A Future Conducive to Human Life
Designing a Future Conducive to Human Life
I would like to start with the issue of climate change.
In my view, it is true that the climate has changed and will change regardless of what humans do. It is also becoming apparent that our actions will have some impact on that. Let us hope that we do not prove the more dire predictions correct. But, in any event, because of the issue of climate change, almost everything we do will also change over a very short period of time.
What is interesting to me is the growing realization that the future will be determined by humans as a species. And the real question is:
Will we have a future of continuing conflict and environmental degradation or will we have a future of reduced conflict and improving environmental conditions?
Reducing conflict will require systems of production in which everyone can participate. Improving the environment will require systems of production that cooperate with nature's processes rather than conflict with them.
Ultimately, all economic and political power resides in the individual. We may not exercise that power, we may not believe we have power and we may not be aware of all the choices we could make but the power is there and it can be awakened.
The design and implementation of these new systems will require communication and building bridges across interest and expertise and across the socio-economic spectrum. We can and should have a planetary conversation about what these new systems will look like - but implementation will be local in the sense of groups of people agreeing to participate in these new systems.
And that is where those of us who wish a future conducive to human life must focus our efforts.
--David Braden 10:51, 26 June 2007 (PDT)
