We Can. Letīs think together?
There is one of the most fantastic threads ever on the internet initiated by Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing. I applaud the influencer's coming around and become more political and the corresponding comment thread shows why this is so important. Its a slice through society and shows the problem with stemming any kind of transformation. But one thing stuck out which I had to reply to there but I donīt want my reply burried there so I put it out front here. NYAM #58 said:
"We have so much collective intelligence and we can't think our way out of this?"
"We can. Let's think together!"
to which I replied:
It would be lovely to see all the worlds intellect that is not centered on self interest but rather on advancement of human society actually got together and formulate a powerful enough message of unity to actually go against the status quo. The problem is that the intellectuals are individuals with their own self centered universe. They can give great ted talks or collect 2 mio friends on facebook but most have failed again and again to get out of their self centered self promotional world and actually get involved with something really transformative that does not primarily advance them self.
I think for a transformative movement to form it has to get much much worse and then it might just be too late.
I am quite happy to see some of the more influential people come around and at least acknowledge that there is a problem. But unless there is a voice of unity calling for fundamentally changing our society quite soon I have not much hope for the general future. And the voice also would need to be put in action which is hard because that takes time and resources and reading through the comments - those people who are affected most are either working 5 jobs or are watching TV and having a depression the others say "oh its not so bad - sure the shops around me close and generally there is a distress but MY family is just fine".
If something does indeed form that has not one person doing self-centered self-promotion - something that is sound peaceful and in synch with earth and advancement of society - I am all on board but I am skeptical that this can happen with one part of society "we need a strong leader" sheep and the other "its me me me" wolfs.
Yes there are projects (Transition Towns (as mentioned by 13Strong #64) and Transition Cultures (as mentioned here before with the Oamaru Declaration Of Independence and of course justfortheloveofit) out there but there is a reason that they are not gaining critical mass to come out of the closet. Influencers are loosing as much as bankers in a positive future and most would loose their influence on fellow beings and hence power so they are not really supporting projects that they are not influencing - its based on the same problematic power structure that has been happening since the Romans.
To get out of it we need to get over wanting to be leaders or wanting to be followers but become transformers. Transformers are people who show through their action how to transform the world into a habitable loving beautiful place. Technology has and should have a place but so should nature and our planet and our collective consciousness. Then we might have a chance of survival. A leader will not bring us there and passive people following will neither.