Home » Posts tagged 'systems' (Page 3)
Tag Archives: systems
Exit from the Megamachine
Exit from the Megamachine Why a social-ecological transformation is impossible without changing the deep structures of our economy Opening a newspaper or listening to the radio news exposes us to a flood of catastrophic messages: devastating droughts, failing states, terrorist attacks, and financial crashes. You can look at all those incidents as unconnected singular phenomena, […]
How Systems Break: First They Slow Down
How Systems Break: First They Slow Down Alternatively, we can cling to a state of denial, and the dominant system will be replaced by archetypal systems that are not necessarily positive. Understanding our current socio-economy as a system of sub-systems enables us to project how and when unsustainable sub-systems will finally unravel. The reality that […]
Flowing Toward Abundance
Flowing Toward Abundance Over the last year or so, a neighbor has stocked up eight or ten piles of firewood in his yard, probably fifteen or twenty cords. What’s he going to do with it all? The house has a wood stove, but the family mostly uses the furnace, and burns wood only occasionally to […]
It Just Doesn’t Matter
It Just Doesn’t Matter When an avalanche is about to descend upon you, does it really matter which snowflake was the penultimate cause? While it’s interesting (in a mental masturbation kind of way) to debate the genesis of a pending market collapse, environmental chaos, or energy cliff, in the end, it really doesn’t matter–unless, of course, […]
Manipulation = Fragility
Manipulation = Fragility In markets distorted by permanent manipulation the most powerful incentive is to borrow as much money as you can and leverage it as much as you can to maximize your gains in risk-on asset bubbles. A core dynamic is laying waste to global financial markets: the greater the level of central bank/government manipulation, […]
What Choice Do We Have?
What Choice Do We Have? As systemic solutions fall short, we must grasp the nettle of making our own arrangements in a time characterized by burgeoning demands and diminishing resources, capital and security. The idea that our large-scale problems could be fixed with systemic reforms is enticing: replace the thousands of pages of tax code with […]
Collapse Part 3: No Institutional Path to Contraction
Collapse Part 3: No Institutional Path to Contraction Collapse is not an event, it is a process. One poorly understood source of collapse is the lack of pathways to contraction and a reduction of complexity/cost. The only pathway that is clearly marked is the one to expansion–of production, debt, credit, government, income, benefits, costs and complexity: […]
Collapse, Part 1: Greece
Collapse, Part 1: Greece When systems are broke and broken, collapse is the only way forward. The theme this week is collapse. It’s a big, complex topic because there are as many types of collapse as there are systems. Some systems appear stable on the surface but collapse suddenly; others visibly decay for decades before finally […]
Planetary Boundaries and Human Prosperity
Planetary Boundaries and Human Prosperity The future of humanity will depend on mastering a balancing act. The challenge will be to provide for the needs of more than ten billion people while safeguarding our planetary life-support systems. Recent scientific insights have made us better equipped than ever to strike that balance. Doing so will be […]
The systems view of life – a unifying vision (part 2)
The systems view of life – a unifying vision (part 2) In this episode I have the great honor of connecting with scientist, educator, activist, and author Fritjof CapraP.hd. He was born in Vienna, and studied physics and systems theory, and became well known for his first book,The Tao of Physics (1975). In this book, and in […]
Going Rogue: 15 Ways to Detach From the System
Going Rogue: 15 Ways to Detach From the System I am inspired by the very definition of self-reliance: to be reliant on one’s own capabilities, judgment, or resources. Ultimately, it is the epitome of independence and lays the groundwork of what we are all striving for – to live a life based on our personal principles and beliefs. It is […]
It’s Time to Get Serious About Systemic Solutions to Systemic Problems
It’s Time to Get Serious About Systemic Solutions to Systemic Problems It’s getting harder and harder to be an optimist. A deep economic crisis has given way to a profoundly unequal recovery. Climate catastrophe is steadily unfolding across the globe. And the work of building a racially inclusive society appears to be stalled — indeed, […]
“Global System Catastrophe” Is Key Threat To Human Civilization
“Global System Catastrophe” Is Key Threat To Human Civilization – Oxford Scientists Cite “Global System Catastrophe” Among 12 Plausible Threats To Civilization – “Global System Catastrophe” More Of A Possibility Than Most Western People Suspect – Study Described As A “Scientific Assessment About The Possibility Of Oblivion” – Other Threats Include Nuclear War, Environmental Degradation, […]
