We are hurtling into a new world, full of opportunities for some and uncertainty for others. Our world is becoming more and more complicated, with an endless stream of technological and economic changes threatening to leave us adrift. Animating all of this is a feeling that we are at a turning point in human history right before the machines take over and climate change wrecks our short-lived party. And yet, this is also a time that offers the possibility to find new footing in a radically changed world.
Our Shared Future
Policy wonks and technocrats will say that things are looking up. That worldwide trends are all positive: rising standards of living, millions lifted out of poverty, fewer wars, and improved health outcomes. Make no mistake, there has been a lot of positive change in the last 100 years of human development.
Yet it doesn’t always feel that way – especially to those who have not benefited from globalization and all the amazing technological advancements of the last 50 years. Counter-trends show that there is rising inequality worldwide, a return to authoritarian governments, reduced funding for public programs and projects, and ongoing environmental upheaval. And on the horizon there are a multitude of imaginable futures that threaten to upend things even further.
This general feeling of anxiety is shared among those on both sides of the aisle, although our polarized, social media-fueled political discourse often obscures our common goals.
So What Next?
If you’re conflicted, so are we. It’s hard to know the best path forward all the time.
The good news is that there are plenty of success stories. People, places, and organizations are finding ways to face challenges directly in a holistic and sustainable fashion. People are making a difference.
To continue facing challenges, we all need to cultivate our own capacities and resources, to work more closely with others, and to share what we learn along the way.
What Does “Anima” Mean Anyway?
It’s just one of those goofy words that’s taken on a lot of meanings over the years, from its original Latin meaning of “animating force” or “soul” to the Jungian concept of anima as the inner self that forms part of our collective subconcious.
We like this definition: An•i•ma: the hidden aspect of the self that is directed inward and in touch with the subconscious.