→ If we seek to apply a “metamodern” perspective, and we seek to stimulate a higher probability of Protopia in the world, what kind of green or ecological political thinking (“ecologism”) makes sense? → To respond to this question, we must zoom in on a more practical one: If all of our economy builds on […]
Reconstructing Ecologism Read More »
A letter to my fellow pragmatic dreamers. There is a strong sentiment, almost a movement, across the West and among progressives around the world—even some traditionalists: to reconnect to the ever-present tribal origin; to make life and society come alive again, to make the universe into a more human homestead once again. This is in and of itself
Reconstructing the Indigenous: The Wrong Way and the Right Way Read More »
“Consider the following critiques of our growing tendency to long for the indigenous: – There is always a risk of “appropriating” the indigenous cultures, meaning that the unique identities and expressions of these become part of our larger, commercialized systems, which in turn can harm the self-distinction and dignity of minorities. – If tribal cultures
“Consider the following critiques of our growing tendency to long for the indigenous: … Read More »
– Greater collective intelligence will tend towards fewer people more deeply involved in more multi-perspectival and disinterested (because we select also neutral representatives) processes of deliberation in councils, with a greater emphasis on the quality of the communicative process. The development of new systems of governance are evaluated on the basis of collective intelligence, not
Although I have formerly developed an attempt at a comprehensive and general theory of governance—one that would be usable to diagnose the failures of human coordination across all social units (from tribes to organizations to states and beyond)—this article focuses specifically upon “the future of governance”, what I have come to call its protopian forms. Governance is,
3 Design Principles for Protopian Governance Read More »
“The somewhat gruesome public spectacle of the ongoing Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial is only a case in point—whatever it is we’re watching, it is hardly a rationally organized process of finding the best solutions for healing of relationships, the restoration of personal dignity, and guidance towards desirable future behaviors. If we take these
I would like to briefly sketch a system of law that could be termed metamodern in contrast to our current, modern one, or protopian—i.e. utopian in the sense “visionary” but not a static, impossible ideal. Let’s start with pointing out the glaring irrationalities of the criminal justice systems of today—in functional liberal democracies, that is. We may leave
Our Justice System Needs an Update—an Update that Goes Against the Law Read More »
“The Metamodernist vision, its “Protopia”, is not one of a cosmopolitan “world state” or the like—not a monoculture, not a monolith. A “world state” would be as unsustainable as the colonial empires of yore. Instead, we need to go from the current “anarchy between states” as described by realist scholars of international relations to a
In my previous article on nationalism, 20 Ways to Understand Nationalism (in Ukraine and the World), I argued that the nation remains perhaps the strongest known social force to ever explode on this planet. This, however, takes nothing away from the fact that the nation is a social construction and that it has emerged through wider
How Do We Transform Nationalism into a Force for Good? Read More »
In light of the war in Ukraine, issues of nationalism have resurfaced with full force: Is nationalism the same as patriotism? Is it good or bad; a force for self-sacrifice and unity, or one of militant tribalism and aggression? What is the fate of nationalism in a globalized world—will it live on, peter out, or
20 Ways to Understand Nationalism (in Ukraine and the World) Read More »
