”The next revolution – World War III – will be waged inside your head. It will be a guerrilla information war fought, not in the sky or on the streets, not in the forests or even around the scarce resources of the earth, but in newspapers and magazines, on the radio, TV and in ’cyberspace’.
It will be a dirty, no-holds-barred propaganda war of competing world views and alternative visions of the future.”
Marshall McLuhan, Culture is our Business, 1970
A little more than one year ago, in November 2010, I embarked on a journey to conceptualize “the Flow Society” – that came out from an In-Depth reflection beyond the impressions of all the expressions from one of the biggest Internet- and Web-related events of the year in Sweden. Internetdagarna. The Internet Days, arranged by .SE, our foundation running our cTLD in Sweden. As a part of the formal Blog Crew, I found the most important message to bring about was to echo and relay Marshall McLuhan’s Epical Summary of the “State of the World”, as said back then, 1970.
This still prevails – I saw no reason other than to repeat it. Again.
Yes, we are there. Still. In a world with many fighters there, in the quest to influence your world-view.
And it really is that time of the year, in January 2012. You have State of the Union. You have the Davos gathering of formal leaders of all kinds, trying to grasp the World Economy in a Forum. Beyond the holidays, following the startup of the spring season in the midst of the winter (or in the summer climate if you are in the Southern Hemisphere). Setting Adrift on a Future Memory Bliss, in a Chaordic World, asking themselves and ourselves – what shall we do? Yes, all in all – End of January.
But this year, 2012, I feel is very special.
Very.
Just some days ago, we entered the Year of the Dragon. This year, the Mayan Calendar marks an end of an Eon. But no worries, kids. We WILL have A-Party-Of-The-Year December 22, 2012, turning the tide around the next Winter Solstice, concluding that the Mayan Culture was a bit of lazy only coming to this part of their long-term planning. It is not an end of the world. It was just “ah, let’s make that calendar for the next Eon when THAT time comes”.
Now, listen carefully to my whisper.
I want to speak out to my Community of Readers (whatever you are – Friend, Fan, Follower, or just a Random By-Passer finding this text here and now – and especially wherever you are!), in a “State of The Flow Society”-speaking-format (humility forbids me – of course not with the rhetorical master-power of Obama and all the rest through the years of “State of the Union” speeches…)
I hereby experiment using the same “format” as all the kinda “speeches” containing important messages. But with my own quirky twist that is just … me ;).
So.
I want to re:visit / re:connect to FDR.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Why?
Well, since I used the “four freedoms of the European Union” to make the first loop of my co-discovery of “The Flow Society” – then nothing can be more natural to take a truly Wider Picture, to let FDR:s original Four Freedoms set in the midst of the WWII inspire and make a structure to the next level of Flow Society conversations, to continue in the spirit of FDR, and continue to work in the Name of the Same Quest for Everlasting Peace.
Yes, Imagine. We’re still working on it.
But – we have to work on it for ourselves. Beginning with ourselves. Be the Change You Want to See in the World.
I begin with myself. Every morning, every minute, every second during the day – in that quest to try to be that change. Sometimes very much on the Path, sometimes just off, with all my imperfections – but with an authentic and honest intention to follow through.
I know, I will get by –
With a little help from my friends. Thank you all 🙂 ! You out there. I Love You. For Real.
That said –
Here it is. Enjoy!
—
STATE OF THE FLOW SOCIETY – 2012
Freedom of the Flows – Towards an Open World
In January 6, 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt held a speech where he identified the Four Freedoms – since then they have influenced so many things in our world when it comes to governance, institutions and global order. Freedom of Expression and Belief. And working towards a World, Free from Want and Fear. We still work on it, to say the least.
Today, I want to share my thoughts in relation to the four-folded vision FDR gave us. But in context with the Global Ongoing Peace Engine “The Social Web” and the hope it comes with to restore and revive what was – A World In Flow. Let’s take a short recap with an extremely small set of samples of “our history”.
In the beginning, there was the Big Bang.
Once upon a time, there were hunters and collectors.
My great-grandparents told me there were farmers where we lived.
There was a story about a factory somewhere.
Then we got lost with The Flow, and started to put more trust in The Structures.
What About Now?
The story continues:
Flow of Expressions
So you wanted Freedom of Expression, Franklin?
Well, you still have not got it. Censorship is Censorship is Censorship.
Let me take you back in the time of before. Crea(c)tivity. The spark of creation. First, there was the spark, the idea, and then it was the result.
Yes, as said – The Big Bang. The sun. The solar system. The earth with its magma. The element of fire. And then – the soul and spirit on fire among us. The Fire-Starter.
We had some higher primate of a kind (can we be sure what kind?) who was the first to bring down the sun to the Earth. Or “set the world on fire”. Their world, as they knew it. Up until then we have had a
cold cave. But that person, the Fire-Starter, got dragged out from his then warm cave by his or her or hen’s “peers”, who were so afraid, that they put that individual creature in the neighboring cave – Cold As Hell (Eh?). But when discovering the good things with the fire, that other individual was probably already dead, and then they patented the use of Fire. Yes, this short imagination ended with a satirical twist.
