What does resilience feed on?

Have you noticed that many of the "systems" on which we rely are not serving us well when faced with COVID-19. Is a significant part of the issue related to increased centralization that dominates markets (e.g., Amazon?)? How much freedom have we traded for lower prices? Take a look at James Howard Kunstler's Long Emergency. Has the "health care" system been able to respond to the coronavirus crisis and keep the doors open for other non-critical medical needs? What do the shelves look like in your local supermarket?

farm direct sales

Photo by J. Harrington

Let me suggest that we seem to be lacking accountability for the performance of our health care system(s) and our food system(s) because there's no real system planning or entity responsible for making sure systems function under what we should anticipate as a sequence of growing disruptions. We've barely begun to return to what used to pass for normal after the "great recession" of a decade or so ago and then the coronavirus pandemic struck. Now we have major corporations demanding we bail them out while threatening an inability to perform such basic functions as providing food (chicken, hogs, beef?).

is all farm country food country?

Photo by J. Harrington

We have major systems design, operations and accountability issues facing us individually and collectively. This should come as no surprise. Fortunately some folks, such as those at thrive, are focused on how we can create more resilient systems. Here's a list of seven principles they suggest help ensure system resilience. To read the details, visit Everybody’s talking about resilience, but does anyone know how to apply it?

SEVEN PRINCIPLES

Principle one: Maintain diversity and redundancy

Principle two: Manage connectivity

Principle three: Manage slow variables and feedbacks

Principle four: Foster complex adaptive systems thinking 

Principle five: Encourage learning

Principle six: Broaden participation

Principle seven: Promote polycentric governance

If you think about it a little bit, you may realize that our current political "system" is maladapted to deal with resilience thinking. We're going to have to figure it out and then make our "political leaders" do what's needed. That's if we haven't beaten each other to a pulp first.

This Morning I Pray for My Enemies

Joy Harjo - 1951-

And whom do I call my enemy?
An enemy must be worthy of engagement.
I turn in the direction of the sun and keep walking.
It’s the heart that asks the question, not my furious mind.
The heart is the smaller cousin of the sun.
It sees and knows everything.
It hears the gnashing even as it hears the blessing.
The door to the mind should only open from the heart.
An enemy who gets in, risks the danger of becoming a friend.

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