# 21 A Philosophy Versus A Strategic Plan

# 21 A Philosophy Versus A Strategic Plan

by

Vernon M. Herron


There is a prevailing philosophical notion that the mastery of this world’s operation is a part of man’s dominion. Whether the manifestation comes in form of global warming, outer space exploration, economic condition of our nation and the world, taxes, hunger, unemployment, poverty, diseases, sickness and the like, we tend to forget that man is a steward/trustee of the earth and not the owner. Philosophy says that we don’t inherit the world from our ancestors, we borrow from our children.


For the sake of clarity within the context of this article, I define strategic planning as—the skillful planning and management of anything, including our world. If you are a part of the management of your family, church, school, club, organization, fraternal/sorority group, etc., then strategic planning should be the instrument by which you measure desired outcome.


We can look to the past for advice on the future. The Native American Iroquois used a special method to help make all of their decisions. Before deciding anything, they considered what effect that decision would have on descendants seven generations into the future. Seven generations were assured a share in the benefits of any decision.


Seven generations from now, what will be left of our earth, our government, the tax structure, our educational system, our earning capacity or our quality of life, etc? Will our own poor decisions compound the accumulated mistakes of our ancestors? Will we remember the needs of seven generations after our own? We have the chance to leave our great, great, great, great, great grandchildren a great, great, great, great, great grand world, if only we keep the seventh generation in mind whenever we make a decision.


Our children are lending us the earth; some day, they will want it back! What will be left for them? Will too many children receive too little earth? The planet’s remaining resources may seem like a present waiting to be opened. If we open the present, we close the future. We have been reminded that, “Ours is the first generation faced with decisions which will determine whether the Earth we give our children is habitable.”