I was listening to Ted Talks, as I do from time to time and came across one from Rhua Benjamin, regarding UStopias. This was recorded long before our former President had the "insightful" epiphany that USA, has the word "us" in it. In any case there were some things I have known and integrated in my life, my experience, world view; things I often say or tell people about, which is the concept of thriving. It is, in many ways, like the Basque region's Mondragon systems of ownership and co-operativism. These co-operatively owned ventures benefit everyone and everyone matters enough to be supported and provided safety and sustenance. Ustopias can be formed at many levels and reflect the same underlying understanding which is we are each valid, valuable and as human beings, deserve enough. Enough to thrive!
UStopias we create together willfully wide awake, that allows each and every one to thrive. We enter into this co-operative behavior cycle that gives to every member of our family, home, business, life the full measure that their needs dictate, enough. This line of reason was cross pollinated with knowledge that arrived a couple weeks ago that I was not sure how to integrate, but now makes perfect sense.
People of a certain age may remember the Polaroid Land Camera,which at the time was revolutionary in that photos could be made and developed in your hand within a few minutes! Anyway, the Land fellow the camera got it's name from was tasked by NASA to research geniuses, because they knew that they would need a lot for the space program. What Land and his fellow researchers found is that among 1600 children between four and five years old, 98% are considered geniuses, because as they defined it, they used their creative imaginations to solve problems. By Grade School, that number had dropped to 30% in High School, the number dropped to12% and as adults, only 2% retain this ability. To be Genius. IMHO, we always have a choice, unless we were one of the dullard children to start.
Unlearning the constraints of sport and all forms of competition seems to be impossible, but humans are made to cooperate and be geniuses, so what stops us from utilizing our inherent ability to utilize our creative imagination to problem solve? In F-1 for instance, the difference between first on the starting grid and last was 2.5 seconds. Typically a lap would last more than a minute, perhaps as much as a minute and a half. The difference is nearly imperceptible between these elite competitors. Certainly not enough to make a difference if they were, in virtually any field other than auto Racing or perhaps at Mission Control at NASA.
When we stop policing the limits of our imagination, we find opportunity for work that does not push us into an early grave. That genius potential lies within all of us, the results of everyone thriving is worth whatever it "costs". There are rising calls for redistribution of wealth, co-operative ownership of not only housing, transportation infrastructure and banking/finance, but the educational needs for future generations can only benefit from less focus on competition for scarce resources and abundance through cooperative effort.
In my charmaking, the material would be useless when it is first made, only through investment of time, energy and consideration for all the organisms I coax to thrive in the char, once they thrive, they create their own thing, soil and that renews and replenishes itself in ways that benefit future generations as well as ours. I believe we are the macrocosm of the soil microbes that exist under our feet. We can live integrated into something much more rewarding for all of us, perfecting the give away is not something we have been trained to do well, yet; however when we find our way to do better, things will get better.