Dear Vladimir

I had missed your essay while reading most others, but thank you for bringing it to my attention. The philosophical long term overview of how humanity emerged into today is quite interesting, and is an important introduction to final recommendations of a science-based governance model, which is quite similar to my proposal in Our Journey to the next Paradigm. Perhaps our common engineering background leads to this sort of recommendation.

Best wishes for your success in this contest.

Don Chisholm

4 days later

Don,

Fascinating essay. I was quite unfamiliar with Gaia and there was a lot I agreed with. Implementation, as so often, does seem to be the real issue. I wonder if we really can now ever find our way to a new paradigm?

Though I agree we're pushing technology itself quite enough I suggest history does show that most advancement has been led by advancement in understanding nature. I must confess my own essay then takes a more 'classical mechanics' view to untangling our incoherent understanding of nature. As an engineer I hope you may see and comment on the solution, born of the same Einstein quote you well employ.

"No problem can be solved by the same consciousness that created it. We need to see the world anew."

I suggest escaping Earth centric thinking to do so in an allegorical tale. I don't think any more fundamental and practical leap ahead is possible as the consequences are limitless, including inspiring confidence that we CAN understand how nature works.

Very well done for yours, covering very different but also critically important aspects of the future of humanity. I shall certainly steer your score in the right direction for the new judging phase. Roll on that new paradigm!

best wishes

Peter

    Hello Peter Jackson

    Thank you for the positive comments on my essay. I have now read and yours, and see what you mean about "classical" approach compared to my more, "hands on" approach. I certainly agree that solving today's predicament requires the study of nature to find answers, but in my case, I think it is mostly human nature and group behavior wherein the solutions may lay. This would be in hope of finding ways to lead today's large populations toward heeding the warnings issued by earth scientists today.

    Yours was an enjoyable read that I'd missed on an earlier brows, and I've given it a positive score.

    Don Chisholm

    8 days later

    Dear Don,

    I found your essay to be quite absorbing.

    You have analysed the issues/crises/threats we face including "the 3Es" and come up with what I think are viable solutions. Your solutions are based on only "mildly chaotic change", but if it is any stronger than that, it might be difficult for the environment and human civilisation to recover.

    Your quote of Winston Churchill's 1936 speech to the House of Commons is very appropriate:

    "the era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients of delays, is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences. "

    Regards,

    Lorraine

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    • Post #25

    Hi Don ,

    I enjoyed reading your essay. You've set out the big problems as you see them very clearly. I'm not sure about global solutions, one size fits all when the problems each region will face will be very different and it will be difficult to make comparisons. The same level of poverty in a caring rural community is different from poverty in an urban slum with a broken community spirit.

    What about ensuring there is local sustainability everywhere because climate may disrupt global trade. Making transition towns that are really resilient to changes affecting that local area, not just cosmetically.( My local council agreed to the planting of community fruit trees that residents will be able to get fruit from. Sounds good but this is a fruit growing region and most of the fruit is never harvested so really the last thing we need is more fruit and most probably only a few individuals will benefit from the free fruit grown on the local tax payers trees.)There should definitely be some joined up thinking in the real world.

    I noticed the mention of preventing mass migration. How do you envision that being peacefully and humanely accomplished?

    Good luck, Georgina