There are three (non-exclusive) possibilities for humanity's future:
  1. COMPULSION Return to the age of dominance of physically-mediated tribal engagements (on a global basis). This would shift power to whomever was willing and capable to wreak the most havoc on others. With the existence of WMDs and with the targets of economic imperialism, this could be quite tragic - although some propose it as the path forward.
2. PERSUASION Remain in the age of dominance of economically-mediated tribal engagements. This would continue the advance of consumption-based growth, which evidently is catastrophic for our environment, and so for survivability - not to mention for human economic subjects.

3. CONCURRENCE Evolve to the age of dominance of reason-mediated tribal engagements. Physical war (compulsion) is rarely if ever employed, and only to promote reason (concurrence) or, if necessary economic warring (persuasion). Economic war (persuasion) is rarely if ever employed, and only to promote reason (concurrence).

It is important to make distinctions between reasoning for compulsion or reasoning for persuasion and reason. One way of comparing these is that they represent three developmental phases in the progressive understanding of humanity by itself (Noospheric awareness). If humanity successfully advances through these developmental phases, humanity survives as a sustainable entity - understanding its own ability to cause A) the extinction of humanity, or B) the destruction of the biosphere, but collectively choosing not to do so.

Only by introducing the Aikido Metaphor into reasoning for compulsion or reasoning for persuasion can either of these be united with reason.

It is especially interesting to consider world history as the succession from 1, to 2, to 3 above - and that the 1 to 2 transition involved maximizing physical power through economic means, only to change the application of physical power (adding greater restraint). So to is the only way to transition from 2 to 3 - maximize reasoned power through economic means, only to change the application of economic AND physical power (adding greater restraint… which almost certainly means that at least the typical 3rd era corporation will no longer maxmize economic profits, although they will maximizing economic profit-making potentials).

Various strategic blueprints for the future have been published by various groups:

Blue Prints For COMPULSION:

Pax Americana (Project for the New American Century) http://www.newamericancentury.org/RebuildingAmericasDefenses.pdf

Blue Prints For PERSUASION?:

Blue Prints For CONCURRENCE?:

This AikidoActivism.Xwiki.com

AikidoActivism.xwiki.com Web Home. Content subject to the Aikido Copyright.