Wake Up Calls: Individual, Societal, Ecological
Old age, democracy collapse, and climate disasters - everything falls apart and is reinvented again and again
My self-story has been that I would remain physically and mentally capable as I age. I have been proud that I was walking thirty minutes each day over hilly terrain and writing several essays each month.
Well, a couple of weeks ago, I had a small fall and began to have some difficulty walking. I have been anxious and in disbelief and disappointment that this is happening to me.
Approaching eighty-one, I am relearning how to walk: Gaze ahead, not down. Take normal size steps. Put heel down first, then toes. Move arms back and forth. Be aware of breathing in and out. Be calm and confident. Pause when changing directions or if something unexpected happens. Use hiking poles if needed.
Yesterday, a new insight came to me: my small fall was a big wakeup call. I am being called to spend more time caring for my body-mind, and I am committed to doing so. I am enjoying physical therapy two or three times a week, walking outdoors with hiking poles, walking in the house without them, wearing more supportive shoes, and doing exercises daily to strengthen my legs, feet, toes, upper body, and balance. My intention is to walk thirty minutes a day without hiking poles.
I must relearn again and again how to be an ever-changing, impermanent Earthling committed to caring for self and all beings.
My self-story has been also that I live in a democracy that is based on the rule of law and is accountable and of service to We the People. I have been proud to help get out the vote each election and to give policy advice around the world concerning how to strengthen democracy, decentralization, and local governance.
Well, in November 2024, the results of the US national election shocked many of us as we realized that we could soon be living in a oligarchic fascist state. I have been anxious and in disbelief and disappointment that this is happening to me and to all of us.
As our democracy approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, I am now relearning how to be an American. I am writing about how to strengthen democracy, contacting my representatives, and creating an island of sanity in my neighborhood.
I now realize that the 2024 election was a wake up call. I and many are being called to do all that we can to reinvent democracy, the rule of law, social justice and equality, ecological regeneration, and ensure education, healthcare, housing, and a basic income for every human.
We humans must relearn again and again how to be neighbors who care for each other regardless of our differing beliefs or behaviors.
My self-story has been also that humanity could wake up, stop extracting and burning fossil fuels, and do what is necessary to avert climate disaster and ecocide.
Well, on September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene shocked many of us as we learned that because of climate change, a mega-storm can travel from the Gulf of Mexico all the way to the mountains of western North Carolina with devastating impact, and that there are no climate safe havens. I have been anxious and in disbelief and disappointment that this is happening to us.
The new normal of climate change includes hurricanes, flooding, landslides, wild fires, dangerous smoke, loss of drinking water, electricity, and communication, destroyed buildings and infrastructure, mountains of debris, damaged ecosystems, and much more.
Hurricane Helene was a wake up call for many of us to prepare for future disasters, disaster recovery, and rebuilding, to grow vegtables near our homes, have solar energy and backup generators for our homes, dig wells near our homes, have neighborhood plans for checking on neighbors, promote policies of ecological regeneration, and much more.
We humans must relearn again and again how to be responsible Earthlings as part of the living Earth.
Here is one way that AI sees the interrelationships of these three wakeup calls:
The combination of old age, democracy's potential collapse, and the threat of climate disasters creates a complex and concerning situation. Aging populations, potentially strained democratic institutions, and the increasing impacts of climate change could exacerbate social and political instability, especially in societies with fragile governance. Addressing these issues requires a holistic approach that considers the interdependencies between demographics, governance, and environmental challenges.
Here's a more detailed look at the connections:
Aging Populations and Democracy:
Aging populations can create challenges for democratic societies. An older electorate may prioritize specific issues, like social security, which could lead to political polarization or a perception of generational conflict. Furthermore, if aging populations are not adequately supported by economic and social systems, it could lead to social unrest and a decline in public trust in democratic institutions.
Climate Change and Democracy:
Climate change can exacerbate existing social and political inequalities. Increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events can lead to displacement, economic hardship, and resource scarcity, potentially fueling social unrest and challenging the ability of governments to maintain order. This can erode public trust in democratic institutions and even lead to a decline in democratic governance, with some even advocating for authoritarian solutions.
Climate Change and Social Inequality:
Climate change disproportionately impacts marginalized communities, exacerbating existing social and economic inequalities. This can lead to increased tensions and conflict, potentially destabilizing democratic societies.
The Role of Governments:
Governments need to take proactive steps to address climate change and its impacts, while also ensuring that their policies are equitable and responsive to the needs of all citizens, including older populations and marginalized communities.
The Importance of Civic Engagement:
Civic engagement and participation, particularly among younger generations, are crucial for strengthening democratic institutions and fostering a sense of collective responsibility for addressing climate change and other societal challenges.
Addressing the Underlying Causes:
To effectively address the interconnected challenges of aging, democracy, and climate change, it's essential to address the underlying causes, such as economic inequality, social injustice, and political polarization.
What a time to be alive! I am grateful for the opportunity to do all that I can to care for planet Earth, all Earthlings, and this unique body-mind at this critical time in human history and cosmic and planetary evolution.
May we humans wake up to the realities of interbeing and impermanence, and take compassionate actions moment by moment.
Let’s do it!
From Kerry Christopher Dugan in Thailand:
"I recognize that a wide ranging and comprehensive list of issues, along with a very general question, appears as too broad an invitation in this context of a dopa-medium scroll-a-rama.
So I catch myself. Pitying my resistance but eager to claim this chance at response, placing aside the conditioning of distraction, and the myriad excuses to relinquish this opportunity.
I sense a fickle flattery in how I reflexively assured myself that, being almost two decades younger, I could regard you as an elder, and that designation drives a span between us, as though some residual whipper-snapper in me can safely patronize you with obligatory automatic homage.
Then, I catch myself. We are so more similar in most aspects of depth and height than the respective details of our biographies begin to admit. Even this commenting, or not commenting, can only hint at approaching the irreducible mutuality of the reality of our unique paths.
But that goes without saying.
The thing about wake up calls is that they're arranged beforehand. We call the front desk before turning in, ... or we live so many lives, sewing this very instance.
My answers regarding democracy were laid out in two blog entries, 2010, Postcard from a Frontline Armchair, and, 2017, All Things: Sudden to the Blind, How Media made Trump POTUS.
Both of those drew on my 1989 essay that was art practice for our Integrity themed Ango at ZMM. The 2010 blog entry noted the correlation between The Four Freedoms, as outlined by FDR, and the Four Ways a Bodhisattva Benefits Human Beings, by Dogen Zenji. The 2017 entry looked at the differential developments of media technology over the previous century and the generational processing of those deployed technologies impacting worldviews.
Both of those blogs also applied integral theory, especially the 2010 one, which was in direct response with a study group associated with Integral Institute, Boulder."
The challenge as you so eloquently demonstrate is keeping faith with the future, one step at a time. And not being afraid to learn new things and begin again. Not getting overwhelmed by the collapse. Remembering Lot’s wife in the Old Testament story. Wishing you well in your recovery. Wishing all of us well in our collective moving forward.