Much of previous production and economic growth has been driven by scarcity.
Beneath the scarcity lies fear. Fear of the future and the unknown and the need to protect ourselves from this.
This fear has driven modes of production since the industrial era.
It has served a purpose in that it has brought us to where we are today.
To the systems and structures that have been built and the infrastructure that we use and rely on to function today.
But the purpose of these systems and structures and the value they hold and provide are starting to no longer be relevant or useful to our current context, cause or climate (economic/nature).
This is because the underlying fear, for example of the future, that drives these systems and structures has reached a point in the evolutionary cycle where they’re starting to cause more harm than good.
Sure, we can keep going with the current modes of production to drive economic growth, steadily feeding the systems and structures that support these modes, but then we’re fast tracking the depletion of resources that are needed to support those systems of production.
Not only will we deplete the resources for production, we will cause irreversible damage to our planet.
What kind of future do you want to leave your children?
One created out of and driven by fear? Or one preserved and enhanced by community, giving and abundance?
Thursday 28 June 2012
Wednesday 27 June 2012
A Question of Solar Amidst Scarcity
I’ve been contemplating installing solar panels on the roof of my house, so invariably I began doing some research into costs and what I would save in the long run.
Electricity has been increasing at an alarming rate in South Africa due to Eskom’s (the local electricity/power provider’s) inability to manage demand. 3 years ago South Africa was forced to endure rolling blackouts as Eskom could not cope with the demands for increasing electricity.
In 2009/2010 Eskom hiked their tariff by an alarming 31.3% and electricity prices have risen by between 20 to 25% since that period. In response to these hikes, consultancy Frost & Sullivan claimed: “These decisions must be taken in the interests of the country’s economic development, the sustainability of industry and ensuring a reliable supply of electricity.”
Prior to this in the 10 year period dating 1987 to 1997 electricity tariffs increased by an average of 10% per annum. This shows that over the past 5 years electricity tariffs have increased substantially more.
Supplying 95% of South Africa’s power with a user base of 6.5 million people, Eskom started to feel the heat with a shortage of supply in electricity since 2008.
With these enormous tariff increases over the past 5 years, I did some costing into installing a solar system at my house. I costed a system at R30 000 which includes panels and inverters. Such a system would be enough to power my geyser as well as other appliances, saving me money in the long run.
Such a system would obviously work towards an eco friendly planet as one wouldn’t be consuming as many resources as well. However 30k is no small amount of money. For your average South African who might have a mortgage, other loans, or families to provide for, such a system may seem like a luxury. Considering the current economic climate as well as the state of affairs of the monopolistic electricity provider, it should rather be a necessity.
So what is the real question here? Money. Production. And keeping that production cycle going. That cycle requires one to be more productive to have the time to think of new ways to create more money. More money that gets pumped back into the system for which consumers have to bear the brunt in the form of rate increases.
A statement from Earthlife Africa on the tariff increases: “What is shocking is that while poor users, small businesses and domestic customers will all be faced with increases, Eskom’s large customers [under special purchasing agreements] will not be affected....Essentially township dwellers and suburbanites will have increases to meet Eskom costs, but large companies are given a pass. This is taxes for the poor, and handouts for the rich.”
It seems a sustainable energy source like solar power, for which South Africa’s climate is ripe, is buried under a conglomerate of power and money hungry corporations whose sole purpose it is to keep the scarcity wheels in motion by driving production even more. Lest we should forget that we live in a finite context with increasingly limited resources.
Electricity has been increasing at an alarming rate in South Africa due to Eskom’s (the local electricity/power provider’s) inability to manage demand. 3 years ago South Africa was forced to endure rolling blackouts as Eskom could not cope with the demands for increasing electricity.
In 2009/2010 Eskom hiked their tariff by an alarming 31.3% and electricity prices have risen by between 20 to 25% since that period. In response to these hikes, consultancy Frost & Sullivan claimed: “These decisions must be taken in the interests of the country’s economic development, the sustainability of industry and ensuring a reliable supply of electricity.”
Prior to this in the 10 year period dating 1987 to 1997 electricity tariffs increased by an average of 10% per annum. This shows that over the past 5 years electricity tariffs have increased substantially more.
Supplying 95% of South Africa’s power with a user base of 6.5 million people, Eskom started to feel the heat with a shortage of supply in electricity since 2008.
