1.01: The Significance of Stories
Resources to support the u3a “Stories” Module of Science, Philosophy and Spirituality that was delivered during November 2022.
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Subject: Combined studies
For the Good of the World: Why Our Planet’s Crises Need Global Agreement Now
In his timely new book, philosopher A. C. Grayling asks: can human beings agree on a set of values that will allow us to confront the numerous threats facing the planet, or will we simply continue with our disagreements and antipathies as we collectively approach our possible extinction? — amamzon.co.uk
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Situation Critical: There are too many of us, and we are behaving too badly.
Many people are telling us what is wrong with the world – but “it is what it is”. As a species, we have flourished to the point where we occupy vast portions of the world’s land mass. And the way we behave collectively is destabilising the planetary systems which sustain life on earth—the reasons for our success and the damage we are doing lie in our fundamental human nature. So, suppose we want to repair dysfunctional relationships with our fellow people, the living planet, and its fractured ecosystems. In that case, we should match our efforts to control nature with a drive to understand how to harness the better angels of our nature.
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The Ship of Theseus: Everything changes, nothing changes.
Sometimes we just have to change the way we think in the light of new information that just doesn’t fit into our existing models of the world. Since returning from a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in 2019, much has changed about how I view the world.
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What’s Wrong with the World?
There is no one answer to what is wrong with the world. To try and address all the problems we face would be overwhelming and, ultimately, futile. However, there are some underlying factors that contribute to many of the world’s woes, including climate change, biodiversity loss, inequality, and pollution. One of the biggest problems is a misguided worldview. For centuries, humans have looked at the world as aresource to be exploited. This has led to a culture of unhealthy individualism, self-centredness, separatism and extreme consumerism. Another problem is modern capitalism and neoliberalism, which are founded on the prioritization of material wealth and self-interest. This has led to increasing social inequalities and a widening gap between the haves and the have-nots. It is human nature to seek comfort and security, but when this is done at the expense of others and the planet, it becomes a serious problem. If we want to create a more just and sustainable world, we need to address these underlying issues.
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