure described as a 1000 page book in 100 pages by a radio talk host, Joe provides a brilliant outline of the context of our current problems and three simple ideas that, if adopted, could truly lead us towards a positive and sustainable future.
It's former title, The Simple Truth was developed after Joe gave a series of talks of the same name to appreciative audiences. One can only hope this wonderful book finds a global audience who will put its message into action. Like other compassionate visionaries before him, Joe truly cares about this world and his book is a demonstration of how each of us can truly make a difference.
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