Our rapidly changing world has many self organizing systems which are undergoing transformation. Understanding these changes requires a flexible, evolving framework that supports human evolution. This chapter describes why transforming, not reforming, our societies and its systems is essential. It will consider how we can begin to redefine criteria for success in very practical ways that support individual opportunity and the common good. It will introduce a vision of a future based on human collaboration, a context for that vision, and suggest meta-principles which offer an opportunity for all individuals and organizations to find common ground. It will suggest there are common, core values which may be embraced by anyone interested in creating a better future for themselves and all of our children. It will discuss the need for congruency across levels of complexity, from the local to the international, as a means of ensuring the effectiveness of policy decisions at local levels.

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

An architecture of interconnected holistic ideas is emerging in communities of "place" and of "interest" around the world. Tens of thousands of organizations and millions of people are becoming part of rapidly expanding global networks which are becoming linked together by the power of the Internet and the Web. Communities of place are defining a sustainable quality of life, evolving a "future’s context" for their decisions, and building the capacities to achieve their visions. Communities of interest are addressing specific issues congruent with values such as integrity, equity, a concern for all life and for future generations. Together they are helping to define a sustainable future and move towards it. They are self-organizing, dynamic and complex systems linking together to create a "whole which is greater than the sum of the parts." The consciousness they represent is a major part of human evolution.

The Napa Tetrahedron described in Prasad Kaipa’s chapter offers as cornerstones four intentions for a sustainable future:

• Generational Sustainability – within and between generations
• Individual Opportunity – to achieve a fulfilling life
• Common Good – to advance evolution
• Transformation – of individuals, organizations and systems

As four corners of a tetrahedron/pyramid, in practice any three support the remaining one. If one is missing, then sustainable support is withdrawn from the others. Keeping in mind these four intentions, what might a framework for the future look like, and how would it be different from existing conditions and myths about those conditions?

Any framework for the future must support the evolutionary trajectory of humanity. It will be flexible and adaptive to stay abreast of the enormous changes occurring in our world. Such a framework will embrace fundamental human values, current knowledge and evolving future needs. It will also create new myths for individuals to live by as they strengthen the role of emerging civil society.

All over the world, emerging trends support a new vision. While these trends are nascent, their foundation is solid. They include understanding why transformation is necessary, a vision of a future we want to create, meta-principles for creating it, and common core values. All of these require discussion at the community level for definition and application. Identifying the need and supporting the processes to do so is an essential step.

While the work of the authors is mostly based on their practical experiences, it is also solidly grounded in a well-accepted, scientific foundation of great theoretical importance. The context for a new framework is understanding relationships and the future through the new concept of Integral Science. Chaos/complexity theory provides a new theoretical framework in which to view the human world as a web of interrelationships, like the ecological systems of the rest of the natural world. We are moving from a view of the world and our place in it as independent to one which acknowledges interdependence. There is a direct parallel to the time when Copernicus forever altered our understanding of our place in the solar system and beyond. As we acknowledge our interdependence, we will weave a new way of relating to each other and to our environment.

Our old model proposed that "enlightened self interest" would produce some benefit for others (a more cynical model also holds no benefit need come to those who are unable to successfully compete for their own benefits). This model valued the natural world only for the resources which could be extracted and often externalized the costs of doing so. It valued human relationships and contributions from only an economic perspective and included the now discredited "trickle-down" theory of economics, where the wealth earned by those at the top was to benefit everyone. The model was effective to allow the most aggressive and motivated people to concentrate wealth far beyond any conceivable personal need or equitable distribution. It is also doing little to benefit most of humanity and the communities in which they live. Can we change that model?

It is essential to acknowledge we can create a future that will provide for individual opportunity and incentives to achieve a common good appropriate to the 21st Century. It is not one or the other. As with a good economy and a healthy environment, it is a false choice to believe we must accept only one. There is no reason to sacrifice our environment for economic gain, or our economy to protect our environment. We can have both, although it will require us to rethink goals, processes and values. The same is true of the relationship between individual opportunity and the common good. We can reengineer our systems to achieve new goals, just as corporations reengineered their systems to be more efficient and effective at what they do. We have the creative power and ingenuity to devise new systems to meet these goals.

If tax subsidies can benefit private corporations, they can also be used more effectively to benefit our communities and citizens for goals consistent with the common good. We can also "pay as we go" for the full costs of all activities, instead of passing those costs to the rest of society or future generations. While the political will to make substantial changes will need to be consolidated, there are ample human and natural resources available to carry out these changes if we summon the commitment and courage.

Many critiques of existing systems have argued persuasively that they need to be improved. Now alternatives which incorporate individual incentives and the common good are emerging. As an example, David Korten describes job opportunities such as public interest advocacy and retrofitting homes for energy conservation which add value to a community and the quality of life of its residents. Other examples of good ideas are abundant, many of which are contained in the chapters of Pathways.

