The intersection of nature, technology, and human agency takes center stage as Henry Timms (Brunswick Group) and transformation scholar Maja Göpel explore how to start effective social movements in a distracted world.
One of the fundamental questions they discuss is, “If everyone wants a peaceful, just world, why don’t we have one?”
Maja Göpel emphasizes the importance of systems thinking, aligning technology with natural systems, and fostering collective action to address global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss.
She also sees a worrying trend to focus on self-interest instead of considering society’s needs. “We have a push from everybody that can to rather check out”, she says, “rather than engage and get in and say, ‘I see you, I see the issue, and I see my possible contribution.’”
Timms argues that starting a social movement requires generating passionate engagement rather than relying solely on logical or fact-based arguments. “We’ve reached a point now where the feelings have got much stronger than facts”, he observes.
Another shift for movement building is about leadership, he adds. Instead of single personalities, often white and male, there should be “individuals who are able of galvanizing the agency of others and not making it about themselves”, Timms argues. “We need: not superstars, but superconductors.”
Watch the video for further insights into connecting these observations to the climate crisis, the emerging role of AI in shaping social movements, and create movements grounded in shared narratives.
