At any one time, there are dominant, residual, and emergent cultures.
Cultural.
Ideologies and social trends have formed a tapestry of culturally diverse societies. We risk abandoning our roots and the Arts, at a high price. Despite multiculturalism, homogenisation is rife. Are we becoming unhinged from our cultural foundations, and eroding vital forms of social cohesion?
Ethics.
From earliest times human societies have developed rules of accepted behaviour, yet sex, power and money have dominated. Absolutes of truth, right and wrong, have been shunned by Enlightenment thinking, replaced with moral relativism and shades of grey. Ethics and values around integrity, selflessness, honesty and respect remain widespread, despite cultural mores.
Can modern business ethics address systemic corruption or do things run deeper? Is the media ethical and where next with issues of poverty, inequality and injustice?
Freedom & the Arts.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness have long been cultural goals. They have found expression through the Arts, in literature, music, dance and the like. Yet freedom continues to elude humanity, as we grapple with the paradigms of choice, individuality and control.
Where are the boundaries to freedom and what place does morality have in setting limits? As civilisations rise and fall, can we strike the balance between understanding and preserving our roots and not allowing them to dictate to us?
Ideologies.
Humanity’s ‘-isms’ are endless, as we are forever exploring different ways of living, thinking and co-existing. The resulting richness of cultural diversity complements the wonders of the natural world. Currently global cultural loss is outpacing deforestation.
Most communities are resilient and creative, especially in adversity. They exhibit astonishing examples of altruism, philanthropy and incredulous cruelty. Ideologies exist in the head, but humans live from the heart.
Since we thrive also on grand stories, what will we be telling our grandchildren?
