Metacrisis Journey Day 8: Practical Utopias and Imagining Thriving Futures
Practical Utopias and the other AI
“Reality simply consists of different points of view.” — Margaret Atwood
For 8 weeks in 2022, I was fortunate enough to be one of 200 Fellows chosen to participate in Margaret Atwood’s “Practical Utopias” course. With others from 40 countries, we gathered together to discuss the state of the world, what it might take to thrive on the planet, and what optimal outcomes could look like.
We did this through fiction: breaking into Pods, each pod had to design a Practical Utopia set years in the future. It could be Utopian, incorporating aspects of how we’d want to see a community run (ranging from village to megapolis sized), but with two key restrictions:
- It had to factor in human nature, in all its ups, downs and diversity
- No magic wands — we could use technologies and processes currently existing or well underway, but no easy ways out due to Star Trek-like technologies.
The community was extraordinary, the topics rich, and the design process both fun and educational.
The experience also helped underscore for me an important truth:
When we aim high, and envision the best outcomes with as much detail and concreteness as possible, it helps motivate us, helps us draw the map of how to get there, and helps us wrestle with the challenges required to get there.
That’s not to say that simply sitting and wishing for a better tomorrow is the answer. But focusing on the Metacrisis or any of the challenges facing Humanity or the Earth exclusively through the lens of current crises can make it harder to think outside the box. Knowing what we want to fix is different from knowing where we want to go.
This hearkens back to the five principles involved in Appreciative Inquiry, which I was introduced to during my time working with the Group Pattern Language Project mentioned previously:
- Constructionist Principle (Words Create Worlds): Reality, as we know it, is a subjective vs. objective state and is socially created through language and conversations.
- Simultaneity Principle (Inquiry Creates Change): The moment we ask a question, we begin to create a change. The questions we ask are fateful.
- Poetic Principle (We Can Choose What We Study): Teams and organizations, like open books, are endless sources of study and learning. What we choose to study makes a difference. It describes — even creates — the world as we know it.
- Anticipatory Principle (Images Inspire Action): Human systems move in the direction of their images of the future. The more positive and hopeful the image of the future, the more positive the present-day action.
- Positive Principle (Positive Questions Lead to Positive Change): Momentum for small- or large-scale change requires large amounts of positive affect and social bonding. This momentum is best generated through positive questions that amplify the positive core.¹
Personally, I believe in a Reality beyond social creation, though it seems a bit more of a “A big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff”² than how we tend to think of it.
But whichever way you look at it, looking towards positive futures can help us strive for those positive futures, and do so more effectively.
To that end, as I tackle understanding the Metacrisis, its facets, who’s working on them and how, I’ll also be:
- Inviting people to participate in the creation of one or more World Building exercises, aimed at exploring how things could be if we were to shift the underlying patterns that give rise to the challenges we’re currently facing.
- Developing descriptions of what thriving in each facet I’m exploring would look like and involve more generally.
To that end, here’s the first draft of the 8 Facets through a lens of thriving.³
Resilient Renaissance
Humanity’s future is safeguarded by robust, adaptive systems capable of absorbing shocks from technological advancements, environmental changes, and political tensions. Through collaboration across science, ethics, and governance, we create frameworks for responsible innovation, sustainable ecosystems, and peace-building, ensuring long-term human flourishing and the full realization of our potential.
Interwoven Harmony
A resilient global network of systems — economic, political, environmental, and technological — where interdependencies foster cooperation, mutual support, and adaptability. This harmonious interconnection creates a world where local disruptions are mitigated, and cascading failures are prevented by strong, decentralized solutions and proactive, agile governance.
Shared Light
A deeply interconnected and trustworthy knowledge ecosystem that transcends ideological divides and fosters collective wisdom. Through a culture of open inquiry, shared learning, and diverse yet respectful discourse, societies cultivate a shared understanding rooted in transparency, verified knowledge, and mutual respect. Communities can agree on facts and engage in productive debate, leading to informed, collective decision-making.
Cultural Wholeness
A flourishing of diverse, inclusive cultural narratives that inspire purpose, meaning, and connection across individuals and communities. Reunited with a sense of belonging and shared values, people form strong bonds of community, while embracing both global perspectives and local traditions. A deep sense of psychological well-being and cultural continuity fosters resilience in the face of personal and collective challenges.
Regenerative Abundance
Human activity is in harmony with the Earth’s natural systems, fostering ecosystems that not only sustain but regenerate life. Biodiversity thrives, climate change is mitigated through equitable, ecological practices, and humanity becomes stewards of a flourishing planet. Regenerative agriculture, circular economies, and localized ecological governance ensure that nature and society flourish together.
Equitable Commons
A just and equitable global system where power and resources are distributed in a way that fosters opportunity, fairness, and dignity for all. Communities practice economic, social, and political inclusivity, and policies are designed to diminish inequalities while empowering disenfranchised populations. Cooperative governance and shared wealth systems ensure that all have a voice and stake in our collective future.
Tech Symphony
A balanced and humane integration of technology into society, where AI, biotechnology, and digital innovations are designed and governed for the benefit of all. Technology enhances human potential while being guided by ethical principles, safeguarding privacy, and amplifying human agency. Innovations in health, education, and the environment serve the common good, promoting wellbeing, creativity, and autonomy.
Adaptive Stewardship
Dynamic, agile leadership systems rooted in wisdom, foresight, and long-term thinking guide global and local responses to challenges. Governance is transparent, responsive, and adaptive, with diverse leadership structures that prioritize collaboration and shared responsibility. Leaders act as stewards of complexity, working across silos and engaging citizens in a co-creative process to shape a thriving, interconnected world.
What does a Practical Utopian view look like to you? What do you think of the formulations above? Who are you inspired by who’s working in these or other areas to support thriving?
¹ Principles taken from here, under CC-BY-NC-SA License 4.0
² From The 10th Doctor’s description to Sally Sparrow in Dr. Who.
³ Note: This early draft was written collaboratively with GPT, taking the elements of the Metacrisis I discussed previously, and working on formulations based on thriving in each domain. These will evolve as my research & conversations on the Metacrisis continue.