This work is not neither symbolic, nor utopian. Rather, a subtle tweak of language takes us down a conversational path – away from a world of abstraction, and into a world in which we are part of the web of life. We are not commanded to change our behaviour. Value is created by the stewardship of living systems, rather than the extraction of ‘natural resources’. Rather than measure progress against abstract measures such as money, or GDP, ecological growth means observable improvements to the health and carrying capacity of the land, and the resilience of communities. An innocuous invitation to think ecologically, rather than economically, transforms the meaning and purpose of growth – but by indirect means. Rather than denounce a fallen world for its greed and avarice, we are given a novel interpretation of the word itself – the idea that unmediated contact with nature might be a better measure of wealth than money, or possessions. The power of this approach is evident from the first entry in this book, on Affluence. Small islands of coherence, for Karin Fink, are discrete concepts and thoughts that, when articulated, can trigger new conversations among individuals and groups that might have been at loggerheads, or worse, before. This approach to connections and relationships echoes the words of Ilya Prigogene, a founder of systems thinking: “When a system is far from equilibrium”, he wrote, “small islands of coherence have the capacity to shift the entire system”. Rather than re-draw the whole picture at a stroke, her focus in this book is on small connections, and how to enhance them. Rather than confront the enormity of unfolding events head-on, she sets out to start conversations and foster relationships – one at a time. Karin Fink’s response is both nimble and wise. Feeling powerless to change the course of events, the inclination to switch off can feel like self-defence. The scale of the societal and environmental challenges we face can be debilitating. The following is my prologue to The Anthroponaut’s Wordbook, by Karin Fink, which has just been published by Postmedia Books.
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