BPF Workshops at US Social Forum II

WSU Prentis: 15

Short Description (for printed program):

Can we create our economic future mindfully? Come join our intentional system change experiment and become a joyful change agent!

"A paradigm shift occurs when question is asked inside the current paradigm that can only be answered from outside it." – Marille Goldberg. Asking generative questions is a way to generate a breakthrough, creative insights, and unforseen possibilities. Albert Einstein commented that problems couldn’t be solved from the same point of view that created it. Buddha’s noble eightfold path for transforming personal and social consciousness begins with ‘right view’. The practice of mindful awareness to sustain and cultivate ‘right view’ and ‘right intention’ will be introduced

A series of presentations will be followed by group discussions. 1) What is money? Why do we need it in economy? Is it a private commodity? Or a public service? Or something more? What kind of currency do we need to support an economic vision free from greed and exploitation? 2) Explore the sustainability, ethics and logic of two different types of currency paradigm (debt-based and debt-free) with divergent socio-economic, behavioral and psychological implications for the evolution of human consciousness and preservation of environment and commons. 3) Study the concept of Basic Income for all citizens as an optimum way to end poverty, promote social autonomy and equality of women, poor and minorities, stop endless war, ecological destruction and much more. 4) Build strategy for promoting citizen’s economic literacy to get educated about the destructive-enslaving dynamics of debt-based currency. Create alliances with local business and non-profit groups and develop databases for initiatives in complementary, social and open currency and public banking (N.Dakota)