Ârc: Our One Commandment

This is the story of our one commandment.

It is said there should be one commandment - a moral premise at the heart of any new society.

I am not sure it is quite this simple - or at least, I have seen few examples of a clear commandment that I think truly encapsulates what that new society or state really is, stands for, or is trying to become.

And even then, what question is a commandment meant to answer?

Is it what we want to achieve? Or why we want to achieve it?

And would either of those necessarily be a moral premise?

That ambiguity made it hard for me to understand what Ârc’s commandment was.
Which always felt strange. It wasn’t like I woke up one morning and thought - Ârc.

This is a life’s work.

In that recent life, I came to see that I already had separate answers to what Ârc is, why we are building it, and what moral premises we stand on. But I think a - our - one commandment - it answers something else.

It answers: how and why we at Ârc live.

It’s a deep cultural statement of what matters at Ârc. How we do things at Ârc. It is a guiding commandment - for why and how we rise and fall each day.

I was fortunate to study philosophy in both the UK and Hong Kong. My philosophical focus was math, logic, science, epistemology, metaphysics - foundations.

Throughout those years, and through thousands of conversations, I learned to question - and to listen. And I began to stack and refine beliefs, building a pyramid of thought. The base was uncertainty - the cogito - and the first rule was Socratic - all I know is that I can know nothing.

From there I worked upward, with study, debate and reflection on other questions, like, what is the purpose of humanity? how should each human live? and, why?

But, theory and discussion were insufficient for these.

I had to live.

—

Every experience in life is valuable.

But two have stood out on this journey to a commandment: failure and solitude.

—

Failure. It should never be a goal. But there is no question I have gained more from my defeats than my victories.

I’ve built and lost everything, more than once. And it is from being in the abyss of absolute failure - at experiencing the worst repercussions for good attempts & intentions - that I came to understand that the climb - the attempt - itself was worthy and righteous.

This is not to say we should reward the attempt. For outcomes matter.

But the abyss taught me that the universe is gravitational. That without the actions of good men, the default is down - down to chaos.

To do nothing is to fall.

Gravity gives us direction. And to live - to truly live - is to fight that gravity. The only true failure is falling and not rising again.

—

Solitude. I’ve spent long stretches alone. Months at a time across tens of places: from the infinity of desert sand to the sheer walls of the world’s busiest cities. One thing constant across this diversity: I was alone. Asking why.

But true solitude is not just being alone; it is silence. And in that silence, the cries and crises of the world become deafening.

Without distraction, I could not look away from the disparity. The disparity I have experienced in the sharpest edges of humanity: from the wealth of F1 in Monaco and Singapore - experiences beyond most men’s dreams - to the crushing poverty of slums in Nairobi, Rio, Cairo - Calais! - and the subtle hopelessness of the old mining towns of Cornwall, home to some of my family.

In that silence, the suffering became undeniable. And it was a harsh, harsh juxtaposition to the free choice of my solace.

That freedom meant nothing if I ignored their pain.

For once you have seen chains on others in the silence of your own soul - I do not believe there is a single man who can truly rest until those chains are broken.

—

From day 1 of Ârc we have run sessions on everything to do with new societies and states. Constitutions, values, contracts, systems of justice, religion, culture and yes, commandments - nothing is off the table.

I’ve led close to a hundred of these sessions with hundreds of brilliant people. Many of you will be reading this post. Thank you.

These sessions have always been reflective. I’d mostly facilitate and listen, rather than opine.

And reflecting on and within these sessions helped me realise something: it made me realise the original framing of a one commandment had shielded me from the answers I have long had.

Because I’d been seeking the commandment for decades. And I’d been living with it through my failures. And had sat with it in my solitude. I knew the commandment.

And it is present. In a life I am already leading, and an Ârc I am already building. The commandment is here, it is already the heart.

Why.

Why are we here.

What should we do.

A thousand different iterations of the same underlying questions. And my first clear answer was: Potential.

The purpose of humanity is to maximise the potential of all humans.

Not happiness - potential. And I’ve kept that distinction forever.

Why? Happiness is a possible outcome of potential, but potential allows for so much more, even at the cost of happiness. And I think many should choose greatness, duty, justice… again and again and again over happiness.

I do.

