The market economic system will likely kill us all unless we advance new ideals focussing on a healthy interconnectedness with the planet earth.
When our world is unrecognisable, will it be fit for life?
I have been raised in two social spheres, often disconnected and fragmented. One being Maori culture and the other modern capitalist urban society.
As a Maori (native New Zealander) I was raised to inherently understand that everything is connected. People, plants, air, birds, water, fish, animals and land all have a special life-force of their own 'mauri', interwoven together. The key to the Maori world view is the importance of not altering the life-force 'mauri' to the extent that it is no longer recognisable.
As a student of Advertising (with a keen interest in computer technology) I was raised in a world focussing on capitalist outcomes either monetary success, social pedigree achievement or innovation success.
Looking at the world today with a lens over each eye, this is what I see...
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Market economics promotes intensification of competition in only profitable fields.
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Yes, socially influencing the world towards a solar future (renewables) is important in raising demand and therefore a transition away from fossil fuels.
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However the rest of the worlds economic-system is unbalanced by a for-profit agenda creating unbalanced intensification of resources.
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That is, humans are only improving performance in fields of development that suit humans, not the vitality of the other parts of the earths eco-system, e.g. destruction of rainforests.
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Therefore, humans will kill the earth because we are inherently self-indulgent and remain largely ignorant of the true well-being of other species, as well as other societal groups and cultures that are not our own (unless of course it meets the aims of the for-profit agenda).
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That is, until we (humans) can rework the market economic system to:
Expand the focus on wider development fields, not just those which benefit our social group, but other species, societal groups and cultures.
...and...
Ensure this re-booted economic system is interconnected with planetary/earth vitality signals.
In 1715 to 1789 the Age of Enlightenment came to advance ideals such as liberty, progress, tolerance, fraternity, constitutional government, and separation of church and state.
In 2016 to 2020 we need to become dedicated to advancing new ideals focussing on the interconnectedness between the environment and the social structures humans create. Specificially, until the market economic system is rebooted with a new operating system, we are not going to change the global warming trajectory of the planet fast enough.
The people who likely perceive they have the most to loose are those in positions of financial wealth.
Question: How would it be possible to make the financial elite sympathetic to the well-being of the planet?
