The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

Regenerative Economics: New Economic Paradigms, Living Systems, & Holistic Thinking with John Fullerton

Nov 6, 2024

01:29:27

Snipd AI

Join unconventional economist John Fullerton, founder of The Capital Institute and architect of Regenerative Economics, as he challenges our traditional financial systems. He argues for a holistic approach to wealth that includes our natural and social resources. Discussing the myth of separation, Fullerton emphasizes the need for radical shifts in thinking to foster sustainability. Discover how understanding economies as living systems can help us navigate the complexities of today's challenges, while empowering future generations to embrace regenerative practices.

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Viewing wealth holistically requires us to consider natural, social, cultural, and human capital beyond mere financial assets.

The need for a paradigm shift to regenerative economics emphasizes balancing efficiency with resilience in our economic systems.

Young people are pivotal in creating a regenerative future by redefining success to prioritize societal well-being and environmental sustainability.

Deep dives

The Fragility of Efficiency

Maximizing efficiency often leads to fragility in supply chains and economic systems. The pursuit of globalization and just-in-time inventory practices has created supply chains that are highly efficient yet lack resilience, making them susceptible to collapse. This lack of resilience was evident during economic downturns when the financial system, heavily reliant on efficiency, risked total failure without the intervention of central banks. Thus, a balance needs to be struck between efficiency and resilience to prevent such systemic crises in the future.

Intro

3min

Career Shift and Corporate Dissonance

8min

Regenerative Economics: A Holistic Approach

24min

Principles of a Regenerative Economy

17min

Understanding Economics: From Oikonomia to Cremastasis

2min

Towards Regenerative Economics

16min

Exploring Regenerative Economics

11min

Navigating Crisis: Education, Purpose, and the Future Generation

4min

Breaking the Myth of Separation in Economics

3min

(Conversation recorded on October 10th, 2024)

Our modern economic system is designed to maximize financial capital, viewing money as though it were wealth itself. But what would happen if we viewed wealth more holistically, taking into account our natural, social, cultural, and human capital, too?

In this conversation, Nate is joined by unconventional economist John Fullerton to discuss the principles of regenerative economics and the need for shifts in our economic paradigms from reductionist thinking to holistic thinking. Fullerton emphasizes the importance of understanding economies as living systems, advocating for financial and monetary systems that align with the patterns of life.

If regenerative economics represents a societal shift towards sustainability, how does our modern financial system act as a barrier to that shift? If the ‘myth of separation’ contributes to our current economic problems, what types of radical change are needed to reconcile our values dissonance as our crises deepen and accelerate? Finally, how can we teach ourselves to differentiate between the real economy and the financial economy – and to value the things that genuinely add to human and planetary well-being?

About John Fullerton:

John Fullerton is an unconventional economist, impact investor, writer, and some have said philosopher. Building on and integrating the work of many in the field of ecological economics, he is the architect of Regenerative Economics, first conceived in his 2015 booklet, “Regenerative Capitalism: How Universal Patterns and Principles Will Shape the New Economy.”

After a successful 20-year career on Wall Street where he was a Managing Director of what he calls “the old JPMorgan,” John listened to a persistent inner voice and walked away in 2001 with no plan but many questions. He went on to create The Capital Institute in 2010, which is dedicated to the bold reimagination of economics and finance in service to life. John is also the Chairman of New Day Enterprises, PBC, the co-founder of Grasslands, LLC, and a board member of both the Savory Institute and Stone Acres Farm.

Show Notes and More

Watch this video episode on YouTube

---

Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future

Join our Substack newsletter

Join our Discord channel and connect with other listeners