Thursday, March 24, 2011

Thoughts on Social Sustainability

So what is social sustainability? I think a big part of it is letting the people speak for themselves. This means really good listening, and communication. I think social sustainability has a lot to do with truth. So what does truth mean? I think truth has to do with meaning what you say as best as you understand it. Which comes back to communication, but it has to do with trying one's best at understanding a complex situation. Actually, in math (sorry I used to be a math nerd), the truest solution is the one in its simplest form, which is actually really interesting to think about in terms of social sustainability.....

There are some simple concepts that are socially sustainable: Fairness (equality) is one of them. How to make something equal, well that becomes pretty complex, when one takes into consideration existing societal structures, complex natural cycles, etc. Unequal effects of global warming is not fair. Rich people eating while poor people starve is not fair.

Social sustainability has to promote a healthy environment because without a healthy environment, we are dead.

Social sustainability has to be adaptable to change. Basically it should follow the principles of permaculture :)

Social Sustainability = Sustainability = Life (that equation can be switched around because people aren't the most important in my view... I'ld rather the people go and the earth stay rather than the earth go and the people stay, personally, but I'm going on a tangent)

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