The Geopolitics of Emotion

Despite having studied international relations, I do not remember having come across Dominique Moisi! I have heard of Gilpin´s and Kissinger´s approach to geopolitics, which always seemed like a realistic "Homo homini lupus" approach. Sad, cold and rational.
I came across an article my Mr. Moisi the other day. Since then I have understood that his theory has been around for some time and that many scholars have already lined up to support him. But somehow, I have not come across it before.
Nevertheless, the point is that he looks at geopolitics from an emotional perspective - that of fear and hope. He suggests (among others) the the US culture is dominated by individual fear and collective hope. Whereas the Western European one is guided by collective fear.
Mr. Moisi has 2 scenarios for 2025, depending on humanity being guided by fear or hope.
If guided by fear: after the 2018 4th Intifadah, the Middle East is in complete chaos. Terrorist groups are gaining power, they have already employed biological weapons that killed some 30.000 people. Nation states´ borders are closed down, everyone bacame suspicious and fearful of "the other".
If guided by hope: the USA is the greenest economy of the world, the EU has become united, Turkey joined the EU as a whole and business practices have become much more sustainable. Oh, and the Middle-East problem has been solved.
OK, these brief scenarios do not mention other major powers (Russia, China, India, SAR, Brazil Mexico, rest of Asia, Africa), but it gives you the idea of the severity of the state.
Now, the choice is ours. Fear or hope? apparently, we are too comfortable in our mental models to invest into looking at the world with hope.

Another example of being in flow

The other day I was decorating a shawl with beads. I wanted to decorate its both ends symmetrically. I got some beads and divided them into two equal heaps. And I started sewing. Halfway the first side, I thought I do not have enough beads in this group to finish my pattern. Or maybe I do. No, i don´t think so. Well, let´s just see. - I was having this conversation with myself, looking for alternative solutions - maybe I need to buy more beads. Maybe I will just leave it unfinished. Or maybe I will have enough beads? No, that´s unlikely.
I observed changes in my productivity depending on the paradigm I was thinking in ' in the one of hope or that one of surrender.
So, I ran out of beads for one end of the shawl. And my pattern was unfinished. So my boyfriend asked, why don´t you chose another pattern for the other end? A smaller one, maybe. Good thinking - I thought, and started sewing on the other hand. Again, without counting the actual number of available beads.
After some time, I finished the pattern and had beads left to return to the first edge of the shawl and finish that one. It all worked out beautifully.
Yet in the process I had doubts, I was looking for alternatives, I even came close to giving up. Fortunately, as I let go of the in-the -box thoughts, everything came together and I managed to finish the job and feel good about it!

2010, the year of...

What will happen in 2010? Elections. Yes. Dynamic development of international relations and diplomacy (now that the EU has it's "faces" as well). Yes. The winter Olympic and Paralympic games in Vancouver. Greening economies, recovering from the recession, yes. Addressing global challenges. Hopefully.
In 2010 we'll have have the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion - http://www.2010againstpoverty.eu/. It is rather inward focused - no mention of global poverty and exclusion, at least not for now....
In 2010, the European Cultural Capitals are Essen in Germany, Istanbul in Turkey and Pecs in Hungary. If this choice provokes you, feel free to start a discussion about it. I find the choice great, an out of the box step. It makes me proud...
What else will be 2010 known for? It's also maybe up to you.

BUEK /PF 2010

I have somehow not managed to upload a festive post before the Christmas holidays. Neither during them (but then I had no intention to be connected to the world wide web). Yet now I would like to wish you a belated happy new year, a successful and prosperous 2010.
Making plans for 2010, personal and professional ones makes one be able to map things out better. This will be a big year, no doubt. Business is changing, consumers habits are changing, technological development continues to accelerate - it will be a decisive year for Twitter, for space research and alternative energies. But most of all, it should be a year when we take time to get grounded, to assess what went wrong in 2009 (and what went well, for that matter) and build on the experience. And to take time to do things that really matter. Make Christmas decorations, write birthday cards, read the newspapers, catch up with friends ... and be happy for each others' success.