We live in remarkable times. The changes of the last hundred years have been phenomenal: in the early 1900s we barely understood what bacteria were, and now we understand the DNA structure of every living being. We’ve seen the end of the agricultural economy, the rise of the industrial economy, and the transition to a knowledge economy. The pace of economic change, facilitated by technology, has been staggering.
Now we stand on the precipice of another change—one that could result in the most vibrant economy ever imagined. This economy is a major shift from a quantity-of-stuff to a quality-of-life focus. Yes, we will still make stuff, probably lots of it—but in the context of how it supports quality of life for the entire community of life: humans, plants, animals, and the planet.
As you join us here to learn about these ideas, please keep an open mind. Humans have been on a journey for millions of years. Over that time, things have changed: we no longer live in caves, nor under the divine right of kings. Change is the natural order of things—and creating an Integrative Economy is, we believe, the next level of change.
An economy is simply the management of life, and for most of the human journey that meant surviving: finding enough food and shelter. Over the last 150 years, our capacity to develop technology, become educated, and build industrial and knowledge economies has shifted us past surviving and into thriving. It is this shift that sets the stage for a new management of life—one focused on the quality of life that enables us all to thrive.
This is the foundation for an Integrative Economy, where the technology, machines, and skills developed in the industrial and knowledge economies free humans from jobs focused on surviving and give us the time to thrive—building wholeness and a quality of life for humans and the planet.
Welcome to an Integrative Economy!