Here are some principles of "Just Us"
1. Are you concerned about the many ways civilizational collapse is threatening?
We are facing existential, impossible-seeming issues at the global level. Monsters include:
2. Do you see how these Monster Problems seem impossible-to-solve because within-system solutions can't work?
Demonstrating in the streets, kindness to our fellow human, teaching holistic thinking, changing corporate governance, building awareness, changing the culture, new technologies, adopting religious beliefs, changing consumer habits, education, electing new leaders, enacting new policies, raising consciousness are helpful and even necessary. But they do not take into account how our System, the underlying structure of society, is causing the Monsters.
3. Do you recognize that our System is the ultimate cause for the Human Predicament?
Our current System (i.e. our forms of governance, economics and thinking") is designed for a situation where we are IN-dependent actors in a fair competition. The structure is basically a set of norms or "rules of the game," like laws, treaties and constitutions. And supposedly we are free within those boundaries. There were times when this game-like structure provided a measure of collective intelligence, i.e. the games were win/win. But our Situation changed so that we are now INTER-dependent so this competitive structure generates collective stupidity. Now, our System must be more like the age-old structure of Indigenous peoples, where "the people" would stop and think in a creative, collaborative way.
4. Do you acknowledge that the way out of this mess is to facilitate the missing We the People conversation?
The ToBe Project is a set of 8 steps by which we (just us) facilitate all the people to face the Monsters creatively and collaboratively. Just adding this missing conversation transforms our structure and our System to become a "Wise Democracy." In modern terminology here's how "We the People" can become the ultimate authority. These 8 steps also elevate people's understandings, reshape the story of who we are, help people celebrate diversity, raise individual consciousness, etc.
5. Do you see that we (i.e. just us) can set this in motion?
6. To what extent are you excitedly exclaiming "YIKES! This must happen!"?
We are facing existential, impossible-seeming issues at the global level. Monsters include:
- climate change, species extinction, ocean acidification, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, L-shaped distribution of wealth, pandemics, ....
2. Do you see how these Monster Problems seem impossible-to-solve because within-system solutions can't work?
Demonstrating in the streets, kindness to our fellow human, teaching holistic thinking, changing corporate governance, building awareness, changing the culture, new technologies, adopting religious beliefs, changing consumer habits, education, electing new leaders, enacting new policies, raising consciousness are helpful and even necessary. But they do not take into account how our System, the underlying structure of society, is causing the Monsters.
3. Do you recognize that our System is the ultimate cause for the Human Predicament?
Our current System (i.e. our forms of governance, economics and thinking") is designed for a situation where we are IN-dependent actors in a fair competition. The structure is basically a set of norms or "rules of the game," like laws, treaties and constitutions. And supposedly we are free within those boundaries. There were times when this game-like structure provided a measure of collective intelligence, i.e. the games were win/win. But our Situation changed so that we are now INTER-dependent so this competitive structure generates collective stupidity. Now, our System must be more like the age-old structure of Indigenous peoples, where "the people" would stop and think in a creative, collaborative way.
4. Do you acknowledge that the way out of this mess is to facilitate the missing We the People conversation?
The ToBe Project is a set of 8 steps by which we (just us) facilitate all the people to face the Monsters creatively and collaboratively. Just adding this missing conversation transforms our structure and our System to become a "Wise Democracy." In modern terminology here's how "We the People" can become the ultimate authority. These 8 steps also elevate people's understandings, reshape the story of who we are, help people celebrate diversity, raise individual consciousness, etc.
5. Do you see that we (i.e. just us) can set this in motion?
- We can start the process by identifying a first issue and gather a first "Wisdom Council" of randomly selected people. Then Dynamically Facilitating them they will reach a unified set of wise conclusions with a story to tell about how they got there. We can organize a way for them to present their conclusions in a new kind of global ceremony. Of course, this may start small but it will grow as new Wisdom Councils are convened.
- Notice, we need money and media help at a minimum, but mostly we don't need anyone's permission. We can just begin the conversation and invite people to get involved at their own pace. As each new crisis arises —like the Covid 19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, or the next climate disaster—people will seek out this meaningful conversation where each of us can be included and where can happen.
- Note: each step is a benefit to society, without much cost or risk.
6. To what extent are you excitedly exclaiming "YIKES! This must happen!"?
Transforming the System is more than solving the Monster issues. It sparks new forms of global governance and economics, plus a new ways of living, new types of work, new ways of thinking etc. This needs to happen for us, for humanity and for the biosphere.