FLOW FUTURE

Aligning the Economy, Ecology and the Human Spirit

A vision is a compass towards a better world. It’s possible!

We need a vision for our world. And we need a new narrative. Stories shape the world, you know. We have been flooded by the battle narrative for too long. But it’s just not true. Most people can be trusted. We all love our children.

We just have different perspectives and sometimes we cannot see yours.

We don’t even have to fight climate change. We have to understand Mother Nature and learn to live within her boundaries. Help her unleash her abundance again. And share the proceeds for human consumption with other species on our home Planet Earth. Modestly. Smartly. Wisely.

It’s not even a matter of high-tech against low-tech. We need wise-tech.

In 2013, I went to the University of Pècs in Hungary and learned from the think-tank ZERI how we can change economics. My worldview toppled over and a steep learning curve followed.

I spent some time at Schumacher College in the UK. Learning about connecting to nature. And how to apply that connection in our daily lives. And to our economies as a whole.

Permaculture shaped my view on how to restore ecosystems and bring the abundance of nature back into our human lives. Working for Ecosystem Restoration Camps and Building with Nature gave me even more perspective on nature-based solutions.

My vision shaped up.

And during the years that followed, I found out there are many others on this path. A systemic path. A holistic path. A path that gives humans their rightful place back as part of ecosystems. And now, I’m working on the transition towards this future.

It’s not an easy transition and I can tell you that it’ll hurt. But we’ve made the mess, we’d better sit on the blisters and heal before we go on and enjoy the abundance.

In the next months, I’ll write about this vision from all possible angles. Entrepreneurial angles, servant leadership, designers and materials, wise-tech, citizen’s roles, and education. We need to rewild our souls to really understand it. Not only with our heads, but with our hearts as well.

Of course, I’m always open to comments. And I even guide people from all walks of life who want to know how to apply this vision to their own lives, businesses, or governments. I want this vision and transition clear and accessible to all.

Broken World

We live in a broken world. And all the wounds are connected.

The history of colonialism and slave trade is the basis of #blacklivesmatter. But it’s also the basis of inequality between the south and the north of our planet. The history of patriarchy is the basis for #metoo problems.

And exploitation and extraction are also the basis of our current climate crisis and biodiversity loss. We do not respect natural laws. For water cycles. And nutrient cycles. And biodiversity to control pests.

A small number of people have enriched themselves over the backs of many others. Humans. And other species. And our economic system is to blame for that. It just isn’t valuing what’s really important (raising children?) and it isn’t recognizing talents and harvesting full potential.

Is it only misery? Are we doomed? No, I don’t think so.

Historian Rutger Bregman wrote a book with an in-depth study of humanity. And he comes to the conclusion that most people can be trusted. The book is called Humankind.

I’m glad to see that it has become a Sunday Times bestseller. And this year’s Guardian, Times, Daily Telegraph, and Financial Times summer read.

Rutger’s work and the work of many other investigative journalists can be read on the independent journalistic platform The Correspondent. They provide food for critical thinkers. And lots of space for citizens to be involved in the discussions. Co-creating new realities.

Because we need hope in our lives to turn things around. No empty stories, but real hope based on real alternatives for the current reality.

The Roadmap

So, what are the main ingredients for this better world? How can entrepreneurs contribute? How can citizens play their role? And how can our science and education be of use?

I gave my vision the name:

‘Aligning the Economy, Ecology, and the Human Spirit’.

Economy

For the economy, that means we have to provide for the basic needs of all humans. Healthy drinking water, healthy food, a safe shelter, clean air to breathe, energy, education, good clothes, and shoes.

But at the same time, we need to make sure we stay within planetary boundaries. Hmm… how are we going to do that? It’s possible. But we need to take a different approach to economic triggers and goals.

With our businesses, we can create multiple values instead of just money. We can work on long term goals while taking short term action. We can think of economies in bioregions. Making economic activity so vibrant that values and money are created with abundance and inclusivity.

We can adopt regenerative business models instead of linear ones. And we can change our sciences in such a way that they value quality as much as quantity. Use observations as much as measurements. All the while, dancing with systems as Donella Meadows so aptly wrote.

Ecology

Restoring ecosystems is at the basis of the vision. Nature is intrinsically abundant. So, if we want abundant life for humans, we need to allow Mother Nature to become abundant again too. If we would be wise humans, we would know how to create for our own basic needs and share with other species too.

Nowadays, our economy is based on scarcity. Which is stupid. If we would take abundance as a basis, we would produce much more with no side-effects for nature. But it needs a mindset change.

Nowadays we just produce one product. We kill and control everything that’s getting in the way of that goal. And when we produce waste, we just throw it over the wall of our business model for society to solve.

Whereas, if we would let nature be abundant and then find a use for everything she produces, it would be so much smarter. Of course, we have to design our systems wisely. We have to work with nature instead of against her.

We can produce buildings and furniture from mycelium (abundantly growing fungi roots) as companies such as Biohm are doing. We can make bioplastics from thistles as Novamont does. We can produce clothes from nettles, seaweed, or bamboo as many brands are experimenting with now.

Colors will not be made with toxic chemicals anymore, but with natural dyes or with structure and light reflection, like many butterflies do.

Regenerative farming will produce raw materials. Care for soil, care for people, and fair sharing will be the mantra. The business trigger for food will quality of nutrients instead of quantity and uniformity. And we will shorten our local supply chains.

We can find nature-based solutions for cities and for rural areas. We can invent technologies that support life instead of destroying life.

The Human Spirit

If our history shows that most people can be trusted, why don’t we? Why don't we change our mindset to a trusting one? Why don’t we ask questions when we feel the hairs on our neck rising and our defenses flare?

Somebody might not have realized that their remark is hurting you. They have a different perspective, remember? They were raised differently, might belong to a different culture, might have a reason for feeling the defense come up as well.

Why don’t we create a society of trust? It will save a lot of expenses on checking and controlling! And people hear their conscience much better when we trust each other.

If we want to create a better world, why not start to adopt the two words: care and responsibility?

We can acknowledge the sad eyes of other people or other species and feel for them. Just compassion. We don’t have to do anything. This compassion will strengthen their backbone and they will be more able to stand up for themselves. No need for you to take responsibility out of their hands by helping. Just be compassionate and support them.

Help will make them weak, stimulate them to lean on you.

Support will make them strong and able to create their own best life.

The line between help and support might be thin. Experiment with it. See how it goes. Just wait until people ask you for support. Don’t give unwanted advice. Just learn to listen deeply.

Of course, the care and responsibility apply to our environment as well. If we care for the river, we will not use chemical shampoos and soaps. We will not wash synthetic clothes because they add to the plastic soup. And we will buy our food directly from the regenerative farmer (most likely a farmer in transition, so forgive her when her practice is not perfect yet).

Many people are on the road to redefining spirituality. Really feel it in their hearts, regardless of human rules attached to formal religions. That helps. Relaxing our bodies and getting rid of our fears helps. Allowing other people to be who they are and do what they do helps. Not judging helps.

And it might be good to change our mindset from scarcity to abundance. Start with love for our close circle. Go on to care for nature. And end up finding what’s really important for you. Loving that deeply and dedicating your life to grow whatever makes your hearts sing.

Whatever we give attention, grows.

Consciously manifesting will follow automatically if we embrace the flow. Stop trying to control, get rid of the fear, and really embrace a flow future.

And if you want to reach out, you can find me somewhere in the woods listening to Gaia’s wisdom or via LinkedIn, Twitter, or my website.

© Désirée Driesenaar