The New Economy
Why Now?
The current political and economic climate is perfect for growing a new economy and society. In fact, it is absolutely necessary. Signs that the current economy is very fragile and at risk for failure throughout the world are numerous. The inequality, visible and invisible, in our society is rooted in this top down economy. However, don’t get disheartened or discouraged. Chaos always presents important opportunities for innovation and change. And it’s chaos we’re in, in every sector. The I-Ching famously says that crisis and opportunity are two sides of the same coin. It’s our imperative to prevent a crisis from becoming a disaster. The resulting changes are up to us as partners, individually and the collectively. Think of this chaos like making soup with leftovers and then adding a few fresh new ingredients. You add all of it together, with some spice without possibly knowing the results. Will the soup/economy be nurturing, healthy with enough for all to enjoy and thrive? Or will it be skimpy, unpleasant, not very rewarding? We must put in our best effort by; expanding our awareness, asking bigger questions, recognizing what is working, operating by considering the whole and above all agape—loving your cohorts.
Let’s change the trajectory from the bottom up, it’s time and it’s the way
Resource and Hub
The purpose of this website is to be a go-to resource, an academy and a hub for growing and nurturing a thriving new economy and just society. And, as a hub for connecting co-operators and their groups through convening many topical conversations to see and hear each other. We’re in a Grand Transition from an out-of-balance, top-down, casino economy to a Main Street style economy serving all living beings. Our learning comes from expertise and practices that came before us, and our current experiences and insights. Working together and living together is stronger by being unified in purpose, intention, attention to our practices and relationships.
The New Economy-What is it?
- It’s already here rapidly growing inside the old economy and it’s bigger than you may guess;
- People engaged in working and living together democratically and intentionally
- Usually identifies as worker-owned enterprises, intentional communities, small businesses, ESOPs (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), Not-for-Profits, Worker to Owners conversions from single owner to employee ownership, start-ups…it’s us partnering
- We are political activist groups, unions, media with shared values working together democratically
- It’s fueled primarily by its mission and purpose based on shared and sharing values;
- It’s resilient, sustainable, wholistic, life affirming, inspired by nature— creating virtuous cycles;
- Follows Precautionary Principles in design, rather than just do it/make it because you can;
- It’s based on quality and equality, truth, trust, transparency, integrity, caring;
- Has seven common sense strategies for cooperative enterprises; 7 “C’s”
- Is based on expanding consciousness or as some say staying woke;
- by asking bigger, better questions to refine and improve self and systems,
- recognizing the value of passion, compassion, true power, talent, competence
- through caring and generosity
- acknowledging opportunity, possibility, brilliance and innovation,
- with full participation and true leadership,
- achieving satisfaction and joy through mutual support
- living into your true personal super power
Obstacles-What we’re up against
The New Economy currently is countering a 40 year vicious downward economic cycle that’s characterized by shrinking through austerity, punishing solutions, a mindset of not enough-ness, denying participation, stifling creativity, individuality and talent (except for a privileged few). Power is in the hands of the profit-above-all-else crowd, huge mergers and acquisitions of up and coming enterprises.
The Capitalist system of today has become two economies; the Casino, Wall Street sector, not providing a jobs for Main Street sector, local, and coops. They are related but operate very differently. The spoken consensus is that society needs more jobs. But, we don’t just need more jobs, many that don’t pay a living wage. The majority of the new jobs being created are part-time, limited or no benefits time limited contracts and below skill levels. People thrive in more enriching, enlivening and creative work environments. Create livelihoods where you can be all you can, creative and passionate. It’s time for a virtuous cycle benefiting all.
Our challenge is to create compelling new enterprises, or restructure existing ones founded on working and living together cooperatively.
The primary meaning and benefit of work has been lost.
In neo-capitalism labor (read people) has become a cost hurting the financial bottom line. It’s fueled by painful austerity and greed, Work can be an inspiring life fulfilling livelihood that feeds you and benefits humanity. Simply put, if I love to bake bread or play with computers, or hang out with kids and you have milk cows and love math and someone else has a passion for making wonderful shoes we can exchange goods and services in a marketplace. We do not have to spend our time and energy making and doing everything we want and need. Work is for our collective support as a human community. That is the product of cooperation, coordination, collaboration, and consideration. So, let’s have that conversation.
