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Africa is changing so fast, it is becoming hard to ignore. In the short term the continent faces many problems, including covid-19, but in the long term it could rival China's economic might suggests a special report on March 26, 2020 by The Economist. https://econ.st/2CYGwtc
The article in the Special report section of the print edition under the headline "The African century" ends with an inspiring tone:"Africa’s new generation is not just full of hope, but is slowly gaining the tools to turn that hope into reality."
This post analysis in dept those arguments and comments on alternative ways of looking at the world - as #book Many Many Beginnings suggests.
We are all aware that in Africa and elswhere - latent human power is largely available - but very important facts are not:
There is a wide difference between the 54 countries and their more than thousands unique societies on the single continent - so it is very unlikely to interpret "Africa" referenced as a single bloc of economy.
The colonial minded thinking is still taking away from Africa. For example, some west African countries still pay large sums as colonial tax. The fact that several African countries have been under the influence of France for about 75 years now is stunning. Unable to let its colonies go, France continues to benefit from African countries with unfair obligations, one of which has raised a raging debate over the years suggest Afritech: "The colonial pact between France and its former colonies indicates a ruler that was not ready to let go. Whether France regrets that decision today is debatable. However, the European nation has benefited greatly from this pact because the African countries contribute $500 billion to its treasury every year." https://afritechnews.com/french-colonial-tax/
What does Many Many Beginnings suggest we can do about the youth in Africa?
"We cannot change the world - we can only change ourselves." was its core message. Yes, but how to apply this in the real world - with Covid-19 and the lack of resources?
In my opinion, African youth can learn. The young can learn that they cannot look for happiness in the West nor in the East - but in themselves.
The youth opens fresh and hopeful buds with open arms to life’s welcoming promises while they are eager to any breeze of life’s senses and joys. Their expectancy for a better tomorrow shall not turn into disappointment anymore. We are now in 2020. This expectancy cannot turn anymore into disillusionment.
Every day The East and The West busy with their agendas see anew that their well-being depends on the well-being of others. Soon they will also realize that Africa is no exception nor are other parts of Mother Earth where we have human life to contribute to the overall well-being.
In Africa and similarly elsewhere, not only but partly because of non-inclusiveness, non-sufficient sharing of wisdom and technical insight, or system based benefit-sharing – Africans are looking for happiness in the wrong place. Neither the East nor the West is and can be the source that its youth need to avoid such disappointment.
LOOKING AT THE FUTURE
African youth can learn. By learning African youth can manage the ancient science of redirecting energies toward technological and spiritual awakening – and I believe that the East and West can and will assist them – more than ever once Africans apply practical and effective techniques for a better tomorrow.
To search for a better tomorrow outside ourselves is similar to flying Aladdin’s carpet. It opens access to panoramas; still, the flight is unreliable, its duration too short.
A better tomorrow does not start with materialistic thinking. Direct help, direct Money transfer, or direct power-sharing cannot encapsulate a better tomorrow.
Sufferings remind us that our place on earth is temporary. And the idea of being happy is a mindset and not depending on materie or Money. The mindset is yet very vulnerable to traps and can be hi-jacked easily. #book Many Many Begininngs longly discussed what alternative ways co-exist under the influence of many layers of meaning to interpret even one single artwork, or an unwelcomed event of break-of-life – arguing that art and literature is the best platform where all efforts for a better tomorrow start. The book also shows for economists that including social values into the calculation, the highest growth and best progress on earth comes from the smallest investment of per capita using already existing art and literature, which is cultivation and education of latent human capital today cheaper than ever.
HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE
Leaving distractive forces aside, that is programmed to shift focus to private interest at almost any cost to the common interest, voices for intergenerational sustainability - at least on the international arena - have been louder than ever now. As the pandemic urges every living being to new thinking – asking how to uplift others – with minimum cost and maximum benefits - while doing our homework to be more resilient and independent of shocks.
To address global problems need global answers – but this article believes – along the lines of Many Many Beginnings that small can be beautiful. Progress means a small yet good example can quickly be applied and welcomed by others. Happiness is a choice. If we want to be happy no one really can take it away from us - but also no one else can choose this for us.
It would be a waste to argue that the World lacks good examples in this regard– yet when it comes to integrating a lot of co-existing and dispatched good examples, some from our generation but many from the past things can get complex. Nevertheless, there are benefits to integrate thought and systems and non-aligned forces into a simple structure – Many Many Beginnings and its Team has proved that there is lots of potentials.
