Why?
Background of upcoming series
"On Tea, Virtue & Balance" Ever since I can remember, one key resource that I have had is tea. Having been born into a life in-between worlds, tea has been a factor that has linked these worlds for me. Tea brings people together, and there is something divine in people coming together.
We become who we are through a complex web of interaction and encounter. I am, because you are, and I am all the more richer because of my community. To explore shared meanings, understandings while respecting and valueing difference: this for me, is encounter. Together, we are stronger. Often we think that it is a sign of weakness to need another. Although we need a balance in everything, it is not a sign of weakness to need another - togetherness is actually within the Divine plan.
But how to measure that balance? Virtue, it has been said, is the middle ground between two extremes. When we cultivate understandings of virtue - and virtue itself, we cultivate balance. Virtue is at the core of the best we can be. It is also at the core of the best economy that we can build. In Finnish, the degrowth economy is called "kohtuutalous" , which speaks of an economy that is balanced and "reasonable".
If balance is virtue, then can an economy be virtuous (everyone please allow this mindplay)? To my mind, yes, if its function is to serve instead of subdue. The ancients in China believed that those who govern should govern by virtue. To my mind, this is an example for us today even on the grassroots level! As each of us governs as king or queen of our own castle, of our own microcosmos, we are to govern with virtue. What do we govern? That which we have influence over. In our own microcosmos, we hold the scepter of authority and can make choices. This is my vantage point and starting point for reform.
Again an ancient Chinese wisdom speaks of the ramifications of reforming oneself. As we strive for balance, in our lives, the small waves - when combined- form larger ones in a way that the larger currents of society are affected. Balance masters chaos! The reform of the global financial architecture takes place from the bottom up. For me, revolution in this context is about acting in the opposite way as that which has poisoned this global financial architecture; the opposing force of solitary greed is communal generosity.
My way of making a change in the marketplace has been to sow the seed of generosity when possible. At a time in my life where I had very limited resources, I asked myself the question of what is a resource that I can share? What I had was, tea. And so I began sharing the tea, the main idea being: I share my tea to bring people together, and as everyone comes together and shares - life knowledge or other resources, maybe the jam- we are all enriched!
My adventure of exploring what it means for a business to function in a degrowth economy is only beginning, but one key lesson that I have learned is that much value can be created with very little. It is this story that is continued by the upcoming Think Tank Tea- event series.
