This article is a brief thread on the School for Applied Cultural Evolution… and how it maps onto the “regenerative hubs” we are creating in Costa Rica.
(1) An essential fact is that the Earth is now in overshoot-and-collapse, having crossed at least 4 of the 9 planetary boundaries defined by the Stockholm Resilience Center for a “safe operating space for humanity” — this means our survival DEPENDS ON regeneration of the biosphere.
(2) Thus it is essential that as many local/regional “hubs” as possible be set up for regeneration of ecosystem functions that address the most critical planetary boundaries… namely geochemical cycles of nitrogen/phosphorous, land-use practices, and climate change.
(3) All of this requires systemic changes in human societies, or in a phrase “applied cultural evolution” that is as systematic and rigorous as possible because we only have one chance to get things right.
(4) Our timeframe is roughly:
2018–2030 :: Create global network of bioregions w/ economies built on regenerative principles
2030–2050 :: Out-compete wealth hoarding systems so regeneration becomes dominant global model
2050–2070 :: Bring ALL planetary boundaries in safe range
(5) At the heart of this is education because all cultural change involves social learning and cultural transmission of ideas/skills/practices. Thus this is ALL in one form or another “applied” cultural evolution.
(6) So we are focusing on creating a School for Applied Cultural Evolution that weaves across existing networks of ecovillages, holistic learning centers, universities, cities, and towns.
(7) Why cultural evolution? Because it (alongside complexity science, which is intimately related) provides a foundational pillar for knowledge synthesis and translation into practice of all biological, social, and ecological sciences — as well as the arts and humanities.
(8) Why bioregions? Because they are defined as the functionally integrated areas where human social systems merge with ecosystems — and they are the “scale linkages” between local and global systemic patterns.
(9) Why now? Because this is our only “moon shot” chance before we cascade beyond too many tipping points (reality check: it might already be too late). Permafrost is melting and other indicators suggest we are entering a phase of runaway global warming.
(10) Who will fund this? Probably not any usual players, because they are beneficiaries of the sociopathic and cancerous wealth-hoarding systems. Thus we will need to employ regenerative economics to scale up the systems locally to regionally, networked across regions to global.
(11) Are we seriously doing this? Yes, even if no funding becomes available. It is our sacred role as sentient beings to clean up our mess and be part of the dynamic Earth as healers and wisdom holders.
Let’s do this.
