The good news is that I'm not just busy working or spending time alone, I'm actually socializing...with people! I know, I know, it's shocking :P
On Friday, I had lunch with a friend who recommended a TED Talk because it motivated him and inspired his work in the environment sector. I just watched it and sent him a response but realized that I do have other people to chat with about this video: YOU!!! So I've included the TED Talk and my thoughts on Mr. Gilding's talk. So what do you think? Can positive change occur in response to a crisis? If so, can that change be sustained? Does positive change stem from fear or love? Can we save the planet by transforming the economy? Or better yet, can the economy be transformed by saving the planet? Is Love the Answer? :)
So I just watched Paul Gilding's TED Talk and I would love to have a conversation with someone about it but I'm here alone so I'm going to share my thoughts with you. It will likely be a long rant so don't feel you have to respond to my thoughts on the issue but I would love to know why this video motivated and inspired you.
I have been contemplating the link between the economy and the environment since writing a paper on the subject in 1991 and the debate rages on: how can we protect the planet without destroying the economy/how can we protect the economy without destroying the planet? It's only while watching the video that I was able to identify the missing link. It occurred to me that our need for stuff, aka materialism, feeds the economy while starving the natural environment. This might seem like a stretch but here's my belief: I believe if Earth was filled with Love instead of Stuff, we wouldn't be in this crisis situation.
I know, right?!? :)
We tend to over-analyze and complexify (yes, my new word of the day!) issues and we also tend to use fear as a motivator for change but I don't think fear has ever really led to long lasting positive change (proof: current state of humanity and the planet!). Living in a fear-based society where we confuse our feelings of "not being enough" with "not having enough" has resulted in an Earth filled with stuff because materialism has become many people's religion. We are buying stuff to fill a void - a void that could be filled with Love!
The continuous acquisition of stuff is hurting our beautiful, life-giving planet because finite natural resources are being squandered and the natural environment (including the air we breathe!) is being polluted in order to manufacture more and more stuff (including bigger cars and bigger houses to hold more stuff!). Once we figure out that more stuff does not equal love/happiness, we may begin to witness the shift. Sadly it may take an economic crisis to save the planet.
Once financial resources are limited, we will no longer be able to spend money on our quest to fill the void or to find happiness, thus, halting the manufacturing of stuff and the destruction of the planet, and we may finally be able to slow down long enough to take inventory of what we already have within us - the really important "stuff" that we couldn't see because we were too busy searching outside of ourselves! We will then discover that we are already filled with love and happiness.
An economic crash (or a transforming economy!) will likely create much suffering for many but just as the lotus grows from the mud, from the darkness of a crashing/transforming economy will blossom a beautiful understanding that WE ARE LOVE!!! In order to transform the economy, we need to transform our thinking and evolve our consciousness so we can save the planet. Once we realize that we are Love, we no longer have a void to fill with materialism. We will be free to openly express love, compassion and gratitude for everyone and everything including the planet. Love, compassion and gratitude will be the most important global currency and will fuel our every day actions, thoughts and words. How could we not save the planet under those conditions???
In order to achieve this dream, I believe we need to simply stop, be still, listen and just be. We shouldn't need a global economic crisis to save the planet! We just need to know or simply believe that we have the power to save our beautiful planet. When we stop and listen long enough, we start to remember who we are and we remember that we are all connected, all humans, all animals, all living things. Everything is connected!!! When we are conscious of that connection, how could we not care for each other and the planet, and make better choices for the good of all??? And so, it starts with me! I have the power. Since we are all connected, as I change, we all change. And it starts with you! You have the power. As you change, we all change. We all have the power! As we all change, we will see the planet change. We will also see that Scarcity is an illusion and that we already live in Abundance. So yes, I agree, Earth is Full. It's full of LOVE!!! We all just need to slow down long enough to see it, feel it, remember it, know it, share it, BE it :)
Yup, I was right...brain vomit galore! :)
Be thankful that I didn't get into my rant on how communism could be the answer to transforming the economy, healing humanity and saving the planet :P
Tracey
