"Everything is changing, have you noticed? "A few months ago, I freed myself from society, I’ve released myself from the attachments I had and fear that locked me to the system. And since then, I started seeing the world from a different perspective. The perspective that everything is changing and most of us have not even realized that. "Why is the world changing?" Read the full story by Gustavo Tanaka.... Continue reading
Why the living wage is victory for people power, not party politics
"Neil Jameson, whose campaign for decent pay has won over Lidl, explains why he prefers taking a battle to the streets to Westminster infighting.... "Greying, bearded and radiating a determined calm, Jameson has more than a hint of the Jeremy Corbyn about him. Like Corbyn, he believes passionately in the value of politics as a democratic, bottom-up, grassroots process and has spent much of his working life trying to shift the balance of power in society. "But unlike Labour’s new leader, … Continue reading
As Systems Collapse, Citizens Rise | Otto Scharmer
"As we see pictures of German citizens cheering tens of thousands refugees arriving from Syria and other war zones, we may be witnessing an emerging pattern of the years to come: bureaucracy is failing (EU), systems collapsing (millions of Asylum seeking refugees in urgent need of helping hands) - AND: citizens rising to the occasion! "The logic of collective action is suddenly shifting from the head to the heart. Or, put differently: from applying yesterday's rules onto the current situation, … Continue reading
Global Web Movements Lift Democratic Decision-Making to a New Level
"In recent years, online activism platforms have multiplied to the degree that they are starting to have a significant real world impact in areas like environmental protection, human rights and public policy. "The most important decision-making instrument of these platforms is the online petition. In the age of social media, the chance to make an impact seems just a few clicks away. "Jones of Change.Org told IPS: “There are many metrics for success. Victory is the most obvious of metrics, but … Continue reading
The Next System Project: Revolutionary Thinking for the Future of the Planet
"Growing inequality, political stalemate, and climate disruption prompt an important insight. When the old ways no longer produce the outcomes we are looking for, something deeper is occurring. It is time to explore genuine alternatives and new models — The Next System." Watch video
World Social Forum 2015: Another World is Possible
Ordinary people from around the globe are challenging the mainstream narrative... "This week, for the second time in a row, the World Social Forum (WSF) gathered in Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab spring. During the five-day event, 70,000 delegates from more than 4,000 organisations representing 120 countries discussed a wide range of issues and topics including, climate justice, immigration, media freedom, women’s rights, refugees and energy. "Activists at the WSF are clear that the … Continue reading
Zen and the art of social movement maintenance
"The untold story of how mindfulness was integral to Occupy's endurance and impact, holds vital lessons for those seeking mindfulness and a more just world. "Organizations that do anti-oppressive training to build movement power, like the Catalyst Project based in San Francisco, have begun integrating embodied awareness and mindfulness practices into their organizing work. In general, however, the tactical integration of mind/body and anti-oppression work is underdeveloped; it remains a site of … Continue reading
Occupy Amazonia? Indigenous activists are taking direct action – and it’s working
"Indigenous people in the Amazon basin have gradually, over the centuries, become more adept at getting organised and speaking the language of power. They’re now a key part of a global indigenous peoples’ movement which can call on an increasing number of activists with training in international law, documentary film making, or indeed anthropology, to assist campaigning efforts. On a smaller scale, communities regularly engage with different projects brought by outsiders, including the … Continue reading
The New Grassroots Heroes: They Fight Pollution and Police Brutality, and They’re Changing How Social Movements Happen
"The global justice movement, the antiwar movement, the climate movement: We are now part of a much larger, more systemic movement that really sees the interrelationships between all these systems and climate destruction." Gopal Dayaneni, Climate Justice Alliance Laura Flanders wrote this article for Truthout, which appears here in Yes! Magazine. She is the executive producer, founder, and host of “GRITtv with Laura Flanders.” Continue reading