Many new visions have been offered for human relationships and a more just and rewarding future. Peter Alexander’s chapter offers a vision which is worth restating: "We envision a future in which every individual has the opportunity to live a full and satisfying life, in balance with nature, in peace with themselves and their neighbors, and with the security and freedom of a just, inclusive, and sustainable society."

This vision, and other similar to it, require congruent behavior at all levels, from the individual to the international. A practical illustration would be for US industry to stop selling arms for economic profit while promoting wars within and among developing countries. The US is the largest supplier of arms worldwide by several times. It supplied arms for Saddam Hussein’s military buildup in Iraq and helped to precipitate the 1991 Gulf War, which killed approximately 150,000 civilians. How can there be peace when companies in the most influential country are significant suppliers of war?

A new vision will also embrace values, ethics, principles and relationships applied in culturally acceptable ways with the richness of diversity we possess. A basic premise is that common values are inherent in human beings as a part of each individual’s spirituality. Core values can be discussed and become central organizing principles for decisions, as opposed to being unstated and unclear, as they often are now. An example is the arms industry. Do we value the economic profit from exports more than peace? This is a question that needs to be answered openly and by a large segment of our country, as values meaningful to people must be developed by them through their own processes, instead of defined by others.

Peter Alexander wrote of environmental as well as humanitarian, political and economic principles that provide "content" for future decisions. There are also "meta-principles" which provide a "context" in which to conduct "processes" to evolve that content. Potential meta-principles such as the following will provide congruence at all levels of society, from policy making to implementation:

• Transformation requires a new synthesis of individuality, community and environment based on interdependence - one which transcends all existing definitions
• The difference between reforming and transforming is the difference between doing something more efficiently and rethinking its underlying assumptions in all relationships and larger systems
• Transformational changes occur when parallel processes are utilized (one process addresses immediate issues using the techniques of strategic planning, and at the same time another process builds capacities for transformation for issues at a higher level of complexity
• Iterative problem solving helps build capacities for transformation: try something, learn from it, and continue to evolve
• Accelerate the process of transformation of our societal structures by also evolving the capacity for transformation within ourselves

These are illustrative of principles to guide the processes by which decisions are made, support transformation and promote evolution.

A rapidly emerging global network of people, communities and organizations is beginning to define and build a future on the foundations described in Pathways. There are many hopeful signs as this network expands and linkages are created.

In many ways, it is not difficult to understand what to do. There are many good ideas, as for example national taxes being introduced in Europe which will reduce taxes on wages and payrolls and instead tax pollution. Such an approach provides the incentive to earn and also to stop polluting. There are also many bad ideas promoted by self serving interests, with sufficient budgets to advertise and influence opinion. One of our tasks is to build the capacity to distinguish the difference and make appropriate choices which provide for both individual opportunity and the common good.

We need to develop new strategies through community research and development to achieve these goals, and then support ones that work. While there is currently a lack of agreement on broad goals which value people, that will change as our society accepts the fact of our interdependence and our need to act congruently with it at all levels.

Transformation is not an easy process. Change itself is difficult, and virtually all of us have direct experience with how personal behavioral changes can be immense challenges. Transformation requires at least six elements:

1. Awareness of the present situation
2. Recognition of the need for transformation
3. Desire to change (perhaps a crisis?)
4. Building the capacities for transformation
5. Utilizing new skills, tools and techniques
6. Following through with integrity and discipline

These elements apply at both the individual and community levels. At the individual level, awareness begins with effective learning, formal or informal, to understand what is actually happening in our world. As we understand the influences at work, including that we are all interrelated, we have an opportunity for real partnership, which is a close relationship and commitment to common goals.

Partnership can be promoted by either partner declaring an intent and taking a step to strengthen the relationship. If each of us does this with one or more people in our lives, we will build bonds among people and strengthen the networks in our web world, leading to more power at the individual and community level as we link ourselves together. Each individual can also choose to contribute to the common good, while pursuing individual opportunity. These contributions enhance our bonds with each other and lead to stronger communities as our egos play less of a role in our actions.

At the community level, residents are the experts. They, better than anyone else, will know how to apply the following new concepts and tools:

• Establish and maintain a focus on the future and a context for it in all decisions
• Make decisions based on fundamental human values
• Support the emergence of leaders for the 21^st Century who can work with the complex processes
• Understand the systems which control future options future. e.g. monetary systems, media, and decision-making processes
• Establish teams to study issues and report to the community
• Learn from all decisions
• Use the Web to archive all important information and ensure it is widely accessible
• Establish strategic alliances with community colleges or other educational institutions to develop capacities for transformation

Our rapidly changing world is becoming increasingly complex and beyond the ability of any one person or organization to understand. Traditional organizational structures are inadequate to deal with our needs when such complex changes are underway.

