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The ToBe Project ... how we can facilitate "Wise Democracy" into being

 There are 8 accessible steps to implementing the Wisdom Council Process at any level of society — locally, nationally or globally. We call these 8-steps "The ToBe Project" ...,e.g. "The ToBe Project—world" ... e.g. "The ToBe Project—USA" ... or locally (e.g."The ToBe Project—"Port Townsend WA").

What is a ToBe? ... This is when we all stop for a moment to think reflectively together. It's a time-out to think to consider who we are, what is the situation, what do we want and how do we go forward. Here is a way to reorient our lives as individuals and as a society. ToBe's require that people hav adequate freedom to speak authentically.

Below are listed the 8 steps by which we ( a few of us) can facilitate all of us to take periodic ToBe's. The benefits are immense. 

Step 1 ...  Gather "Just Us" and adequate resources

"Just Us" is the small collection of people who recognize that our System is basically causing the Monster Problems, that the System must be transformed so that "collective intelligence" arises and that the Wisdom Council Process offers a way this can happen ... Naturally, most of us do not want to accept this level of responsibility for transforming our system, whether it's at the local, national or global levels. We want someone in authority to assume this responsibility. In response, many pursue "normal solutions", which are helpful. ...e.g. street demonstrations, lobbying, modeling the new paradigm, elevating personal consciousness, civic education, new technologies, voting for the ideal candidates, purchasing consciously, running for elected position, etc.  But these are within-System strategies, aimed at making things better. They do not recognize that our System is the problem, nor do they aim to transform the System, which continues to carry us toward some kind of collapse.... Step #1, by itself, is a benefit as this small group shares the good news! ... a holistic, facilitative, no-risk potential for System transformation.

Step 2 ... Identify a Monster Problem to address

There are many urgent impossible-seeming problems that are worsening relentlessly, e.g. globally there is the climate crisis, species extinction, loss of fresh water, and over consumption. In this step we draw attention to one of these issues as vitally important, not expressed in a well-defined way, but as some "mess" that we all care about. Identifying this issue can be done in many different ways... e.g. A poll can pick the issue. Or elected officials could identify one. Or we can ask for donations and let the donor pick it. etc.  ... Step #2, by itself, focuses attention on one vital issue and orients people toward helping solve it in an empowered way vs. dismissing it.

Step 3 ... Randomly select 10 to 16 people

Here we identify 10 to 16 random people, even from the global population, and bring them together as the first Wisdom Council. Of course, achieving an accurate random selection is difficult, but it's enough to do the best we can. A respected polling organization is asked to provide us with a legitimate symbol of all the people who address the selected Monster Issue. ... Step #3, by itself, creates a symbol of all-the-people where, for instance, like the first picture of earth from space, we can look at a symbol of all humanity and begin to appreciate our potential for change.

Step 4 ... Use Dynamic Facilitation to reliably evoke the spirit of "choice-creating" in each Wisdom Council

Each random group or "Wisdom Council" is gathered to meet for just a few days with someone skilled in Dynamic Facilitation. This is the magic sauce to this process. It's not decision-making or problem-solving but choice-creating. It's stepping out of the existing system to think holistically and authentically, where the group achieves unity through shifts and breakthroughs. In this way the Wisdom Council co-creates a shared perspective and a story about how this diverse group achieved unity in the end. This story is similar to the "hero's journey," only the hero in this case is "all of us". This is ordinary people thinking through an impossible-seeming issue to determine: "the "real problem"," "the truth", what we really want, and a wise strategy going forward. ... Step #4, by itself, introduces and sets in motion the necessary choice-creating conversation, by which an inclusive powerful "We the People" can come into being.

