Greetings
Master of Ceremonies, the senate of the Institute for Generational Dialogue, senior leaders of The Truth Foundation1 (John and Tshidi Moeti), Senior Development Coordinator of Congress WBN2 (Suresh Ghunah), national coordinator of the Global Leadership Interlink3 (Douglas Fenn), leaders in various fields and organisations, partners in the social cause, ladies and gentlemen I greet you.
I wish to start by thanking you ladies and gentlemen for making it in this gathering. I say this because this meeting is made up of two important elements, the first one is that the IGD has something to say to humanity, and the second one is that it has been important that people are mobilised to come and hear what the IGD has to say.
Introduction:
It is always important Ladies and Gentleman for us to give vocabulary to what we are seeing through the medium of imagination. Not only must we give vocabulary to imagination but we must also seek to bridge the gap between imagination and reality because failure to do so results in desires, breakthrough ideas & potentially new civilisations reduced to wishes. And of course the point of departure in bridging this gap is always this issue of communication, definition and dialogue; the issue of giving definition to the imaginations of the mind and heart – thereby creating an atmosphere and a conversation amongst ourselves, because words have the power to create an atmosphere and bring a people to a place of conviction, conversation and action. Hence it has been important for the IGD to create this platform today.
The Mechanism for Interaction
Ladies and gentlemen, some and maybe most if not all of us here, have gone through some form of educational training. I therefore would like to warn you from listening to this presentation only through the medium of logic or rational thinking. The education system has (for the right reasons) trained us to be logical beings but in doing so has deprived us of accessing the wisdom of the conscience, which is a superior wisdom available to humanity. Some of the problems we see in the world today come as a result of creativity and human reasoning that is not synchronised with or circumscribed by the wisdom of the conscience. Moreover, the problem of listening only through the medium of logic creates a danger of sometimes viewing as difficult, things that are supposed to be easy and comprehensible – because when something does not fit into this box called logic, it is quickly interpreted as either difficult or impractical. After all, we (as humans) define what logic is (at any given point in time), and so logic itself (as a realm of reasoning) keeps on changing. For example, the idea of travelling from JHB to DBN (which is about 600km) within a space of 55 minutes is today part of human logic; centuries ago it constituted Iunacy.
I therefore appeal to you ladies and gentlemen, to listen with both your conscience and your intellect; as your conscience will help you give moral reasoning to the words you are processing, and through intellect, you will be able to give strategic-practical reasoning to this presentation. This will not only help us give a balanced perspective to this important presentation but we will be empowered with a possibility, a possibility of shifting the frontier of human logic.
Zooming in on the word ‘Generations’
I would like for us, as we get into this presentation to zoom in on the word ‘generations’. This word is and should not be strange to all of us, as it is a well known word that we use from time to time in our conversations.
And yet I would like for us today to look into this word as a concept, a philosophical concept. You will agree with me Ladies & Gentlemen that whilst this word (generations) does exist in our vocabulary & dictionaries; it hardly exists (if it does at all) as a philosophical position and consciousness that informs human & institutional behaviour.
This sums up the burden of the IGD; the mandate of the IGD is to take the word ‘generations’ and turn it into consciousness & philosophy that should guide human & institutional behaviour, eventually resulting in new platforms upon which we can build our socio-political and economic systems - hence the IGD talks of Generational Consciousness (we’ll come back to this later).
The word ‘generations’ defines the very architecture or design of mortal human life, in that for example we have a family unit, with grandparents, parents and children. So that through an institution of family, one generation can intimately interact with and transfer life to another generation. This design is no coincidence, it is a deliberate design that communicates a powerful philosophy to us, that when we talk of humanity, we are talking of a phenomenon that is built upon the platform of succession.
Succession is what makes human progression and development possible. Succession, in turn, demands a connection between generations, a connection that is not passive, a connection that is not left to circumstances, but one that is deliberate, conscious and strategic.
Let me repeat the statement I made earlier Ladies and Gentlemen; the word ‘generations’ suggests that humanity is an entity or phenomenon that is built upon a platform of succession – for without succession, the human race collapses spiritually, morally, socially, politically, economically and institutionally; it doesn’t matter how advanced and modern our research is, how advanced our comprehension of the cosmos is, it doesn’t matter how advanced our technology is; we can be discovering new planets, introducing new revolutionary technology, advancing educationally etc. but if all of this is not built upon this simple and yet profound wisdom of succession, everything collapses.
