“With the government’s decree of the state of emergence, the controls at the Belgian border Lille is plagued with those traffic jams!” Of course, our Chilean friend who was giving us a ride back to the Lille train station meant to refer to the state of emergency. But what a beautiful slip of the tongue! Indeed, isn’t it urgent to recognize and to support the state of emergence of our world?

We are in crisis, not because we have reached some pathological paroxysm, but because our time requires discernment. Indeed, it is up to each of us to choose between life and death. Either we march to our destruction through the continuation and expansion of our lifestyle based on the consumption of cheap fossil fuels, or we co-create a new world, of which we can already observe many small scale illustrations.

The technological, economic and spiritual forces at work in the emergence of the new world are noticeable. Three internets connect information, energy and objects to allow for extraordinary productivity gains. Thus the gradual fading of the separation between work and “real life”. However, this technological revolution does not explain on its own the emergence of a new era. The dogma that the pursuit of self-interest would explain human behavior is put into question. Self-interest might explain markets, but it does not explain life. Indeed, various scientific disciplines converge to show that man is basically altruistic. The culture of a growing number of organizations does not draw its inspiration from mechanical engineering, but from life itself. In these organizations, members commit themselves fully because they find meaning in the goals that are being pursued. The authority varies with concrete situations according to individual talents.

In the rising wave of worldwide innovations, their authors seem driven by a common utopia where man could flourish in its relations with others and with nature. “We depend on all other living beings and all living beings depend on us.” The dream of happy simplicity is within reach. However, the move towards a harmonious global society is far from having reached a point of no return.

When presented with a choice between man and money, political leaders seem to choose money. Economic growth and interests of markets controlled by a minority appear to be their main criterion. By submitting itself to powerful interests, the European Union becomes devoid of the higher purpose set out by its founders. Populists rush into the void to invoke bygone times and stir exclusion. They thus place themselves on the same ground as the terrorists who build their murderous identities on the literal interpretation of ancient religious texts.

It is therefore urgent to declare a state of emergence. The energy of transformation is available deep within us. Let us allow it to overcome our fears, to dissolve our judgments and to obliterate our cynicism. We will then appreciate our differences as so many sources of wealth. In our neighborhoods, towns, associations, places of work, of worship and of leisure let us formulate our common dream and use our individual and collective strengths to progress towards it. Step by step, we will reach out to each other to create living cells connected to each other to allow the circulation of energy and of hope. It is incumbent on us and on no one else to organize our powers to ensure that our public services, our public finances, our laws, and our communication bodies are in service of one harmonious, happy world.

Related Story:

Declaring a State of Emergence in Belgium

This blog is reposted with permission of Jean-Louis Lamboray.