our message

 

1. We have to change. Edward Wilson (pictured), Peter Raven, the World Resources Institute, WWF, Zoological Society of London and all the world's top ecologists are telling us that we're in a mass extinction event. These people really do know their subject, which means that unless we change direction, we're headed for an ecological crash - infinitely more unpleasant than an economic crash.
2. If you learnt anything from David Attenborough, surely it's about the interconnectedness of nature, of which we are part and on which we depend. If we continue to damage nature this badly, we will damage ourselves - possibly fatally. This is too important to ignore, and too risky to do nothing.
3. So we have to change, and that means having a plan. Not a planned economy - i.e. not revolution / communism - because Bakunin was right, people who gain power by force keep it by force. But we do have to have a plan, to decide the direction we move in. We can't just leave it to 'market forces', or laissez-faire capitalism.
4. Why can't we leave it to laissez-faire capitalism? Because it stimulates perpetual growth, due to fractional reserve banking, compound interest, and the fact that those in power want it. But we can't have perpetual growth, because that will only accelerate the mass extinction event, which if unchecked will include humans.
5. So we have to stabilise, and live within nature's limits. There are some good ideas knocking around that may help - like the simultaneous policy; steady-state economics (Herman Daly - pictured); land reform (in the UK, see Lammas and the Land); and distributive policies. Let's discuss these ideas, and dream up some new ones.
6. But we can't implement them by voting, in our 'democracies', because governments aren't where real power is. Governments don't represent people any more, they represent corporate and financial interests. Real power is corporate and financial, and you don't get a vote. This isn't the fault of evil people - just an imperfect system.
7. So we need a new system. And because governments don't have the power, it's up to us to do it ourselves. We can start with a) individual change - change our homes; change how we use the land; change our lifestyles; change our diets; change the way we relate to nature; and b) networking.
8. But it's not enough. Governments are pushing for growth, forming blocs with nuclear weapons, and competing for dwindling resources. The Occupy and Tea Party movements are rallying their sides (and their generations), but have similar views on corporate power. It's not about left v right any more, unless we want power to stay corporate. We have to unite, because neither side can 'win'.
9. We're not talking about a plan for how society should be organised - i.e. we're not talking -isms. People with strong ideologies who get power often end up killing people who oppose them. We're talking about a plan for choosing the most intelligent, compassionate, incorruptible people amongst us to make the big decisions that will have to be made.

10. Let's base the plan on rationality - a universal language. So let's: a) keep Jewish conspiracy ideas out of the plan (if there is one, we've never met a Jewish person who knows about it), or any conspiracy (again, it's the system); b) respect all faiths, but keep faith out of the plan, or we'll be divided; and c) ensure the plan is implementable, not just utopian.
11. 8 Handshakes is an implementable plan for choosing the best people to steer our ship, not bankers or generals. Plato was right 2500 years ago, and is still right. Read the idea and tell us if you can see anything wrong with it, or if you have an alternative. If your alternative is better than 8 Handshakes, let's build a network to try and implement your plan instead.

So how do we do it? This is where you come in:

  • if you have ideas on implementation, e.g. how to build an interactive website for people to kick-start 8 Handshakes wherever they live, let us know
  • if you want to help spread the message, please link to this page from your website, blog or social media of choice, or let us know if you have other ideas
  • if you live in the UK, you can volunteer with us
  • if you want to comment on 8 handshakes, or want to help start it, or have a better idea, go here
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