Rob Hopkins 'From What Is to What If: unleashing the power of imagination'
Apr 25, 2024
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Rob Hopkins, cofounder of Transition Town Totnes and Transition Network, discusses the power of imagination in addressing climate change and the decline of play vs screen time. He also talks about the challenges faced by Extinction Rebellion during the pandemic, the design system of permaculture, and the benefits of slow travel. This dynamic and insightful interview explores various topics including positive change, citizen assemblies, speculative fiction, and The Fall.
Imagination is crucial to tackle the climate crisis and reimagine every aspect of society.
Creating positive narratives and engaging in speculative fiction can inspire transformative change.
Citizens assemblies, with good facilitation and commitment to implementation, have the potential to drive deep and democratic change.
Deep dives
The Transition Movement
The Transition Movement is a global movement of communities that are reimagining and rebuilding the world. Transition groups can be found in 50 countries around the world, focusing on raising awareness about global issues and working with communities to take action. The movement emphasizes the importance of not just talking, but also taking action to create a more sustainable future.
Imagination and the Climate Crisis
Rob Hopkins explores the failure of imagination in addressing the climate crisis. Climate change demands a radical reimagining of almost every aspect of society, from food systems and transportation to education and democracy. However, our imagination has been undermined by factors such as the disappearance of play, addiction to screens, and the lack of access to nature. Hopkins argues that we need to prioritize and cultivate our imagination to tackle the urgent challenges we face.
Creating a Positive Vision for the Future
Hopkins highlights the importance of imagining positive futures and creating stories that inspire change. He believes that we need to move away from nostalgia-driven politics and embrace a future-focused mindset. By envisioning a better world and engaging in speculative fiction, we can ignite our imagination and work towards building a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable future.
Citizens Assemblies and Participatory Decision-Making
Hopkins discusses the power of citizens assemblies as a tool for democratic decision-making. He emphasizes the significance of good facilitation and the need for institutions to commit to implementing the recommendations of these assemblies. By involving diverse voices and providing the necessary time and support for informed decision-making, citizens assemblies have the potential to foster deep and transformative change.
The Power of Practical Skills and Local Resilience
Hopkins advocates for the development of practical skills and local resilience. He believes that education should equip individuals with essential skills, such as growing food and basic repairs, and that communities should prioritize self-sufficiency. By encouraging active engagement in practical tasks, we can enhance our ability to navigate challenges and foster a greater sense of empowerment and collective support.
In this episode of #TheNewAbnormal, I interview Rob Hopkins, cofounder of Transition Town Totnes and Transition Network, and author of numerous books including 'The Transition Handbook, The Power of Just Doing Stuff, and most recently, From What Is to What If: unleashing the power of imagination to create the future we want'.
He presents the podcast series 'From What If to What Next' which invites listeners to send in their “what if” questions and then explores how to make them a reality.
Rob was voted one of the Independent's top 100 environmentalists and was on Nesta and the Observer's list of Britain’s 50 New Radicals.
He's also appeared on BBC Radio 4, in the French film phenomenon 'Demain' and its sequel 'Apres Demain', and has spoken at TEDGlobal and three TEDx events.
In 2020 he was a member of the Cambridge Sustainability Commission on Scaling Sustainable Behaviour Change. (And in his - presumably minimal - spare time, he sometimes makes lino prints.)
So, in this dynamic interview, we discuss his views on all of the above, and along the way, issues such as Buddhism, punk, permaculture, the climate & ecological emergency, the decline of play vs the rise of screens, the great reskilling, citizen assemblies, positive change, speculative fiction, and The Fall...
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