World Syntegrity Project
Collated Statements of Importance
Topic: Communities
SELF-STEERING AND SELF-ORGANIZATION - yellow - AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
- It is desired to steer only on a global level.
- To give people freedom at the local level increases their creativity and loyalty.
- Hierarchical steering (steering on a global level) and self-steering (steering at a local level) complement each other.
- I am part of the whole that I am.
Example:
- Developmental makes sense only when the autonomy of those involved is increased. There should be conversation between those who receive and those who give.
- Neutrality ( in terms of financial and other interests) of the intervener is a necessary condition for effective intervention (steering).
LIFE - Gold - BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
Each age and sex must have a social scope to interact in harmony according to the individual's stage of life. The social structure must be designed so that children, parents and aged family members can all be integrated into that dynamic process, without spatial or temporary segregations, so that each individual can always project itself creatively.
Social organizations must supplement the "productivity" concept with values generated by the individual in areas other than the production of goods and services.
A dialectic relationship must be established between education, social organizations and the community in order for them to interact effectively.
Methods, practices or social outlines must be revised so that segregations or fixations do not take place in stages as childhood, maternity or old age.
SENSITIVITY AS A BOND - Dark Blue - BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
A human group is ordered harmonically and dynamically when it recovers the sensitivity relationship among its members. Such relationship is acknowledged through the continuous and manifest transformation of its participants and constitutes by itself an integrating element more significant than the result itself. It is the silent encounter itself and not only the result of such encounter - that supports the development and growth of the human group. The integration of man begins with his feelings - not only with knowledge or possessions - and he becomes creative and intelligent to the extent that his attitude becomes loving.
SOCIAL SYSTEMS - Light Blue - BURLINGTON, VERMONT
To function effectively as world citizens, individuals need to have a high level of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual "wellness".
One of the roots of mental illness is the disharmony of our present social system. Our society has become a pressure cooker, and now we're wondering why so many of us are fried.
Systems need to be created and used that promote wellness including effective peer support relationships available to all people.
DECISION, PEOPLE & NATURE - Silver - LIVERPOOL, U.K.
Relationship between human nature and human needs.
The decisions we make are bound to have effects on circumstances beyond our control. Such decisions must respect the common nature of humanity in spite of the variety of individuals, groups and cultures.
POPULATION - Light Blue - MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Excessive population in the overdeveloped and underdeveloped world is destroying the ecosystem. We must stop its growth and plan to reduce.
Environmental impact is a product of population, technological levels and consumption levels. For example, 1 Australian = 1,000 Chinese in terms of present resource usage. WE NEED TO -Educate and provide economic security to reduce motivation to have big families.
- Encourage beliefs (religious/moral/culture) that foster responsible population planning rather than unlimited multiplication.
- Encourage humane methods of reproduction restriction.
- Medical resources should be used more in preventing unwanted births and to improve physical/social and mental health instead of prolonging dying.
- Raise accessibility for women's education on reproduction and encourage both sexes to reproduce responsibly.
- Promote research and education to determine the human carrying capacity of the planet.
COMMUNITIES - PERSONAL, LOCAL, GLOBAL - Purple - MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
The creation of "true" communities (cf. M. Scott Peck) will generate a culture of world citizenship. Through thinking globally and acting locally, individuals will contribute to development of the values and the attitudes, personal fulfillment and expression essential for such "true" communities.
Such communities are harmonious and dynamically evolving with common values, communication, commitment and cohesion.
This requires education, availability of essential information, experience of working models and participation in the creative community building process.
The aims of such communities are:
- to become unique and diverse
- to recognize world allegiance as a priority over national, political or religious allegiances
- to reflect on and review the values and practices maintained to determine how and if these should change
- to improve cooperative structures, housing, education, management, consumer affairs etc.
- to develop nurturing, interdependence and greater self-sufficiency.