Even more, there is an amazing case of 25+ years history which shows that what is really needed is a vision of a much better world, no problem statement is needed, only this image of future and a guidebook with storytelling explaining (poetic) theory and practical steps to get there. It's about working with feelings, not logic.
I'm talking about kin domains (Anastasia) movement that that was originally designed as regenerative culture including kin restoration based on intentional communities with embedded vision for community-neighborhood schooling. It was channeled as a wise feminine narrative retold by a conservative male person, which resonates with the whole spectrum audience. The care and love are also an intrinsic part of this worldview. It moves thousands of people (mostly in Slavic countries) to settle on destroyed old fields, dig ponds, and work on biodiversity.
I've visited a few of such new settlements and only after experiencing their lifestyle started to evaluate what are the narratives are behind it.
I also have friends who made their PhDs in social science researching this movement.
Although this case is still very underrated, while within the new age literature and within ecovillage and back-to-the-land communities it's quite a known and popular topic.
I have a very brief review of this movement as an example that system change is possible when you put the beauty of the the better world and its practices and culture before even talking about the problems, people actually can feel the problems, but as you explain in this post - it's a blockrising, not a way to motivation to change the lifestyle and the worldviev. https://sergeydmitriev.medium.com/30238a23e868
I really appreciate you sharing this with me and putting this on my radar. I do agree, of course that aspiration and vision are vital ingredients. However, I think the context really does matter. In our country at least there’s a deep undercurrent where the constant drip of potential climate / existential catastrophe registers as a trauma response. If we take trauma psychology and apply it, the answer is precisely to create the conditions that allow people to face what is so difficult. By that I don’t mean starting with the problem. But at least acknowledging the brokenness is an essential path to repair. Also, I think that there’s endless variations on which truly works. We know that telling people and educating doesn’t work. However, as I’ve written in some other pieces, we can look at these as ingredients rather than as one size fits all.
Yet, simultaneously, we see global phenomena like Harry Potter and Miyazaki’s films reshape contemporary narratives on a massive scale.
My point is that by integrating discoveries from the adjacent fields you mention, we can empower talented storytellers to craft epic, globally resonant narratives. This is my main takeaway from the niche post-Soviet rural and social regenerative case: if a Harry Potter-style crew channeled their curiosity into planetary regeneration—marrying Greta Thunberg’s urgent voice with a daily commitment to soil care—we would already be living in a Symbiocene world.
"Polycrisis threat" those are the 2 words that jumped out at me - along with several others, of course. Personally I see in the current articles and ideas etc being put forth about where we are globally at every level, that often only one sector/problem area/crisis is being described with suggested ways forward, dealing with how to change, improve or remedy that aspect of our global crisis. But, as you named it, we are experiencing a "polycrisis threat" which needs a completely different approach, consideration, insights and co-operation to make any changes realistic and adequate. etc etc etc.
Thank you much for raising this topic!
Even more, there is an amazing case of 25+ years history which shows that what is really needed is a vision of a much better world, no problem statement is needed, only this image of future and a guidebook with storytelling explaining (poetic) theory and practical steps to get there. It's about working with feelings, not logic.
I'm talking about kin domains (Anastasia) movement that that was originally designed as regenerative culture including kin restoration based on intentional communities with embedded vision for community-neighborhood schooling. It was channeled as a wise feminine narrative retold by a conservative male person, which resonates with the whole spectrum audience. The care and love are also an intrinsic part of this worldview. It moves thousands of people (mostly in Slavic countries) to settle on destroyed old fields, dig ponds, and work on biodiversity.
I've visited a few of such new settlements and only after experiencing their lifestyle started to evaluate what are the narratives are behind it.
I also have friends who made their PhDs in social science researching this movement.
Although this case is still very underrated, while within the new age literature and within ecovillage and back-to-the-land communities it's quite a known and popular topic.
I have a very brief review of this movement as an example that system change is possible when you put the beauty of the the better world and its practices and culture before even talking about the problems, people actually can feel the problems, but as you explain in this post - it's a blockrising, not a way to motivation to change the lifestyle and the worldviev. https://sergeydmitriev.medium.com/30238a23e868
I really appreciate you sharing this with me and putting this on my radar. I do agree, of course that aspiration and vision are vital ingredients. However, I think the context really does matter. In our country at least there’s a deep undercurrent where the constant drip of potential climate / existential catastrophe registers as a trauma response. If we take trauma psychology and apply it, the answer is precisely to create the conditions that allow people to face what is so difficult. By that I don’t mean starting with the problem. But at least acknowledging the brokenness is an essential path to repair. Also, I think that there’s endless variations on which truly works. We know that telling people and educating doesn’t work. However, as I’ve written in some other pieces, we can look at these as ingredients rather than as one size fits all.
I do agree that the context does matter a lot.
Yet, simultaneously, we see global phenomena like Harry Potter and Miyazaki’s films reshape contemporary narratives on a massive scale.
My point is that by integrating discoveries from the adjacent fields you mention, we can empower talented storytellers to craft epic, globally resonant narratives. This is my main takeaway from the niche post-Soviet rural and social regenerative case: if a Harry Potter-style crew channeled their curiosity into planetary regeneration—marrying Greta Thunberg’s urgent voice with a daily commitment to soil care—we would already be living in a Symbiocene world.
A bonus?? We’re eating good this week - thank you 🙏🏾 I’ll be looking up Sarah Peyton and Susie Orbach
excellent! more to come as usual Monday morning.
"Polycrisis threat" those are the 2 words that jumped out at me - along with several others, of course. Personally I see in the current articles and ideas etc being put forth about where we are globally at every level, that often only one sector/problem area/crisis is being described with suggested ways forward, dealing with how to change, improve or remedy that aspect of our global crisis. But, as you named it, we are experiencing a "polycrisis threat" which needs a completely different approach, consideration, insights and co-operation to make any changes realistic and adequate. etc etc etc.
Thank you so much for this article! So insightful!