The word ‘generations’ suggests that the state of humanity (at any given point in time) is not only the current conditions that present themselves before us; but it includes both history and future. If this is the scope of humanity, we who are builders of life - whether we call ourselves politicians, educators, pastors, parents, managers, CEOs, researchers, policy makers, scientists etc. - cannot afford to have single-generation lenses as we seek to counteract the complex challenges of the 21st century and push humanity to a new frontier of development.
So therefore, a Generation gets born and then dies only to leave life responsibilities to another generation. It is common course that the complex challenges of humanity cannot all be solved by one generation. This realisation necessitates for a generational mobilisation, so that good initiatives started in one generation may be continued in another generation. It is only in this dimension of human living that we can solve the complex problems of our world.
We are saying that the word ‘generations’ defines the very design of mortal human life. The flow of human life is nothing but a procession of generations that follow each other, with older generations at the front and younger generations following at the back. Human life is inherited from older generations and is passed on to younger generations. By life I mean: lifestyle, philosophy, value system, experience, wisdom etc. The legacy (or fruit) of older generations becomes the seed for their younger successive generations. If human life is nothing but a procession of generations, then the word ‘generations’ is at the centre of human development & civilisation. We cannot therefore claim to be bringing development and civilisation to humanity without firstly being generational in our consciousness.
What this means is that the word ‘generations’ (if it takes the form of consciousness), provides the context for a stable & progressive human existence. The word describes a world we can and should live in – it describes a platform upon which we can build our personal lives, marriages, families, communities, education system, politics, economics, businesses and all institutions of human governance. When we tap into the word, we discover reasoning that we otherwise cannot access in our normal world of immediacy. This word can and must therefore be seen as a portal of accessing cutting edge wisdom for this human age.
Master of Ceremonies, the senate of the Institute for Generational Dialogue, senior leaders of The Truth Foundation1 (John and Tshidi Moeti), Senior Development Coordinator of Congress WBN2 (Suresh Ghunah), national coordinator of the Global Leadership Interlink3 (Douglas Fenn), leaders in various fields and organisations, partners in the social cause, ladies and gentlemen I greet you.
I wish to start by thanking you ladies and gentlemen for making it in this gathering. I say this because this meeting is made up of two important elements, the first one is that the IGD has something to say to humanity, and the second one is that it has been important that people are mobilised to come and hear what the IGD has to say.
Introduction:
It is always important Ladies and Gentleman for us to give vocabulary to what we are seeing through the medium of imagination. Not only must we give vocabulary to imagination but we must also seek to bridge the gap between imagination and reality because failure to do so results in desires, breakthrough ideas & potentially new civilisations reduced to wishes. And of course the point of departure in bridging this gap is always this issue of communication, definition and dialogue; the issue of giving definition to the imaginations of the mind and heart – thereby creating an atmosphere and a conversation amongst ourselves, because words have the power to create an atmosphere and bring a people to a place of conviction, conversation and action. Hence it has been important for the IGD to create this platform today.
The Mechanism for Interaction
Ladies and gentlemen, some and maybe most if not all of us here, have gone through some form of educational training. I therefore would like to warn you from listening to this presentation only through the medium of logic or rational thinking. The education system has (for the right reasons) trained us to be logical beings but in doing so has deprived us of accessing the wisdom of the conscience, which is a superior wisdom available to humanity. Some of the problems we see in the world today come as a result of creativity and human reasoning that is not synchronised with or circumscribed by the wisdom of the conscience. Moreover, the problem of listening only through the medium of logic creates a danger of sometimes viewing as difficult, things that are supposed to be easy and comprehensible – because when something does not fit into this box called logic, it is quickly interpreted as either difficult or impractical. After all, we (as humans) define what logic is (at any given point in time), and so logic itself (as a realm of reasoning) keeps on changing. For example, the idea of travelling from JHB to DBN (which is about 600km) within a space of 55 minutes is today part of human logic; centuries ago it constituted Iunacy.
I therefore appeal to you ladies and gentlemen, to listen with both your conscience and your intellect; as your conscience will help you give moral reasoning to the words you are processing, and through intellect, you will be able to give strategic-practical reasoning to this presentation. This will not only help us give a balanced perspective to this important presentation but we will be empowered with a possibility, a possibility of shifting the frontier of human logic.
Zooming in on the word ‘Generations’
I would like for us, as we get into this presentation to zoom in on the word ‘generations’. This word is and should not be strange to all of us, as it is a well known word that we use from time to time in our conversations.
And yet I would like for us today to look into this word as a concept, a philosophical concept. You will agree with me Ladies & Gentlemen that whilst this word (generations) does exist in our vocabulary & dictionaries; it hardly exists (if it does at all) as a philosophical position and consciousness that informs human & institutional behaviour.