With these enormous tariff increases over the past 5 years, I did some costing into installing a solar system at my house. I costed a system at R30 000 which includes panels and inverters. Such a system would be enough to power my geyser as well as other appliances, saving me money in the long run.
Such a system would obviously work towards an eco friendly planet as one wouldn’t be consuming as many resources as well. However 30k is no small amount of money. For your average South African who might have a mortgage, other loans, or families to provide for, such a system may seem like a luxury. Considering the current economic climate as well as the state of affairs of the monopolistic electricity provider, it should rather be a necessity.
So what is the real question here? Money. Production. And keeping that production cycle going. That cycle requires one to be more productive to have the time to think of new ways to create more money. More money that gets pumped back into the system for which consumers have to bear the brunt in the form of rate increases.
A statement from Earthlife Africa on the tariff increases: “What is shocking is that while poor users, small businesses and domestic customers will all be faced with increases, Eskom’s large customers [under special purchasing agreements] will not be affected....Essentially township dwellers and suburbanites will have increases to meet Eskom costs, but large companies are given a pass. This is taxes for the poor, and handouts for the rich.”
It seems a sustainable energy source like solar power, for which South Africa’s climate is ripe, is buried under a conglomerate of power and money hungry corporations whose sole purpose it is to keep the scarcity wheels in motion by driving production even more. Lest we should forget that we live in a finite context with increasingly limited resources.
Tuesday 26 June 2012
The Destructive Cycle of a Debt-Based Money System
“Thou shalt issue money only to those who will earn even more of it.”
This is essentially what our money system is based on - debt.
Banks issue loans to people in the form of mortgages, student loans, credit cards and other forms of credit to pay off cars and other items.
But the money system is inherently flawed because people have to repay those loans or forms of credit with interest.
This means that if you’re not earning huge amounts of money, then your life revolves around a pool of debt, from which there’s no escaping.
The only way to erase the debt would be to earn enough to cover repayments plus interest.
And in this current economic climate that seems highly unlikely. Why?
Well, look at the cost of living. Rates, water, electricity, food and petrol prices are increasing exponentially. How to keep up..? Earn more..?
But there’s a limited supply of goods and services available from which we can exploit to earn more money. We live in a finite context, although some institutions seem oblivious to this fact.
Its like running on a treadmill that’s increasing its speed exponentially over periods of time. Eventually your legs won’t be able to move fast enough to keep up with the rate at which the treadmill is moving. To a point that you’ll just fall off the back.
Now there’s nothing to feed the system so the system plunges back into recession. It seems we’ve learnt little from past events, and instead have merely pushed the cycle out to buy some time from further economic fallout.
This is essentially what our money system is based on - debt.
Banks issue loans to people in the form of mortgages, student loans, credit cards and other forms of credit to pay off cars and other items.
But the money system is inherently flawed because people have to repay those loans or forms of credit with interest.
This means that if you’re not earning huge amounts of money, then your life revolves around a pool of debt, from which there’s no escaping.
The only way to erase the debt would be to earn enough to cover repayments plus interest.
And in this current economic climate that seems highly unlikely. Why?
Well, look at the cost of living. Rates, water, electricity, food and petrol prices are increasing exponentially. How to keep up..? Earn more..?
But there’s a limited supply of goods and services available from which we can exploit to earn more money. We live in a finite context, although some institutions seem oblivious to this fact.
Its like running on a treadmill that’s increasing its speed exponentially over periods of time. Eventually your legs won’t be able to move fast enough to keep up with the rate at which the treadmill is moving. To a point that you’ll just fall off the back.
Now there’s nothing to feed the system so the system plunges back into recession. It seems we’ve learnt little from past events, and instead have merely pushed the cycle out to buy some time from further economic fallout.
Monday 25 June 2012
Seeking to Control Through Ownership
Is the right to ownership part of a human mindset that stems from the need to control? I think there’s a strong connection.
What lies beneath this need to control?
It seems that through the idea of control, everything will be where it’s supposed to be, fixed in its place and through that medium everything will be well.
More ownership = more control = more stability.
Think back to colonization; the Roman Empire, or the British Empire. When the British colonized South Africa they told its people to pay a tax to live on “their” land. But the local people didn’t have money to pay these taxes, they had only cows. So they instructed them to work in the mines to earn the money to pay the taxes.
