As a friend to many who were on the boat, thank you for writing this. It's consistent with many of the conversations I've had since the crossing, and I appreciate the clarity and thoughtfulness you're bringing to these reflections.
Thank you for your thoughtful post and the many challenges of uniting actions and motivations for creating meaningful change that benefits all those on Earth. I swing between hopeful and resigned that things may need to get real bad before we’re willing to make serious and systematic progress. Conversation and creating community is the key and it seems that’s what the One Earth trip tried to cultivate. Maybe those connections will speed collaboration and change. Thank you.
I so appreciate this: "A community of practice is not about being united in agreement; it’s about being united in engagement: I don’t look or think like you, but I share space with you in this world and I will walk hand in hand with you."
Felix, thank you for authoring this integrated narrative covering the foundational contradictions and humbling realities of this voyage, along with the benefits that you experienced, appreciated, and brought you hope.
I would like to request that you add (or advocate for) a specific accounting for the substantial financial resources expended for this voyage. While parts of the article frame these funds and organizing efforts as generous, another perspective reveals the emotional labor required of fellows, who also left behind their families and communities to participate and validate both the organizers and participants. Since it is clearly understood that the class and environmental dynamics of this voyage are counter to the principles of regeneration, consideration may be owed to accounting these ($millions) as a negative until subsequent gifts to actual regenerative projects offset this. Transparency in financial accounting seems essential for the rhetoric of this voyage to hold merit.
Other perspectives I would advocate for are the people who were not present or ‘chosen’ for this exclusive experience. This experience places you and the other fellows in a privileged position compared to the many thousands who serve in the regenerative movement without these connections and opportunities to access funds.
I would also be curious to understand what the continued obligations and requests of Earth One are on the fellows.
I agree with the call for transparency in accounting. Maybe if I didn't mention it in writing, it's because I'm still grappling with our obsession with measuring impact. I believe it's necessary, and I don't want to reduce simply to a costs and benefits analysis. Would love your thoughts here.
Oh, and there are on obligations from Earth 1 on the fellows. There never were really other than showing up.
One of the Capital Institute’s Eight Principles of a Regenerative Economy is “in right relationship.” It seems here that a right relationship is needed between being accountable and being held accounted for, especially with Earth One establishing power and social hierarchies on root contradictions.
I would also react that more basic discussion seems needed around the principles, goals, initiatives, and methods for an initiative such as Earth One that is seeking to hold social consequence in the world.
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Thanks for clarifying about there being no obligations on the fellows. When I checked out the application prior to the voyage, I got the impression of it being a substantial and continuous commitment.
I’m very curious to learn if the fellows (Merriam Webster definition: a person appointed to a position granting a stipend and allowing for advanced study or research) were able to align with financial support that the trip purported to align? Did Earth One itself align with substantial income in their stead?
Such a beautiful account of what appears to be an intriguing journey!
I love your definition of radical love as “accepting those who seem so different from us as real parts of the wider universal body we live in”.
I have also been noticing all the tensions you mention in the many “regenerative” gatherings I have attended this year - including the Gathering of Tribes where we met. We live in a liminal space, a “world between worlds” where old and new paradigms and structures coexist - sometimes in dissonance, others in (relative) coherence...and that's okay.
With regards to “measuring” impact, I often wonder to what extent this obsession also stems from modernity and coloniality. There is something about our individual and collective journey as a species that resists any attempt to be "grasped", "simplified" or "quantified" by the rational mind. I see your article as a living example of the value and importance of “warm data”, and as an open invitation to embrace the intangible, qualitative, relational, and interconnected aspects of life that cannot be reduced to metrics. I like to think that the richness of human and ecological systems lies in their complexity and subtlety...
Thank you for this warm invitation to listen deeply, feel into relationships, and recognize the emergent, living patterns within and around us...
Thanks for sharing (not sure who this is by the way as I see no name). Regarding measuring impact, there is a tension. Yes, the universe is mysterious and not always measurable. At the same time, our time and resources are limited, and even though we don't like to do this, measuring impact feels in this case something important to do, AND yes there is something cartesian about it.
I don’t think you are overthinking. I appreciate the turning of tables you are e envision. See Patrick’s comments below. But for what you describe to happen, we need to attract wealth holders who are willing to step outside the luxury cruise archetype. The image I have is of Siddartha stepping outside his palace lol.
Hi Patrick. Thanks for writing. So I totally agree with what you are saying re all voices not being equal. It's clear indigenous voices need to be leading the way; they need to be empowered, not just symbolically but also financially and politically. There are many wealth holders and technologists (ie the children in your metaphor) who are trying to make this possible. They are a minority and some were on the boat. For the most part, the children are continuing to wreck the planet. My question for you is: what should we be more explicit about? And personally, what could I be more explicit about in this writing? Thx.
As a friend to many who were on the boat, thank you for writing this. It's consistent with many of the conversations I've had since the crossing, and I appreciate the clarity and thoughtfulness you're bringing to these reflections.
thank you Ganga. I hope we can meet in the future.
I trust we will, and though I love the ocean, I imagine it will be a moment when our feet are planted in the soil.
