First, let it be sustainable

Let’s start with ‘Sustainability’. In the last few years the concept has been confused with environmental concerns. It seems silly to try and detach it, because it is about environmental concerns, only much wider, in my mind, than it is usually thought of. ‘Sustainability’, to me, is the ability of a system to keep going indefinitely, keeping its main characteristics, resilient in its path, changing because of evolution drives and not for the sake of change itself or in a fit of despair and survival anguish.  ‘Sustainability’, to me, is the ability of a system to live well, healthy, to live in peace with itself and, most likely, in peace with others.

Most people’s ‘life system’ is not sustainable. Most organizations’ system is not sustainable. This is not because of the nature of systems themselves. ‘Sustainability’ is not incompatible with capitalism, with wealth, with economic evolution, with modern comfort, with freedom.

This is also not because of the nature of Man. For most of History, there was a fair amount of sustainability in society, with empires and religions lasting for thousands of years. Demographics and economics wouldn’t change much, and technology developments and social innovation were slow at best, leaving social and individual systems pretty much the same. Of course, there was more to come, and in the last few centuries Mankind benefited from understanding as much and evolving to different levels. In the process, it also developed a culture obsessed with growth, based on a myth that ‘Growth brings Health’, when actually it’s the other way around: ‘Health brings Growth’.

What we have right now that is incompatible with ‘Sustainability’ is a culture of ‘Consumption’. I wouldn’t say ‘overconsumption’ – for the system would also be in peril if there was ‘underconsumption’. The problem is that consumption exists in society nowadays regardless of everything else. We consume what we consume because it’s available, interesting and good. We do not check it against the health of the system, in fear it will be a burden. I think we ought to do otherwise.

Let me be clear – I am neither a socialist nor a religious man. I do not believe in boundaries and traits imposed by higher powers. I do not believe ‘Sustainability’ is a moral issue. Something we should do because it’s the ‘right thing to do’. Quite the opposite – it’s the ‘right thing to do’ because it’s the ‘best thing to do’. It will bring us to higher ground in evolution.

I do not lead a ‘sustainable’ life yet. It will probably take some years before I do. But I believe it is the future.

My first challenge will be to make this blog sustainable. I probably will not be able to write it every day, but the goal is to make it continuous, regular and balanced. I hope you keep coming back as well.