Image by Cheryl Holt
I’m an avid reader, and my reading is electric. One genre I like is science fiction, probably because it always contains a world-building element to the story. These authors create a world and help us see the implications of living in a world based on different assumptions. Science fiction often sparks questions:
- Is the world built on technology or magic?
- Does time flow differently in this world? Does it move faster at lower elevations and slower at higher elevations?
- How could a difference in the pace of time change human behavior in this culture?
- Do people who wear watches pay more attention to time and its efficiency? Do people who don’t wear watches focus more on other things, people, and experiences?
Science fiction generates questions like these—and others— that help me imagine how different assumptions may shape our behaviors and societies. When we think about human systems versus systems in Nature, we also need to consider the basic assumptions that drive our behavior— here on this planet. This has led me to wonder about our society and the background assumptions that shape our behavior.
Learning from the Ocean
During a recent deep dive into ocean ecology, the phrase “this is a system built on relationships” stuck with me. Our ocean ecology is based on systems built on relationships. All of the diverse species in this ecosystem live a life of connectivity, and their behavior is based on that.
Why are humans so different? On the surface of this planet, we have an “over culture” built on things. We focus on goals, accomplishments, status, power, money, and self-sufficiency. It’s counterintuitive to Nature and our nature as well. My question for the new year is this: What are the differences between a world built on relationships versus a world built on things?
Systems Built on Things
The answer to my question is that very different systems and values flow from these two types of systems. When we focus on things, we also focus on tangible elements. The aspirational goals of life are based on the accumulation of things. In other words, the more we accumulate, the more successful we are. Power and money mean we are succeeding in life.
This mindset creates a hierarchical view of life. We compare our power and wealth to the coffers of others. These comparisons help us gauge our position in ranking who counts and who doesn’t. Self-sufficiency is a key value built into this worldview. It means that as individuals, we alone are responsible for building and collecting things. This, of course, leads to a scarcity mindset.
We must protect our money, power, and status. If we give it away, we lose our place in the hierarchy.
Relationship-based Systems
But this isn’t how ocean ecology works. In a system built on relationships, we focus on our connectivity, not our separation and boundaries. Wealth is measured not by money but by the quality and diversity of our relationships. Our safety is measured not by our power or wealth but by our social relationships and the number of reciprocal relationships we have. Our social capital helps us live a life based on love, not fear. A system built on relationships invites a gift economy based on abundance and safety found in the mutuality and giving embedded in reciprocal relationships.
While we might think this is an impossible vision for a community or organization, living in a system built on relationships is a choice we can make. In fact, we probably have parts of our lives that have already been lived this way.
My question to you is, which one nourishes our souls, things, or relationships? Are our souls nourished when we focus on fear and scarcity or love and abundance? We have the freedom to choose how we live. What do you choose?