The New Economy Academy is an ever-evolving hub for perfecting ways of working and living together
- Knowledge Tracks: Online course, live topical workshops, webinars, essays, Consulting via email, live stream
- Community Conversations, Open forums, or Wisdom Hubs for peer-to-peer conversations,
- Blogs & Newsletters insights into today’s culture and progress in the new economy
- Resources for the many facets involved in growing and refining your efforts, organization development, Human Resources, systems design, legal support
- Guest speakers and contributors
People are complicated
Even when resonating with mutual goals, it’s not always easy. Understanding our process, how we get there from here, can elude us making progress random, more difficult. There was a time when working as a team became a popular strategy in organizations. Unfortunately, good intentions often didn’t work out smoothly. There was a lack of team oriented tools and how to engage from a cooperative mindset. Individually, we come from different experiences, have developed our own opinions. We all want to be heard, but listening is conscious art and practice, as is communicating. Here, at the New Economy Academy, you will find methods, processes, tools and practices as well as theory for how to optimize relationships, think together and work together joyfully, productively and successfully.
How do we relate to each other productively?
Bring out the Best not the Worst
While understanding our uniqueness, the challenge is to bring out the best in ourselves and each other. How do we remove obstacles to getting things done and moving forward?
Cooperation requires skill sets and tools qualitatively different from a top-down environment.
We are conditioned by hundreds, even thousands of years from kings to CEO’s. Many mindsets have been embedded in us. The New Economy Academy provides an arena for individuals, leaders and groups to refine cooperative skills. We invite thought leaders and you to bring your knowledge, experience and thought-provoking ideas and support to your endeavor.
We are in a Grand Transition – Can we reach the tipping point?
This is a very critical time. Right now we are in a grand transition, a “great turning,” as coined by David Korten and Joanna Macy. Can we transition from a mechanistic culture which has been in many ways, destructive, extractive, exclusive and for and only rewarding for a lucky few? Clearly, the culture here and around the world is out of balance. We need to tip the scale to become more of a life affirming, inclusive, creative culture to ensure the survival of humanity. This is a deep inquiry, study and practice for us as individuals and as a collective. Oh Yes: Have fun. Humanity depends on it.
Everything we take for granted is up for re-evaluation.
The grand transition can be compared to adolescence. When we grow from childhood to adulthood we question the values and ways of life that we learned previously and begin to develop our own unique identity. We keep some elements from the past and reject what no longer works for us. All of humanity is at such a point.
As teens, we weren’t necessarily making conscious choices. But now we can. It takes expanding our self-awareness, our intellectual, social and emotional intelligence. And, cultivating wisdom takes making a personal commitment to growth and purpose on every level. The rewards are exponential. We can tip the balance toward a happy, smart, caring, life-enhancing culture.
The Big Picture
Democracy is a virtual container. It’s infrastructure is designed for facilitating the vision and purpose designated by it’s founders and it’s participants. Change evolves as needed. Democracy is governed within systems created by agreements of all who participate. The fragility of True Democracy whose outcomes are derived from the intention of it’s participants. If malevolent forces monopolize power and/or rewards, they can undermine and destroy a democracy based on trust and cooperation, creating separation among participants. If benevolent forces maintain integrity, values, purpose and full participation, changes can strengthen and unify participants.
There are many misnomers about democratically run enterprises. It ranges from not enough democracy, where dominant bubbles develop too much power and breeds mistrust and cynicism or groups that are too little trust in the democratic process where every decision has to be made by everyone all the time. That often paralyzes the enterprise and breeds distrust. The solutions are in well developed processes for communication, decision-making and cooperation. The New Economy Academy will continuously present ideas and tools for facilitating a True Democracy.
The New Economy Academy serves self-directed individuals and enterprises such as, co-ops, non-profits, co-cousing groups, Home Owners Associations (HOA), life-affirming entrepreneurs who are ethical and sustainable. We strengthen the building blocks of thriving, inclusive, prosperous economy. We promote values grounded in self-organizing, democratic ways, that include cooperation, kindness, efficiency, compassionate conversation, coordination, clarity and presence; all contributing to a just, sustainable economy and society.
Culture Watch Blog:
For those who want to see these principles reflected in the greater culture around us, I include a section for the commentary on the culture we live in. How to view the current chaos? Commentary on what’s working well or not?
There will be membership opportunities that include participation in the blog.
The New Economy Academy is a project of Us Partners.
