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Everyone who voted wants to experience a sense of belonging. Some of the protest votes too, were perhaps an expression of that desire. Anecdotally, some voters in MA selected both Elizabeth Warren and the president elect on the same ballot. Is that more likely about dictatorship or belonging?

... 2010, in business school two Americans were debating the usual left vs right tax policies when a student from China said, "why don't we just talk about what works?"

We have laws prohibiting a hostile work environment. Productivity is negatively correlated with a hostile work environment. When some people in a workplace make others feel that they don't belong, it undermines productivity in myriad ways, and the business makes less money.

For patients in a health care setting, their experiences of belonging is positively correlated with better outcomes. Lower costs, and higher rates of return for the provider.

In society too, a sense of belonging is positively correlated with innovation and economic growth, leading to higher GDP

So, what works?

Belonging makes more money

Hostility makes less money

The rules that regulate business managers are founded on the assumption that, holding everything else aside, we can all agree we want more money over less money

So who does hostility benefit?

Who does backsliding benefit?

Because, it does not make more money

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/hostile-work-environment

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/sense-of-belonging/201906/the-importance-of-belonging-across-life

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Absolutely agree with you. Well compared with natural decay. He represents the decline of a very selfish and self-serving economic and political system. We have a lot of work to do to try and protect basic human rights in this country and since we don't live in a vacuum, the rest of the world.

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We should not discount the likely possibility of catastrophically bad decisions and outcomes. They’ve already told us their plans and shown us who they are. Believe them.

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Thank you for your wise words today! We are distraught and have been sharing your article with many.

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