Let’s start by changing ourselves
What good will a sustainable economy be if we’re still frustrated by an unceasing desire for consumption or are mired in gloom and misery?
Navi Radjou, the instigator of and tireless campaigner for a frugal economy, sets out the facts: if we build a bio-economy – a sustainable economic system – without changing who we are, we will produce and consume the wrong things faster, better, cheaper, and more “sustainably”. But we will still be way off beam. What would be the point of a self-driving car if it is only taking you to a job you loathe or that is killing you? What good is an even bigger house per person in societies where loneliness reigns supreme?
Navi argues that for a responsible economy it’s not enough to change our mindset – we also have to shift our consciousness. In other words, the way we look at the world, our motivation, and our behavior. Navi suggests the analogy of the Indian yoga tradition where you become conscious of the three energies that govern behavior based on self-preservation: fear (“I want to survive”), desire (“I want more”), and power (“I want it all”).
It is then a question of unlocking the constructive energies (compassion, ingenuity, wisdom, and unity) to co-create a healthy, benevolent bio-economy. Idealistic? Think about it. And read Navi’s article!
To go further
“Before we reinvent the economy, we must reinvent ourselves“
by Navi Radjou, (FastCompany, 2018).
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