Life Beyond the Edge - Toward a New Paradigm

I meantioned in a previous post that I want to explore what new paradigms might lay ahead for us as a global culture as we start to press up against the hard limits of our natural resources.  Since I believe that these limits will present themselves to us during my lifetime, I think it's relevant to discuss not the edge itself - we already know that's hurdling toward us - but what we might do once we reach that edge. 

While I believe that the tranisition toward an enitrely new philosophy of living will take many generations, I believe there are some early steps we can take to making the living conditions of our world improve slowly, over time.  

Our old ways of living need to die so we can build a new paradigm. 

First, I believe, it is paramount that every human being begin - most immediately - to begin to think beyond the boundaries of their own lifetime.  Here in the West, vast sums of money are spent to keep us in circular thinking:  thinking that limits itself to only one individual lifetime.   Meaning, I acquire only what's good for me, what benefits me immediately or nearly so, and what will satisfy me right now.   This has to stop.    The edge that we're peering over right now has been caused predominantly by this type of thinking, and it could prove to be our demise if we're not careful.   Let's start by making this one simple change: let's ask how something will benefit those that come after us.    Whenever we do, think, purchase, or create something, let's first ask ourselves how it will affect those that come behind us.     If we can make this one small change, we will be well ahead of our ancestors. 

Second, let's relearn community.     And I'm not talking about neighborhoods here, though community can certainly include that.   Let's find out again what it means to work together to fill some common need.  It can be the smallest need imaginable.  But let's start finding ways to work together to fill these needs, instead of assuming someone else will do it, or worse yet - buying something to fill the need.    If we start learning to rely on one another, we'll stop judging each other so harshly and we'll find a way to set differences aside in favor of commonalities that have been there all along if only we'd taken the time to see. 

Third, let's start trying to live gently on the Earth.   This will mean something different for everyone.   If you're living in a fuel-deficit nation like the one I live in, it might involve literally trying to drive less.    It might mean eating less. It might mean consuming something a little less that you normally consume a lot.  I recognize it's broad, but the point here is to do something - anything - that takes even the smallest step in this direction.  Bigger steps can be taken later.  Let's just start somewhere.  

Let's start caring less about stuff, and more about people. Let's try valuing relationships and community over self.   This new paradigm - which won't come easy, by the way - will help guide us toward a road that will allow us all to travel - together. 

This is the first step toward life beyond the edge. 

But since this blog deals with death and dying, then let's look toward the death of current paradigm - the paradigm that has us forsaking our neighbors and communities for what we can get for our selves.