[Ecodharma] ACTIVE HOPE Introduction (part two)

[Kokuu]

This part of the book includes pages 6-12 and Joanna introduces the story of our times using her terminology of the Great Unravelling to refer to the current crisis of man-made climate change and biodiversity and habitat loss, Business as Usual in reference to humanity’s tendency to want short-term stability and prosperity even at the cost of long-term wellbeing, and the Great Turning as the counter desire to want to shift the world in a better direction of living sustainably and ameliorating the long term effects we have set in motion.

Dr Macy then goes on to introduce the Work that Reconnects, which has been the term by which her work has become known, with a spiral pattern of exercises that begin with Gratitude and move through Honoring our Pain for the World and Seeing with New Eyes, and ending with Going Forth.


Questions

1. How much do Joanna’s three stories of Business as Usual, the Great Unravelling and the Great Turning make sense to you? Does it help to have this framework to think about how the world is at present?

2. What do you think of her four stage model in the Work that Reconnects, even before we start using any of the exercises? Does it sound like something you can work with?

3. How do we best tackle people who are still firmly fighting for business as usual? Should we try to get them on board or just go ahead and work towards the Great Turning, hoping that people will sooner or later have to join and having the groundwork ready prepared will facilitate that?


Wishing you all a good week

Gassho
Kokuu
-sattoday-

[Tai Do]

Thank you, Kokuu.

1. How much do Joanna’s three stories of Business as Usual, the Great Unravelling and the Great Turning make sense to you? Does it help to have this framework to think about how the world is at present?

I think Joanna's three stories of our time make explicit the different tendencies that are in play in the modern debate and action towards the environmental problems we are facing. In myself, I can see elements of the three. Sometimes I just act on the Business as Usual story, following along the mass behaviour that is destroying our planet and our future; for example, my town has no official policy of separating the trash, so I ended up accustomed to put everything together in the same trash (except batteries and the like) - I became so accustomed to it that I didn't even do anything to change, like a petition to the counsel or the major, a contact with recycling companies that may or may not exist nearby, etc; and this feels me with guilt. On the majority of the time, I buy into the Great Unravelling story, giving up to despair and impotence in facing all the mess we are creating; I do think we messed so much with the Earth that we already passed the point of no return - and it makes me sad and passive in front of all the challenges we have. At some times, especially when I see some good news about our planet, I also embody the Great Turning story, feeling me with a positive passive hope for our future; I think it was this feeling that led me and my wife to spend all the money we had into a more ecofriendly house (still not finished) - with solar energy, new water system, more space for native plants, cats inside the house gymos - than the one we are currently living in.

2. What do you think of her four stage model in the Work that Reconnects, even before we start using any of the exercises? Does it sound like something you can work with?

What impressed me the most is that instead of starting with a sense of duty or a recognition of our guilty and need for atonement, it starts with gratitude. It is a completely new approach to what I'm accustomed in my life in general. I'm excited to try out this model and see if it can help me to get out of the environmental despair and guilty that I'm accustomed to live in.

3. How do we best tackle people who are still firmly fighting for business as usual? Should we try to get them on board or just go ahead and work towards the Great Turning, hoping that people will sooner or later have to join and having the groundwork ready prepared will facilitate that?

I think the two approaches are not mutually exclusive. It is very difficult to convince a science denier to get on board with preservation and environmental work; but many who buy into the Business as Usual are still not deniers, just insecure about the truth of the disaster we are living through. For those, I think that the educational approach is essential, especially, as Doshin put it, an approach that really explains in simple terms the science behind the climate change and other environmental disasters we are facing. Others keep in the Business as Usual because of the despair of the reality of the Great Unravelling that they believe we are facing: for those, a small dose of hope can do wonders, I think. At the same time, we can continue to work for the Great Turning, preparing the groundwork that can facilitate the change from Business as Usual and from the Great Unravelling.


Gassho,
Tai Do (Mateus)
satlah

P.S.: For those who need it or want it, we can download the Introduction and the two first Chapters of the new edition here: https://www.activehope.info/. Since the major differences are in the Introduction, First Chapter, and Last Chapter (according to the list given in https://www.activehope.info/the-book, it can be a great help for those who are reading the first edition of the book.

[Tairin]

Thank you Kokuu

1. How much do Joanna’s three stories of Business as Usual, the Great Unravelling and the Great Turning make sense to you? Does it help to have this framework to think about how the world is at present?

I think they make a lot of sense. I’ve never really tried to conceptualize it quite like this but I am certainly aware of the three narratives. Having these labels will help future discussions

2. What do you think of her four stage model in the Work that Reconnects, even before we start using any of the exercises? Does it sound like something you can work with?

I am not sure yet why it is a described as a spiral rather than a loop. I guess we’ll learn more in the upcoming chapters. The way I see it right now it appears to be analogous to iterative development where we plan then do some unit of work, then pause to inspect the progress then adapt as needed…which is really just more planning. This sort of approach in development helps break very large projects into smaller more easily digested units. This four stage model appears at first glance to be trying to do the same thing with the task ahead of us. I could be way off though.

3. How do we best tackle people who are still firmly fighting for business as usual? Should we try to get them on board or just go ahead and work towards the Great Turning, hoping that people will sooner or later have to join and having the groundwork ready prepared will facilitate that?

We have to do both simultaneously. We need to find a way to reach the BAU people but we can’t wait on them either. We all need to continue our work towards the Great Turning hoping we are setting the right groundwork.


