Our society faces MONSTER problems--big scary existential issues which seem impossible-to-solve, but which must be solved. They seem impossible because they are not solvable from within our existing System. They are features of our System. All the "solution-actions" we are familiar with like mass demonstrations, enacting new policies, "fighting" for change, adopting the right religion, civic education, etc. ... do not consider that we exist within this "Matrix." They all offer to make things better and maybe even improve the System. But the System itself is the problem because it is on auto-pilot driving us to a future most of us don't want..
The problem is how our System does not include any provision for achieving "collective intelligence." It just assumes that if each of us is smart and deliberative our votes, arguments, representatives and marketplace purchases will determine the best possible results. No. That's not enough. We also have to think collectively. As our world becomes more complex and interdependent, competition breaks down as a civilizational foundation. There is an increasing need for whole-system collaboration and collective thinking.
The good news is ... a few of us can convene the missing whole-system conversation. It's just a matter of inviting everyone into the kind of conversation we've all been desiring, a creative collaborative "We the People" conversation where "We" are facilitated to solve Monster Problems! (See "A Holution to the Human Predicament" in the Stanford sponsored MAHB) And just doing this on regular basis a new ultimate authority for our System is created: "We the People." It's a transformation from a society based in competition to a society of, by and for the people, plus collective wisdom ... what we call "Wise Democracy.".
The Wisdom Council Process can be applied to the nation to do this. Or to global society or local society. It's a new process because of the quality of thinking it encourages, what we call "choice-creating" as contrasted with "decision-making." From experiments we know the process works at large scale, not only to more fully involve and inform citizens but where they face the Monster Problems of today, work out solutions and provide responsible leadership to governments, the economy and the culture. This is especially needed at the global level where there currently is no form of global governance. There is no "owner" of global Monster Problems like climate change, species extinction, poverty, etc., just independent battling Special Interests.
At the Center for Wise Democracy we've identified an 8-step process by which can and should be applied to all levels of society:
The problem is how our System does not include any provision for achieving "collective intelligence." It just assumes that if each of us is smart and deliberative our votes, arguments, representatives and marketplace purchases will determine the best possible results. No. That's not enough. We also have to think collectively. As our world becomes more complex and interdependent, competition breaks down as a civilizational foundation. There is an increasing need for whole-system collaboration and collective thinking.
The good news is ... a few of us can convene the missing whole-system conversation. It's just a matter of inviting everyone into the kind of conversation we've all been desiring, a creative collaborative "We the People" conversation where "We" are facilitated to solve Monster Problems! (See "A Holution to the Human Predicament" in the Stanford sponsored MAHB) And just doing this on regular basis a new ultimate authority for our System is created: "We the People." It's a transformation from a society based in competition to a society of, by and for the people, plus collective wisdom ... what we call "Wise Democracy.".
The Wisdom Council Process can be applied to the nation to do this. Or to global society or local society. It's a new process because of the quality of thinking it encourages, what we call "choice-creating" as contrasted with "decision-making." From experiments we know the process works at large scale, not only to more fully involve and inform citizens but where they face the Monster Problems of today, work out solutions and provide responsible leadership to governments, the economy and the culture. This is especially needed at the global level where there currently is no form of global governance. There is no "owner" of global Monster Problems like climate change, species extinction, poverty, etc., just independent battling Special Interests.
At the Center for Wise Democracy we've identified an 8-step process by which can and should be applied to all levels of society:
- At the Global level -- e.g. "The ToBe Project.—Global" .... here's how we can responsibly and intelligently start addressing climate change, pandemics, wars, poverty, etc.
- At the National level—e.g. "The "Wise Democracy Project—USA" ... to overcome the threat of Authoritarian takeover, distrust of the institutions of government, the scourge of misinformation, the corruption of money in politics, etc.
- At the State level -- e.g. The Wisdom Council process applied to your state ... how to involve all citizens in providing responsible direction to state government on taxes, education policy, land use planning, etc.
- At the Local level -- e.g. "The Wisdom Council process applied to your town ... how your community can converse respectfully and creatively to determine bond issues for schools and hospitals and resolve local conflicts
- In organizations -- e.g. "The Wisdom Council process applied to your democratic organization" e.g. a new governing structure for your food co-op, church, land trust, community foundation, etc.
How can this work? .... There are a set of social innovations, which make this possible. Also you might check out the free seminar "Essential Wisdom for Solving Society's Biggest Problems"
For political scientists ...
This 39 min podcast is episode #34 of “Facilitating Public Deliberations”, where Jim Rough is interviewed by Dr. Lyn Carson, Director of Research at the New Democracy Foundation in Australia. In the episode Jim describes how the field of "political science" currently constrains itself to look only for solution possibilities within the existing System. But how System transformation will open the door to a whole new set of possibilities.
https://www.newdemocracy.com.au/2020/11/26/episode-34-wisdom-councils-and-dynamic-facilitation-with-jim-rough/
https://www.newdemocracy.com.au/2020/11/26/episode-34-wisdom-councils-and-dynamic-facilitation-with-jim-rough/
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