Goodbye Economy-Life, Welcome Mother Earth — after COVID19
by Maria Maguire
Since February 2020, not a day has gone by in Australia that news of COVID19 has not invaded personal and public space. Scary at first, as a threat from afar, then coming closer and closer and more “real”. People struggle with appropriate responses on a national, international and finally, on the local and personal level. Government officials follow the leadership of health experts and everyone tries to do their best, renouncing social gatherings and helping each other, while some fall prey to conspiracy suspicions.
One day “it” is “under control”, the next day things fall apart again, a new wave hits harder than before: more cases and deaths, younger people, many losing their job or business, everyone unsettled, screaming and reluctantly “obeying” painful restrictions. Government announces big expenditures to enable returning to “normality“.
While personally, Richard and I are well cared for so far, not having to go out to earn money and able to do our various social engagements from home, much of it via phone, internet and zoom, we have found that COVID has caused us to reflect on some bigger issues, and I wanted to share our thoughts.
The questions of how we as a society are living these days and also what we are living for, has become more and more weighty for us. For one thing, our economy’s destructive intrusion into the environment of animals and ecosystems has much to do with new viruses and pandemics. Also, this COVID time makes us wonder why most peoples’ lives have become bound to an economy of ever more production and consumption, distracting us from conversations about values and purpose.
“We” might need to expand our search for life purpose and have conversations on what we are living for. Can our nation create any collective vision that citizens are proud to be part of, and glad to belong to? Can we truly become custodians and defenders of democracy, justice and equality, and what does that look like in the current local-global environment when Covid highlights our enormous interdependence? We are not safe and healthy if others are not safe and healthy.
When we celebrated 50 years of “Earth Day” in May 2020, it became painfully clear that despite efforts by the worldwide environmental movement, scientists and international conferences, the environment is worse off in all aspects — rivers, forests, diversity, oceans. We cannot continue in our seemingly settled ways of wanting, extracting and using more and more, especially in industrialised and rich countries like Australia.
Globally, we have doubled (!) the use of “natural resources” in just the last 25 years. Even if we stopped growth now — as ideology and practices — it would not ensure “survival of the planet” and of ourselves. We rich countries need to reduce our share dramatically, for the sake of others with less access to sustainable livelihoods and for the sake of future generations.
There are many signs of a shocked and caring awakening among young people that give us hope for change, such as the Schools Climate Strike. We are also heartened by growing interest in many scientific-based alternative approaches to agriculture, transport, property, housing, energy and “business”/wealth creation towards a regenerative and circular economy.
More people need to spread knowledge about, and give support to, these ventures so they get the attention they need to succeed for our common public good. Many people are not selfish. Population research surveys, and our own interactions with a great number of people, tell us that people care for each other and the environment, and would be willing to share more and live on less if they knew how to do it.
We ourselves believe that two components are essential for liberating ourselves from an “economy-life” where everything — including we as people — is measured by the money we have, “cost” or produce. Naturally, much more is needed to enable the deep change of our lives and worldwide systems, but these two elements can move us a long way towards finding a purpose-driven, conscious, sharing and fulfilling life:
- Learning to become financially less dependent on the current system, as much as possible and in line with your values and purpose, so you get time and space to “breathe”.
- Moving to a worldview that does not see us humans as separate from nature, but as part of the environment ourselves — a grateful and responsible part and custodian of a larger “whole”.
Following are a few hints from our experience regarding each of these points.
Financial Integrity (FI)
Joe Dominguez and Vicky Robin describe the approach of Financial Integrity in their book, “Your Money or Your Life”. We have practiced it for decades and taught others to use it. Many experienced it as liberation from an unconsciously consumption-oriented life. The key is discovering what is ‘enough’ for you, by watching what you are actually doing with money and what benefits you get out of it — or not. You keep track of your spending in self-chosen categories. You discern what is most in line with your life purpose and satisfaction: to spend less, the same amount or even more money in each category.
‘Enough’ includes life’s necessities, some comfort, and occasional luxuries and usually is much less than expected. Discovering that what you are spending is your life energy, you become more attuned to spending it wisely. People are astounded to realise how much more an item actually costs than its stated price tag, because of the time and costs of earning the money used for its purchase. It becomes even more “expensive” if you consider the full environmental costs of producing and disposing of an item. You also look at how you can grow your earning capacity, get rid of debt as quickly as possible, and build some savings. By learning to practice financial intelligence and integrity, and through intentional saving and investing, you can even achieve financial independence if you so desire, and be free from “having to work for money”. To their surprise, people have found that they are actually happier while spending less.
