Value basis of alternative economic systems – shift brain network!

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What do you think by the end of Madrid climate summit? Here is Ecological Solidarity Economy article number 6 - with 18 proposed basic values for an alternative economy. Economy may be defined as how we organise the system of circulation of matter and flow of energy between human and nature. How is this in the current and future economic system? 

The value drive force and goal of current economic system may be described as:

*continually material growth – even when natural resource base is limited

*global atomistic market competition based on free flow of goods, services, capital, workers

*egocentric useful maximising, self satisfaction of private, personal, individual wealth, winning, property, power

*Sell more than consumers mean they really need

*a result is extreme concentration of 82 % of global wealth to the 1% richest people in the world

These may be described as a egocentric, negative, wrong, meaningless, false, superficious value basis for economy in our climate-nature-social crisis. The alternative is more true, deeper values:

Start training to shift brain network!

People need to access their wholeness balance brain network (salience network)! Narrow egoism is not good enough any more! People need to balance their selfish needs with others. Balance human and nature. Balance present with future generations. Balance details with the whole system. Balance thoughts with feelings and fantasy. Balancing thinking brain network with feeling-imagination-fantasy brain network.

What may be a majority of people’s deepest values and interests? Many have maybe not thought about it yet? What kind of balance is needed between the three types of sustainable development: Ecologic, social, economic sustainability? When a majority of world population become conscious and agree, it should be possible with a tipping point to large scale change of current system? It is a process of understanding, feelings and culture. It is time to start an attitude, mental campaign on the value and belief, moral and ethic, basis for economy:

1)Changeable

Our economic system is made by people – and therefore it may be changed by people. The agreement in Madrid climate summit shows: Global leaders are going slow - and people, companies and local communities may choose to go faster and crate the roadmap for global leaders!

2)System shift

It is system failure and time to shift system in stead of reparing symptoms

3)Good life for all

The goal of economy is satisfaction of basic needs and a good life in a good society for all. Community happiness and quality of life index should substitute the current gross domestic product (GDP) goal of economy

4)People and nature first

People and nature have priority before enriching an extreme small rich elite

5)Boundaries

Produce within the boundaries of nature and climate in stead of permanent growth. Live in harmony with nature

6)Wholeness

Ecologic systems are wholenesses that more than the sum of the single mechanic parts. Goal of economy should be larger than individual persons

7)Reduce consumtion

Total circulation of materials should be reduced in order to find a safer balance with nature. Turning off the light by night in shop windows and light advertisement - may reduce both energy consumption and insect dead, because insects become confused in their activities. Greed may be substituted with abundance of humbleness and generousity. Materialism may be changed into an alternative with helpful idea-focus.

8)Usevalue

Usevalue and necessary things in stead of unnecessary things

9)Prevent

Shift balance from repairing - towards preventing and precutionary principle

10)Circuits

Circular, recycle, reuse, rebuild, repair in stead of built in wear and short life cyclus

11)Share

Fair and just share wealth, gift economy, common solutions, cooperate, co-create, sontribute, solidarity in stead of private competition. The secret of happy living - is giving?

12)Local networks

Decentralised local communities cooperating networks of productions for needs. Local resources, needs, production - while receipts and information is shared globally - creates shorter transport environmental impacts. People may develop stronger belonging ties to their local community, nature and people and become less restless

13)Internalise externalised costs

All these real costs of labour and natural consequences have to be built into the price of production that consumers pay for goods and services

14)Basic wage to all

Workers in all countries get a respectful basic wage to live upon and healthy working conditions

15)Care

Empathy, care, responsibility for common wealth and solutions. Human primary emotions of seeking, lust, care and play may be helpful motivation towards solutions, positive and attractive goals - while rage and fear are away from bad situation motivations. Grief is a primary emotion that is linked to loss of positive situations. Seeking is linked to curious. Pleasure, beauty, passion is linked to lust. Play is linked to creative.

16)Trust

Build trust in people, intitutions, common solutions – in stead of ruining democracy, creating lack of trust

17)From survive to respect

Trust is built step by step through survival, security, inclusion, respect – truth and honesty, flexibility and openness, inclusion, mutual respect

18)Unleash potential

As these basic needs are satisfied for all – it is much easier to motivate and unleash potential resources in everybody

Please share - how far you have come in your reflections?

 Read more in my book: Kreativ i ekstremvær

https://www.helgechristie.com/butikk/helge-christies-15-bok-kreativ-i-ekstremvr-e-bok

Do you want to experience a test session on how you may shift brain networks and be more creative in climate and biodiversity solutions, contact    helge.christie@gmail.com