Six Ideas to Stir Your Imagination and Orient Your Life
Written by Tim Buckley, June 2025
Mortimer Adler, author of the Six Great Ideas won’t be in the room at the next CBEL Collaborative Gathering (July 2, 8 – 9:30 a.m.) but his spirit will.
Paul DeMuniz, former Chief Justice of Oregon’s Supreme Court and the first Hispanic Chief Justice in the state’s history, will kick off the event with a summarization of the six great ideas. He will then introduce a unique and distinguished panel (alphabetical order):
Omar Alvarado, member of the Cummings Neighborhood Family Council (NFC)
Cathy Clark, Mayor of Keizer
Julie Hoy, Mayor of Salem
RJ Navarro, member of Cummings NFC
Christine Potter, member of the Washington NFC
Cynthia Richardson, former Chair, Salem-Keizer School Board
The panel then share how Adler’s ideas of Truth, Goodness, Beauty, Liberty, Equality, and Justice have influenced their lives and how they lead in their community.
Finally, in groups of three or four, you’ll also have an opportunity to share how these principles have shown up in your life.
Mortimer Adler (1902 – 2001) was an American philosopher and educator, a champion of reading and world class public education. His Six Great Ideas was a bestselling book, and has helped countless teachers, parents and students understand how to live an honorable and peaceful life. Here are the six ideas, and a summary of what he tried to say.
Truth represents the intersection where our thoughts meet reality. As an idea, truth reminds us of the importance of honesty and the quest for understanding.
Goodness embraces both moral virtue and how morality helps us in the pursuit of actions that benefit humanity.
Beauty, Adler said, transcends physical attractiveness. In a broader sense, beauty points to harmony, creativity, and inspiration.
Liberty and Equality comprise the foundation of human rights and democratic ideals. Through their application, we experience individual freedom and fairness for all.
Justice, he said, is the shared moral compass that guides our leaders to ensure equal distribution of rights, responsibilities, and rewards in the larger society.
In daily life, these ideas serve as practical guides for thoughtful decision-making and constructive interaction.
Truth encourages us to be honest in our communication, to seek objective understanding in relationships and workspaces.
Goodness inspires compassionate actions at work and school, at home or while volunteering. Compassion leads to considerate behavior and ethical decision-making.
Beauty enriches our lives by fostering appreciation for the larger world, its diversity of culture, art, nature. In the presence of beauty, one can find moments of joy.
Liberty and Equality populate collective efforts to respect individual choices and support social inclusivity, ensuring that everyone has a voice and space to thrive.
Justice is manifested through fair treatment of others, in professional and personal relationships, promoting a sense of balance and harmony in our communities.
The CBEL Collaborative Gatherings continue to touch participants deeply, because each session challenges us to appreciate the bigger picture of our lives, in the context of those in society who have yet to benefit from that gift.
After sharing a wholesome breakfast and hearing the panelists personally share how these ideas influence their lives, each small table of participants will spend time sharing their own experiences, reflecting on what they’ve heard from others, and have the chance to share with the larger group.
Unique in the Salem area, these CBEL Collaborative Gatherings consciously bring together the wisdom of people with different lived experiences, from city leaders to neighborhood leaders, and all of us who look to those leaders to help us navigate our complicated lives.