Fric Spruyt is a property owner and property manager in Brattleboro and a member of the town's energy committee.
Everywhere I look, I see the failure of the idea that someone else has to lose for someone else to win.
And, if I look beyond the news of the day, I see examples of what happens when a win-win approach is tried.
The rise to prominence of those who have insatiable appetites for power, money, and attention is driving much of the world's foreign, domestic, and environmental policies.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai was one of the latest examples of just how horribly wrong even our best efforts can go, when narrow self-interest takes over. It might as well have been an OPEC meeting, given how well the petroleum industry was represented (as it has been in the past).
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Whether it's destroying the environment of the only planet that sustains us (have you seen pictures of Mars?), waging genocidal war on a neighboring country, or making products with intentional flaws, the same mentality is at play. The collective good is not the priority.
At the same time, as individuals, we regularly do things for one another. We might give a stranger directions or volunteer during disaster relief, and we sometimes travel at some expense and risk of injury to do so.
Those who reach out to help others tend to live happier and more fulfilled lives, while it is the rare billionaire who is truly happy.
Why do some of the people presumed to be the smartest among us do things that don't really make their lives better - and risk the future for their own offsprings and everyone else in the process?
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We used to take pride in making some of the most durable and repairable products, stocking parts to make those repairs. Our quality machinery was sought after around the world.
Some manufacturing hubs like Bridgeport, Connecticut, became indispensable resources for all machine shops. Then the urge to squeeze more short-term profits brought us value engineering and planned obsolescence.
Such thinly disguised and successful attempts to pick our pockets have crept into almost every corner of industry.
From kitchen appliances to automobiles to airplanes, the push to get more profit for a worse product has become the norm. The push to make it harder to repair the things and to include failure in the design of products have created the perception that anything old needs to be replaced, regardless of how easy it might be to repair.
We now have a generation that for the most part doesn't have the skills or inclination to repair anything. The ever-escalating quest for profits is largely just an annoyance when it comes to consumer goods, but it can turn deadly in other areas.
Whether we're looking at power generation, food safety, transportation, or any number of other large-scale industries whose products and services we can't resist, the quest for short-term gain has lead to a lot of long-term suffering.
One recent and well-publicized example was Boeing's 737 Max. The bean counters who replaced the engineers at the helm of Boeing tried to solve a hardware problem with a software patch. They pushed the envelope of weight and balance in a way that even beginner student pilots are trained to avoid.
This also brings up the subject of oversight - and the coziness of regulators with the regulated.
Media has played a role in keeping us unsettled and divided, with the goal of selling more ads. Good news is boring, and doesn't inspire us to try to treat our anxiety with a purchase.
Examples of how things can go right don't tend to make national news, as much as they might give us a constructive path forward. There is much to be learned from individuals, communities, companies, and countries that are quietly trying to make life better.
We have never needed to shine a light on them more than at this pivotal moment for our planet.
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In this world of deep dysfunction, I hope that your holidays were filled with connection and meaning, filled with gifts homemade or regifted, or with lovingly restored antiques. And I hope that your gatherings have been filled with the joy and merriment possible only when all electronics are turned off.
May your new year bring the sort of community that can come only from finding common ground with those from different backgrounds and perspectives.
In this new year, let us seek to hold those in power accountable - or replace them, if that's not possible.
May our gift to our children and grandchildren be a path to a sustainable future.
This Voices Essay was submitted to The Commons.