This sums up the burden of the IGD; the mandate of the IGD is to take the word ‘generations’ and turn it into consciousness & philosophy that should guide human & institutional behaviour, eventually resulting in new platforms upon which we can build our socio-political and economic systems - hence the IGD talks of Generational Consciousness (we’ll come back to this later).
The word ‘generations’ defines the very architecture or design of mortal human life, in that for example we have a family unit, with grandparents, parents and children. So that through an institution of family, one generation can intimately interact with and transfer life to another generation. This design is no coincidence, it is a deliberate design that communicates a powerful philosophy to us, that when we talk of humanity, we are talking of a phenomenon that is built upon the platform of succession.
Succession is what makes human progression and development possible. Succession, in turn, demands a connection between generations, a connection that is not passive, a connection that is not left to circumstances, but one that is deliberate, conscious and strategic.
Let me repeat the statement I made earlier Ladies and Gentlemen; the word ‘generations’ suggests that humanity is an entity or phenomenon that is built upon a platform of succession – for without succession, the human race collapses spiritually, morally, socially, politically, economically and institutionally; it doesn’t matter how advanced and modern our research is, how advanced our comprehension of the cosmos is, it doesn’t matter how advanced our technology is; we can be discovering new planets, introducing new revolutionary technology, advancing educationally etc. but if all of this is not built upon this simple and yet profound wisdom of succession, everything collapses.
The word ‘generations’ suggests that the state of humanity (at any given point in time) is not only the current conditions that present themselves before us; but it includes both history and future. If this is the scope of humanity, we who are builders of life - whether we call ourselves politicians, educators, pastors, parents, managers, CEOs, researchers, policy makers, scientists etc. - cannot afford to have single-generation lenses as we seek to counteract the complex challenges of the 21st century and push humanity to a new frontier of development.
So therefore, a Generation gets born and then dies only to leave life responsibilities to another generation. It is common course that the complex challenges of humanity cannot all be solved by one generation. This realisation necessitates for a generational mobilisation, so that good initiatives started in one generation may be continued in another generation. It is only in this dimension of human living that we can solve the complex problems of our world.
We are saying that the word ‘generations’ defines the very design of mortal human life. The flow of human life is nothing but a procession of generations that follow each other, with older generations at the front and younger generations following at the back. Human life is inherited from older generations and is passed on to younger generations. By life I mean: lifestyle, philosophy, value system, experience, wisdom etc. The legacy (or fruit) of older generations becomes the seed for their younger successive generations. If human life is nothing but a procession of generations, then the word ‘generations’ is at the centre of human development & civilisation. We cannot therefore claim to be bringing development and civilisation to humanity without firstly being generational in our consciousness.
What this means is that the word ‘generations’ (if it takes the form of consciousness), provides the context for a stable & progressive human existence. The word describes a world we can and should live in – it describes a platform upon which we can build our personal lives, marriages, families, communities, education system, politics, economics, businesses and all institutions of human governance. When we tap into the word, we discover reasoning that we otherwise cannot access in our normal world of immediacy. This word can and must therefore be seen as a portal of accessing cutting edge wisdom for this human age.
Defining ‘Generational Consciousness’
Let us now shift from ‘generations’ to ‘Generational Consciousness’. I have already stated that the burden of the IGD is to turn the word ‘generations’ into consciousness and philosophy; and so we have to talk about the concept of generational consciousness.
Before we talk about ‘generational consciousness’; let us briefly look at the word consciousness. Collins Dictionary tells us that the word ‘consciousness’ refers to one’s thoughts and motivations, the word refers to a state of awareness. Collins Dictionary continues to say that consciousness refers to that part of human mind that is aware of a person’s self, environment and mental activity.
If we take key components of this definition and connect them to the word ‘generations’, we realise the ff issues:
· 1. The word ‘generations’ must provide the context and scope of our motivations. And the goodness of such motivations must be tested not only by the immediate results they bring but their ability to bear good fruit for future generations.
· 2. Our sense of awareness has got to be broadened beyond our immediate environment to include the state of future generations. In a sense we need to overcome the ‘blind-rise effect’ in all human operations. This blind-rise effect makes us unable to see how the present is shaping the future.
· 3. Collins Dictionary also mentions that consciousness is about self-awareness and so therefore consciousness is about identity. Now the word ‘generations’ must define the scope of our identity, for if our identity cannot incorporate past and future generations we will live disconnected from the reality of progressive human civilisation and in fact, we will become a stumbling block to progressive human civilisation; we will invent socio-economic policies & legislations that give us good instant results but only to bring crises to future generations; we will parent only from a passive-reactive mode, we will find it more important to make an extra Rand than to spend time establishing a value system to our successive generations (our kids); we will find it difficult to agree on a protocol for effective and sustainable environmental management.
