Monday 20 July 2015

The PostCapitalism era and how Link4Growth is playing its part


For those of us living today we are on the edge of probably the most exciting time in human history whilst at the same time poised on the brink of the most difficult period. This brings with it a whole level of uncertainty and for many a huge worry about what is going to happen. Others are blissfully unaware of how delicate the current situation has become, so delicate in fact that just one thing could trigger a meltdown in the world financial markets on a scale that we have never seen before.

There have been several posts in the Guardian which have prompted this blog. Talk of an age after capitalism is now beginning to be openly discussed as the cracks in the global economy become ever wider and deeper. The inequality brought about by pure greed at the expense of the majority and the wide implementation of damaging austerity measures are exacerbating the move towards change. It only takes a Grexit (Greek exit from the EU) to start an irreversible chain of events that would make the crash of 2007 seem like a walk in the park... and we're that close.

For us to really understand the inevitability of the changes that are upon us we must look at some of the trends which are gathering pace.
  1. Automation. If you have never seen the video 'Humans need not apply' please take time to watch it.. I have included it below. 45% of the jobs humans do today could be replaced by existing technology, and those jobs will never come back. In the drive to bring down costs and to thereby increase profits or gain competitive advantage producers will always look to automate production not create new jobs. Ironically capitalism in the end will be part of its own demise as costs of products will reduce, gradually tending to zero, whilst also removing the need for human involvement in the production process. The hamster wheel of the capitalistic era coming to an end and truly bringing about freedom for the majority.
  2. Sustainability. Climate change and the willingness to live in greater levels of harmony with our planet are no longer an option. Harvesting renewable and sustainable energy will over time enable us all to enjoy free energy, either by producing it ourselves and then pooling it, or by tapping into others producing more than they need. The chairman of E.ON has already said that the era of central produced energy to distribute for profit is coming to an end. Energy prices will gradually tend to zero, the cost of living reducing significantly. Locally produced food is another huge opportunity. Produced where it is needed, using the land in more innovative ways and by encouraging people to grow at least something no matter how small the available space. New co-ops are emerging where people provide their gardens to grow vegetables in return for some of the produce. By talking and sharing our stories, greater levels of innovation and duplication take place.
  3. The Internet. This has created the environment for the free sharing of information, resources, and the ability for people to connect with others across spatial distances to work on solving real Human issues. One such case is an initiative to produce via 3D printing, plastic prosthetic hands for children with only one hand. A global phenomena enabling children around the world to improve their quality of life for $40 dollars not the usual $'000's. A not for profit endeavour, created to help children, globally, just because we can. This is a great example of the collaborative commons, made possible by the Internet. The internet has the potential to change everything, from regime change to breaking apart the banking sector, the internet is the great leveller.
  4. Banking and Money reform. The last vestige of a bygone era the banking sector and the greed within it, is hanging on by its fingernails as the global debt storm ever approaches.Couple this with more flexible and alternative ideas around money such as Bitcoin the pressures are mounting. The poor are getting poorer the rich richer, as if the bankers and financiers know the game is up and they just want to milk the system as hard as they can before the inevitable happens. The marches in Spain, the Greek tragedy and the whole of southern europe is a cauldron just waiting to erupt. This is inevitable, the day of reckoning is coming, what we have to do is prepare ourselves. Countries will still be there, people will still be there, but the way we interact and work with each other will determine how resilient we are and how we weather the storm.

An article in the Guardian with excerpts from Jeremy Rifkin political advisor and author explains much of what I have said above.

So how might a #PostCapitalism society look like?


One of the points in the article by Rifkin is that the future capability to produce at much lower costs would not be mirrored by an increase in demand. Simultaneously with the transition to a new economic and global economy, will be a human transition. That transition is to an abundance, collaborative and supportive thinking rather than the capitalistic and scarcity model that our society is based on today.

In this long article also in the Guardian Paul Mason quotes...
"Millions of people are beginning to realise they have been sold a dream at odds with what reality can deliver. Their response is anger"
"We need more than just a bunch of utopian dreams and small-scale horizontal projects. We need a project based on reason, evidence and testable designs, that cuts with the grain of history and is sustainable by the planet. And we need to get on with it." 

How will this change be brought about?


What are the practical things that can be done to transform a nation. At present the underlying conditioning is one of blame culture and focus on money. This doesn't mean money is bad, just the constant chase and desire for more than we need has been stimulated in us, we are not born greedy. Humans are the only species on the planet that takes more than it needs. There are people eating themselves to death in the west and those dying with no food in poorer countries. To evolve we need to believe in the concept of enough, that there is abundance and enough for us all. Acceptance that if we focus on making a contribution, valuing ourselves by who we are and seeking to serve, we will receive all that we need and achieve much greater levels of happiness. To chase money constantly serves those in control of the money who have conditioned us to believe in the capitalistic message, we have a choice. Whilst we continually give away our power by blaming others and focus on having more money we are enslaved in an unwinnable contest.

There are many who are already on the journey working on themselves transitioning to abundance and collaboration, many of these have already found Link4Growth, but there are many more who have not. Link4Growth is an inclusive organisation created to serve the people. To rebuild community from the grass roots up, focus on what is really important; people and relationships and to promote abundance and collaboration.

... and it all starts with a conversation. Through conversation ideas spread and new thinking develops, through conversation people get to develop new local relationships, find out what is happening, how they can participate, and most importantly, belong once more. This is where people develop a sense of value based on who they are, not what they own. In an atmosphere and environment of 'giving' we can begin to help each other... not for money, but because we feel good when we help others. Most of us would like to contribute and help because most of us are decent human beings. Just we've been conditioned to only look out for No.1 by a system that was never there to serve us.

Link4Growth hosts events in local coffee shops, local pubs and restaurants, supporting our local businesses. It is at these events that we meet, talk, listen, learn, connect, share and inspire. It is at these events that we can build the support infrastructure to transition to the post capitalistic society.

We do not have much time


Link4Growth is a national initiative. Bringing like minded people together who want to be part of creating the kind of world we want to live in. But the clock is ticking. We must build a support system of people who would give freely to those in need, there will be plenty of them requiring help. We are on the run up to an extremely difficult time, and when the finances crack, all we will have is each other and what we are prepared to do for our fellow man.

Together we can ride out the storm, together we can get through this but it will require a herculanean effort, the kind of effort that only can be achieved if we all work together towards a common goal in an organised way. Link4Growth has created the infrastructure that will enable us to build a team of 8 million people in the UK alone... it's an infrastructure that can be replicated in other countries too...

All we need now is belief. Belief that together we can decide our future. It is not in the lap of the gods, nor in the hands of others. It is in all of our hands, we must be the change we want to see.

Take action email : hello@link4growth.biz and be part of it.