Systemic thinking will help us to focus on emerging opportunities, problem prevention, and the interconnection of all aspects of any issue. It is not surprising that our top priority must be unending education and learning--try something, learn from that experience, and continue to improve and revise.

We believe that in our working together to achieve a common good for the 21^st Century, we can transform our society to a higher level of functioning with deeper relationships. This will necessarily include: acknowledging the interdependence of all natural systems, including human beings; acknowledging and living values, principles, ethics, and relationships common to all our diversity; providing for individuals to have the opportunity to achieve the common good. We will need to revise our ways of thinking and revising the man-made systems by which we live.

Such transformation requires that we think and act interdependently as individuals and as communities, and as we consider our environment. We must collaborate within systemic and institutional structures. We can accelerate the process of transformation as we further develop ourselves personally and our societal structures.

We must require that all our leaders live with integrity, embodying their values and speaking their conscience. Only this can result in just and sustainable practices and capacities for the future. Non-violence and generative dialogue will be necessary to build consensus, as will be equality of opportunity.

It is important to understand that transformation can not occur from the top down, as existing structures support their continued growth in power and the concentration of wealth. The emergence of innovative community processes are needed as a foundation on which to build the future.

A growing number of people are working to effect meaningful change leading to transformation, in themselves, their relationships, and their communities. Most of us would agree that for change to be evolutionary it is essential to build on what matters most to a broad base of people - values. Values form the conscious and unconscious bases for our decisions. Values are that foundation upon which we consider individual and collective issues. While values are important slogans in political campaigns, they rarely drive political decisions. That can change. Human systems can be based on positive values of integrity, fairness, and collaboration as readily as they can be based on the negative values of fear, greed, and power.

Community-level "Conversations" can build on generative community consensus processes, as part of a long-term effort to transform our systems to be more rewarding, equitable, and sustainable. The Conversations will use processes to identify what people value most and what they will work to achieve. Communities of place will participate in simultaneous processes, in the U.S. and other countries. The Conversations will create stronger bonds within communities and help link communities together to share progress and learn from each other. Simultaneously, communities of interest will address specific issues, such as the goals of our economic systems, measures of human well being, educational needs and methods, environmental goals, and much more. By identifying what people value, we have the opportunity to encourage public officials to apply these values and create new relationships, among ourselves and with our government. People, not just governments, will be the wheels of action in democratic collaboration.

The Conversations will identify what people are willing to do to align with an evolving set of sustainable values in a constantly changing, interconnected, and increasingly complex world.

The design and conduct of all processes will be open, honest, transparent, inclusive, and non-partisan. While we each have developed personal expertise and biases based on our experiences, we can seek to approach the Conversations as generalists who strive to identify the common good and achieve a whole which is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Conversations can support citizens in connecting with their purpose and provide opportunities to develop their capacities to participate in society. The Conversations support the development of communities to promote communication, cooperation, and collaboration for the common good by appreciating diversity. Nurturing those who are not able to support themselves will allow every human to live in integrity and enjoy respect and dignity. Our children are the future of our civilization and deserve protection and support and the opportunity to develop themselves and to create meaningful lives for themselves. The Conversations will support individual rights, which can be realized only when paired with responsibility for the common good.

The development of this endeavor will take time. Organizers are convening; advisors are engaging; the process is being further defined and refined; and communities will be identified.

The results will be published world wide on the Web. Using the Internet will bypass slow, expensive, conventional media, while providing a permanent archive of the process and results, accessible to all.

It took several millennia for civilization to come to this moment, and there are no "magic bullets" for immediate change. Transformation will take time, as we exercise the power to evolve to a higher level. New visions and actions are emerging worldwide that view the 21^st Century as an opportunity to restructure human systems and relationships in a sustainable manner. There is still time before we destroy too high a percentage of biodiversity or some other major element of our life support systems. An opportunity exists for people in communities all over the US, and all over the world, to define a new direction in the next decade, and create a future aligned with the ethics, values and principles they hold. This opportunity requires action soon. We must have the courage to try now.

ABOUT JOSEPH KRUTH

Joseph Kruth is a Founder and Chair of the Tahoe Center for a Sustainable Future (http://ceres.ca.gov/tcsf) and President of Arete, Inc. His professional career over 30 years includes business, development, investments, finance, and law, with a decade of international business projects in Russia, Hong Kong and South America. More information about him and other publications can be found at http://ceres.ca.gov/tcsf/kruth/. He can be reached at jkruth@Compuserve.com.

ABOUT RICK SMYRE