Systems
The Presencing Institute
In the book Leading From the Future, Scharmer and Kaufer of the Presencing Institute describe an emerging eco- centric awareness based on perceiving and acting from a systemic point of view. They state: “The goal must be to co-sense, co-inspire, and co-create an emerging future for systems that value the well being of all rather than just a few…Over the past three years we have applied this innovation framework of deep systemic change to the evolution of the economy and society as a whole: focusing on the emerging transformation of capitalism.”
How to be an Anticapitalist Today by Erik Olin Wright
“Anticapitalism isn’t simply a moral stance against injustice — it’s about building an alternative…Give up the fantasy of smashing capitalism. Capitalism is not smashable, at least if you really want to construct an emancipatory future. You may personally be able to escape capitalism by moving off the grid and minimizing your involvement with the money economy and the market, but this is hardly an attractive option for most people. If you are concerned about the lives of others, in one way or another you have to deal with capitalist structures and institutions. Taming and eroding capitalism are the only viable options.”
The Institute for Cultural Evolution
The Institute for Cultural Evolution approaches political polarization in the US from a systemic point of view. They maintain there will always be a permanent polarity between those whose primary focus is on the rights and freedoms of the individual and those who are most concerned about the needs of the larger community. The two sides are interdependent. Therefore the solution cannot be for one side to win out over the other. “The principles of polar interdependence suggest that each side needs to start by depolarizing itself…Each side can improve and strengthen its own position by increasing the quantity and quality of what it is able to value.”
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