2020 - Feelings aren't facts. Do we really care enough to make change?

I'm predicting that in 2020 it will be individuals, Local Governments and Business leaders that will create meaningful change to the way we will live in the nuveo 20's. NOT State or Federal politicians.

I'm also call it now... more eye-rolling in 2020 as the plethora of 20/20 catch-phrases decided in company boardrooms devoid of artist involvement appear in your feed or bus shelters. Ahh Boardrooms. They are the most aptly named venues don't you think?

Let's face it, our Federal systems are outmoded and too slow for a fast paced, globally connected world to make meaningful change in time for anything. Cyber safety is a great example. But not the only one.

We still use GDP (Gross Domestic Product), the exchange of things to measure success as a nation. despite the industrial revolution being over and that unlimited Physical resources growth is unachievable in a severley limited resource market. The unlimited resources we have are people and their ideas and capacity to be useful not just active. We're ready for a cultural and systemic shift as a nation towards sustainability, intersectionality, wholistic thinking. We need to start using things and valuing people not using people and valuing things.

The use of self soothing / medicating with alcohol and prescribed drugs are skyrocketing. There are not enough beds or recovery support for families. Incidents of suicide and mental health related health conditions are growing. And the biggest sign of a society in decline. When the youth start to lose hope for the future and the under-employment rates rise beyond secure work rates. When the most vulnerable in our society ( Poor, people with Disability, People over 70 are deemed valueless because they can't economically contribute to beauty or the economy we cease to harness potential and relegate people to things...available resources only to be abused.

It's no wonder that we are continually wasting millions on Royal Commissions into misery that continuously reveal inefficencies and misplaced values, corruption and government funded and induced trauma.

It's time to start using the GNH (Gross National Happiness), measure of peoples overall life satisfaction scale. It's time to get connected locally. If we did I can see whole departments set up for monitoring singing from the same song book.

By the mid 1960's the challenge of automating time consuming chores within the home had been resolved providing time saving tech such as the washing machine, clothes dryer, vacuumme, dishwasher and motorcar to the middle class majorities across most global democratic societies. Politicians and researchers were now contemplating the grave concern of the 21st century being what the mass population, (especially women) would do with all their newly found free time?

Helping the homeless with clothes washing? Ride sharing to job interviews for those without cars? Sharing languages? Getting educated? With education being free we could educate more people and surely be well on the way to eradicating disease and poverty globally by 1999.

Hardly.

Because while we are all wired for belonging and collaboration our strongest neural pathways lay in the oldest part of the brain that rewards curiosity and encourages us to seek out comfort above all else.

The Americans really didn't need to add the pursuit of happiness into the constitution. Perhaps, "to value self regulation and the acceptance of others" may have been a more helpful right given how todays me v's we fear-based marketing has been replaced by a cavernous space where evidence-based debate about the greatest good may have been.

The result? The emotional part of the brain is being stimulated and strengthened in all of us while the frontal cortex that uses logic and problem solving is secondary. That is unless you happen to have a job or neurodiversity that stimulates you otherwise and the internet is only used for fact finding.

This means the majority of us are not asking ourselves " Is this true? Is it useful? Does it fit my personal values?" and then acting on the need for verification and then taking action. Usually, because we have that second job to go to or third to make up for the full-time wage you once had before the "re-structure". And if you're parenting or caring for someone...or both. I get it. We are tired just making a living, let alone making a life.

The exhausted adrenals and loss of ability to create Seratonin and Dopamine from daily stress...but I digress.

STOP. Let's stop and take a breath. Four counts in.....nice and slow... now out.

It seems our emotions are at the centre of our decision making again. And there are a lot of pissed off people.

When we experience fear our desire for safety is a logical response. When the supposedly best informed people we have elected/outsourced our wellbeing to allege that the comfort of our current life...which is rapidly under threat by insecure work , tech induced redundancy, increasing costs to health and wellbeing is threatened by someone or something that's easy to fix...we feel assured and say what's on Netflix? I can't imagine working or studying any longer or harder for such meger satisfaction.

Until I see the news. Great! now I have to worry about bushfires and my kids not being trained for the new economy.

Can State and Federal political parties make the changes needed? I think there are systemic issues beyond repair that means an overhaul. Now there's a referendum topic!