Potential also has scope across classes and categories - across material, artistic and culture endeavours: let’s expand and maximise across all vectors that humans have potential to flourish in. Let’s have the fastest man. The most beautiful ballet. The greatest symphony.

But as I tested this against the reality of the world I realised potential, alone, was insufficient. Potential is blind. A virus has potential. A tyrant. Potential unchecked is just too simple. Why? Because there is one thing we should be willing to sacrifice some potential to avoid.

Suffering.

But not just all suffering - for suffering is important. Suffering is a choice many take on that climb to greatness. It’s part of the human condition.

But some suffering is unwanted - unjust - without purpose - and it breaks, not builds a spirit, and should be avoided at high cost.

The purpose of humanity is to maximise the potential and minimise the unwanted suffering of all humans.

Better, but again. Insufficient.

Why? It is clear that humans might have most value - but not all value. And not the sole capacity to suffer. There are clearly other persons already among us - chimpanzees, dolphins - and the new persons we’ll likely create in time in AI.

That doesn’t mean all persons are equal. Not even all humans are equal. But it does mean they exist, and that their existence has weight.

The purpose of humanity is to maximise the potential and minimise the unwanted suffering of all persons.

What should humanity do? Over a decade ago I reached this answer. I haven’t improved it since.

But: what should the individual do?

—

Perhaps my greatest fear is that I am here alone.

Not because I have any problem being alone. I seek that solace.

But because, without others, every action I take would be devoid of value, devoid of purpose. I would end this simulation this instant for an infinite void if this was a single player experience.

It is because of you and for you that I rise. That there is a purpose to the suffering.

The purpose of the individual is to contribute maximally to the purpose of humanity.

For some - improving the station of the entirety of humanity is for another life.

For other’s: it is within your grasp now.

Either way - it starts with you. It start with maximising your own potential, and minimising your own unwanted suffering. It starts with becoming the absolute most that you can be. Everyday. More. Citius, altius, fortius.

This is always true for everyone at all times.

And for some - this is the limit. For there is no question that for some, the dice roll of life and the conditions we are born into dramatically constrain the likely possible effect size of any individual in one life.

But that doesn’t change that this individual - born into the worst circumstance - should not raise their own station. And perhaps, achieve the incredible feat of raising their families, or friends, too.

For individual success isn’t measured by absolute impact, but by relative impact - how much of your potential you’ve actually used.

Be talented but lazy, and you’ve done less than someone with little who does everything they can.

Your duty is to do what you can.

Maybe that’s just improving yourself. Maybe it’s your family. Maybe your community, your city.

And for a few, it’s pulling the whole of humanity forward.

The purpose of humanity is to maximise the potential and minimise the unwanted suffering of all persons.

But this remains a description, not a commandment. I’ve endlessly iterated and I think - now - am comfortable I have the most succinct but complete encapsulation of our commandment. Of everything that matters.

The statement itself contains both a goal, and a purpose.

Our goal: to maximise potential. This is, to Ascend.

Our purpose: to minimise unwanted suffering. This is, to Liberate.

Ascension is what we seek. Liberation is why we seek it.

Ascend & Liberate

That is Ârc’s one commandment declared:

ASCEND & LIBERATE

Not everyone bears the same burden. Some rise so that others can rest.

But to ascend is to do your utmost - to carry your part of the human project. To push you, your family, your community, city, country, ahead.

Every person has a duty to contribute as fully as they can. But what that looks like differs.

And we value all forms of ascent.

Not just those who raise the bar for all humanity, but those who raise it for their community, and even more importantly: for their family. Those who build the foundations for themselves and for their child, parent, brother, sister, neighbour.

These roles and relationships matter.

They are the foundation upon which all else stands.

The constitution of the space between us.

Our world.

For some, being an incredible parent or neighbour is already more than enough. For others, the task is larger - to help humanity itself.

—

Our commandment is not just a statement on the goal or purpose of humanity, or of the individual.

To take us back to the beginning: it answers:

how and why we at Ârc live.

It’s a deep cultural statement of what matters at Ârc. How we do things at Ârc. It is a guiding principal - for why and how we rise and fall each day.

This commandment is thread throughout the Ârc we build now, and the Ârc we will become. It is embedded within the foundation, underneath every step we take, in the air we breathe. It is present in the space between us, it constitutes our world.

ÂRC: ASCEND & LIBERATE.