In bringing more clarity on the word ‘consciousness’, let me share with you the wisdom of King Solomon – this is what Solomon said one day:
‘As a man thinks in his heart so is he.’4
This statement is in agreement with Collins Dictionary’s definition of the word ‘consciousness’. The statement implies that consciousness is what defines humans and therefore humanity. In a sense, the state of humanity at any given point in time is a reflection of the level of consciousness that humanity possesses. The current state of the world is a reflection of our consciousness. Again I say, we may enjoy advanced technology and sophisticated modern life, but if our consciousness is lagging behind, nothing changes except for the fact that we now carry cell phones in our hands, laptops in our fancy bags as we look sophisticated in airports and restaurants. Ladies and gentlemen, the luxury of modernity is no indication that the human race is experiencing a civilisation.
So therefore if you change the consciousness of humans and humanity (in this context) to become generational, you will see different results in that human existence, behaviour & operations will surely change.
Let us come back then to defining generational consciousness.
There are two important segments to the definition of generational consciousness.
The Definition: First Segment
1. In one sense, generational consciousness is a realisation that the current state of humanity is both a product of history and a seed for the future. This, ladies and gentlemen, is both a philosophical and a scientific statement or definition in that both philosophers and scientists can take the statement and have an in-depth discussion on it. The state of humanity is both a product (fruit) of history and a seed for the future. That is, you cannot define the state of humanity with single-generation lenses.
What are the implications of this?
1.1 Generational consciousness compels us to view and interpret the state of humanity beyond the limitations of our times or age, to include both historical conditions and the emerging future.
1.2 Success cannot be defined within a single-generation framework, but success is both present achievements and their future implications. Meaning that it is possible to have one generation celebrate successes that only become a burden and a curse to future generations. The example here is how industrialisation, business expansion, and economic growth in one generation lead to environmental crises (like global warming) in another generation.
1.3 Generational consciousness is an understanding of a relationship that exists between the past, the present and the future.
We, in SA understand how history can shape the state of a nation, and yet the question remains whether we understand how the present political, social, economic, legal and institutional configuration of the nation is shaping the future.
So we have to build a leader and a citizen who is able to understand how history has shaped human living today and how the present conditions of humanity are shaping the future. This further means that history cannot be engaged only academically, but must be used more and more (by all citizens of the world) as a portal of understanding the present landscape of human affairs. In this context, if I were to run a school, history would become a common compulsory subject for all students, regardless of their educational streams.
1.4 Generational Consciousness presents a new approach or a new mechanism for nation building and the setting of national goals, one that is not merely technocratic; one that is not based on mere data analysis and scientific projections but one that defines the future of a nation based on the current state of its emerging successive generation. So that the current state of the emerging generation becomes our portal into the future, meaning that we cannot for example, project a growing economy (simply because we are currently experiencing economic growth). We cannot project a stable nation when youth is suffering from drug abuse and HIV & AIDS etc. We cannot project a strong nation when there is a constant collapse of the value system, sense of relationship, respect and family in the emerging generation. We cannot predict the future based on current institutional-systemic trends but projections must consider the current state of emerging generations, less we experience sudden crashes in the future.
1.5 Generational consciousness implies the need for the crafting of an intelligence system that has the ability to track current human activity (good and bad) and foretell its future implications.
All human activity must have intelligence systems that are preoccupied with foretelling future implications of such activity. I suppose such intelligence systems are greatly needed in the business, policy-making, legislation-making and educational spheres. You will notice ladies and gentlemen that the intelligence systems I am talking about here are not those that seek to identify the enemy out there but our own errors that have the ability to compromise the state of humanity in the future.
Brett M. Frischmann (an assistant Professor of Law from Loyola University - Chicago School of Law) writes in an article entitled, ‘Some thoughts on Short-sightedness and Intergenerational Equity’:
‘…while the United States is vulnerable to attacks from abroad, as September 11, 2001 revealed, I am most concerned about erosion from within. As I noted at the outset of this essay, I am deeply troubled by the extent to which shortsightedness pervades our society. Our myopic focus on the present—on immediate gratification, immediate returns, ‘results today’ at whatever costs the future may bear—threatens our own future and puts our legacy, and the nation we inherited, in jeopardy. As a society, we need to rediscover and reaffirm our commitment to the welfare of not only ourselves but also our children and future.’5
These words speak for themselves. The point that Brett is bringing home is that while we maintain intelligence operations aimed at detecting the external enemy, there is however a greater need for us to establish intelligence systems aimed at human activity and its effect on the future.
