Draft Declaration for Bottom-Up Community (12/12/25) 

A call to move beyond domination and submission toward bottom-up communities
rooted in dignity, shared power, and mutual care.
 

By Wade Lee Hudson
 

This Draft Declaration calls for rebuilding democracy and human dignity from the ground up. It affirms the shared human need for genuine community, equal respect, and meaningful participation — needs too often frustrated by a modern world that trains people to dominate, submit, conform, and compete through a self-reinforcing Top-Down Machine that concentrates power, exploits division, and dehumanizes everyday relationships, both in institutions and in our inner lives. As an alternative, the declaration proposes bottom-up, member-run communities rooted in authenticity, mutual support, shared leadership, and accountable authority, linked together into a movement of movements. It invites people and organizations to refine, adopt, and act on these principles to reduce suffering, strengthen compassion, and work together — as equals — to build a fairer, more caring, and more joyful world.
 

We, the people, desire deep, lasting, democratic community in our lives. We ache to love and respect one another as equals with a fair chance to shape our lives together. 
 

But the modern world divides, disempowers, distracts, and lures us into chasing sugar highs that never satisfy. It trains us to treat each other as objects — to use, disrespect, crush, conquer — and our leaders define leadership as getting others to do what they want. 
 

If we wake up, face reality, break free from our addictions, mobilize our power, do the right thing, and build trust through shared risk, honest struggle, and unified action, we can meet our real needs — and know we matter and belong.
 

We seek community, connection, and mutual support. Some of us find it at home, at work, in neighborhoods, faith traditions, or cultural groups. Others experience it through their nation, humanity as a whole, or Nature. Often we feel it in more than one place. However it appears, the need for genuine community is deep, complex, and often unmet as isolation spreads.
 

Economic security, safety, loving families, good health, meaningful purpose, less suffering, more fairness, more joy, a healthy planet, true friends, and emotional support — these are widely shared needs. And most of us want to grow as human beings, help others, and leave the world better than we found it.
 

When we can, we prefer to speak — and listen — from the heart. We want sincerity, not performance. We value honest feelings over polished masks meant to impress, persuade, or protect. We don’t want to hide behind jargon, rehearsed lines, or gossip. We long to be spontaneous, unguarded, and real. 
 

Speaking this way draws out compassion and connection. It softens harsh judgments. It lets us imagine life in another’s shoes. It opens us to risk, vulnerability, the possibility of being hurt — but it also frees us from the need to “win” arguments.
 

We seek a balance of thought and feeling. We want to make sense of emotions and integrate head and heart. We stay curious, ask questions, and listen as much as we speak. We follow thoughts to their end, even when they challenge assumptions. We admit to biases, gut reactions, and prejudices — and let them go. We confess more, and profess less. We acknowledge mistakes and resolve to do better.
 

We want to meet one another fully, in the here and now — not as objects or tools, but as whole persons. Encounters marked by authenticity and intimacy. Moments of depth, meaning, and connection. These don’t last; they’re too intense. But when they come, we love them and cherish being seen as more than an object.
 

Yet the modern world makes this kind of authenticity hard to find and harder to sustain. To change that, we must understand why and how it’s so often missing — and then cultivate communities that are deeper, stronger, more democratic, and more supportive. Bottom-up communities. Member-run communities. Communities that help us become more fully human.
 

The question is: why do we keep dehumanizing each other in these ways?
 

+++++
 

Step back, and the pattern is clear: our institutions, culture, and conditioning form a self-perpetuating Top-Down Machine. It teaches us to climb social ladders, look down on those below, bow down to those above, and accept wealth and power in the hands of a few. We keep quiet and go along to get ahead of others. It tells us everyone deserves what they get — or don’t get. 
 

This Machine shapes us so deeply it feels like brainwashing. Biases, prejudices, and snap judgments often take hold before we’re even aware of them. The outer world shapes and reflects the inner; the inner shapes and reflects the outer. External oppression produces internal oppression; internal oppression produces external oppression.
 

This order endures in part because many must conform to survive, to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. Others try to dominate at home or work. Activist groups fracture under ego and power trips. People lash out, cling to certainty, demand conformity, and worship power. We fail to grow compassionate communities rooted in respect and mutual support.
 

Across the world, the elites who lead this system tighten their grip. They divide us by race, gender, religion, age, ability, and background — then inflame these divisions to dominate. They attack healthy traditions, undermine shared customs, deny truth, and spread lies. They demonize opponents, reject compromises, lecture, and gain obedience for the sake of ego. They use scapegoats as pawns in their divide-and-conquer game. Elected officials ignore the people’s will, undermine democracy, and use disorder to strengthen coercive power. 
 

Their goal is simple: more wealth, more power, more conformity. Many follow them mindlessly.
 

+++++
 

Society does need order. Traffic rules keep us safe. Parents protect children. Science discovers truths we can trust. Debate builds consensus. Authority is essential — but it must be accountable to its higher ideals. 
 

