The Path Through an Uncertain Future: Rebuild Community by Reclaiming the Commons |
Source: The Raven
It is hard to recall a time when uncertainties have been so great or come from so many directions.
In the U.S., the sense of having a stable, reliable political system seems gone. Trump has breached so many boundaries, upset the balance of the three branches of government. He has openly flouted court orders, and assumed to himself powers reserved to Congress. Notably, by refusing to spend money Congress has allocated. The Supreme Court just seems to go along with an unprecedented expansion of executive power.
In the economy in general, jobs are being cut while people wonder if AI is coming for theirs. At the same time, AI is driving what looks like an unsustainable investment bubble. Responsible for most economic growth and increased stock market valuations, a popped bubble could set off a deep recession, or even worse. It’s not the only bubble. Several real estate sectors also look sketchy.
But the greatest uncertainty, and the one from which the world seems to be turning its attention, is the increasing heating of the climate. Temperatures are at or near record levels, while climate pollution concentrations in the atmosphere have never been greater. Scientists are having a lively debate over whether temperature increases are accelerating. German scientists recently made a