CW37: Space Walk: "Earth sure looks like a perfect world"

see: https://www.bbc.com/news/live/crkmgvzl70yt 

Billionaire Jared Isaacman on an commercial space walk: "Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do. But from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world."

We remember how in the 1960s we got the first photographs of "spaceship earth", from the Apollo program (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_program)

These photographs also led to a lot of people feeling "awe", and many having the first impression of the fragility of the green planet. 

Many see this "awe" as "orange", rational spiritual experiences, beyond traditional beliefs and "faith". 

CW36: National Democratic Convention: Kamala Harris

see e.g. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/five-takeaways-democratic-convention-kamala-harris-rcna166861 

Comparing the approach of Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris:

Kamala Harris has deliberately avoided the "glass ceiling" metaphor that was central to Hillary Clinton's campaign. Harris's team has chosen a more nuanced approach, focusing less on her gender and more on her actions and policies. This strategy is aimed at preventing Trump from exploiting gender issues.

In contrast, Hillary Clinton heavily emphasized the historical significance of breaking the "glass ceiling" and often highlighted her role as a woman in politics. This approach, while significant, may have alienated some voters who found it too focused on gender dynamics.

Read Ken Wilber: Post-Truth World for more background how Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump played in the culture war.

Wrestling with far-right and far-left populism all over the planet it will be crucial to integrate

  • the healthy aspects of Blue/Element Tree/Order,
  • the healthy aspects of Salmon/Stonwall/Action,
  • the healthy aspects of Orange/Fire/Rationality
  • and the healthy aspects of Green/Water/Postmodern approach to Justice and Diversity.

CW35: Paralympics in Paris

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Summer_Paralympics, For the History of the Paraolympics see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Paralympic_Games 

The "normal" Olympic Games were reestablished 1904, reconnecting to the Games of Old Greece. The "ideology" behind was "orange" rational: fostering healthy democracy, wise and peaceful internationalism. Remember: This was at a time when tensions grew and an upcoming war could be sensed.

The Paralympics were started in the 1960s. The idea could not have started earlier. We can see the first societal signals of postmodern green - diversity, etc., but still fully enmeshed in the paradigm of (orange) competition.

CW33: August 17 – Indonesia's 79th Independence Day celebration is held in Nusantara

The celebration is supposed to inaugurate Nusantara as the new capital of Indonesia, but this does not occur due to delays.
https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-widodo-new-capital-nusantara-43641d95d2d88caeda772c87dffc0f23 

But why does Indonesia get a new capital?

Environmental and Infrastructure Issues in Jakarta
Jakarta, the old capital, is facing severe environmental and infrastructure challenges, including rapid land subsidence due to excessive groundwater extraction and climate change. The city is one of the fastest sinking cities in the world, with some areas sinking by as much as 25cm per year. This has led to frequent flooding, especially in the northern parts of the city, and estimates suggest that large areas of Jakarta could be fully submerged by 2050.

Overpopulation and Congestion
Jakarta is highly congested, polluted, and overpopulated, with a population of around 10 million people and a greater metropolitan area of over 30 million. The city suffers from dire traffic congestion, air and groundwater pollution, and significant economic costs due to these issues.

Economic and Geographical Balance
The relocation aims to distribute economic activity and wealth more evenly throughout Indonesia, which has historically been concentrated on the island of Java. Moving the capital to Kalimantan is part of a strategy to reduce developmental inequality between Java and other islands in the Indonesian archipelago.

Sustainability and Modernization
The new capital, Nusantara, is envisioned as a "sustainable forest city" and a "green city" with a focus on environmental sustainability. It is planned to be carbon-neutral by 2045 and will incorporate modern infrastructure and green technologies, such as electric vehicles and clean energy.

Government and Administrative Reasons
The move also involves the relocation of government offices and administrative functions to a new, purpose-built city. This is intended to create a fresh start for the country's administrative center, away from the colonial-era government offices in Jakarta.

Overall, the relocation of Indonesia's capital to Nusantara is driven by a combination of environmental necessity, economic rebalancing, and the desire to create a modern, sustainable city that reflects the country's growing economic and geopolitical status. And you can imagine that the project is delayed and also heavily critized from outside and inside of Indonesia.

 

The example illustrates at least two Global Shadows

CW32: Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus - Chief Adviser of interim government formed in Bangladesh

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/8/muhammad-yunus-takes-oath-as-head-of-bangladeshs-interim-government 

see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Yunus 

In Spiral Dynamics Language: Yunus represents Orange, rationality, success, liberation, human rights. Postmodern Green would like to see him as "doing good", which he does, but from an ecomomic perspective. When Bagladesh got more and more autocratic (Blue), Yunus got in trouble and was removed from his bank and faced around 170 trials, politically motivated as most people said. Now, after the resignation of the leader after huge protests, Yunus who seems to be a public symbol for Integrity in Bangladesh, is made Chief Advisor. It seems not only that the interim government really wants his counsel. They apparently want to send out a signal: We are different. We are in the right camp.