The essay contest to write from 2050 when the world is working, telling how that came to pass starting with something you did, was launched by this Substack post. Do sign up as subscribers to the Substack to track what is going on with the contest and to become part of efforts to figure out what we can do to create the world we all would like to live in: NOW WHAT? https://suzannetaylor.substack.com/about.
Our essayists weigh in:
Sticking with the idea that every essay is a seed that could serendipitously land in the lap of someone who will take it up and nurture it to fruition, is always a possibility. I believe great future-changing ideas carry vital energetic frequencies that are seeking properly fertile humans in which to land so they can become manifest as actualities. Everything currently extant in our human realm began first as an idea in consciousness.
I am deeply grateful to this essay contest, as it brought me to describe my vision starting from 2050 — a truly brilliant idea.
Thank you for having the idea and running this contest. Reading the essays really showed some significant patterns and helped me feel less alone. Yes, dammit, I do want to save the world.
I was truly inspired by some of the essays. I think you’ve catalyzed some real movement here.
So glad that this is continuing into productive next steps. It is having great impact.
I think we’re on the cusp of some real change. And this is contributing to that in a significant way!!
Your contest was a truly generative experiment for me—in mapping out my own social-cultural paradigm shifts over the last years.
This is a magical process and I am really enjoying it.
Had I not entered your competition, I would not have crystallized my thoughts.
Thank you again for the opportunity. The essay I wrote for your contest has me excited again to help “save our world.”
Thank you thank you! I look forward to what this has begun. I needed the hope. I think we all did.
Could this set off a craze where the internet is buzzing with stories and conversations? Comments are invited!
Here are the 21 finalists.
As a big proponent of neighborhood “re-Villaging” to bring about systemic change, these quotes jumped out at me from the essays as I read:
“The best way we found to do that was through conversations between trusted groups of people. So we started getting people together.” (2)
“It took people from all the different religions sitting down together, and, well, less talking than listening. They, and all the people who didn’t really have a religion, listened until everyone felt heard, and until everyone agreed on the basics.” (4)
“It is my personal belief, from a lifetime of surrender and commitment to service, that when we ask for help in this way, things happen.” (5)
“Don’t blame your parents for not seeing it right away, or your grandparents for not seeing it at all.” (6)
“I wanted to share more widely my belief in working collaboratively from the grassroots up” (7)
“We noted that human nature in private is very different from human nature in public. Things we would do under cover of anonymity, we would never do in the full light of day.” (8)
“So we deliberately. Started. Talking.” (9)
“The more they knew each other, and trusted each other… the less scared they got, the more willing they became to rely on each other.” (9)
“‘Those who love peace must learn to organize as effectively as those who love war’” – (MLK via 10)
“One healed good intentioned human can have the same impact on many others.” (10)
“Here’s what’s amazing about people: when you build a community
that creates space for new voices, for louder voices, the ideas get better, more organized, and more powerful.” (11)
“The small behaviors of lots of people, multiplied throughout the world, created change.” (11)
“Little did I know, the small local steps I personally took in my community eventually had a widening influence on the whole world.” (12)
“‘If you want to save the world, first start with yourself.’” – (Ghandi va 13)
“But I never knew how strong the pull of the group was. I studied the social experiments where people did crazy and awful things they would never do in real life, just because the group was doing them.” (14)
I really enjoyed reading these. So much synchronicity!
At VillageCo we support Village Builders in the long-term work of bringing people together in their neighborhoods. My story (not published) was about how building more connections at a the local level brought the feeling of being in a Village into being, which started changes locally that changed larger systems from within.