thinkletter #61 - #polycrisis #BigMES #moderncivilisation #deeperdive #dead state #grand contraction #MTI #thermodynamics #debt #ecology
December 12, 2024 - "The greatest opportunities for humanity lie in the global community's ability to address its biggest challenges effectively"
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Prosilience thinkletter #61
A periodic thinkletter to help you better understand and anticipate the global polycrisis, so you can adapt. Compiled by Christopher H. CORDEY, a futurist-maieutician, strategic facilitator, international speaker and founder of Futuratinow and prosilience. Partner at Yonders and board member at Swissfuture.
Thinkletter #61 - December 12, 2024
The fragile balance of modern civilisation
Imagine waking up one morning to find gas stations empty, grocery store shelves barren, and power grids flickering out - not just for a day, but indefinitely. Now imagine this isn’t a localized event, but a global phenomenon triggered by the unraveling of the very systems we’ve relied on for centuries.
What if the real conversation had moved beyond climate change, sustainable development, ESG, net-zero goals, SDG’s, digital or green transition narrative, or the belief that renewable energy, or decarbonising alone can "solve" the problem. While these initiatives play a vital role in maintaining economic momentum, we must ask ourselves: are they merely illusions? What if the stakes are far greater - deeper and systemic? What if the real issue lies elsewhere?
By the early 2030s, humanity may face a convergence of crises: abrupt thermodynamic decline, an unsustainable debt overload, and ecological systems on the brink of irreversible collapse. These are not distant threats. They are accelerating, deeply interconnected, and poised to reshape the foundations of life as we know it.
Let’s be honest - many of us sense this in our own way. We feel disoriented, transfixed by the climate emergency, or overwhelmed by the scale of the challenges ahead. These reactions are human and understandable. However, few truly comprehend the systemic dynamics at play - the Earth's intricate "game" and our role within it. Our ignorance, coupled with a belief that the “problems” we face can be resolved using the same thinking that created them, is the real challenge. As Einstein aptly observed, a different level of thinking is required.
What happens when the energy that underpins our Modern Techno-Industrial (MTI) form of civilization becomes prohibitively expensive to extract? When economic systems implode under unpayable debt burdens? When nature, strained for centuries, can no longer sustain us?
The more pressing question is: what will you do after engaging with The Deeper Dive #4? (exceptionally free for all readers)
Will you reflect, share, and help illuminate the blind spots that obscure our collective path forward? True change begins by confronting what we’d prefer to ignore.
Entropy doesn’t negotiate.
Enjoy the exploration.
With best regards.
PS 1 : We are on bluesky
PS 2 : Are you ready to play the most complex game of our time? The Game of the Polycrisis (GOP) is OUT. This is our NEW serious game, where every decision ripples across interconnected systems. Cette expérience immersive est bien sûr aussi disponible en français.