(Page 9 of 29) - Dawn of the Cosmopolitan: The Hope of a Global Citizens Movement authored by Kriegman, Orion.

Kriegman et al.

Planetary phase of history: support for the latency hypothesis

Globalization arises out of a centuries-long process that accelerated dramatically over the last

50 years. The formation of the UN, ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and the Geneva Accords among other landmark treaties, and development of institutions such as
the International Criminal Court, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and the
World Trade Organization (WTO) express the growing need to develop new forms of
cooperation at the global level. Yet, the tantalizing promises of improved global relations, of new
technologies bringing widespread prosperity, and of rational management of the earth’s
resources, seem to dangle just out of reach.

Since the 1960s, ubiquitous images of our fragile planet floating in the vastness of space have

changed our consciousness—making us more cognizant of humanity’s vulnerability and
interconnectedness. Technologies such as airplanes, TV, satellites, and the Internet, have
expanded awareness of cultures and events across the world. We are now instantly aware of
havoc wrought by hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, genocide, poverty, and AIDS. Displaced by
such tragic events, or simply seeking better opportunities, increasing numbers of migrants test
the hospitality of wealthy, relatively homogenous communities. As economies become more
interconnected and the rate of cultural exchange increases, for better or worse, our world is
shrinking.

Pursuing business as usual in this rapidly shrinking world is increasingly difficult, not least

because the planet’s climate is becoming less predictable, with the catastrophic consequences of
greenhouse gas accumulation becoming bleaker and more evident daily. In addition to global
warming, we are faced with unparalleled environmental challenges, such as cross-boundary
water degradation and air pollution, over-fishing, declining ecosystems, and loss of biodiversity.
The threats to our collective existence are quite real. Ecocide, nuclear proliferation, global terror
networks, new military technologies, and the threat of pandemics remind us, as Bertrand Russell
said, “it’s coexistence or no existence”. Only greater degrees of international cooperation can
possibly resolve these complex dilemmas.

People’s psychological responses to a shrinking world include some mixture of fear and hope.

When fear dominates, this leads to xenophobia, retreating into protected enclaves, and projecting
militaristic solutions. It can also fuel fundamentalist movements that offer reassurance and
simple answers for an increasingly perplexing world. When hope is strong, people’s highest
aspirations motivate them to uphold their moral responsibilities to their fellow humans and the
larger community of life. Countless new cultural developments manifest the growing awareness
that one’s narrow self-interest is dependent on general social and ecological interests (Ray and
Anderson, 2000). In contrast to fundamentalism, many religious leaders now seek to emphasize
the great humanitarian traditions of their faiths and the theological basis for tolerance and
cooperation. Moreover, growing subcultures underscore the opportunity to increase quality of
life, free from the domination of consumerism, creating new avenues of human exploration and
contentment.

In developing countries this hope is expressed by communities devising new development

paradigms seeking sustainable livelihoods (Amalric, 2004). Indigenous groups, women’s place-
based initiatives, worker-owned cooperatives, and community lending institutions all enhance
local empowerment. In wealthier countries, these insights manifest in various lifestyle
movements (e.g., voluntary simplicity, slow foods, cooperatives, ecovillages) seeking to
consume less and devote more time to family, community, and personal projects. The hope of

See Stutz (2006) in the GTI Paper Series.