1.6 Generational Consciousness brings a demand for the crafting of systems that bring solutions not only to present human conditions but also to the future of the human race (or future generations).
The question we should ask is; to what extent is the education system providing a solution to the future in terms of the human resource it is producing. The question should be, based on current trends and the future emerging before us, what type of accountants, lawyers, economists, entrepreneurs, leaders etc. do we need in the future? The answer to this must shape the curriculum now. This is even more important in the world that is rapidly changing.
There is sense in saying that the tertiary education system must proactively define how society, politics, business should look in the future by teaching new models that are yet to become a reality; as opposed to an education system that teaches only researched work – we are talking about an education system that does not only teach manifested models but new models that are yet to define human existence, and so therefore we are talking about a proactive education system that truly carries a torch for humanity.
This first segment of the definition of generational consciousness also connects to the concept of intergenerational equity. The concept of intergenerational equity is being advanced mostly within the context of environmental management and sharing of natural resources between generations.
What is intergenerational equity?
If you google ‘intergenerational equity’, you will locate a couple of websites where this concept is defined. Here are some of the definitions that you find in the internet:
In the website of the ‘Earth & Peace Education Associates International’ (EPE), intergenerational equity is defined as:
‘…a notion that views the human community as a partnership among all generations. Each generation has the right to inherit the same diversity in natural and cultural resources enjoyed by previous generations and to equitable access to the use and benefits of these resources. At the same time, the present generation is a custodian of the planet for future generations, obliged to conserve this legacy so that future generations may also enjoy these same rights. In this way, intergenerational equity extends the scope of social justice into the future’ (Source:http://www.globalepe.org/values_ie.html).
Brett M. Frischmann, the Assistant Professor of Law at the Loyola University - defines intergenerational equity (in his article: ‘some thoughts on short-sightedness and intergenerational equity’) as…
‘…a principle of distributive justice. It concerns the relationship among past, present, and future generations. Distributive justice is concerned with sharing the benefits and burdens of social cooperation.’
Brett continues to say:
‘each generation, in recognition of the blessings it receives and its duty of stewardship for posterity, ought to take into account explicitly and meaningfully the interests of future generations when making decisions that affect natural and communal resources.’
Now you will notice from these quotes that the emphasis of intergenerational equity is on natural resource allocation or administration amongst generations & the preservation of the environment. These very important factors are only a part of what generational consciousness deals with.
Generational consciousness is not only concerned with (the important issue) of sustainable environmental management but seeks to produce progressive human civilisation through generational dialogue.
Generational consciousness deals with progressive human governance, it calls for a political collaboration between generations as the underlying wisdom for an effective and sustainable political process. This means that generational consciousness directly affects political science.
Generational consciousness is also concerned with the relationship that exists between economic theory and the structure of society. Within the context of Generational consciousness, a question is posed, and the question is, how is economic evolution shaping present and future generations? For example, capitalism6 has put money at the centre of human living & interaction; we rate nations, families and individuals economically. Parenting has also been reduced to economic provision (the Father Christmas Syndrome).
Capitalism has produced a short-term oriented society that wants to see immediate results at all cost – whether by degree or gun, integrity or corruption. And so in a sense capitalism as it expresses itself in modern society, is no longer an issue of economists but a civilisation that must be scrutinised. This socio-economic position truly concerns anybody whose approach to human living is premised on generational consciousness. Hence generational consciousness also affects the field of economics and seeks to become a new framework for economic thinking.
The Definition: Second Segment
Let us now get to the second segment of the definition of generational consciousness.
2. Generational Consciousness is the burden in one generation to equip and empower its successive generation with a value system, wisdom & critical competencies for future life responsibilities.
What are the implications of this?
2.1 Generational Consciousness goes beyond what may appear to be an intellectual exercise of analysing the relationship amongst the past (generations), present (generation) and future (generations). It goes beyond the laboratory, statistics, boardroom and PPT presentations.
2.2 Generational Consciousness goes beyond (the very important issue of) advocating for the social, political, economic & environmental rights of those yet to be born.
2.3 Generational consciousness therefore also deals with a process of (firstly) defining the kind of a people that must take over in our political, economic or business spheres and (secondly) producing such a people through a vigorous process of objective driven education and training.
In this context, when we talk of an education system we must be talking about a system that constantly morphs itself to produce a relevant future citizen. In the same token, when we talk of parenting we must talk of ever changing ways designed to produce a relevant future citizen.