Ownership of gold, property and taxes ensued for the British Empire. This was seen as the primary way to get the local people into the money system to drive economic growth.
Today, although slavery has been abolished, we still have financial institutions, governments, mining companies and other systems trying to control their respective environments through ownership.
They set out to grow exponentially by monetizing what yet hasn’t been monetized through the inherent belief or need to own.
This equates into the separate self sense and the right to take or destroy for ownership or gain.
Going back to the question: what lies beneath this idea of control? I believe at the core of it lies scarcity. The beliefs and assumptions of the systems - political, cultural, financial, personal systems that have been embedded in societies from pre-industrial times that everything is limited therefore one must own that limit in order to be safe.
Perhaps the change we now require needs to begin with self. Change yourself, and your friends, community, country and world will follow. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
What lies beneath this need to control?
It seems that through the idea of control, everything will be where it’s supposed to be, fixed in its place and through that medium everything will be well.
More ownership = more control = more stability.
Think back to colonization; the Roman Empire, or the British Empire. When the British colonized South Africa they told its people to pay a tax to live on “their” land. But the local people didn’t have money to pay these taxes, they had only cows. So they instructed them to work in the mines to earn the money to pay the taxes.
Ownership of gold, property and taxes ensued for the British Empire. This was seen as the primary way to get the local people into the money system to drive economic growth.
Today, although slavery has been abolished, we still have financial institutions, governments, mining companies and other systems trying to control their respective environments through ownership.
They set out to grow exponentially by monetizing what yet hasn’t been monetized through the inherent belief or need to own.
This equates into the separate self sense and the right to take or destroy for ownership or gain.
Going back to the question: what lies beneath this idea of control? I believe at the core of it lies scarcity. The beliefs and assumptions of the systems - political, cultural, financial, personal systems that have been embedded in societies from pre-industrial times that everything is limited therefore one must own that limit in order to be safe.
Perhaps the change we now require needs to begin with self. Change yourself, and your friends, community, country and world will follow. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Saturday 23 June 2012
What's Left to Monetize?
Today we have commoditised things like water and songs.
So my question is, what is there left to monetize?
The increase of goods and services cannot keep up with the increasing rate of interest.
We are simply having to think of new ways to monetize goods and services. However these are finite values for which there's little to no need.
Think of the current economic climate, one that is just trying to emerge from a recession.
Now think of the number of new automobile models that car manufacturers are producing. Even for the super wealthy, is there a need?
Our world is increasingly becoming a planet of waste. Maybe that too is something that can be monetized, if it hasn't been done already.
What we need is a return to community, as well as a fostering of ideas around care, concern and compassion for fellow human beings and an economy that focuses on giving instead of taking.
Friday 22 June 2012
Reconciling Scarcity for Abundance
When we think of the word ‘abundance’ we tend to think of it as the opposite of scarcity. However, contrary to this belief, abundance is not merely the opposite of scarcity.
Abundance is instead, the emergent paradigm that reconciles the thesis and the anti-thesis of scarcity. In other words, we have to travel through scarcity to arrive at abundance.
The opposite of scarcity would just end up denying the principles of scarcity, which would just end up generating more scarcity.
Abundance needs scarcity in order to exist.
For example, in the stages of psychological development, we have the egocentric stage, with a strong focus on the ‘I’ and being and doing what you want. In this stage the self expects attention, demands respect and enjoys self to the fullest.
As one progresses to a higher more purposeful stage of psychological development that holds more perspective, so one needs to transcend and include the previous egocentric level.
However, in order to transcend it we don’t end up just adopting its opposite view. This is not to say that one can’t still have a healthy sense of self that demands a degree of respect.
On the contrary, we take the useful structure of the egocentric stage and include it in the higher level of development. As well as having a healthy sense of self, now we incorporate laws, discipline and regulations to build character and moral fibre for societies.
And so we progress as we move up the various levels of psychological development.
So too with scarcity and abundance. We have to go through scarcity to get to abundance. Abundance is not just the opposite of scarcity. First, we have to reconcile and transcend scarcity to go through it and emerge at abundance.