Fast Forward – Now.
Tribal leaders gone wrong, are everywhere.
But let me say one thing before I take this passage onwards. My readings and interpretations on The Flow Society, are intended to get “what is”, not “what should be” or “what is good” or “what is bad” or “what is right” or “what is wrong”. For this speech, I leave this attitude and approach totally aside. I say, totally.
So this is to be viewed as an Absolute Rant towards all enemies of the Open Society and World, regardless if they live in a corporate hallroom or act through the Politburo. The Five Year Plan is dead. Do you hear me? The FIVE YEAR PLAN IS DEAD. But you can have 250-year intentions, but planning to the detail as before? Never happen. Never happened. In fact, deviations were always there. The disruption, from the Fire-Starters. And natural events, turning things upside down.
No, you cannot control information out there “in the society” in a channelized manner like before. The Arab Spring was just the beginning. Soon there will be Spring everywhere. The Global Spring.
So, let’s put on the t-shirt and go out and enjoy the warmth!
I ask: Who Owns The Sun? The Water? The Wind? The Earth?
I state: Do not let something as trivial as entertainment, industrialized for the masses, violate such absolutely basics as the freedom and right to express yourself.
Flow of Ideas
So you wanted Freedom of Belief, Franklin, and let all worship God in their own way, wherever?
Well, the Abrahamic Religions have, and very much, still, cut the roots of their origin with the core message of Mutual Compassion, and present unnecesary blood spills all over the streets and squares, regardless of it being Belfast, Lower Manhattan or the Gaza Strip. The ones who claim “deity is none but your self, universe, E=MC[squared], and what science can tell us”, in some kind of extreme denial of alternative and possible realities (some might call them Hardcore Atheists) some times have a very hard time listening. And especially, keep a door open to maybe the theoretical possibility to some alternative universes theoretical physicists play around with. And in the midst of the Flows in the I and C part of the new economies in the BRICS acronym – what do we have there? India and China? The Prana, The Ki and The Chi concepts in the majority of the western interpretations cannot pass neither the Aristotelian nor the Platonic lenses. Brazil, Russia, India, China, Southern Africa, with an everso increasing counterpart to the growth religion of GDP set by Economists.
And yes, hm – what do we say about Africa? What do we KNOW about the plethora of belief systems still prevailing in Sub-Saharan Africa at large? Go educate yourself. Google around and dive into Wikipedia. Enlighten yourself.
In summary:
Stop.
Listen.
Be tolerant!
What if we all are a dream of the dolphin, and the only way out is to talk to the dolphins to get the worm hole through with we can talk with God her/him/henself? What if God “are” just vibrations of the Subatomic Quantum Field we actually do still sense when we need it? What if all stuff is just echoes of the Big Bang, not just found in the White Noise from your TV with no specified signal, and we are all a divine/profanic creation made to understand the meaning of itself?
Stop.
Again.
Now:
Philosophy and Religion Aside.
The times they are a-changing. So are our global flow of communication.
Cutting the threads of our Global Nervous System “the social web” – or crippling it in one way or another, would delay the movement towards peace, with the strongest hope for it ever seen – The Social Web. Dialogue replacing Debate. The Art and Science of Thinking Together. What do we really need, and need only?
Love.
I ask: Above us, is there only Sky? Below us, is there only Earth? 
I state: C-O-E-X-I-S-T (echo, delay, repeat, loop, until – “with peace”!)
Flow of Opportunities
So you wanted a world Free of Wants, Franklin?
Yay!
Here, Hans Rosling for the stats made easily digested, and Muhammad Yunus for his conglomerate of “all things micro empowered” in his Grameen Conglomerate, just to mention two Innovators for sustainability. All together, them and them only, with their peers and teams surrounding them, can prove that “The World” is moving in the “Right Direction”. The year of the “Dragon” in all respect, but the “Tiger” Economies in the Far East have shown that “transformation”, where basic needs can be reached with greater and greater progress can move faster than e. g. my own country Sweden back in the time when struck with famine some century ago. And I say “transformed”, not, under-developed, not over-developed, and especially not “developed”! Who wants to live in “developed”? MY want is to live in a developing world wherever. So, God/Universe/Whatever forbid – The Third World?
Hey!
There is only one world! The sixties are fifty years ago. We have seen the concept of “leapfrog development” in reality over and over again, repeated, region after region, country after country, city after city, village after village.
What is left upon us is to constantly apply the creativity, and let all who have it – that is, everyone, especially kids with their unrestrained playfullness – get tools, prerequisites, approaches and environments supporting it.
Last year I launched the vision of #OPPP – One Pad Per Person.
