Design Perspectives
We don’t have to start from scratch. The problems are clear, see the paragraph on Pain. We already know which challenges need to be tackled. To spur up the process it would be helpful to use frameworks and build upon great work that is already being done.
- Redefine governance: including referenda, data, electoral system reform, democracy, citizens assembly
- Redefine what is global, regional, national or local
- Metrics: GDP growth need to be replaced as the driving force in society. When researchers developed a benchmark called the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), which incorporates qualitative components of well-being, they discovered a dramatic divergence between the two measures. GPI peaked in 1978 and has been steadily falling ever since, even while GDP continues to accelerate. [] Prominent economists have shown that a carefully managed “post-growth” plan could lead to enhanced quality of life, reduced inequality, and a healthier environment. It would, however, undermine the foundational activity of capitalism — the pursuit of endless growth that has led to our current state of obscene inequality, impending ecological collapse, and climate breakdown. https://bcorporation.net is an example that is already operational.
- Morality must be fully included in all decision-making.
A deficient morality is the great blot of modern civilization, and the greatest hindrance to true progress. ~ Alfred Russel Wallace 1869
Civilization is first of all a moral thing. Without truth, respect for duty, love of neighbor, and virtue, everything is destroyed. The morality of a society is alone the basis of civilization. ~ Henri Frederic Amiel
- Value-based regulating of industries: advertising, (social) media, health supplements, EMF etc.
- Universal healthcare for all
- Sleep as a civil right
- A voice for the voiceless
- Letting go of the cornerstone to marry and have children
- Focus on ‘we’ and the long-term [vs me and now]
- Mental and emotional fitness is just as important as physical fitness
- Pay for essential work that is currently being done by volunteers. The majority of people with dementia in the United States live in their home, and for approximately 75% of these individuals, family and friends provide their care. [] … roughly 60 million Americans are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. (Keep Sharp p 263). The caregivers for someone with Alzheimer’s provide an estimated 18,1 billion hours of unpaid care annually. (Keep Sharp p 265). This work should be paid, just like for example being a housewife.
- Migration is a human right and is facilitated.
- A wide range of progressive thinkers are exploring the possibilities of replacing our destructive global economic system with one that offers potential for sustainability, greater fairness, and human flourishing. Proponents of degrowth show that it is possible to implement a planned reduction of energy and resource use while reducing inequality and improving human well-being. Economic models, such as Kate Raworth’s “doughnut economics” offer coherent substitutes for the classical outdated framework that ignores fundamental principles of human nature and humanity’s role within the Earth system. Meanwhile, large-scale cooperatives, such as Mondragon in Spain, demonstrate that it’s possible for companies to provide effectively for human needs without utilizing a shareholder-based profit model.
- Replacing the work-income link with UBI and living wages
- Adapting pension system for longer lifespans
- Three-stage life (education, then work, then retirement) doesn’t work anymore. Longer lives mean that these stages will need to be adapted for lifelong learning, re-training for new careers, sabbaticals
- Equal treatment of employees and gig workers. China requested that firms like Meituan ensure their delivery workers earn more than the country’s minimum wage, are free from being exploited by algorithms, and have access to social security and trade unions.
- Economics without ethical, spiritual values is like soil without water (E. F. Schumacher, Small is beautiful)
- Hippocratic oath should be taken by anyone who goes to work. ~ Satish Kumar
- Insurance premiums should be connected with lifestyle choices.
- New work practices like 4 day workweek, WFH, results and contribution counts rather than number of hours worked
- Higher wages for essential jobs (see Covid discussion); for example, truckers, nurses, teachers.
- Different role of money; from transactional to …..?
- Re-evaluate outsourcing and replace with clean local production, that leads to more jobs, less energy usage, pollution and transport costs.
- Humans are being replaced by digital humans. What is the impact on jobs is not considered. See for example https://www.soulmachines.com. And Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs): At the convergence of blockchain and AI sits a radically new kind of company—one with no employees, no bosses, and nonstop production. A set of preprogrammed rules determines how the company operates, and computers do the rest. A fleet of autonomous taxis, for instance, with a blockchain-backed smart contracts layer, could run itself 24-7, including driving to the repair shop for maintenance, without any human involvement.
- Reevaluate the debt system.
- Let people choose where they want their taxes to be spend
- Decrease the income gap between the highest and lowest paid employees.
- Focus on Adaptation (simple lifestyle etc.) and Mitigation (higher prices for fossil fuels, unhealthy foods)
- Remote work, WFH, is fully accepted to reduce travel
- Make everyone a steward of the environment
- Reduce waste. There is enough food in the world for everyone if we would not waste 30%.
- Stop advertising that is targeted at greed
“You’ll often hear that greed is at the bottom of the problems in the world. That is not completely true. It is our belief that we must own things-a nice car, a beautiful home, fashionable clothes-to be respected and deemed successful.” ~ Ziya Tong.
"I used to think that top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and climate change. I thought that thirty years of good science could address these problems. I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy, and to deal with these we need a cultural and spiritual transformation and we scientists don't know how to do that..." ~ Gus Speth, US Advisor on climate change and Yale professor
There is lot of work to be done, but collectively we can you do it.
More focus, more integration and more coordination will enable us to the impossible.
Last modified 1yr ago