Step 5 ... Convene a live "community meeting" where each Wisdom Council presents the story of its heroic journey & unified conclusions

When the Wisdom Council finishes the members walk onstage and present their conclusions and their story to a large live f-t-f audience (including a broadcast audience if needed) and to video cameras for later viewing. The members tell a little about themselves, their conclusions and about how they reached their unified conclusions. This is not a presentation of recommendations or proposals to decision-makers, which is what one might think. This is a symbol of all the people sharing their unified conclusions in a reflection back to all the people. It's aimed at all of us recognizing "yes, this is what I feel and think also." After the Wisdom Council finishes "audience members," wherever they are, talk with one another and surprise! Most people essentially say "Yes, I think so too."  So this may be a quick way to achieve unity throughout the entire global community!. Yes, there will be people who don't hear and those who think differently but rather than just saying "I agree or disagree," this process continues the conversation in the spirit of choice-creating. This becomes the missing conversation, where "We the People" talk and think responsibly, where wise actions result.  ... Step #5, by itself, helps people embrace and enhance a particular story of who we are, what is going on, what we want, and how we can work together to solve these Monster problems.  

Step 6 ... Structure global Wisdom Councils to be ongoing

The Wisdom Council Process facilitates ONE ONGOING WHOLE-SYSTEM CHOICE-CREATING CONVERSATION. This is a way to generate "collective intelligence" at a very large scale. New randomly selected Wisdom Councils are gathered regularly to address Monster Problems. And the ongoing process facilitates the "We the People" conversation. And as more people attend to it and participate in it, this becomes a STRUCTURAL ADDITION to the current System.... Step #6, by itself, establishes a new all-inclusive creative ongoing "We the People" conversation by which all the people come together and achieve new levels of collective intelligence. 

Step 7 ... Provide for the new whole-system conversation to be inclusive

 As the global Wisdom Council Process continues, we expect that individuals, experts, leaders, media, celebrities, etc. will increasingly pay attention. Especially when there is a crisis ... like a pandemic or the Russian invasion of Ukraine, or horrible climate events ... people need to get involved in a heartfelt respectful whole-system conversation, which can turn into meaningful action. This gives people a way to learn what's really happening, what is needed and how we can respond together.  Anyone can join. Everything is voluntary.  ...Step #7, by itself, provides a way for each person, NGO, corporation, philanthropy, government, etc. to get involved.

Step 8 ... Provide ways for all to learn more about this holistic model of change, especially the mode of thinking: choice-creating and Dynamic Facilitation

The benefits claimed for the Wisdom Council Process can seem over-the-top, almost magical. But we generally don't need to describe these benefits and sell the process ahead of time. We can just convene the new conversation and let people experience the difference. Then we help people to understand what is different, how this conversation achieves miraculous-seeming results. It's like taking the Red Pill in the movie The Matrix and then learning skills for operating in this new reality. Some distinctions that people may want to learn about are:  the distinction between "decision-making" and "choice-creating." And the different kinds of democratic process.  ... Step #8, by itself, can help people feel a new level of empowerment in the face of seemingly impossible existential societal issues.

(Step 9 arises naturally from the Wisdom Councils) ... Officially, "We the People" charters this process into the existing System

When Wisdom Councils finish they regularly state as one of their conclusions that this process should continue as a regular part of the System. So, for instant, with the ToBe Process—USA, it is likely that legislators will eventually enact this process as an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. See the Wise Democracy Amendment.

In sum: Implementing the ToBe Project promises 1) to facilitate all the people to face and help solve the Monster Issues. And,  2) to transform the existing System so Monster Problems can stop arising. And, 3) each step by itself, is a benefit
Currently, global governance is a pipe dream. The United Nations is hopelessly bureaucratic with little power of enforcement. And climate treaties among nations are regularly ignored. Here is an out-of-the-box way to manage the global commons. These 8 steps promise the emergence of an ongoing "We the People" (i.e. all of us acting intelligently together) with the capability, for instance, of structuring a global system that can design and establish a  global constitution. 

Additional Resources

The ToBe Project: A facilitative approach to co-creating global governance .... a proposal from 2020