A New Story For a New World

For anyone who has read the KedgeForward! blog for any period of time, you are well aware that I believe in moving humanity toward a “new world.” By this, I mean to say that many of our past and present ideas, assumptions, and activities – our “old world” – need to be questioned, reframed, and redesigned. It’s not hard to look at our collective ideologies concerning governments, war, human equality, energy, health care, religion, economics, culture, and social dynamics in general, and see that the “old world” needs to evolve. Humanity needs to inhabit a new place, a new space… a “new world!”

But for this to happen, we will first need a collective change in our “story.” You see, everybody has a story that shapes the way they think and move, receive and give, act and interact, build up and tear down, live – and even die. And depending on the particular aspects of the story that guides us – though it is often hidden deep within the subconsciousness of our individual and collective humanity – a pattern of thinking, acting, and reacting will develop that defines our “world.” The story we tell ourselves about our past, our present, and our future creates a pathway for everyone, and that pathway can be aspirational, transformational, and a blessing to all; however, it can also be destructive, dark, and filled with despair.

In the complex world that we live in, things are never so “black and white.” Across the globe today, we can find many instances of hope, and many of doubt. We can see areas of the human equation that have improved over the centuries, and others that have taken a step backwards. And even when we attempt to do something “good,” we are often met with unseen consequences that counter the advances we feel that we have made. I say this to clarify the concept that our story cannot be one of protectionism, isolation, conformity, or simple linear thinking. These are elements of the “old world,” the “old story.” As we have learned more about humanity, our planet, and our cosmos, we have found that we are only scratching the surface of our understanding of how the universe works. And this depth of learning – this journey – has the potential to help us grasp the depth, the wonder, even the mystery of what it means to really be a part of this unfolding “cosmology” (a fancy word that means “our story about the universe and how it operates”). One online cultural dictionary defines “cosmology” as:

A system of beliefs that seeks to describe or explain the origin and structure of the universe. A cosmology attempts to establish an ordered, harmonious framework that integrates time, space, theplanets, stars, and other celestial phenomena. In so-called primitive societies, cosmologies help explain the relationship of human beings to the rest of the universe and are therefore closely tied to religious beliefs and practices. In modern industrial societies, cosmologies seek to explain the universe through astronomy and mathematics. Metaphysics also plays a part in the formation of cosmologies.

So, what “cosmology” does humanity need to develop, accept, or evolve into  - what “new story” – in order to enter into a “new world” that allows us greater harmony with the complexity, diversity, and creativity inherent in the universe with which we are so intimately connected?

This is the question I’ve asked several friends to begin blogging about, but only a handful of writers and thinkers won’t be enough to build such a awe-inspiring, resilient, and fantastic story for a “new humanity.” For that, we need YOU! Because true creativity and innovation comes from diverse thinking and collaboration, we need to hear this “new story” from the hearts and mouths of the “many-membered one.” This is why we are launching a brand-new project that we are calling:

The concept isn’t hard to grasp: For the next 90 days (August 3rd – October 31st, 2009), we are asking you to blog, post a video, record a podcast, design a series of Tweets, build a Facebook page, or use any form of Social Media you can imagine in order to convey your addition to humanity’s “new story,” all connected to one another in a net-wide thread of links, forming an ongoing viral meme. (Of course, you could still add to the meme after the 90-day project, but we have plans for a 2nd stage after the allotted project time.) In order to better understand the project, take a look at the following video explanation:

So, it’s time for you to join the story! In order to get a feel for how others are helping to create this “new world,” please visit “new story” ideas from my fellow collaborators on this exciting project: Kevin Beck @ Transmillennial, Brittian Bullock @ Sensual Jesus, and Mike Morrell @ Zoecarnate. (Note: Mike’s “New Story” addition was not available at the time that this post was published. I will edit to include the correct link as soon as it is available.) Once you add to the project, please write me at fspencer4@hotmail.com and tell me where we can find your addition to the project so that we can include you in the “new story” project thread. If others can’t find your part of the story, the phrase “viral meme” won’t mean very much.

Now, let’s get this “new story” started!

[MAJOR EDIT (8/5/09): Please remember, you have to write, sing, or dance (whatever you think best expresses you) a PROJECT SPECIFIC addition that (1) includes a hyper-link somewhere in your post to at least one other post in the thread (or more than one, especially if you find several that you like), and (2) you have to call your entry "A New Story For a New World," though you can subtitle it anything you want. These are the only 2 "rules" of the project, and are done in order to create a true viral meme that leads to new thinking by those who create, as well as those who are taking it all in.]

[EDIT (8/6/09): We've created a new page (on the right-hand side of the site) for the "ANSFANW Project" that contains a running list of all of the bloggers and media gurus that have added their ideas about a "New Story," and we will be sure to update it continually through the 90 day time-period. If you want your ideas added to the project, and to appear on the list, make sure that you've read the conditions of the project in this post, and then send me the link to your entry once it's complete. We are looking forward to seeing who can come up with the most imaginative way to express a "New Story" through means of various social media outlets - I know some great ideas are brewing!]

[Edit (8/9/09): Don't forget - once you write, post, record, and/or upload your ANSFANW Project entry, please send me the link at fspencer4@hotmail.com. (I mentioned this email address in the video, but don't see it anywhere in this post.]