Unlike oil or untapped natural resources, or new ones to be discovered #book shifted the perspective of a search for higher growth, even for the very materialist economists, for a better tomorrow through wide-spread use of art and literature as leverage. Today only less than 8% of the World population has a diploma and this very population is expected to almost 50% next 25 years.
What can we do? Very simple yet untried remains only one solution. Invest in Love; a change from inside out.
AVOIDING THE UNHAPPINESS TRAPS
To trust the power of human latent creativity that is going to flourish is a safe bet – its fruits can even surpass over time our current standards whatever they might be– even by the most unexpected member of World community.
One thousand years ago – as the least developed part of the World – it was Europe which over time surprised all and mastered a sustained change (specially looking at the gains after WWII) and now it seems Rural Africa is in line.
Yet for a system names do not matter.
More than a thousand years of experience have proved to us that mental restlessness is triggered by an outward focus of awareness. Restlessness will also in the coming next 1000 years ensure that a better future will remain elusive.
Temporal power or financial apparatus are not states of mind. If and once obtained – they only distract one’s mind from the essential – a better tomorrow. Certainly then cannot enhance it.
So what can we do as little as we are and powerless we may feel or seem for such complex problems?
SIMPLICITY IS THE KEY
Well, we can do as we always did. We need to come together. To learn together. We can use collective Powers to create and co-create where we are the strongest. We can create art and literature as they are the most powerful resources that bring people together – in their minds where the is no limit to growth.
This growth potential is untapped.
That is where the future is, and not in the small Money that is going to come from automation – be it by Artificial Intelligence or other ‘ Intelligence’. We must put The Human Being first and let non-living human constructs such as Money or materie or artificial intelligence serve The Human Being.
We must object to thoughts that try to enslave The Human Being for private interest using such human constructs (arbitrarily).
SHARING HAPPINESS WITH OTHERS
Art and Literature make the best systems that support the human mind but also in a parallel global human family to work while being united in spirit and power. Such an ambitious goal needs everyone also inspiration and some well-designed rule-making that empowers all creativity that will not harm others – during the process of production.
Also the readers of #book Many Many Beginnings were, among others, inspired. They reacted quickly – now even before the end of the second month after the first publication – from Indonesia to Montenegro, Africa to Brazil and asked how such a spiritual world could look like. The specific question was how to create a healthy and productive work environment – given the materialistic framework and by now a wild capitalistic system in which such a spirit must live and co-exist.
To lead a balanced life – adults must educate themselves that business ambitions are only for making themselves and others happy – this can only be uplifting themselves and others to be happy and not by private interest at the expense of anyone or anything else. Yet learning can bring benefits quicker than the speed of burning brings its harm.
To create a real-life project around learning Many Many Beginnings Team used in real life what it suggests in the book – Art and Literature to recommend to Rural African Village representatives a social experiment – similar to many others so many international institutions, charities or philanthropist tried before – making one thing different from the others:
TRUE SUSTAINED SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY
It put into the center of production social (non-material) values of each individual (producer as capitalists would refer) understanding those social values are exercised in real-life in social relationships – like in a representative 5.000 citizen commune – where close ties drive decision making. Then looking at tradition and other behavioral patterns the social experiment is dressed like an orphan (not in an isolated mood of the ivory tower – but co-working with rural communities) who seeks protectorate and wisdom from the elderly, wealthy, wise and so on. With good manners. The result was a solution, called ARTBOX.
The Word ARTBOX is not a brand. It is not a thing, yet it is even-minded. Behind it, there is nobody – if not everybody. The idea is to help families with food yet, more importantly, the focus is to help families develop their mental Powers.
ARTBOX tries to uplift everyone equally, also physically, mentally, or spiritually sick within a free-from force and ‘carrots and sticks’ process. It is an inspiring and inviting inclusive, small system, a mini-model, a building, a school, a micro-finance institute that does not increase debt, a peace-building shelter, a radio-station, a cinema, a culture center or a business opportunity.
It proposes to make a little money and be satisfied with it by living a simple life but expressing the creativity and ideals from inside rather than have lots of money and power and worries without end. Happy and satisfied people make others happy by example, as action speaks louder than words.
ARTBOX is not a brand. ARTBOX is not a thing. It is not belonging to me or you. Behind it, there is nobody – if not everybody.
The idea is to group and connect academia, business, and the public sector by bringing together people with a shared interest in behavioral science, particularly the influence of cognitive, emotional, and social factors on decision-making in the area where it is most needed. Rural Africa.