Top-heavy systems collapse. Ours may be next.
 

Authoritarian habits surface in corporations, institutions, families, friendships — and within ourselves. Society trains people to dominate and to submit. Leadership is defined as getting others to do what you want. Even those who resist may begin with compassion, but grow frustrated, resentful, and oppressive.
 

Hypocrisy is striking. Often, we claim to believe everyone is created equal and worthy of unconditional love, but we don’t live that truth. We hold back instead of speaking from the heart. We talk more than we listen. We avoid intimacy and authentic dialogue. We forget that mutual aid includes facing personal struggles, not just public goals.
 

This gap between belief and practice keeps people trapped.
 

+++++
 

As an alternative, imagine a network of small, face-to-face teams building a movement of movements. Together, they could build trust, educate each other about current events, affirm collaborative leadership, and cultivate accountable power as a model for others — turning the Machine into a community that’s both top-down and bottom-up.
 

Here, too, structure matters. Even small teams need agreements — but created by the team, not imposed from above.
 

Teams of compassionate people could meet regularly, speak from the heart, and engage in service and politics. They could nominate representatives to regional networks, which could form larger coordinating bodies — expanding step by step to national and global levels.

They could form a coalition of like-minded organizations that endorse shared principles and act together: lobbying, boycotts, nonviolent civil disobedience, and other campaigns.
 

We could support each other to:

• Take charge of daily life.

• Stand up for equal worth.

• Treat everyone with respect.

• Overcome divisions.

• Interrupt violence.

• Resist what’s wrong.
   

By joining forces, we could:

• Create solutions for all.

• Give people a voice.

• Balance top-down with bottom-up power.

• Build a strong grassroots movement.
   

We could commit to bottom-up power — people working together from the ground up. Together, we could care for all people, protect the earth, and live with compassion and fairness.
 

+++++
 

We, the drafters of this declaration, don’t have the capacity to organize this movement. Broader participation is needed. However, a prominent thought leader or large organization could launch it, perhaps after refining this draft or adopting other similar points of unity (feel free to reach out to possible organizers).
 

Our mission: relieve suffering, fight for justice, spread joy, and support each other — especially in resisting the urge to dominate or submit.
 

We need not accept the Top-Down Machine. We can cultivate another way — not another machine, but bottom-up communities. We can build grassroots projects in every arena — social, political, economic, environmental, peersonal, cultural — rooted in fairness, compassion, and shared leadership.
 

We can support one another, admit mistakes, and grow steadily as better human beings. The goal isn’t sainthood. It’s simple: to be a good person and become better.

We can become more courageous, curious, and caring. Less self-centered, more other-centered, willing to face biases, soften judgments, listen deeply, and practice nonviolence. We can collaborate as equals to improve the world.
 

Most people want the same things: security, family, fairness, and a healthy planet. We must also cultivate honesty, care, responsibility, and trust — the values that sustain freedom and fairness.
 

If these words speak to you, step in. Share your feedback. Let’s find each other and move together.

You can contribute by using this form to suggest edits or show support for this draft declaration. On the Compassionate Humanity Community website and in the Mutual Empowerment newsletter, we’ll report on activities, share ideas, and connect people.
 

+++++

 

FEEDBACK:

 

Hope you are feeling better…and seems you have energy to organize this relevant discussion!!!
Roma Guy

 

+++++

 

 I’m willing and happy to stay in the loop. The goals are big. It seems that the organization would have to happen first before problem-solving, and you do refer to a ground-up process.

The challenges are daunting, but each group begins where they are.

Roger Marsden

 

+++++

 

Your statement is clear, compelling, and something I will share with others as we move forward. I hope you are getting good responses and feedback.

Penn Garvin

 

+++++

 

**
Hi dear Wade! I am looking at this and may drop by on Saturday. But will certainly send feedback before. Been thinking about the role of trust in effective movements for solidarity — which is one way that I see this good effort.

 

Here is an article I'm reading on solidarity, trust etc..... Feel free to share in support of the upcoming discussion.
Trust in Solidarity1

Rhonda Magee

 

+++++
 

**
Mike’s Proposed Edits
 

IT'S EXCELLENT. MAY IT COME TO PASS. 

 

+++++

 

Dan Brook said, "There’s a lot to like here, though I don’t like the capitalizations (use italics instead?). Some things are too vague, including bottom-up. There’s only one indirect mention of the environment. I don’t like using the blindness metaphor (it’s ableist); mindless might be better. We’ll talk more in person."

 

+++++

While I agree with nearly all  your points, there is one thing I would suggest.  You start off with all the negatives -- all the things that are going badly -- and you are right about all of those.  They are going badly.  It is, however, my experience that 'negative' messaging seldom inspires people to take action. I strongly believe that you need a positive, aspirational focus that you can inspire people to get behind.

Larry Walker