Abundance is instead, the emergent paradigm that reconciles the thesis and the anti-thesis of scarcity. In other words, we have to travel through scarcity to arrive at abundance.
The opposite of scarcity would just end up denying the principles of scarcity, which would just end up generating more scarcity.
Abundance needs scarcity in order to exist.
For example, in the stages of psychological development, we have the egocentric stage, with a strong focus on the ‘I’ and being and doing what you want. In this stage the self expects attention, demands respect and enjoys self to the fullest.
As one progresses to a higher more purposeful stage of psychological development that holds more perspective, so one needs to transcend and include the previous egocentric level.
However, in order to transcend it we don’t end up just adopting its opposite view. This is not to say that one can’t still have a healthy sense of self that demands a degree of respect.
On the contrary, we take the useful structure of the egocentric stage and include it in the higher level of development. As well as having a healthy sense of self, now we incorporate laws, discipline and regulations to build character and moral fibre for societies.
And so we progress as we move up the various levels of psychological development.
So too with scarcity and abundance. We have to go through scarcity to get to abundance. Abundance is not just the opposite of scarcity. First, we have to reconcile and transcend scarcity to go through it and emerge at abundance.
Monday 18 June 2012
Utilizing our Talents for Greater Purpose
For today’s post I am taking an excerpt from Charles Eisenstein’s book Sacred Economics.
"Our purpose for being, the development and full expression of our gifts, is mortgaged to the demands of money, to making a living, to surviving. Yet no one, no matter how wealthy, secure, or comfortable, can ever feel fulfilled in a life where those gifts remain latent. Even the best paid job, if it does not engage our gifts, soon feels deadening and we think, "I was not put on earth to do this." Even when a job does engage our gifts, if the purpose is something we don't believe in, the same deadening feeling of futility arises again, the feeling that we're not living our own lives, but only the lives we are paid to live."
Are we aware of our gifts, and do we utilize our talents fully, and can we do this moving forward so we are able to lead significant lives and make a difference at the same time?
Or are we so drawn by greed to the power of money and materialism that we allow our gifts to stagnate and die?
In current day culture it’s almost as if we have been programed to ignore our gifts, our latent talents and our purpose in the chase for money, status and power. But as the common axiom goes, Enough is never enough. To the point that we are prepared to go to war for more. Only to the point of destruction does this lead.
What happened to a sense of community where living and working and guiding each other to greater success, peace and happiness is at the forefront of social and economic development?
Well I believe that making better use of our talents could be one way to get us back on track, but done in line with a greater purpose. Are you using your skills and talents to the best of your ability, and are they aligned to a higher purpose?
"Our purpose for being, the development and full expression of our gifts, is mortgaged to the demands of money, to making a living, to surviving. Yet no one, no matter how wealthy, secure, or comfortable, can ever feel fulfilled in a life where those gifts remain latent. Even the best paid job, if it does not engage our gifts, soon feels deadening and we think, "I was not put on earth to do this." Even when a job does engage our gifts, if the purpose is something we don't believe in, the same deadening feeling of futility arises again, the feeling that we're not living our own lives, but only the lives we are paid to live."
Are we aware of our gifts, and do we utilize our talents fully, and can we do this moving forward so we are able to lead significant lives and make a difference at the same time?
Or are we so drawn by greed to the power of money and materialism that we allow our gifts to stagnate and die?
In current day culture it’s almost as if we have been programed to ignore our gifts, our latent talents and our purpose in the chase for money, status and power. But as the common axiom goes, Enough is never enough. To the point that we are prepared to go to war for more. Only to the point of destruction does this lead.
What happened to a sense of community where living and working and guiding each other to greater success, peace and happiness is at the forefront of social and economic development?
Well I believe that making better use of our talents could be one way to get us back on track, but done in line with a greater purpose. Are you using your skills and talents to the best of your ability, and are they aligned to a higher purpose?
Thursday 14 June 2012
Understanding Personality for Growth
Personality profiling and working to understand your own personality I think, lends itself to personal growth.
Obviously this is not the only aspect to personal development - you have personality, but you also have stages of psychological development, states of consciousness, mindset, pathology and healing shadow.
But personality is one of the core aspects to personal development.
Your personality can undergo changes say due to your upbringing, circumstances, trauma as well as beliefs and assumptions that are formed as you grow up due to various influences.
But a solid chunk of your personality is governed by your amygdala, the part of your brain that is linked to your limbic system. And this, well you’re born with this.
Research has shown that high reactive babies (to sights, sound, touch) tend to be adults with more introverted personalities. Introverts generally are more sensitive and need time and space to themselves.
Low reactive babies however tend to be extroverts as adults. They enjoy plenty of stimulation and are generally more outgoing and stimulated by socially engaging environments.
I think a solid understanding of our personalities allows us to bring more balance into our lives.
I would say it all begins with an awareness and one of the greatest tools for this can be observing behavior. This not only gives insight into personality but mindset too. In other words what fundamental assumptions, assertions and beliefs do I have that come through in my behavior, and on top of this how does personality play its part in my development?
So where are you on the personality scale - introvert, or extrovert, or somewhere inbetween?
Obviously this is not the only aspect to personal development - you have personality, but you also have stages of psychological development, states of consciousness, mindset, pathology and healing shadow.
But personality is one of the core aspects to personal development.
Your personality can undergo changes say due to your upbringing, circumstances, trauma as well as beliefs and assumptions that are formed as you grow up due to various influences.
But a solid chunk of your personality is governed by your amygdala, the part of your brain that is linked to your limbic system. And this, well you’re born with this.
Research has shown that high reactive babies (to sights, sound, touch) tend to be adults with more introverted personalities. Introverts generally are more sensitive and need time and space to themselves.
Low reactive babies however tend to be extroverts as adults. They enjoy plenty of stimulation and are generally more outgoing and stimulated by socially engaging environments.
I think a solid understanding of our personalities allows us to bring more balance into our lives.
I would say it all begins with an awareness and one of the greatest tools for this can be observing behavior. This not only gives insight into personality but mindset too. In other words what fundamental assumptions, assertions and beliefs do I have that come through in my behavior, and on top of this how does personality play its part in my development?
So where are you on the personality scale - introvert, or extrovert, or somewhere inbetween?
Tuesday 12 June 2012
A Space for Creative Visualization
I believe there’s a space for creative visualization.
But at the same time I believe that this cannot be the only thing to shift behavior and mindset.
The benefits of creative visualization and even affirmations can be realized and put into effect when there’s a deep relaxation of the self contraction.
Mere repetition of the affirmation or the visualization doesn’t work as well when there’s no feeling involved.
However, mixed with feeling - a belief or faith if you will, gives enormous power to the visualization or the affirmation.
If you are tense or stressed and merely work at repeating your affirmation or visualization, you are just pushing back against an uncomfortable feeling. The visualization has no space to take root and grow.
Relax the contraction, let go of the tension while very lightly and purposefully holding your visualization, bringing it into effect.
How does this transpire in your life and what meaning does it give you? Can you work with this paradox and build on its positive effect?
But at the same time I believe that this cannot be the only thing to shift behavior and mindset.
The benefits of creative visualization and even affirmations can be realized and put into effect when there’s a deep relaxation of the self contraction.
Mere repetition of the affirmation or the visualization doesn’t work as well when there’s no feeling involved.
However, mixed with feeling - a belief or faith if you will, gives enormous power to the visualization or the affirmation.
If you are tense or stressed and merely work at repeating your affirmation or visualization, you are just pushing back against an uncomfortable feeling. The visualization has no space to take root and grow.
Relax the contraction, let go of the tension while very lightly and purposefully holding your visualization, bringing it into effect.
How does this transpire in your life and what meaning does it give you? Can you work with this paradox and build on its positive effect?
Monday 11 June 2012
Getting the Best out of the Creative Introvert
Put a creative introvert in an environment where they have to think and interact with a large group of people working towards a common goal and you will find that you will struggle to get the best out of that person.
Creative introverts need time to think and process.
This is why I believe there’s a lot of tension between extroverted leaders and introverts at schools or in the workplace.
Often the more extroverted person can’t see past their outgoing personality, meaning that the more introverted personalities aren’t allowed the space or time to perform at the peak of their powers.
The funny thing is that research has shown that extroverts and introverts actually work well together, but only when there’s an understanding of the behavioral characteristics associated with both personalities.
Extroverts can often get the best out of introverts if they understand that these types of personalities need space and time to come up with their creative ideas and to produce their best work.