Thank you for your thoughtful post and the many challenges of uniting actions and motivations for creating meaningful change that benefits all those on Earth. I swing between hopeful and resigned that things may need to get real bad before we’re willing to make serious and systematic progress. Conversation and creating community is the key and it seems that’s what the One Earth trip tried to cultivate. Maybe those connections will speed collaboration and change. Thank you.
I so appreciate this: "A community of practice is not about being united in agreement; it’s about being united in engagement: I don’t look or think like you, but I share space with you in this world and I will walk hand in hand with you."
Thank you for this beautiful summary of the experience and the tensions that were playing out in that microcosm. Onward…. 🙏🏻💚🌎
onward!
Felix, thank you for authoring this integrated narrative covering the foundational contradictions and humbling realities of this voyage, along with the benefits that you experienced, appreciated, and brought you hope.
I would like to request that you add (or advocate for) a specific accounting for the substantial financial resources expended for this voyage. While parts of the article frame these funds and organizing efforts as generous, another perspective reveals the emotional labor required of fellows, who also left behind their families and communities to participate and validate both the organizers and participants. Since it is clearly understood that the class and environmental dynamics of this voyage are counter to the principles of regeneration, consideration may be owed to accounting these ($millions) as a negative until subsequent gifts to actual regenerative projects offset this. Transparency in financial accounting seems essential for the rhetoric of this voyage to hold merit.
Other perspectives I would advocate for are the people who were not present or ‘chosen’ for this exclusive experience. This experience places you and the other fellows in a privileged position compared to the many thousands who serve in the regenerative movement without these connections and opportunities to access funds.
I would also be curious to understand what the continued obligations and requests of Earth One are on the fellows.
Thank you again for authoring these perspectives.
Thanks for sharing Mike.
I agree with the call for transparency in accounting. Maybe if I didn't mention it in writing, it's because I'm still grappling with our obsession with measuring impact. I believe it's necessary, and I don't want to reduce simply to a costs and benefits analysis. Would love your thoughts here.
Oh, and there are on obligations from Earth 1 on the fellows. There never were really other than showing up.
I appreciate the invitation.
One of the Capital Institute’s Eight Principles of a Regenerative Economy is “in right relationship.” It seems here that a right relationship is needed between being accountable and being held accounted for, especially with Earth One establishing power and social hierarchies on root contradictions.
I would also react that more basic discussion seems needed around the principles, goals, initiatives, and methods for an initiative such as Earth One that is seeking to hold social consequence in the world.
-
Thanks for clarifying about there being no obligations on the fellows. When I checked out the application prior to the voyage, I got the impression of it being a substantial and continuous commitment.
I’m very curious to learn if the fellows (Merriam Webster definition: a person appointed to a position granting a stipend and allowing for advanced study or research) were able to align with financial support that the trip purported to align? Did Earth One itself align with substantial income in their stead?
hi Laura. I'm not sure I understand you question. What do you mean by align?
Such a beautiful account of what appears to be an intriguing journey!
I love your definition of radical love as “accepting those who seem so different from us as real parts of the wider universal body we live in”.
I have also been noticing all the tensions you mention in the many “regenerative” gatherings I have attended this year - including the Gathering of Tribes where we met. We live in a liminal space, a “world between worlds” where old and new paradigms and structures coexist - sometimes in dissonance, others in (relative) coherence...and that's okay.
With regards to “measuring” impact, I often wonder to what extent this obsession also stems from modernity and coloniality. There is something about our individual and collective journey as a species that resists any attempt to be "grasped", "simplified" or "quantified" by the rational mind. I see your article as a living example of the value and importance of “warm data”, and as an open invitation to embrace the intangible, qualitative, relational, and interconnected aspects of life that cannot be reduced to metrics. I like to think that the richness of human and ecological systems lies in their complexity and subtlety...
Thank you for this warm invitation to listen deeply, feel into relationships, and recognize the emergent, living patterns within and around us...
Thanks for sharing (not sure who this is by the way as I see no name). Regarding measuring impact, there is a tension. Yes, the universe is mysterious and not always measurable. At the same time, our time and resources are limited, and even though we don't like to do this, measuring impact feels in this case something important to do, AND yes there is something cartesian about it.
Since Earth One did such a good job of connecting the grass roots people with the elite, I wonder if they would try a reciprocal connection.
What would an event that would bring the elite into the world of grass root organizers look like?
How could an experiential learning experience be facilitated at the frontline of climate change without it becoming pity porn or disaster tourism?
I don’t know, maybe it’s just heaviness of the clouds today that has me in that overthinking mode.
I don’t think you are overthinking. I appreciate the turning of tables you are e envision. See Patrick’s comments below. But for what you describe to happen, we need to attract wealth holders who are willing to step outside the luxury cruise archetype. The image I have is of Siddartha stepping outside his palace lol.
Hi Patrick. Thanks for writing. So I totally agree with what you are saying re all voices not being equal. It's clear indigenous voices need to be leading the way; they need to be empowered, not just symbolically but also financially and politically. There are many wealth holders and technologists (ie the children in your metaphor) who are trying to make this possible. They are a minority and some were on the boat. For the most part, the children are continuing to wreck the planet. My question for you is: what should we be more explicit about? And personally, what could I be more explicit about in this writing? Thx.