This is an attempt to look at current global problems from a perspective digging deeper into the root of the system. For as Einstein said, "A problem cannot be solved from the same level of consciousness as created it." It is also an attempt at phrasing it so, that it builds the better arguments to challenge the conventions and offer alternatives that shift the paradigm. It will not be perfect. You may disagree at times, find imperfect arguments and or reasoning. I ask you to help me improve or build your own new ideas aside, on top, underneath it. Stories that liberate us from current stuck paradigms are desperately needed and hopeful alternatives offered. I know world wide many already are doing so. Many things are improving. There is hope! Yet, somehow what makes sense for us, doesn't yet make sense for the majority. They have yet to begin to see or accept the stuckness in a damaging system. Perhaps biggest current problems of our planet are...
We have to consider that most people on our planet just want peace, a hopeful future for their children and have a warm family life. So they should care. But of course challenging the way things are is scary, because you don't know what you'll get in return. Yet for a secure future this is clear: Being connected to nature is essential. Having enough nature, living blooming systems flourishing around us, is key to feel at peace, build trust and know we are part of a living system. We are nature. So,
How Our Old Solutions Don't Work
And the corporate lobbies turning governments into their advertisers (TTP!?) promises an even more ravaged planet for a superrich elite. The danger of a Corporate Dictatorship is real, perhaps even already begun.
And most leaders serve the hands that feed them, read mostly huge corporations. Have you seen any government really addressing one of the issues above? Well other than blaming 'them' and then using your vote to strengthen their side, while not solving any real issue? The Root of The Problem What is clear is that a small minority of humans are willing to lie, cheat, manipulate all others for power and riches. Many people are caught in damaging paradigms that result of this. They too will support the manipulative ones. They endorse ideas like:
And since these ideas currently provide the best jobs, anyone in a great office and view, will be securely locked up in this rationale until the shit hits the fan, like in some banks in 2008. Because most people are willing, collaborative, positive kind people, they assume what others promise them is to be trusted. We slowly see better and better, not all promises are in our interest. From corporate commercials to political adverbs we are being sold a dream or fears, in return for money, transferral of power and loss of safety (both military as in quality of food and healthcare). Be even a bit more suspicious of NGO's... What? Yes, they get funded to heal the effects of the system, but never really change the root of the trouble. Greenpeace protests pollution, UNICEF helps children. Neither solves the unchecked greed that allows for pollution or child labor. Our 'leaders' made it normal to frame success as your capability to join their ranks and paradigms. Failing to do so, or dropping out makes you a loser. Everything is economized, which means if you don't increase profit to the system, read are old, sick or unemployed, you are ballast to society.
It's us, the industrial society ravaging the planet who are the barbarians. It's us defending 'our way of life' who are denying others theirs. Even worse perhaps is that most of us, think within these paradigms too. Most Americans are stuck between choosing one bad candidate to prevent the other bad candidate from winning. As if there are no other options. As if it isn't clear the system is broken, not just one or both of the candidates. Changing leaders will change little. When crooks, let alone leaders of damaging paradigms are replaced, others take their place and nothing really changes. So don't expect any next president to be a solution. The one big shift needed is to transcend such limiting 'us vs. them' beliefs, including, hahaha, the my own about 'those leaders'. Yes, because many leaders and their cronies, eh, sorry, read managers, really worry too. Sadly, since they seek solutions within the system or with them not losing power, their attempts are doomed to fail. Even tribal as we still are, whistle blowers, and people stepping out, are seen as traitors instead of people seeking to support a bigger value, than their organizational interests. The (corporate) media aren't helping either. They advertise and sell consumerism and success stories within the current paradigm. They don't inform on real needs, real issues that would challenge the interests of their advertisers. The big media hardly mention the rise of the change makers. Yes, the amount of people around the globe working on improvement of the whole, let alone current issues is stunning. People inventing non corporate solutions for,
...is downright stunning. So where are the change 500? The hopeful 500? The solution 500? We educate our youth to be part of the problem...!!! I could have written this quote by Shelly Ostroff. It is, to me an such essential statement: "When children are forced to sit still at their desks in crowded classrooms they become disconnected from their bodies, nature and life. They are not given an opportunity to develop their instincts, intuition, or critical thinking. They are not educated to become creative and caring problem solvers willing to contribute to their larger environment." What I Think is The Deeper Root (Skip this part if you want the solutions now! It's a unproven theory by me...) For centuries mankind walked the earth in small groups. These small groups suffered and enjoyed nature to its fullest powers, until mankind started to use its brain to find solutions. Diversity within tribes also grew. Healers, leaders, caretakers, mentors, makers arose. Biology also added psychopathic tendencies in about 6% (I think) of the population. In small groups the rest can balance such a person. And they are handy when killing, or setting broken bones of an horrible looking wound needs to happen. That means almost every group of about 25 people, had at best one or two of them, probably of different generations. In many indigenous peoples we see, that solving challenges without controlling nature is quite possible. Yet few tribes sought control over and sought domination over nature and others as well. This 'solution' was countered by many tribes to increase power as well. Populations grew. And while our biology and deepest social conditioning was for small groups, tribes became empires. Suddenly within these groups you'd have small groups of psychopathic individuals starting to work together. They could and would plan takeovers. They could and would plan manipulation to gain control with conscious planning. Hence the birth of the elites and perhaps even religious customs. And be aware, many psychopaths are well adjusted citizens, like surgeons, being able to cut into your body, without freaking out. Or pilots staying calm when everything seems lost. Be happy they are there too. Yet in board rooms or as leaders of peoples who are anxious, self serving psychopaths are totally the wrong leaders. And our whole educational system keeps teaching us, to be like them to succeed. We mistakenly have been taught decisiveness is better. What we really need is considerate, caring, world serving doubters, who think twice about consequences of their decisions. People that will consider the whole system, rather than a minority within the 'us'. So Where To Go? We have to explore how to include all voices, enrich the diversity (read let nature and poor populations flourish) and how our endeavors can help the whole web of life grow richer.
And there is proof enough that there is enough. The beautiful thing is that life itself shows us. Our bodies are a super rich collaboration. Nature is the most delicate network of teeming diversity. Nature doesn't have cancer, where some things grow too much, without restraint. Human civilization has. From cancers in our bodies, to huge corporations that affect the planet as a cancer by gobbling up natural reserves. We need a system that is medication, not more of the same. So how does nature really work? The survival of the fittest concept has, by now, been shown to be the survival of the most adaptable. Those turning the world to their wishes might be the least adaptable, as they don't accept things as they are. The majesty of concrete jungles are dangerously incapable providers of food in times of need and huge contributors to global warming. Acceptance, adaptability, integration of the natural world into our cities, agriculture that enriches the soil rather than depleting it, and dare I say, love, care and compassion for all could become part of a new paradigm. Or if you've been looking around longer, very old paradigms rediscovered. All the old, may have new uses. The New System Oops. Yes, it's still in the making... Many voices around the world talk about this. Here are some of my suggestions to include:
'Accept you are part of nature.'We must, as our cells surrender to our role within the whole of nature (and not human society alone) To do otherwise means becoming cancer. We need nature. We are nature.
Note: Most of this post was written in one session after an inspiring online talk with Christopher Chase (see his blog CreativeSystemsThinking) and fired up chat with Shelley Ostroff (see her blog TogetherInCreation). And finally the new science paradigm was born in a short talk with Jan-Henk Bouman. Thank you all for your time and inspiration. Comments are closed.
|