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.@bethsawin thinking on the false dichotomy between individual vs collective action is some of the best I've come across. @fmlappe's recent must-read (really! go read it now!) interview in @NYTmag added to my understanding of this subject and more!
THREADhttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/16/magazine/frances-moore-lappe.html …
Now, since our culture emphasizes individual (often consumer) solutions, I like to emphasize collective action on climate. @bethsawin helped me understand why individual action is also important, as did @fmlappe's interview. (Both 100% see collective action as essential.)
2/
First, @bethsawin on the question: Individual or collective action?
"in two separate threads I explored why, for me, this is not the right question to ask." ~ @bethsawin
3/https://www.resilience.org/stories/2019-03-04/individual-carbon-footprints-or-collective-systemic-change-both/ …
Individual or collective action? Part 1 from @bethsawin.
4/https://twitter.com/bethsawin/status/1098997602157244417 …
Individual or collective action? Part 2 from @bethsawin.
I *love* her discussion of fractals and simple rules.
"I believe that systems shift most effectively when change is happening at multiple levels with some sort of loose congruence."
5/https://twitter.com/bethsawin/status/1100084168120242177 …
Here's another gem that I *love.* 6/https://twitter.com/bethsawin/status/1135633563553009664 …
Now, on to @fmlappe's thoughtful take on this subject.
She starts off by saying, "the dominant story in our culture is one that creates a feeling of powerlessness." And dives into how individual action is a smack in the face to this powerlessness.
7/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/16/magazine/frances-moore-lappe.html …
"The more we align our individual choices with the world we want — it doesn’t change the world, but it changes us. We become more convincing to ourselves. We feel less a victim." ~@fmlappe
Such an important point that is worth underscoring: "it changes *us*."
8/
"The solar panels on my house, the clothes out on the line instead of in the dryer, eating low on the food chain, taking the bus to work — it makes me feel less powerless and more energized." ~@fmlappe
9/
"Individually, of course we can’t make large-scale changes. But our individual choices are helpful to the extent that we can show possibilities and feel more committed. But, really, the core question here is democracy." ~@fmlappe
YES! A functioning democracy is everything.
10/
.@fmlappe on democracy:
"Democracy stands for a set of three conditions that are necessary to bring forth the best in our nature and keep the worst in check."
11/
According to @fmlappe, these 3 conditions for democracy are:
1) "the continuous and wide dispersion of economic and political power"
2) "transparency"
3) "cultivating a culture of mutual accountability"
12/
"The reason this system is creating such incredible misery is that our essential needs for power, meaning and connection are not fulfilled by it. The challenge is trying to embody those needs in our lives and work for them in terms of changing the system’s rules and norms." 13/
"[Democracy] relates to the idea of finding your inner citizen and participating in changing system laws, not just policy laws." ~@fmlappe
This also reminded me of @bethsawin who writes a lot about systems thinking.
14/
.@fmlappe: "we can set rules that make a market work for all of us."
@david_marchese: "How?"
@fmlappe: "By making different rules that have different consequences."
Yes, yes! We are at a time, when I hope we can start to make different rules. #ClimateAction
/15
Lots more to absorb from @fmlappe's interview. But I'll save that for another thread.
Thank you to @startmyquest for alerting me to her interview in the first place!
/end
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