Earth, the Business of the Future: From Ego Energy to Eco Energy

Abstract

Just as we have a “turn around manager” to save a failing business organization, so it is held, we need a “turn around perspective” to retrieve the Earth from being in a deficit position. Hence the paradoxical emphasis upon the Earth as the business of the future. Two important distinctions are offered which together provide a new frame of reference for bonding the human and the Earth. The initiating event for the first distinction was a business conference whose purpose was to explore “the emerging domain of ego energy.” In a parallel way, it is proposed we explore the yet to be discovered domain of eco energy. With “eco energy” we open our narrowed human window to cosmic perception. With cosmic perception, the energy of the universe can flow through us. The second distinction is between looking at and seeing. “Looking at” refers to treating our world as a collection of objects. As a collection of objects the Earth can be processed as a series of business transactions. With “seeing” we relate to our world as a communion of subjects. Such seeing offers transforming power for the human and the Earth to engage in the dialogue of powerful listening and speaking on both individual and planetary scale. These two sets of distinctions are sounded like echo chambers against ten ecologically guiding statements. These ten guiding statements become a reality-testing, experiential framework. Such a “turn around perspective” offers a different vision to be operationalized in our individual, community, and business lives. Then we can see clearly and respond with eco energy to the Earth, the business of the future!