The questions posed during week six of this course are
perhaps the most important questions we face as a collective. What do we know about humanity’s ability to
live within our means? And what signals
do we respond to in order to potentially regulate our “means?” Simon Sinek (2010) gives a great Ted Talk (http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html
)regarding what humans respond to at least from a marketing perspective. Sinak explains that the companies that have
experienced the greatest success or at least the greatest degree of brand
loyalty have focussed their marketing on the “why”. Not the how or what, but the why. Any company can explain what, or how they do
something, but the companies with an ability to clearly communicate their why
will be able to set themselves apart.
Sinek uses examples of companies like Apple and Southwest Airlines as
models of his “Golden Rule” and how to brand your company. No doubt the Environmental movement could
learn a few things from modern advertising techniques, but I’m not sure a new
brand message will be enough to curtail the rapid rate of conspicuous
consumption that exists in Western culture.
Maybe the thing that has held the environmental movement
back is the “fact” that they “know” they are right. Nobody likes a know it all, and
environmentalists are continually telling people what is going to happen, and
that they better adopt their worldview or else, and if things turn out as environmentalists
predict the only thing they will have to show for their efforts is a final
gurgling “I told you so”. So what do we
do??? Re-brand, accelerate the demise of
the current system?? A little humility
might go a long way.
I was recently traveling through the Massey tunnel in
Vancouver which links Richmond and Delta under one of the arms of the Fraser
River, and I could not help but be frustrated by every single cars
individualistic perspective as they “deftly maneuver and muscle for rank, fuel
burning fast on an empty tank, reckless and wild they pour through the turns,
their prowess is potent and securely stern “ (Cake, “The Distance,” 1996), it
was very reminiscent of Hardin’s (1968) Tragedy of the commons, as we all
ground to a screeching halt as a result of a failure to recognise the benefit
of making a small sacrifice for the greater good.
References:
Hardin, G.
(1968). The Tragedy of
the Commons. Science, 162(3859), 1243-1248.
Great analogy with the Massey Tunnel Jamie. I love it. Here is the million dollar question - were you one of the drivers that you speak of?
ReplyDeleteAs for the why, not the what or how... I have been using that concept in my work a lot recently, but from a slightly different angle. It can be used in development work, or in any work when trying to help people create what matters to them. The important thing is for people to have a clear vision or understanding of the WHY, before they move on to the WHAT or the HOW. The Why is the ultimate reason for people being involved in trying to create change. If they haven't bought into the why, they aren't really invested. Once the Why is established, then people can figure out the details to do with the what, and then lastly how they will do it. I came across this concept in a great E-book called Thrive! - you can get a copy of it free here: http://www.bruceelkin.com/thrive-e-book.html Anyhow, i ended up using it in the youth empowerment program that I designed, as well as in some Asset-Based Community Development work that I was doing with a rural community development committee. It worked amazingly well (better than I would have imagined).
Okay - a bit of an off-topic ramble from the main point of your post, but it made me think of this. I agree with you on everything else. Maybe we can rebrand environmentalism from a place of humility and make it awesome and sexy, but humble. Hmm... Let's turn the environmental movement into the perfect man. Can it cook?
Almost!! But I decided to channel my rage into staying in my lane. I think the environmental movement would be better served as embodying the perfect woman. But yes let's make it more sexy!
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