If Generational Consciousness also deals with the defining and production of successive generations, then this concept is not just theoretical or academic, the concept is by definition hands-on in its nature. It demands a broad-based mobilisation and participation, as we all engage ourselves in this noble on-going duty of producing successive generations; whether within the context of parenting, modelling philosophy and a value system for the emerging generation, coaching future business executives, teaching students etc. Generational consciousness must therefore define or shape the very existence of humanity.
Let me refer again to the wisdom of King Solomon as we expand on the definition of generational consciousness – this is what Solomon said one day:
‘I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun.’7
Now the significance of this statement is in the fact that Solomon8 was a Political leader, a Nation Builder, a Parent, a Researcher, an Educator, a Business Man, and a Philosopher who was respected globally (in his time). This man advanced the fields of zoology and botany. He earned respect not only from what we may refer to as a lay man (within his nation), but other significant political figures & philosophers also had great respect for him. So that therefore in quoting him, I am not simply trying to create a religious tone but am in fact referring to what was once a significant global citizen of the 10th century BC.
Moreover, you will notice that this statement by Solomon captures the very heart of the IGD.
What do we see in Solomon’s statement?
· 1. The burden of Solomon was not in producing success but was in sustaining success. He went beyond the limitations & the pleasures of immediacy and began to be concerned about a time in which he would be non-existent. How wonderful it would be if the politician, the CEO and the parent of the 21st century would enter this same dimension of reasoning.
· 2. Solomon clearly had no trust in institutions, he conquered the fallacy that institutionalism9 presents to us; a notion that as long as we build economic growth, produce figures in terms of our bottom line10, secure infrastructure etc. things will continue to be stable even after our departure – e.g. how many parents spend time working hard to secure monetary future reserves for their kids but at the same time doing nothing to prepare such kids for the future. Solomon realised that sustainability cannot be achieved through an institutional (or materialistic) mobilisation, but can only be achieved through the preparing of an individual.
In this context, we still have to talk about the philosophy that must define the development of our lovely but crisis stricken continent of AFRICA. The question is, which philosophy must define our development, is it Institutionalism or Generational consciousness? While we need structures like African Union11 & NEPAD12, it remains my conviction that institutions can never bring redemption and revolution – humans and therefore generations bring redemption and revolution. Institutions become vehicles or tools to achieve certain goals; they cannot drive the process of development.
And so we cannot afford to invest most of our time and energy trying to build institutions, because after doing it all, we still are going to need a human and a generation that will run with the agenda in the future and fulfil the noble desires of our forefathers. We still are going to need the next president, the next CEO, the next parent etc. NEPAD cannot preside over future generations. She is only a product of the wisdom & visions of the current generation, if this generation dies, she will also die if future generations are not equipped to use her in pursuing their goals and dreams for this continent. This is exactly what Solomon is crying about in the statement I’ve just referred to.
· 3. Solomon realised that there is no sense in working hard and not having an empowered individual who will take over and continue from where you left off. He realised that hard work without succession amounts to futility. And so therefore Solomon realised that success is a generational phenomenon.
· 4. Solomon realised that one major crisis for any generation is a situation where you do not know the condition of your successor. And so the question must be, how can we counteract this problem? And the answer is in simply producing that successor.
This production of a successor implies empowerment, training, preparation of the next individual, citizen or generation that must take over from us. And again the question is, how many nations sit down to define and then produce the profile of their future generations, political officials, businessmen etc. How many organisations sit down to define and produce the profile of their future CEOs and employees?
· 5. Embedded in Solomon’s statement is an understanding that succession is not to be left to circumstances and luck nor is succession an event that one engages just before departing from a particular position or from the land of the living. He realised that succession does not begin when we are handing over our responsibility but begins when we are configuring our successor. Solomon therefore realised that succession is process-oriented and long term. He realised that succession must be an underlying wisdom for all human activity (family, political, governance, business etc.).
Generational Consciousness
Produces Generational Mobilisation
Let us look at yet another statement that Solomon made one day:
‘Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.’13
Solomon is again making this statement that successive generations must be mobilised for their future responsibilities, and that mobilisation is a process that begins at a stage when our successive generations are still young – implying that youth (and not gold) is national resource number one.
Solomon (in this statement) talks about ‘the relationship that exists between infancy and adulthood (which I think psychologists understand better). He says we can in fact shape the future by taking emerging generations through a process of education and training. This implies that the education system must be motivated by crafting a particular individual and citizen for the future. And so in a sense the need for a proactive formation of the future is or must be the basis of parenting and institutional education. For example, if we talk of corruption as a major threat to human development and business growth, then the question we need to ask ourselves is whether the education system is now teaching the emerging generation anti-corruption values and philosophy.
