How the World Got Better

I recently participated in a couple of inspiring nonviolence workshops with the activist and author Rivera Sun. One of the closing exercises was imagining our country in the year 2035. Democracy was healthy again, and the exercise was to work backwards and imagine what specific steps had been taken to rebuild/reclaim democracy.

The exercise reminded me of the deep time practices created by the Buddhist scholar, activist, and author Joanna Macy. And before saying more about those practices, I want to acknowledge the still recent passing of Joanna Macy and the incredible impact she had on myself and so many others who, like her, and inspired by her, have a wild love for the world (1).

So much more could be said about Joanna, but suffice it to say here, that by popularizing concepts such as the ecological self and the Buddhist principle of dependent co-arising (interbeing); by making the link between the inner and the outer work; by birthing so many creative experiential practices; by being such a beautiful writer, and such warm and radiant human being; Joanna touched, and will continue to touch, countless lives.

Macy’s deep time exercises can go forward in time hundreds of years, if not more. Originally inspired by bravely facing the environmental legacy of nuclear waste—a legacy of deadly contamination that will last for hundreds of thousands of years—she envisioned what it would actually take to safeguard these stockpiles over the generations. The concept and ethics of long-term nuclear guardianship arose out of those contemplations she undertook with a trusted group of allies (2).

My own experience of deep time practices led me to appreciate the poignancy of our moment all the more. The importance of connection and collaboration, the sacredness of owning our grief, and the empowerment that comes with feeling the support of the Earth and the ancestors—all of this still shines through and inspires me.

It can be all too easy to get down on human beings these days. But by allowing people like Joanna Macy to touch our hearts, we open to a bigger picture of how the world can get better. And more than that, how it’s already happening!

Climate Activism and a Just Transition

If we let it in, fresh inspiration comes from so many directions. As I write this, the 30th annual UN climate conference (COP 30), is underway in Belém, Brazil. Following the Conference on Democracy Now!, I experience more and more people who are, right now, contributing to making the world better. There are far more indigenous peoples at this COP than ever before—people who are facing dire challenges, and yet stay strong and resilient.

There are so many young people there in Belém, and so many women in the forefront, so many different cultures represented. They speak so clearly, and so unitedly, about the hard things, such as the urgency of phasing-out fossil fuels and the need for finance and justice in that transition (3).

When, generations from now, people reflect on how the world got better, they will remember and honor those such as the indigenous people at COP 30. Not only them, of course, but all the activists the world over who refused to give up, despite the seemingly long odds, and continued to speak up for and defend Mother Earth and humanity and all beings.

How the World Got Better, the Book

Finally, I want to acknowledge that the inspiration for the title and theme of this post comes from a lovely book written by my uncle Greg (4). It’s beautifully illustrated by his daughter (my cousin) Claire. It’s well suited to a young audience but relevant for us all.

In the story, the world got better when people simply started asking each other, “How would YOU like the world to be? It was the sharing from the heart that led people who had previously been divided to realize that they wanted the same things, that they shared the same deep longings. It seems to me there is something foundational in that message, regardless of one’s overall theory of social change.

Thank you for reading.

Notes

1. A compilation of essays edited by Stephanie Kaza, is titled A Wild Love for the World: Joanna Macy and the Work of Our Time. A full biography of Joanna can be found on the website dedicated to uplifting and carrying forward her work and legacy.

2. Joanna talks about deep time in this short video, and leads a group in this one. More background and the ethics of nuclear guardianship can be found here.

3. There are many inspiring interviews from COP 30 but I can recommend a couple. This interview is with Alessandra Korap Munduruku. A leader in her own community of Munduruku people in Brazil, she was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2023, and seems to be recognized as one of the main leaders at COP 30. Another wonderful interview is with Diana Chávez, a member of the Pastaza Kichwa Nation in Ecuador’s Amazon. “We’re fighting to keep our territories.”

4. How the World Got Better.