In last night's Richard Dimbleby Lecture, HRH Prince Charles called for a shift to an approach "that recognizes not just the build up of financial capital, but the equal importance of, crucially, what I might best call “community capital.”
Defining Community Capital as "the wealth that holds our communities together", the Prince of Wales suggested that the diversity of cultures and ideas may provide the solution to the environmental crisis facing the planet.
"I have a hunch that this cultural diversity may provide us with the intellectual and social resilience to the challenges that we face in this moment of transition."
Calling for a return to a local relationship between communities and their suppliers, and bemoaning the economies of scale that have severed that relationship, Prince Charles suggested that engaging communities would help to create a new form of economics, one that was more in tune with nature's needs.
Does the solution to problems in our societies lie in going back to the "grass roots"? Perhaps control lies too much in the hands of a few powerful people and organisations, and the drive and innovation to find the right solutions is best found by creating networks of people in local communities, particularly those most immediately affected.
In Prince Charles' opinion, "we do still have within our societies and within our existing technologies the solutions that will enable us to transcend our current predicament. All we lack, perhaps, is the will to establish a more entire and connected perspective."
Perhaps it is the case that leaving the discovery and implementation of solutions in the hands of the few creates a narrower perspective, and it is the 'wisdom of crowds', the collective ideas of communities that will make the difference.
What do you think?
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Prince of Wales calls for a shift to 'Community Capital'
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I watched th electure last night & was very impressed with what he said. Let us also remmber that he has been aaying thse thingfor over 20 years. He was saying it when it wansn't politcially correct, when Global Warning was scoffed at. The trouble with our ploitical system is that politicians only worry about he next election and never plan long term. They seem to forget that we are tennants of this planet, but that we have a duty to leave a fit world for future generations.
ReplyDeleteThree months ago I watched a DVD containing 3 lectures by the late Ian Lungold in circa 2002. Ian Lungold was an eloquent and compassionate speaker and was an expert on Mayan civilisation, the Mayan Calendar, & it's meanings regards 2012. Even back then he said that by about 20009 our money was going to be worthless, & that we should invest in Gold & other precious metals. This was predicted by the Mayan calendar. He also stated that the truth would come out about things like September 11 & other lies we have been fed by governments, religion,& media.
It seems to me that we, the people have been fed lies, kept under control & manipulated for centuries. The truth about Jesus (did he even die on the cross, or did he go to India and die there?), the origin of mankind (possible alien intervention)September 11, and oh so much more. Now with the advent of the Internet & instant information & communication, a revolution is upon us. Now we al have access to sites like the September 11 conspiracy sites, UFO sites, paranormal, & we can connect to millions of people all over the world. This means that governments & religions can no longer pull the wool over our eyes.
The new findings in quantum physics & new ones to come with the new particle accelerator are pointing to multi dimensions and the possibility of mind that exists separately from the brain, and even life after death.
A new age is coming, I feel it, I can sense & smell it.
I really do recommend watching Ian Lungold's DVD's. More information is at http://www.mayanmajix.com/ian.html
For the first time ever, we have the opportunity to create the future we want for ourselves. Let's grasp the power and kick out these old institutions. Let's have leaders that are truly open, honest, & represent the interests of every human, not just their country and their own power base.
This goes for religion too. Let us have spiritual leaders that reflect that the divine is in all of us, & not impose religion on us as a means of control & power. We have to become more connected, as we have become too distant from one another, and communities have been ripped appart.