With a three year voting cycle and budgets for marketing akin to the FIFA.

A cycle that goes something like this...

Year 1 - Wow we won. What did we say we'd do? The budget's not what we thought...Now lets get some research done... we can't trust the others

Year 2 - What does the research say? Oh...ok what's the plan? Shit here's some emergency.

Year three - An election on the horizon best we focus on "the messages" and make some promises based on the research.

And with more lawyers than chickens who are so risk averse they need to debate 184 points of legislation over two months? How can we move ahead by factional and fictional political motivations?

In times of fear, instant answers and absolutes make us feel safer. And now we're trained with the online opt in click. No one reads the T&C's its made like that.

So is parliament it seems. Yes we're going to have no water but it's the payoff for the new bath we just gave you.click here! And we do. We just scroll to the punchline and tick I agree.Incidently, when I fill out a form for my passport it has to be black or blue pen. But, when voting...pencil. Something for the consipracy theorists. The people of persuasion know we're wired for slogans and easy truths. Trump is a master - Crime = Immigrants = Wall = No crime. Morrison Extreme weather and loss of livelihoods = Big Polluters i.e China/USA= No action required. Johnson - Loss of prosperity= EU=BREXIT

We're meaning makers. We don't like open questions. it makes us uncertain. So it makes logical sense that in uncertain times of confusion we need to find meaning. Seek out clear and concise answers.

Don't we love the internet for that? If you have ever dr googled a symptom or asked a question it's about three clicks till you hit a certainty of death , illness or unbarable loss and/or more. I do feel tired yes... I'm feeling the fear and feelings of lack of control and choice.

Then we realise. Actually I might not have control but I do have choice.

So, I'm gonna do something with it. I'm going to waste it!.. I mean....use it. By finding someone or something else that will give me the answer. But simple answers are usually propaganda. A reliable source recently back from China advises me that propaganda and advertising in Mandarin is the same word. At least they're up front about it!

Finally our desire to be involved in decision making has caught up with the convenience of an oreo Mcflurry at a drive through. Google, Alexa - vote for me.

Our ancient brain , our hippocampus is activated. We gravitate more easily toward the emotional relief and so with one click we're "exploring" conspiracy theories, watching some self-riteous evangelist talking truth, thinking that maybe the underground gangs are a legitimate tool of decision making, self-help and wellness cults are a way to live with the natural reaction of depresion and anxiety in an insane world and that instant self soothing gratification activites like food, drink , drugs, over-exercising and other activites that activate the release of feel-good hormones such as dopamine and seratonin can make us feel better! And they do. Then before to long we're chasing the sugar dragon or the get rich quick scheme. As shirley McClaine once sang " There's gotta be something better than this".

I think there is an appettite for hope marketing. We're saturated with fear. Hope like fear can be dangerous but at least its not enervating. It creates a sense of belonging and purpose. It's the one thing that we could take from the collectivist marketing of Communism and Socialism to make democracy better.

The alternative isn't fast, easy or simplistic. it means being a part of decision making debating whether you get solar for the strata or stop shopping for food 6 months...you know you have enough. Reflect on what you are grateful for. What you want to keep, what you need to stop saying , doing and believing and what you need to start doing to meet your personal values. don't let other people tell you what your values should be. You know what they are if you stop, turn off and tune in to yourself.

Then action time be willing to compromise where it really does matter and then plan a way forward and do it. Repeat. The process is not fast or sexy or shiney or feel good . The outcomes however are sustaining of connection, belonging and happiness with occasional moments of joy and disappointment etc. We can't outsource fear or disappointment but we can make braver choices that align to our values. Yes speak up . Remember those that mind don't matter and those that matter don't mind. Thanks mum.

Accepting that the journey of change requires courage and yes it's more likely that a luncheon to help the homeless would be organised than reading or writing to a local members position. If you choose the luncheon give a lot of money to people who will do what you don't yet have the courage or knowledge to action.

The fear of the silent majority is hitting a tipping point and globally people are rioting. The rise of nationalism... a simple and easy solution. "Let's protect US against THEM...the evil doers"...both sides have their icons. F.E.A.R (false evidence appearing real indeed).

So when will you stop. reflect on what you want to keep, stop and start? When will you be brave enough to vote ,purchase , participate with your head and NOT your heart? Who knows maybe even your feet.