There seems to be a general rising of consciousness. Re: the statistics I stated in the last post, but beyond just a purely capitalist perspective, people are beginning to realize more and more about themselves in relation to the state of the world (and perhaps even more importantly, to how and what aspects we’ve created).
The financial crisis may have been the wake up call. It has demanded a reassessment of needs and in doing this, we begin to realize our own humanity. When you’re concerned about what you need to survive, you turn to things like food, community and shelter. How do we get those things? If money’s failing us, what do we do?
I’m a firm believer this is what’s spurred the revival of the food and farming movement (what’s more basic than food and the first natural question is ‘where does it come from?’) The impetus to ask these questions might be the most important turning point for this generation, and hopefully, the world.
Some of the most important of these questions might be ‘why?’ and ‘how do we fix it?’
There are several answers to ‘why’ the problems of the world exist today.
1.) information lag – We’re not totally to blame. There was much that was unknown to much of society. We just didn’t know CO2 was bad for the world until the scientific tools were available to suggest this. Many negative labor practices were unbeknownst to consumers, etc.
2.) exploitation – short term, single bottom line, greed inspired behavior (every individual person has their story of course, but direct action to benefit at the cost of others is obviously a large part of the problem).
3.) apathetic or neglectful perpetuation – the system is in place and each cog that keeps it moving forward perpetuates its faults. This is can both be argued as personal responsibility or be chalked up to human nature and rationalization, either way, I’m a believer it can be overcome.
The question of how we fix these problems is the more influential and, it’s answers, more powerful. Groups and individuals are learning how to solve these problems and, in doing so, becoming more empowered than ever before. Whether it’s fixing their cars or growing their own food, people are learning more about how the systems in place work and their place within (or potentially without) them. This creates a huge shift. As consumers become creators (and they already have) more and more power is transfered to them. We return to community in seeking these answers and in support for executing them.
It also causes a deeper questioning though (perhaps a third question) and that is one of purpose. Aside from the question of existence, humans have an innate desire and remarkable ability to create. And with the questions of existence thrust upon them, they are finally pushed to ask “to what end?” More and more people I come across in the creative fields are coming to ask this. I know, we’ve all heard about those who have been laid off re-evaluating their situations and focusing on their dream careers or taking this time to travel. But very few are focusing on those with the all coveted jobs actually giving up security in exchange for meaning. And I do not throw “coveted” around easily — many of the people I know experiencing this range from product directors at Google (often fought over tooth and nail) to planners at top agencies in New York.
Perhaps it is a phenomenon to the creative class as this particular place and time, but from speaking with various spiritual leaders as well, there is a general consensus that something is shifting.
Of course, this is not the 60s and we are not all going to disengage –I have further thoughts about why this generation is poised to potentially create real and lasting change in a way that’s different (and which would not have been for) the generations that came before it–but that’s for another post.