Friday, January 16, 2009

Wéi Jí

This is the Chinese word for "crisis". It means both "danger" and "opportunity". Since the current global financial crisis is an opportunity, at least under some cultural parameters, how can we take better advantage of the situation while it lasts?

First, try to separate the issues that we cannot do anything about, like economic statistics that are fluctuating towards the negative end of the spectrum, from the issues that we can do something about, like public policy, innovation for processes, systems, goods and services, attitudes of proactivity and solidarity, and long-term vision for the future.

Second, seriously consider the options presented by the Doha Round for liberalization of global trade. The global economic system is wasting billions of dollars that could be redirected to other purposes. Of course, Free Trade must mean fair trade. Otherwise, no way, Jose.

Third, revise the human accomplishments that have not had virtuous results, for example efficient generation and use of energy and environmental sustainability of economic growth in most regions of the world.

Fourth, review the values and principles that should guide human action. For example, the meaning of quality of life; happiness; justice; peace.

Fifth, identify the least sustainable businesses in the world, like arms and military industry, production of beef, and all other businesses that either imply massive deforestation, indiscriminate deployment of natural resources, or that pollute air and water sources without compensating the environmental damage.

Sixth, remember the importance of education as an effective means to distribute knowledge more evenly, therefore, distributing wealth more evenly. Take advantage of such reminder to review how to make formal education more effective. Sending a human being to school for 12 years to become a hand-laborer is a waste of public resources educating this person. Some of the skills required by modern "mind-labor" are learned outside academic institutions. Identifying the skills that should be promoted or developed by modern employees would improve the diagnosis to solve the education and training problem of qualified "mind-labor" for today's working needs.

In 2000, I started thinking long-term about how I would have liked 2030 to look like. Although the vision has not changed much, we don't have 30 years to get there anymore. Nor do we have any sort of consensus -not even consideration- for such long-term future scenario. Ten years are gone. Before we know it, another ten will be gone. To make the conflict scenario a bit more complicated, if we continue the rate of natural resource extraction and depletion to feed our voracious industrial growth and consumerism, there won't be many resources left to think about the "next 30-year plan".

This crisis -opportunity- might be a good stop on the way to really think things over. Who's up for it?

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Of Gas and Gaza

What a way to start the year. Despite the feeling of relief for 2008 to finally come to an end, 2009 started with a lot of heat -or in fact, a lack of it, in the case of many European countries that depended on Russian gas for heating. It was particularly dramatic to see Europe piling up wood at local markets for people to warm up, while a harsh cold front was bringing temperatures as low as -20C in some places.

It is another proof of Russian hegemonic aspirations. They were not dead. This time, again, their display of power is unsustainable. Energy is on the list of top problems to solve in the next coming decades. Once Europe and the world stops needing Russian natural resources for energy generation, maybe Russia will understand how unsustainable this game really is.

The Middle East is even worse. What has changed after 20 days of Israeli siege on Gaza? Well, a thousand less Palestinians in the world, that's for sure. Death is the antithesis of sustainability. In geopolitical terms, who speaks up for Palestinians? Who wants to step up in their defense? Perhaps somebody should tell Hamas that article 7 in their Charter, which vows the elimination of the State of Israel, is also unsustainable. Maybe the civil society of Gaza should say that. It's a democracy anyway, isn't it? Of course, when an adversary a thousand times stronger is attacking you day in and day out for three weeks, then it is very difficult to listen to your people and to make sound political decisions.

Meanwhile, Hamas's political assessment of the situation is: let's keep shooting our rockets into Israel, otherwise they will kill us all. Seems to be a very powerful rhetoric, since the militants still haven't stopped the shooting. But, again, quite unsustainable.

We are well into the XXI Century, and we still see no sign of civilization at the level we should be at, after such a prosperous XX Century. I heard Paul Hawken, the famous activist and environmentalist, say some time ago: the real Non-Governmental Organizations in the world are the governments. Very long ago, governments stopped governing. They are only supporting, defending and protecting a status quo of some very powerful groups around the world.

Although I believe there are incentives stronger than money to act virtuously, I am starting to consider it is time that we make a case for peace as a global business. If we understood how huge a business deal it would be if there was a sustainable degree of peace in the world, maybe we would stop the shooting and the blame game and the political belief systems that are conducting our planet in the wrong direction. Which way is Virtue?

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Bye-bye Bush

Tuve la oportunidad de escuchar la última conferencia de prensa de George Walker Bush en vivo esta noche. Es la primera vez en ocho años que lo escucho ininterrumpidamente por una hora, sin comentarios agregados por los medios de prensa.

Me parece que muchos de los mitos que tenía sobre él, desaparecieron. Todo el cinisismo que decían que tenía, no lo encontré hoy. Toda la arrogancia que le endosaban, no la identifiqué. Toda la ignorancia que creía que él tenía, la repelió con conocimiento y experiencia.

Me pareció un excelente manejo de prensa, de respuesta precisa a las preguntas, de conocimiento del mundo en el que vivimos. Por supuesto que mucho lo habrá aprendido durante ocho años de vicisitudes, al igual que mucho de lo que sabemos hoy lo hemos aprendido, cada uno en lo suyo, en los últimos ocho años de nuestras vidas.

Después de estos ocho años de gobierno, pienso en lo que debe costar presidir los Estados Unidos. Los ocho años anteriores -los de Clinton- el planeta no tenía internet. Hoy muchos tenemos acceso a fuentes que nos hacen creer lo que asumimos como cierto, como Verdad. Y qué peligroso, pues todavía, a pesar del acceso gratuito e inmediato a información, podríamos estar equivocados.

Después del 11 de setiembre, después de una maestría en paz, después de tres años en la función pública y después de año y medio en la China del Partido Comunista, considero oportuno hacer un cierre de lo que ha sido el gobierno de Bush, especialmente para los que han asumido emocionalmente sentimientos en su contra. Si no hubiéramos leído o visto noticias, lo podríamos escuchar sin tanta agresividad predispuesta hacia él. Me parece, también, que es oportuno hacer un esfuerzo -individual o en familia- para señalar las cosas que nos parece que Bush ha hecho bien, que la historia de los Estados Unidos y del mundo democrático libre le agradecerán por los años venideros.

No creo que esta sea una disculpa por lo que él ha hecho mal. A un presidente electo democrática y libremente, lo juzga la Patria, con el tiempo. La elección de noviembre fue un juicio de ese tipo, pero ya ven, en apenas dos meses, las circunstancias han cambiado de nuevo y ya no habrá descuento de impuestos por ahora, ya no cerrarán Guantánamo en el plazo esperado e Israel ha matado mil personas en Palestina desde la Navidad. La política de la democracia es apoyar al líder hasta que esté montado, y después oponerlo hasta que sea sustituido. En el caso de Obama, lo será en cuatro u ocho años, esperemos que no en un período distinto.

Mientras tanto, revisemos cómo es la cultura que nos gusta, qué nos gusta de ella, cuán viable es vivirla, qué podemos hacer para fortalecerla, y qué le critican los que la critican. En el caso de los que somos americanos -de ciudadanía, de cultura o de afecto- también es menester pensar por qué nos odian tanto quienes nos adversan, qué fue lo que hicimos para provocarlos, y cómo podemos hacer para reconciliarnos con esa cuarta parte del planeta que está dispuesta a dar la vida por quitarnos la nuestra.

Y si pueden, traten de buscar en CNN.com la entrevista con Bush y hagan un esfuerzo de desapego emocional para escucharla y criticarla apenas por lo que es: las palabras de un ser humano, como tú y como yo.

Amén.