This statement by Solomon further makes us want to ask certain questions:
· 1. How should this inform the parent-child relationship and time management on the side of the parent?
· 2. Could it be that parents must see themselves as proactive trainers and coaches of the next generation?
· 3. When a primary school teacher stands before those young kids, what should be in his or her mind; the job at hand or the future that is calling?
‘Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it’ is a call for generational mobilisation; it is a call to parents, education system, business organisations and the nation at large.
So we are saying that Generational consciousness deals with a process of (firstly) defining the kind of a people that must take over in our political, economic or business spheres and (secondly) producing such a people through a vigorous process of training and empowerment.
Conclusion
As we come to the end of this lecture, let me restate the definition of generational consciousness:
1. Generational consciousness is a realisation that life in its present configuration is both a product of history and a seed for the future – in this context, generational consciousness connects to the concept of intergenerational equity.
2. But also Generational Consciousness is the burden in one generation to equip, empower & prepare its successive generation with a value system, wisdom & critical competences for future life responsibilities.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have to consider deeply the evolution of capitalism, that capitalism is no longer an issue for economists, policy makers and academics; it has become a civilisation that shapes human existence. The poor regard their poverty within a capitalistic context in the same way that the rich regard their riches within that same capitalistic context. I am convinced that what motivates even the criminal to go and steal a car is that capitalistic sense for ‘ownership at the expense of the one next to me’; we are talking here about human living that is not connected to the well being of the whole – the doctrine of ‘the survival of the fittest’.
In all of this, what this capitalistic civilisation has produced is a society that has no concern for the future, a society that lives for the now. This mode of thinking manifests itself in policies and human operations that produce good immediate results but at the same time presenting serious threats to the future; it manifests itself in the collapse of the parental system – because of course our kids are the future of the human race. All that we have kept is the capitalistic version of parenting; that “thou shall provide financially and materially for thy kids” – we are talking about a parental process that is devoid of impartation of philosophy and a value system, because in most cases, we as parents do not have one.
This over-emphasis on the present and neglect for the future reminds me of the words of the ancient prophet Moses14, who in describing the genesis and the demise of the human race wrote the following:
‘When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.’15
It is obvious that nothing else mattered to the woman and her husband except for the perceived immediate benefit that was in the fruit. The future implication of their action was not an issue. And so we read in the Pauline doctrines16 that (and I paraphrase):
‘Through the error of the eating of the forbidden fruit by one man, all fell into error.’17
The word ‘all’ in this statement can only refer to future generations. So therefore when two individuals were celebrating the fruit, the future of the human race was being compromised. And so according to the explanation of this ancient prophet Moses, the demise of the human race is always found in the principle of instant gratification – that which he refers to as ‘the eating of the forbidden fruit by the woman’, which implies human existence that is locked up in the world of immediacy; human existence that neglects the future and future generations (as seen in its philosophy, value system, decisions, policies, legislations and operations).
Brett Frischmann, the Assistant Professor of Law - uses the following words and phrases in describing this anti-generational philosophy: “short-sightedness, a myopic focus on the present, immediate returns, erosion from within…”
George Bernard Shaw18 (an Irish Writer and Political Activist), said (& I paraphrase):
‘The hallmark of human wisdom is in our manifested responsibility for the future’19, which, as far as I’m concerned, begins with the mobilisation of our successive generations.
So then ladies gentlemen, generational consciousness presents itself as a passageway out of the short-sighted world of instant gratification, into a more meaningful world of human existence that is defined within the broader context of past and future generations. Generational consciousness represents a philosophical reformation of human existence.
Ladies and gentlemen I have said a lot and that was deliberate. I don’t expect you to remember everything I have said but I hope that each and every one of us in this room will locate a point of understanding in the abundance of words that have come forth from this podium. My duty this evening was to define generational consciousness for you and I hope that I have fulfilled this duty thoroughly. What remains for us is to search the matter out, initiate a dialogue, ask questions, and meditate as we seek the validity of this concept of generational consciousness.
I want to thank you again for making time to attend this public lecture. You will surely go into the archives of the IGD as the first audience that became a platform of the first lecture ever to be conducted by the IGD here in JHB. We have cameras to help us capture this moment.
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you.
Note: Speech delivered during an IGD lecture in Johannesburg, South Africa on the 9th of June 2007.
