In "Soil not Oil," Vandana Shiva says that we have a "monoculture of the mind," that is we are so caught up in one mode of thinking (dominated by growth), that we can no longer imagine other ways of living. At the of the chapter she proposes a massive shift in values to bring about "Earth Democracy" where all beings can co-exist equitable. Some of the key value changes she emphasizes are:
1. INDUSTRIAL –> ECOLOGICAL The number 1 value shift I think is needed for a more sustainable future is: (please name and explain in 1-2 sentences)
2. REDUCTIONIST –> HOLISTIC The second most important value shift I think is needed for a more sustainable future is: (please name and explain in 1-2 sentences)
3. CONSUMERS –> COCREATORS The third most important value shift I think is needed for a more sustainable future is: (please name and explain in 1-2 sentences)
For Shiva, changing how we think is the first step in changing how we relate to other beings, "we need to change our minds before we can change our world" (2009: 131). What's she's talking about is not new technology, but a cultural transformation.
For this week's mini survey, I'm asking which value shifts YOU think are most important in imagining more just environmental futures.