Since the birth of the internet, 30 years ago, we have been in a revolution of human agency. Everyone with access can become an initiator of new forms of expression, new attractors of attention, new calls to action: it's the era of the non-state actor. But it feels like chaos.
Suddenly the urgency of our multiple crises - environment, Covid, war - and the impact upon people everywhere, is giving rise to new forms of self-organisation. Communities acting cosmolocally, addressing planetary concerns on the ground and developing solutions that work for them. New economies, new belief systems, new narratives taking shape. At the personal level, new ways of being in the world - interconnected, at play.
How we capture this new energy for democracy is the new socio-politics coming into view.
Structure
Compared to the structures of top-down party politics the new socio-politics has distributed agency and relies on networks of decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs) of all kinds. However when facing complex, shared problems, temporary and fluid hierarchies appear to ensure traction. Loose associations become constitutes, and practice and process for engagement is agreed.
Culture
At the heart of a socio-politics is a better understanding of the human being, their needs and resources. This gives rise to a more respectful, friendly and lively space of engagement. One that prizes diversity of every kind as a key to the shift from old, stagnant ways of doing power. In this culture, love of life in all its forms is the energy.
Parallel Polis
Planet A is a parallel polis. In other words, it uses the imagination to nurture and develop a new socio-economic-political system that makes the old one obsolete. However, rather than remain in the dream space, Planet A is describing a future that is already unfolding in real time. To hold its integrity, this will have its own news and communications system and light governance. Through prefiguring and re-storying the present a parallel polis can reshape our shared reality without force.
Action Points
Investigate P2P on ‘Cosmolocalism’
Disseminate the DisCO Manifesto
Explore constitutes
Explore new governance tools such as Citizens Assemblies, People's Assemblies, Pol.is, Flatpack Democracy, Sociocracy, Collaboratories
Join a CAN (to learn more, sign-up to co-create and join our fortnightly calls)
Join a Cosmolocal community
From the “Political Culture” category on DA:
