Evangelizing

It seems that we are looking for some sort of way to organize these widespread and connected and institutionalized changes in human consciousness. But somehow, I feel that a large part of effecting change is far more subtle. Do we need to have “a series of structured dialogues…held simultaneously and linked electronically”? (Towards a New Consciousness) Or do we need to change the subjects of the conversations held in living rooms and cul-de-sac driveways? Somehow, we have to create a “buzz.” And maybe this institutionalized approach is the way to do it. Ask marketers. Their goal is to get people to talk about their products. They want to turn regular consumers into ambassadors and advertisements. I feel that this is a highly effective way to generate change.

So, I wonder, how do I become an ambassador for a new consciousness?

Back when I lived in “regular America” with lots of “regular Americans” (a.k.a. the semi-affluent suburbs of Kansas City), I had plenty of opportunities to plant seeds of sustainability, but was often afraid I would also indelicately rip out the deep roots of materialism. I knew it would make people uncomfortable.

I remember how much my ex-boyfriend’s mother loved to talk about how she redecorated her entire house every two or three years. She would talk at great length about new wallpaper and curtains and furniture. Even then, I found it wasteful and ridiculous. She spent a great deal of energy to talking about things to make herself appear rich and vaguely interesting, so I did not want to disappoint what appeared to be a very important goal—impressing those around her. Her like-minded friends would respond with their own stories of recent purchases or plans for redecorating. So I pretended to be impressed and vaguely interested by nodding approvingly.

But should I have taken that opportunity to talk about how I dreamed of buying or inheriting one hardwood kitchen table and using it until the day I died? And how I found that material goods with a long history and lots of stories to be far more enriching of my surroundings than a brand new, yet highly fashionable, coffee table produced in a factory and sold at the sprawling Nebraska Furniture Mart?

She might have considered it rude. She may have thought my response quaint or odd. She may have brushed it off as the weird aspirations of a hippie environmentalist. Yet, judging by the evolving reactions and behavior of my family—bonafide “regular Americans”—to my environmentalist nudges and suggestions, even initial brush-offs or demeaning stereotyping can give way to reconsideration of their ways of thinking and acting.

We should not shy away from “bearing witness” of our ideals. Even if they diverge from accepted cultural norms, our professing them without being judgmental should not be considered rude. So let us go forth and gently spread the gospel.

Capitalism 2.0

Check out Umair Haque and "The Smart Growth Manifesto." He makes great points about the importance of rethinking growth, how we define it, and how we value it. The piece envisions an economy driven by outcomes, connections, people, and creativity.

"Capitalism 2.0 cannot be powered by growth 1.0: that's why the race for smart growth is inevitable. The economic pressure -- the potential for value creation, in a world being ripped apart by value destruction -- is simply too great."

We've been thinking a lot about what Haque calls "Capitalism 2.0," and a number of issues arise:

1. Does Capitalism 2.0 even include capitalism?

2. What does growth mean? Growth of what? Capabilities? Services? Satisfaction?

We are not sure yet, but we are pretty sure that material, energy, and water consumption needs to decrease. Not necessarily because of resource shortage, supply is not the issue, but because the biosphere cannot sustain the waste and pollution produced by our material consumption. Conversely, we are pretty sure that increasing access to services, social goods, and personal satisfaction is desirable.

3. What growth's role in the new economy? How do we promote the above goals without increasing material and energy use?

We are working on how to re-design consumerism and consumption to inspire broader social and environmental change.

Thoughts? Pontifications?

Exponential civilization - and a look at communications approaches

A friend sent me this video by Karl Fisch, Scott McLeod, and Jeff Bronman. Though the video focuses on the exponential rate of change in information technology I think it is an interesting example of effective web video design that we might want to think about for our communications projects.


Did You Know? from Amybeth on Vimeo.

Thoughts? Is this too group specific in its message - to people who are already the technologically literate and reflective? I think it might be useful for getting to think about the pace of change. How could a similar approach get people to reflect (in a productive, not just "gee-wiz," way) on the increases in consumerism?

"Make No Little Plans" - Some advice from urban planner and architect Daniel Burnham

This year is the 100th anniversary of the Daniel Burnham's Plan of Chicago, perhaps the zenith of the City Beautiful period of American City Planning - an era characterized by optimism for the perfection of the city and the betterment of every individual. Burnham was renowned in his day as an urban planner and architect architect of numerous early skyscrapers and planner of the Chicago world's fair of in 1893. Though not realized in his lifetime, Burnham's plan of Chicago has continued to influence the development of the city over the last century, particularly the development of a coninous public park along the lake-shore. In rememberance of grand visions of social betterment, let us marinate ourselves in his famous dictum, "Make no little plans."

"Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. Think big."

Enjoy the snow out there today.