Let that vision proliferate this year, and maybe be the best platform for “leapfrog innovation on steroids all categories” for all people, everywhere. And with that, bridging divides in all dimensions, involve all who are in want and need, include the excluded and truly have a “participative world” . A world where the vision of Steve Jobs, In memoriam, dreamed up centuries ago – get realized through $25 open source-powered app en
gines with joyful touch screens empowering everyone, everyone.
I ask: What can we do with stuff around us, together with people we trust?
I state: When your own understanding of what is truly possible gets to “unlimited”, and beyond that moves with you with an immovable conviction – Let your Vision and Deeds turn into Great Businesses in the Quest for Sustainability!
Everywhere.
In short!
Businesses with a Cause!
Flow of Peace
So you wanted a world Free of Fear, Franklin?
A dismantled world?
[—meditate and breathe here, Dearly Beloved Reader – in the spirit of “begin with your self”, yes: Close your eyes. Ask yourself one question: Do you have inner peace?]
Then, put on “War” with Edwin Starr on the highest volume, and re-read your Gandhi, MLK and Lennon to get some energy for next action, in your everydayness of getting things done. And in that quest at the same time turning the mindsets of those who choose violence before mutual respect, love and reason.
And smile. Peace, begins with that, according to Mother Theresa.
Inner and outer smile alike.
Best to be equipped with both, as you walk down the street when your meet your fellow stranger.
Then, work with yourself, every day, to keep the dark side away, and fill your self with hope.
We can do it, if we really want.
(And: A nice soundtrack in your everydayness is not bad, that either ;). Dance is a very peace-triggering ritual when done in crowds!)
I ask: What do we want?
I state: PEACE, FFS! (Say it again 😉
The Punch Line: Keep the Flow – in Harmony
When you find yourself on the right path, and that is your authentic path, in harmony with your perceived destiny, continue to JFDI – Just The F**k Do It.
And along the way – it all begins with us, and ends with us.
That, for sure, I can state with even greater conviction than all the above.
I hope you disagree, so that we can start with a learning exchange ;). Otherwise, the world would be boring ;).
Keep on, with joy, persistance and endurance.
Thank you for listening to what I had on my mind, in my heart and spirit and what is felt everyday in my body.
In short, what keeps me going!
I finally ask: What Keeps You Going?
I state: Only you know. Wanna tell me 🙂 ?
—
So – that was what I would call a speech where I have stated what I feel is the State of The Flow Society, 2012. Just scratching the surface. But with keys to unfold the future openings for flows, beyond.
Now Let’s Get Into Action!
Now, a practical end-note, with three Next/Action-oriented bullets:
Firstly – there is a clash of tags. The conversation related to The Flow Society will from-here-and-on be tagged #TheFlowSociety. There is a syntax clash here, you see. ‘#FlowSociety’ doubles as a prolific brand within the sports of Lacrosse. A sports with much Flow me see, so we need to separate so we do not confuse the backflow ;). The hub of conversation and
understanding is at http://flowsociety.org – go check, in the not-even-Alpha of 0.08. February project in focus. Yes!
Second – what was just flagged as a very juvenile and lean startup last time of my posting in the end of December, 2011, now lives on, still in quite much silence, but strong among its first adopters – in their headphones! Soundtracking your Flow – Feeding your Focus. What? The #PomodoroMix. Yes – http://pomodoromix.es. Work-a-Music! Follow, Like, Let It Prosper! For your own sake :). Get Into The Groove! And Express Your Self! 😉
(A crucial note – it doubles as a Practical Project I use in order to generate Empirical Material through ethnographical story-telling to learn more about “the Flow Society” in the abstract sense. It’s all about music – but in context to help out the #FlowWorker through the day – wherever he/she/hse/esh/that flows around! Streamed in all its beauty :). The First Official #PomodoroMix Four Mix Set supporting 4 times 25 minutes of total focus to get things done is out! To provide an example. Go check!)
Thirdly – I really must say, LAST but not LEAST. In a series of insight breakthroughs, sweaty due diligence, some heavy lifting of experiences alone and together with others, I’ve come to the point I can now go beyond my own lab to a more systema-g-ic introduction of my OWN remix done – yes a third and last open brand project of 2012, introducing a new concept – #FlowDone!
It is a very practical and hands on approach, where, maybe, coming to here …
You Ask:
“OK – So how Do I Survive, Live and Prosper in the Flow Society?”
My Answer Is: Through #FlowDoneSystem – getting from here, to done. Alone, and Together.
Did I say #FlowDone? Then, ‘Nuff said.
–
From an extensive background with all my postings from 2010-2011, with a crescendo of an Epimagic Posting ending the Year 2011, going into 2012 with a New Annual Synopsis and Abstract of what to come.
Enough with theory and essays.
Now, I will get very much more hands on and co-discover a practical handbook for you, guidance all over – one post at a time.
As easily digested and accessible as a couple of Talking Cats on YouTube.
End of story, to a New Beginning.
:), <3, ?>!, [ :o: ], |:)(:|
(or Peace, Love, Understanding, Unity and Respect in Full Text :),
Anders
… In Fluxum
(lat. ‘In The Flow’)
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