Friday, February 24, 2012

Envisioning the Future


My vision of the future involves a society that prioritizes the sustainability of the earth. These priorities would be driven by social awareness and a personal concern for not only us, but also the future of our loved ones to come. According to Limiting Consumptions, the Golden Rule is for us to meet our needs with the earth’s resources, while not diminishing them before future generations. If we do not overcome the notion that we are invincible, we are always going to be our own worst enemies. In order for there to be a future for mankind, there must be a future for the earth we live on. In order for this to become possible, we all must have the belief that conserving the earth is essentially conserving ourselves; they both go hand-in-hand.  
While the belief that we can make a difference, a positive one at that, is imperative, we as humans also have alternative beliefs and set ways of thinking that inhibit our growth. For example, the belief that one person cannot make a difference is one of the most detrimental notions to social movements. There are far too many great leaders and icons, both past and present, to defeat this misconception.
I believe one of the most efficient ways to involve others in these concerns is to divulge the truth about our environments future at the rate in which it is going. It is easy to ignore these issues if you are unaware of them. This is why education is crucial, whether it is presented in a classroom environment or simply discussed over dinner. According to the reading Visioneering, sustainability is an unclear notion. By showing people that these changes do not have to be life altering, I feel that more people would join the bandwagon; even by beginning to simply recycle old clothing. Visioneering also states that one of the most important steps in being a “Visioneer” is by imagining a world that is sustainable, then to engineer it. According to Thinking Ahead, humankind could enhance our awareness by dreaming of ideas, models, and changing attitudes towards the concept of sustainability. The first step is to create a consciousness within the people we interact with daily…That is who it must begin with.

5 comments:

  1. Hi, Jenny! You seem to have identified some characteristics of your vision of a sustainable future, a nice start to your mid-term paper. It seems that, for you, the mental modes that may support a sustainable future and the characteristics of your vision are one in the same. Consider organizing your paper around these mental modes or paradigms. Also, your blog is very light in terms of support from the course materials, so ensure in your paper you are utilizing your chosen book and other required sources to discuss and support your ideas. Could you provide a reflection on your own capacity for future consciousness?

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  2. Hi Jenny!
    I think it’s great that the focus of your vision based on driving awareness towards our future that we can pass down for many generations. We are the ones that need to make the change in order for our future to have the best potential possible. Great start to your vision.

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  3. Thank you both for your feedback! I will make sure to support my argument with more information provided by our readings. I'm excited to learn more about how to change people's lack of concern on sustainability issues.

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  4. Hey Jenny,
    I love that in your first paragraph, you state that we must get rid of the notion that we are invincible. I agree with this as I feel it affects our nation in so many ways. I think that as a nation we feel as though we have set the bar for all other countries, but now that developing countries are gaining speed it is only a matter of time until they catch up with us and our success. I also like that at the end of your blog, you state that we must first begin changing the consciousness of the people around us. I agree with this because as we have been learning more and more about sustainability, I have been trying to explain certain ideas to my friends and it can be difficult at times to make them understand how something as small as recycling can have a major impact. So, to simply start by teaching those around you is a great idea.

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  5. HI Jenny,
    I agree that we need to stop thinking that we are invincible because we definitely are not. If we don't make the necessary changes then we are only making the problems worse. I also agree that starting with the truth is a good way to get others involved. Your post was well-written and it seems like you have a start to a great paper!

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