The KaosPilots' World-view
In March 2005 the board of the KaosPilots decided on two strategic goals for the education:
The KaosPilots is to become Scandinavia’s most attractive, modern, value based educational program. The KaosPilots, as educational program and competence milieu, is to significantly strengthen its international profile and collaborative relations.
As the result of the work carried through to fulfill these strategic goals following has been achieved: Three new KaosPilot programs have been initiated. And three new focus areas for the education have been identified.
- Sustainability
- Cultural diversity
- Social innovation.
This paper unfolds the three focus areas, explains which questions we asked ourselves in the process of choosing them and unfolds the assumptions we base our world view on. The world-view-paper is meant to be a statement by the KaosPilots of how we see the state of the planet right now. It will be used as a way of structuring the dialogue between the KaosPilot organization and the International Board. It will be used as a foundation for strategic decision-making. And it will be used as a statement that can explain to the world in which direction we are heading.
The first focus area is “Sustainability”:
And the question we have to ask ourselves in our work is: How can we develop the ability of the students to think and design sustainability in all dimensions of their work, ecological, economical and social?
Because if we as civilization, society, companies and individuals do not in an active and purposeful way pursue and contribute to the reestablishment of a sustainable balance in nature, the present global warming will make the planet inhabitable for our children, grandchildren and generations to come.
So the challenge for the KaosPilots is to create a new consciousness on the individual level (the student), in companies and in society, so that the future will be met with a clear and empathetic respect towards the well being of coming generations, other organisms and species, the planet as such and the new technology we bring into the world.
The second focus area is “Cultural diversity”:
What we should work on is: How can we develop the student’s understanding of cultural diverse systems and societies? How to lead in cultural diversity? And how to create value of cultural diversity?
Because if we do not learn to live together in a peaceful way with many cultures underneath the same roof, the present cultural and religious front-lines will only become more and more fundamentalist and violent. This prediction is not least based on the fact that in particular the fundamentalist forces – both within the Muslim and Christian world –manage to set the agenda during these days, weeks and months. Thereby rendering moderate forces on all sides increasingly passive and invisible.
Until the day we realize that “feelings are facts” for most of us, we will not be able to –in a purposeful, bright and nuanced way –create a sustainable, respectful and thereby conflict resolving dialogue between the involved cultural and religious parties of a conflict situation. And it matters not whether it happens in your neighborhood, between nations or between global value systems.
The third focus area is “Social innovation”:
And the question is: How can we develop the student’s creativity towards new ways of cooperating between the different sectors in society? And how can we develop a new sense of community and ”re-negotiate” the contract between individual and society. Because if we cannot re-establish the interaction between on one side the increasing individualization of society and on the other side the necessity of a well-functioning community built on solidarity we loose the opportunity that exists right now to create the next generation of the Scandinavian welfare system. Which would also imply a discussion of the relationship, the dynamics and the division of roles between the public, private and nonprofit sector.
The three focus areas Sustainability, Cultural diversity and Social innovation will be the lenses the KaosPilots see through in their daily work in the classroom, in the creation of projects and in the formation of new relationships with people, organizations and networks around the globe.
They will determine the direction in which we are heading and they express our idea of how we can be the best education for the world!
In relation to the planet earth the most insistent challenges and problems are:
- The stress level of nature is rising: Exploitation of resources,
extermination of plant and animal species, global warming and the
melting of the poles.
- Increasing economic inequality between north and south (and especially
Africa). And as a consequence of that:
- Dramatic migrations on the continents and increasing pressure from
refugees to reach “global water-holes” (read: Europe and USA)
- Local and regional conflicts and wars around access and rights to natural
resources.
- The increasing divide in the level of education and knowledge between
the developed world and the developing world.
- Oppression of women, children and cultural and sexual minorities and
contempt of human rights.
- Religious, criminal and radical-political conflicts directed by dogmatic and
fundamentalist forces.
- Lack of democratic control with the actions of multinational companies
and the disproportionate relationship between the global influences of
economic powers versus the absence of global democratic institutions.
- The impact of mass media towards a development of a global culture of
mass consumption, which threatens to eradicate local cultures.
- All abovementioned problems of the planet both affect and are part of
important regional challenges.