Core issue - thank you. We still do not get the fact of interdependence and believe we can cancel each other out and get by. And the public discourse is doing very little to change this outdated mindset.

And such deep listening and acknowledging of all facets of the experience of groups involved, like it was done in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, requires a mindset free of militarism and committed to truth and peace.

Very important point. As I wrote recently in my article on militarism, at this point in our interdependence, the military approach should be used only in the context of collective efforts to stop tyrants and extremists, to protect human security, and to uphold international law - which also needs to be further developed to address the needs and realities of the 21st century. Thank you for this thoughtful analysis.

In the face of mounting human suffering and crisis — both geopolitical and ecological — with escalating wars, our responses continue to be at the same level: polarized protests, non-binding resolutions, geopolitical camps of supporters of opposite groups… The blame game continues because each perspective speaks to an aspect of…

When I was doing my doctoral work in adult development in the early 1990s, adulthood was understood as attaining personal stability and being able to care for others, as well as to contribute to society. Now more and more of us caring adults are noticing that this seems not to…

Ricky, thank you for this outstanding piece - so informative and profound and also accessible. I'll post it on all my social media. Most grateful for your term "social tipping point". That's where I'm also focusing all my desperate efforts and I agree with you that there are signs of waking up. Do you watch the documentaries of Waterbear. They reflect so much courage and determination to fight for our planet. Do you know of Sea Shepherd fleet? You probably do, but just wanted to say that we have to keep exerting ourselves to the utmost to educate people and counter the oblivion of the media. So a big thank you to you!

So glad you are pointing to this reality of consumerism of a different kind - one that constantly changes its garb for the next trend that will generate a following and new business, and generally has little to do with the realities of the planet. In wisdom traditions, there is a fundamental universal principle of moderation. Anything that goes to extremes becomes its own negation - worth considering in an age of constant swings in new trends. Thank you.

Every day the news is filled with staggering accounts of the unsustainability of our current national and global systems, yet we continue to try to live within them as though expecting some miracle to make things change for the better without having to do the hard work of foundational change…

While the reality is just as bleak as you describe it, it helps to also know that over 1800 members of parliament from 137 countries endorse the immediate establishement of a UN Parliamentary Assembly to which engaged citizens and civil society groups are directly elected to represent the voice of humanity across borders, and with advisory status to the General Assembly. The world is working hard to change course, even as the military-industrial complex is pushing hard toward further pollarization and war for power.