If the extrovert really understands the introvert, they can be enormously effective in getting the best out of the introvert while helping them balance their more secluded nature. And vice a versa.
How do these personality dynamics play out in your everyday life, and are you aware of them and how they affect your relationships?
Creative introverts need time to think and process.
This is why I believe there’s a lot of tension between extroverted leaders and introverts at schools or in the workplace.
Often the more extroverted person can’t see past their outgoing personality, meaning that the more introverted personalities aren’t allowed the space or time to perform at the peak of their powers.
The funny thing is that research has shown that extroverts and introverts actually work well together, but only when there’s an understanding of the behavioral characteristics associated with both personalities.
Extroverts can often get the best out of introverts if they understand that these types of personalities need space and time to come up with their creative ideas and to produce their best work.
If the extrovert really understands the introvert, they can be enormously effective in getting the best out of the introvert while helping them balance their more secluded nature. And vice a versa.
How do these personality dynamics play out in your everyday life, and are you aware of them and how they affect your relationships?
Wednesday 6 June 2012
Contracted, Relaxed, Interested..?
There’s 3 fundamental states of consciousness:
The relaxed state is non-participatory.
In the contracted state, the contraction itself drives your behavior. This ends up causing a lot of stress, anxiety and tension. It’s a fixed state of mind that relates from the point of view of the victim and will often come up with the words; if I can’t do this then I can’t do it, I can’t learn how to do it because either I know how to do it or I don’t.
To be relaxed and interested involves a state of consciousness that flows, that creates room for evolving, growing, learning. This is the expansive state of mind that is fundamental to our personal development.
Which one feels better for you and which one do you use?
- Contracted
- Relaxed
- Interested
The relaxed state is non-participatory.
In the contracted state, the contraction itself drives your behavior. This ends up causing a lot of stress, anxiety and tension. It’s a fixed state of mind that relates from the point of view of the victim and will often come up with the words; if I can’t do this then I can’t do it, I can’t learn how to do it because either I know how to do it or I don’t.
To be relaxed and interested involves a state of consciousness that flows, that creates room for evolving, growing, learning. This is the expansive state of mind that is fundamental to our personal development.
Which one feels better for you and which one do you use?
Monday 4 June 2012
In the Flow
I have been contemplating this word ‘flow’ for a day now and what it means to live in the flow.
What does it mean for you?
Is it when you’re in the zone, in the present moment, when things are running smoothly, you’re engaged, cooperating with other people in a meaningful way, you’re relaxed but focussed at the same time, you feel at a place where you’re working towards a higher purpose and that purpose is drawing ever nearer to you..?
If you’re in the flow are you in the groove? Like a feeling, a feeling that is beyond all rational thought, something that transcends and includes mind, body and spirit.
Have you ever been in the flow?
Maybe in an exam where you’re so focussed that you just feel like you’re nailing every question, or perhaps when you’ve listen to a piece of music, when you’re immersed in a hobby or engaging with friends or family..?
I think Eckhart Tolle summed up the word quite nicely when he said: “Beauty arises in the stillness of your presence... Beyond the beauty of external forms, there is more here: something that cannot be named, something ineffable, some deep, inner, holy essence. Whenever and wherever there is beauty, this inner essence shines through somehow.”
What does to be in the ‘flow’ mean for you?
What does it mean for you?
Is it when you’re in the zone, in the present moment, when things are running smoothly, you’re engaged, cooperating with other people in a meaningful way, you’re relaxed but focussed at the same time, you feel at a place where you’re working towards a higher purpose and that purpose is drawing ever nearer to you..?
If you’re in the flow are you in the groove? Like a feeling, a feeling that is beyond all rational thought, something that transcends and includes mind, body and spirit.
Have you ever been in the flow?
Maybe in an exam where you’re so focussed that you just feel like you’re nailing every question, or perhaps when you’ve listen to a piece of music, when you’re immersed in a hobby or engaging with friends or family..?
I think Eckhart Tolle summed up the word quite nicely when he said: “Beauty arises in the stillness of your presence... Beyond the beauty of external forms, there is more here: something that cannot be named, something ineffable, some deep, inner, holy essence. Whenever and wherever there is beauty, this inner essence shines through somehow.”
What does to be in the ‘flow’ mean for you?
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