A Systems Perspective On Our Current Crisis with Nafeez Ahmed
Upstream
Upstream
4.9 • 2.1K Ratings
🗓️ 28 July 2020
⏱️ 39 minutes
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Summary
Dr. Nafeez Ahmed is a journalist and researcher who uses systems thinking to support the just transition to a more equitable and sustainable future. We contacted him after we came across his article, "White Supremacism and the Earth System," connecting the worldview that underpins capitalism to the racism that the Black Lives Matter movement is working to address, as well as the climate chaos and environmental devastation that we are experiencing globally. In this conversation, we spoke about why systems thinking is a useful practice, the connection between capitalism and white supremacy, and the great potential we are in for a global phase shift to a post-capitalist world. Nafeez is the executive director of the System Shift Lab and a research fellow at the Schumacher Institute for Sustainable Systems. He currently writes for VICE and he is the author of "A User's Guide to the Crisis of Civilisation: And How to Save it," and "Failing States, Collapsing Systems: BioPhysical Triggers of Political Violence."
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, The convergence of events we are witnessing is a symptom of a wider process of global systemic decline. |
| 0:29.0 | This convergence is happening due to the unsustainable nature of a system that can no longer keep going in its current form without sparking further crisis. |
| 0:40.0 | The ultimate hidden driver is a way of living and being premised on self-maximization through |
| 0:48.4 | plunder of the other, whether others are different humans, different species, or the planet itself. |
| 0:57.0 | You are listening to Upstream. |
| 1:00.0 | Upstream. |
| 1:02.0 | Upstream. Istream. Upstream. |
| 1:03.0 | I'm Dela Duncan. |
| 1:05.0 | And I'm Robert Raymond. |
| 1:06.0 | And that was an excerpt from the article White Supremicism and the Earth System, |
| 1:11.0 | written by the guest of this upstream conversation, Dr. Nofiz Ahmed, a journalist and researcher who uses systems thinking to support the just transition to a more equitable and sustainable future. |
| 1:25.0 | Nafiz is the Executive Director of the System Shiff Lab and a research fellow at the Schumacher Institute for Sustainable Systems. |
| 1:33.0 | He currently writes for Vice and is the author of A User's Guide to the Crisis of Civilization |
| 1:38.5 | and How to collapsing systems, |
| 1:43.0 | biophysical triggers of political violence. |
| 1:46.3 | We spoke with him virtually from his home in London. Welcome to Upstream. It's great to have you. |
| 1:57.0 | Thanks for having me. |
| 1:59.0 | I'm just wondering if you could start by introducing yourself for our listeners, |
| 2:03.1 | how might you introduce yourself? |
| 2:04.7 | So my name is Nafiz Ahmed. |
| 2:07.2 | I'm a systems theorist and an investigative journalist |
| 2:11.7 | for about 20 odd years. I've been writing and researching |
... |
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