Tairin
Sat today and lah

[Naiko]

1. How much do Joanna’s three stories of Business as Usual, the Great Unravelling and the Great Turning make sense to you? Does it help to have this framework to think about how the world is at present?

These stories resonate with me. I think they are useful and helpful because they describe in shorthand both complex and interconnected conditions in the world and personal responses and reactions (well, they carry an emotional response for me). Using the word story, I think, is important because it acknowledges creativity and openness.

2. What do you think of her four stage model in the Work that Reconnects, even before we start using any of the exercises? Does it sound like something you can work with?

I’m intrigued and hoping to approach it with an open mind. I am cautiously optimistic that it’s an antidote for overwhelm.

3. How do we best tackle people who are still firmly fighting for business as usual? Should we try to get them on board or just go ahead and work towards the Great Turning, hoping that people will sooner or later have to join and having the groundwork ready prepared will facilitate that?

When business as usual is governments, corporations and the like, I think we continue speaking truth to power and holding them accountable and pushing for action. We also keep talking to people, without attaching to the outcome. They will join when they see enough people moving that way. There are pioneers and there are settlers, and settlers will never be explorers/pioneers. They will also get on board when circumstances force them, unfortunately.

I think a lot about the complexities of business as usual. The carbon offsets study Kokuu posted about is a good example. I’d guess that some clients purchased offsets in good faith that they were making a difference, while others merely needed them to comply with regulations. Did the company offering them really believe they were making a difference or just making money? Both? How do non experts learn to evaluate actions?
Gassho,
Naiko
st

[Doshin]

1. I like the model these three stories bring to helping guide us forward. I was immediately attracted to the phrase The Great Unraveling…it captured my feelings

2. Interesting idea. I have always looked at the solution is to fix or stop the problem and not looked at it from a personal perspective. For example I recently agreed to serve on of an environmental board after six years of refusing invitations (I have served on many conservation boards in the past but about 8 years ago I stepped away to regain some calm in my life) because I felt I needed to help fix the problem again. After remaking that connection I have offered to serve on the Board of an environmental group I helped established 20 years ago to fight the fight. I will ponder this approach in my renewed efforts. Looking forward to learning more.

3. My friends above have already captured my perspective well so I have little new to add here. I enjoyed reading their wisdom. Thank you

Doshin
St

[Heiso]

1. I think these terms sum the common approaches nicely - there seems to be a certain amount of fear or panic in the first, ignoring the problem (either deliberately or fall foul of various cognitive traps) with the second, with action and hope in the latter.

2. I love a framework for helping with problems so one that can help move me from despair to hope and action sounds promising.

3. I think a combination of both. There will always be people who cannot be reasoned with so we're going to need to get started on the work without them. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't stop educating, and highlighting the danger we're in.

Gassho,

Heiso

StLah

[Jishin]

It is possible to argue against Joanna Macy's framework of Business as Usual, the Great Unravelling, and the Great Turning. One argument could be that the framework oversimplifies the complexity of the issues at hand and the actions required to address them. It may also be argued that the framework focuses too heavily on negative aspects such as the Great Unravelling and not enough on solutions and positive actions. Another argument could be that the Work that Reconnects four-stage model may not be universally applicable or effective for all individuals or groups. It may also be argued that the model is too focused on emotional and spiritual well-being, and not enough on concrete actions.

Another argument against this framework is that it may not take into account the different perspectives and needs of different cultures and societies, and may not be sensitive to the specific challenges and opportunities that different regions and communities face. Additionally, it could be argued that the framework does not take into account the role of policy, government and regulations in addressing the issues of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Doshin]

It is possible to argue against Joanna Macy's framework of Business as Usual, the Great Unravelling, and the Great Turning. One argument could be that the framework oversimplifies the complexity of the issues at hand and the actions required to address them. It may also be argued that the framework focuses too heavily on negative aspects such as the Great Unravelling and not enough on solutions and positive actions. Another argument could be that the Work that Reconnects four-stage model may not be universally applicable or effective for all individuals or groups. It may also be argued that the model is too focused on emotional and spiritual well-being, and not enough on concrete actions.

Another argument against this framework is that it may not take into account the different perspectives and needs of different cultures and societies, and may not be sensitive to the specific challenges and opportunities that different regions and communities face. Additionally, it could be argued that the framework does not take into account the role of policy, government and regulations in addressing the issues of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

Maybe, but let's see what the following chapter bring, or have you already read ahead?

Doshin
st

[Jishin]

Let’s see what the next chapter brings.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

[Doshin]

Let’s see what the next chapter brings.

Gassho, Jishin, ST, LAH

Ok but if you read ahead please start your post with “Spoiler Alert”


Doshin
St

[Jishin]

[emoji3]

[Daitetsu]

Thanks a lot!


1. How much do Joanna’s three stories of Business as Usual, the Great Unravelling and the Great Turning make sense to you? Does it help to have this framework to think about how the world is at present?

It makes a lot of sense to me and helps to get more clarity on the different ways people think about the matter.



2. What do you think of her four stage model in the Work that Reconnects, even before we start using any of the exercises? Does it sound like something you can work with?

At the moment I cannot give an informed response to be honest. I need to hear more about the model.


3. How do we best tackle people who are still firmly fighting for business as usual? Should we try to get them on board or just go ahead and work towards the Great Turning, hoping that people will sooner or later have to join and having the groundwork ready prepared will facilitate that?

I think we need to do both. We should try to get those people on board. However, if we are too insisting/aggressive we will scare them away. I guess we need to find the right balance and hope that giving the right impulses will convince them to join us in the long run.

Gassho,

Daitetsu

sat2day