The Commons

Our air, our water, the oceans, these are obvious commons.

Pollution in one location translates to another. 

This is the globalism we must face.

To throw away from me is to throw to you, and while I might feel free of my burden, I have simply passed it to you. And to future generations.

To care for the Commons requires a global, transnational response, steeped in wisdom that holds our Commons as sacred to all life.

There are other less obvious Commons – like heritable wisdom. Do not eat that plant, it is poisonous. If you mix this plant with that one it heals this condition. I would even posit that the whole body of collective discovery to enable humans to flourish is a Commons. How to generate electricity, build a house, provide health care, formulate new medicines for disease.

Yet we enclose this Commons so that the few might profit through exploitation of the many. Our model of business says we must commodify everything – child care, health, education.

There is an awakening to the violence of this impulse. Just as we are now waking to the fragility of our future.

For humans to survive on Earth, we need to start with a consideration of our Universe, of all creatures, all of life.

Imagine if we built business and enterprise with this as the foundation.

February 4th 2019

Photo Taken February 4th, 2019