‘Enough’ serves as a guidepost for one’s decision-making and enables people to spend more time and resources on things that really matter to them, take a more fulfilling job that may pay less, pursue a (free) hobby, or give more time and resources to others or to causes. It is a way of bringing your life in alignment with your values, finding your life purpose, and considering the needs of the planet. What kind of ancestor do you want to be to your descendants?
Oneness with Nature
Seeing ourselves as part of the environment and of everything that exists, as we personally have learned from Indigenous people in several countries, is a major shift of perspective with definite consequences. We, as body, mind and spirit, are intimately connected and dependent on the environment. We are alive and healthy if it is alive and healthy. The environment cares for us, and we are responsible to care for it. It’s a personal relationship of belonging and mutuality: we as people and everything around us are all born of our mother, the earth, our “home” and part of the universe.
We are most grateful for our extensive experiences with First Nations people in Australia who kept alive what humanity actually has lived for most of our existence, and who have never ceded their sovereignty. We need a conscious re-design of the practices and systems in our personal and collective lives with an “ecological worldview” that cares for the whole, in the long-term. Yet we certainly can’t naively seek a return to pre-industrial or ancient ways of living.
In our Australian scene, one way to act is to give strong support for “The Uluru Statement from the Heart” which was created by consensus of First Nations people in May 2017 following a long consultation process. It builds on many earlier, neglected declarations and petitions over 200 years. It was presented to all Australians as a gift, and it offers a platform for everyone to achieve respectful and just relationships: truth, voice and treaty. It calls for a very comprehensive, long and practical process starting now, requiring everyone’s participation and big change. “Finding the Heart of the Nation”, a fine book by Thomas Mayor, describes his journey through the country with the statement.
Outlook post Covid 19
When in the early 1990s, we felt called to express our intent or purpose as a couple in life and in all our work, we said:
“To affirm and grow Purpose, Participation and Partnership in order to support the evolutionary journey of humanness and enable our planet to live as one”.
This intent has given us vision, clarity and focus, even in some difficult situations. It strengthened our oneness and led us to amazing and often unexpected explorations, connections and “wins”. It is still true for us today and is intimately related to the purpose and life investment of the Institute of Cultural Affairs, in its long history and adjustments into present days.
It allows us to admit the disappointments and fatigue on the long road to becoming one humanity and being able to share “all the goods of the earth”, including cultures and religions, and the ecological systems and beings that sustain them. It also gives us freedom to celebrate nature, life and all expressions of humanness — and even current openings for addressing blindness, failures and oppression and building new pathways, nearby and in many corners of the earth.
Taking “agency” ourselves and encouraging others to want to act to make a difference, seems important in these uncertain times, when “old” ways are challenged by many cracks and something “new” can appear.
Every step we do or don’t do matters indeed in living our values and purpose in compassion towards others, independent of obvious “success”. Every letter we write or petition we sign, every plastic or purchase we avoid, items we repair, reuse or give away, instead of buying more, matters. Every dollar or hour of time we attend to others, every tree, nature strip or river we protect from dying, or energy we save, as small as it may seem, matters. All have value for us and also for the whole.
If we see ourselves as part of all, then everything is precious, even “sacred”. How we use, share and work with what is given to us, wherever we are, whatever we have, matters. An “economy-life”, stuck in the production-consumption machine and belief system, is not worthy, joyful or happy. We are worthy of a fulfilling life in receiving and giving, of service in gratitude to all of life.
Let’s move the conversations along. What do you think, and what would you like to see happening? Thanks for all you be and do in your part of our one world. (August, 2020)
Afterword, November, 2021
Much has happened since I wrote this 16 months ago. Many frightening expansions of the pandemic on all continents, with increasing burdens on poorer nations. Some government responses have been exemplary, others one-sided and provoking deep loss of trust. Many people have connected locally and globally and affirmed how essential human relationships are for a worthwhile life. The search for meaning is growing, even while the push for “normalcy” and economic growth — and thus consumption remain prevalent. I hope and pray that COP26 will set parameters for new directions for our common life on earth.
About the Author:
Maria and Richard Maguire are long-term volunteers with the ICA. They are facilitators and educators, directors of Unfolding Futures Pty Ltd, activists and ecological theologians. They lived and worked together in their home countries, Germany and the USA, in various other countries “overseas” and since 1984 in Australia, since 1991 on the land of the Darug people in Western Sydney. They are passionate about strengthening local-global networks and actions to enable a just, peaceful and sustainable future for all on this planet today and for seven generations down the track. Mail@unfoldingfutures.net.
