Is God the Biosphere? - 6 - Sense-Making

11-06-2022 • 32 mins

Philosophy, famously, will not get the washing up done. And it will not fix the crises of climate and biodiversity. So what can I do? An individual amongst Billions?

In economics, a basic unit is - The Household. And while economics tracks the flows of goods and services, it is striking that both goods and services require energy and other resources. Therefore The Household is an important unit to think about in terms of how we metabolise - exhaust and pollute - the planet.

Confronted with countries and large companies, we all have recourse to wringing our hands - but the Household is a strikingly accessible unit for pretty much everyone.

So - having surveyed, in Series 1, Proof of Concept, just how effective Systems Thinking can be; having rehearsed in Series 2 Preflight Checklist the principles that would see us through the climate and biodiversity crises; having explored in Series 3 - Is God the Biosphere? - how making the Biosphere a central partner in our governance systems requires us to rethink our religious demeanour - what next?

Given our relative entrapment in what are in many ways systems of extraction and poisoning, what levers might be available to a Household to minimise harm while maximising the best life has to offer?

This episode is a call to action to all our listeners -

Can you articulate your household constitution?

Can you produce a suitable systems map of the flow of goods, services and ideas passing under your roof?

Send your household constitutions and household systems maps to thehiddenpowerpodcast@gmail.com or tweet a link to Ed @EdAStraw - we are v excited to see what people have to show, and will set up a Google Doc to exhibit any responses.

Talking points:

Model of change in the 1850's

Convening as accessible - Systems convening event SCIO - t

https://youtu.be/vdohTndxWSM

Our innate Systems Sensibility, governance as adequate development and mental health

Religion, science, commerce, a moral code - and consumer power

The migration from past state to future state - in increments

- awareness beyond the bin

The power of collective action - The Preston Model

https://www.uclan.ac.uk/articles/research/preston-model-community-wealth-building

https://cles.org.uk/publications/how-we-built-community-wealth-in-preston-achievements-and-lessons/

Family constitutions: some relevant points -