Why we want DDS - three levels a) second renaissance b) resilience in metacrisis c) simple flourishing
Why we want DDS - three levels a) second renaissance b) resilience in metacrisis c) simple flourishing
In thinking about the value of and need for DDS (Deliberately Developmental Spaces) we can see three distinct levels emerge:
- (Crucibles of a Second Renaissance) Incubators/Greenhouses of Deep Cultural Evolution (Foundational Need). we have a need for cultural change at a foundational level. DDS are spaces that can foster these profounds shifts in being and culture. They are spaces that support innovation in culture, values, and paradigms, which are essential for a second renaissance. Historically, such shifts require experimentation and the courage to pioneer novel approaches, and DDS provides the environment to nurture these changes.
- Resilience in the face of the polycrisis/metacrisis: DDS fosters resilience and relational capacities in individuals and communities. These spaces allow participants to navigate challenges constructively, turning potential breakdowns into opportunities for learning and growth. By emphasizing interpersonal connection, mutual support, and resilience, DDS strengthens the social fabric, empowering individuals to live more fulfilling and integrated lives. This is crucial at a moment when escalating crises may challenge us personally and collectively.
- Flourishing: General Capacities for Satisfying Life (Practical Application): DDS develops practical capacities that enhance day-to-day life, such as clarity, emotional comfort, and the ability to live harmoniously with others. In an atomized society, these spaces enable people to cultivate relational skills, empathy, and a sense of shared purpose, ultimately leading to greater satisfaction and collective progress.
In short, DDS are:
- incubators/greenhouses for producing the deep cultural (r)evolution
- environments for building psycho-social resilience
- general training for flourishing lives (enhancing life satisfaction through shared growth and development).
Additional table
Category | Description | Key Capacities Required | Evidence & Mainstream Acceptance (1-3) | Depth of Work Required (1-4) | DDS Relevance (1-3) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flourishing | Enhancing individual and collective well-being through known methods. | Mindfulness, therapy, positive psychology, community well-being programs. | 3 | 1/2 | 1 |
Resilience | Building systemic and community robustness to crises and transformations. | Adaptive governance, systemic foresight, psychological resilience, networked mutual aid. | 2 | 3 | 2 |
Ontocultural Evolution | Shaping the evolution of cultural and ontological paradigms. | Deliberate Developmental Spaces, paradigm-shifting discourse, deep epistemic shifts. | 1 | 4 | 3 |
Raw
NoteTranscription here was pretty iffy …
So first, regarding the Metacrisis point and the "why" (DDS). Why do you need or want DDS?
So, we have the manifesto already but I think we want to spell things out in a lot more detail. And I think it's a multi-level argument.
Level 1 (Deepest level)
So, at the deepest level, the level that we actually focus on at Life Itself, the argument is that, to address the whole Metacrisis, we believe, ultimately, that we need a shift in our culture, at a quite deep level, at the level of foundational views and values. And not just intellectually, in ideas, but actually in embodying that.
And that's hard.
And, looking at history, shifts in views and values at this kind of level, they often start in pioneering pockets, in place people are experiment with the cultural fabric.
And so, we see the need for those kind of pockets that dare to really innovate in being, in culture at quite a deep level.
So, it's very much a cultural (r)evolution.
Not only to have and sustain these shifts in being and culture but also to share them. But, that's what we need.
And this is the deepest need, which is, we need.
To summarise: the metacrisis requires profound cultural evolution.
This isn't just a few teaks this is really a new system, a new culture, a new culture paradigm.
And, that requires places where you can innovate in ways of being. Aka DDS.
Level 2 (level up)
Now, I think there's a level up where we say, "okay, there's going to be crises, all kinds of challenges and there are a bunch of capacities, inner capacities, that help us to be resilient personally and collectively in that context, that provide our ability to cope with them in a positive and productive way".
And we want to cultivate those capacities. And DDS are there to do that.
Here we are talking about an analogies on the societal level of what can happen on a personal level.
Suppose I was getting divorced. I could either have a complete breakdown, or I could be able to deal with what is coming up, maybe even learn and grow.
Similarly, in the face of the potential challenges ahead, rather than having a societal breakdown, we want to be able to deal with it and maybe even learn and grow as societiees.
And there are a whole bunch of capacities, inner capacitiees, that you want to develop to support that.
Level 3: generally flourishing life
Third and finally irrespective of any polycrisis/metacrisis there is the simple opportunity to live more flourishing lives, to reduce our and others "suffering/dissatisfaction" (even we want to put it in the Buddhist sense0.
This is relevant to ordinary, normal day-to-day life. Having more clarity, a more satisfying life, more well-being in life. There's clearly a lot of room for this.
There's even the dimension of really significant shifts like discovering the satisfaction with being in service.
And so here the DDS come in as a particularly intensive way to support cultivating the capacities to live a really flourishing life.
In particular, the emphasis on being together, of potentially living together for periods of time is significant. We live in a very atomized society. Plus, being able to live together probably requires or develops some kind of capacity to let go easily. And many more [note the transcription here from audio was quite poor.]