It belongs to humanity to try something new: Help Rural to turn into Smart Rural. Help Western and Eastern excess turn to access.
Share what we have and grow together; mostly what we all have in abundance for each of us (some have health, some Money, some wisdom, some organizational power, some hope, some network, some have codes, others have language skills, some have institutions, others have universities, some have internet and others have cables.)
Who pays for ARTBOX? No one pays. Rural Africans work and pay themselves from their better tomorrow. Where are the benefits?
INNER FREEDOM AND JOY
The power of ARTBOX comes that young children or adults are cultivated through the medium of spontaneous willingness. It is the opposite of the ‘using punishment or sticks’ models or ‘any indoctrination that does not serve the direct interest and well-being of each community member.’
ARTBOX inner community -Rural Africans – learn what ARTBOX outside community (international community) teaches them once and implements a mini-system for a rural village to enjoy the freedom to create within a social and non-discriminatory system.
Within each village, olders are organized to teach youngers - formally and informally but socially and positively. they will and can continue the good way. In training children in a balanced life or in habits of paying equal attention to earning money and the acquisition of spiritual fulfillment, the village will enjoy a mindful and peaceful life avoiding many traps together. Love is stronger than all wars and ARTBOX can contribute to silencing the guns in Africa.
About ARTBOX
ARTBOX is a platform to bring people together. It is committed to turn rural to smart rural thus realizing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the United Nations and formally adopted by 193 countries in 2015. By making opportunities more accessible to underdeveloped populations, ARTBOX is actively working toward the ambitious goals of eliminating poverty, ending hunger, achieving gender equality, promoting sustainable agriculture and providing everyone in rural villages with start chances to obtain a shelter with clean water, free food and a quality education.
ARTBOX is helping tp create a social marketplace where there is non in rural areas thus drive economic growth to create a more equitable future for all, and we’re committed to developing products and initiatives in line with the U.N.’s vision. We welcome international and domestic and local partners to help measure and improve our collective progress transforming the world to more closely reflect the ideals set forth by the SDGs.
ARTBOX targets improved life skills among youth and improved business skills among women with 50% minimum female participation. They are following training modules • Virtual Learning • Agro-Processing • Solar Power PV Installation and Maintenance • Psycho-Social Competencies • Governance and Conflict Resolution • Employability • Entrepreneurship.
Perhaps the most important factor in all of this is the two-way trust between ARTBOX and the population. ARTBOX enables trust in a system and trust among the people and provides them the freedom to do what they feel is right. In turn the people trust the system to act according to the common interest.
ARTBOX employees are well looked after and paid well for their work. The unemployed are also well looked after and supported in their attempts to find work. Retirees are thanked for their years of service with a generous rocket benefit mechanism.
What is one little known fact ARTBOX markets-creating innovation to share?
For those who work for ARTBOX, they agree that ARTBOX is a ‘system platform turning excess into access’. It targets non-consumers in rural areas — that is, the segment of the population who would benefit from owning or using a product but cannot, because they cannot access it or do not have the time, money, or expertise needed to use it. ARTBOX users are often entrepreneurs whose insights and strategies arise from their daily exposure to the problems to which they are trying to solve.
Who are ARTBOX key enablers?
A melting pot of private companies and investors, public vendors and international organisations and institutes – all meeting as key enablers inside to be inspired by other people who work with love from within, to share knowledge and to scout for the next generation peacebuilding/education/environment and human rights investment. People love the way ARTBOX works with sustainable solutions –this appeals to people who see and hopefully learn the rather unique way that ARTBOX collaborates and co-creates for the common zeal achieving its mission by:
Working with the poor, especially women and children;
Engaging in multifaceted development interventions;
Striving the promote positive changes in quality of life;
Working towards attaining socially, financially, and environmentally sustainable programs;
Actively promoting human rights, human dignity, and gender equity;
Helping to shape national and global policies on poverty reduction and social progress;
Fostering the development of human potential;
Offering professional development opportunities for ARTBOX professionals;
ARTBOX social, and economic philosophy encompassed a range of economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production and youth’s self-management of the green enterprise. And reading a post in Harvard Review today, it seems that we are getting step by step onto the same page:
"Transformative philanthropy goes beyond a tabulation of the number of dollars given to a dynamic accounting of how gifts can build capacity in people. It looks for fulcrums and levers — the most important of which is market-creating innovation."
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