Timothy Wilken
David C. Korten writes: “The following thought experiment frames the problem before us and the essential needs a planetary system of living economies must address.
“Six billion people live together on a crowded planet. A hundred million – less than 2 percent of the whole – enjoy extravagant material affluence and consume as much as half of the planet’s resources. A billion or so more account for an additional 25 to 30 percent of total consumption. The rest are divided between two billion who manage to make ends meet with difficulty, a billion who live in constant hardship, and a billion who suffer extreme and dehumanizing deprivation in a struggle for day-to-day survival. An uneasy and partial peace is maintained by the promises of the 100 million to the rest that with patience and work hard all will one day enjoy lives of extravagant material affluence.
“One morning all six billion wake up with a new awareness: their planet is actually a living space ship with a biologically based life support system so overstressed that it is on the verge of collapse. The economic system that promised it would eventually bring affluence to all is actually a suicide economy that is destroying the foundations of life.
“A few decide to arm themselves, kill off as many of their rivals as possible, and attempt to secure what they can for themselves. The vast majority, however, realize that violence is no answer. It will only increase the stress and accelerate the breakdown, with disastrous results for all.
“There is desperate need for a solution that works for all. What can be done?
“The essentials come quickly to mind. There must be an immediate reordering of priorities. The use of every resource must be optimized to assure the health and physical security of every person with minimal waste. The life support system must be restored to full function as quickly as possible. Everything must be recycled, with no release of toxics into the environment. There will be no luxuries for the few until the basic needs of all are adequately met.”
Adversaries, Neutralists & Synergists
There are three types of humans to be found in our present world. Which type you are depends on what you believe about how the world works.
ADVERSARIES believe there is not enough for everyone and only the physically strong will survive. They believe humans are coercively DEPENDENT on others, and they best understand the language of FORCE.
NEUTRALISTS believe there is enough for everyone, if only you work hard enough and take care of yourself. They believe humans are INdependent and should be self-sufficient unless they are too lazy or defective. They best understand the language of MONEY.
A new type of human is emerging called SYNERGISTS. Synergists believe there is enough for everyone but only if we work together and act responsibly. They believe humans are INTERdependent and only can obtain sufficiency by working together as community. Synergists best understand the language LOVE.
But, to be successful in our present world, the synergist must understand all three languages and know when to use them.
Synergists must sometimes use the language of FORCE, and sometimes the language of MONEY, it depends on whom they are talking to. However, when synergists are seeking allies—when synergists are seeking to build community—they must speak the language of LOVE.
Synergists are trying to heal the wounds inflicted by those who don’t understand how the world could work.
This then is the essential challenge to the Synergists. Can we work together and act responsibly in time to save our ourselves on this planet?