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Footnote
1. The Truth Foundation (TTF) is an international non profit organization with the mandate to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor by empowering disadvantaged young people. It’s programmes include ‘Free the Youth’ (which is about enabling young people to reach their full potential through teaching them life skills using sport as a vehicle.) and ‘Free the Players’ (which is about developing and empowering professional sportspeople during and after their sports careers). John and Tshidi Moeti (TTF leaders) have a close, personal and working relationship with Robert and Zamokuhle Ntuli.
2. Congress WBN (C-WBN) is a synergy of global initiatives focused on effecting human, social and national transformation through the propagation of values-based development principles, patterns and approaches. It is comprised of sectors of strategic operations involving networks of professional groups, educational institutions, businesses, churches, individual national leaders and university students. C-WBN operates through every continent and in over 75 nations. Livingstones Agency (a church led by Robert Ntuli operating from Durban, South Africa) is a member of C-WBN (KCN Sector). Robert Ntuli has been equipped greatly through the doctrine and philosophy pioneered by Dr Noel Woodroffe, the founder and senior leader of C-WBN. For more information on C-WBN, you may visit www.congresswbn.org.
3. Global Leadership Interlink (GLI) is a global network of professionals and university students committed to the development of society by impacting governance systems through the promotion of values-based leadership and the application of principles consistent with the Kingdom of God. Robert Ntuli is part of the South African GLI Management Team. GLI is a sector of C-WBN, for more information on GLI, you may visit www.glinetwork.org/gli/.
4. Proverbs 23:7 of the Bible (NKJV).
5. For more information on Brett Frischmann’s article entitled, ‘some thoughts on short-sightedness and intergenerational equity’, you may follow this link: http://www.luc.edu/law/activities/publications/lljdocs/faclawsymp/frischmann.pdf.
6. Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange, characterized by the freedom of capitalists to operate or manage their property for profit in competitive conditions (Source: Collins Dictionary). For more details on history and description of capitalism, you may follow this link http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/CAPITAL.HTM.
It is important to note that the emphasis of the author in this speech is on capitalism as a civilisation that shapes human existence as opposed to capitalism as an economic system that governs a nation’s economic process.
7. Ecclesiastes 2:18&19 of the Bible (NIV).
8. Solomon was one of the kings of the nation of Israel; he took over as a young man from his father David. Solomon was greatly known for wisdom (1Kings 4:34). 1 Kings 3:1-15 records Solomon asking God for wisdom. As a result of his wisdom, Solomon administered justice properly (1Kings 3:16-28), he was known and respected in the circles of philosophers of his day (1Kings 4:29-31), he brought much illumination in the fields of botany and zoology (1 Kings 4:33&34). He was respected by other kings and nations (1Kings 4:34, 1 Kings 10:1-10) – the Bible.
9. By institutionalism, the author is simply referring to “the system of or belief in institutions” (Source: Collins Dictionary). The word ‘institutionalism’ comes from the word ‘institution’. Some of the examples of ‘institutions’ can be law, formally structured economy, education system etc.
10. ‘Bottom line’ – refers to the last line of a financial statement that shows the net profit or loss of a company or organization (Source: Collins Dictionary).
11. The African Union (AU) is an organisation consisting of fifty-three African states. Established in 2001, the AU was formed as a successor to the amalgamated African Economic Community (AEC) and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The purpose of the union is to help secure Africa's democracy, human rights, and a sustainable economy, especially by bringing an end to intra-African conflict and creating an effective common market (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Union). For more information on the AU, you may follow this link: http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/AboutAu/au_in_a_nutshell_en.htm.
12. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a VISION and STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR AFRICA’s RENEWAL. NEPAD is designed to address the current challenges facing the African continent. Issues such as the escalating poverty levels, underdevelopment and the continued marginalisation of Africa needed a new radical intervention, spearheaded by African leaders, to develop a new Vision that would guarantee Africa’s Renewal. NEPAD’s primary objectives are: (a) to eradicate poverty; (b) to place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development; (c) To halt the marginalisation of Africa in the globalisation process and enhance its full and beneficial integration into the global economy; (d) To accelerate the empowerment of women (Source: http://www.nepad.org/2005/files/inbrief.php).
13. Proverbs 22:6 of the Bible (NIV).
14. Moses is known as a prophet, political activist and revolutionary who facilitated political freedom for the nation of Israel. As a baby, he was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter and was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (Acts 7:20-22). Moses later rebelled against the Pharaoh (Heb 11:24-27) and went to exile. He came back after forty years to mobilise freedom for his people (the Jewish nation) from Egyptian oppression under the theme: ‘let my people go’ (Ex 5:1).
15. Genesis 3:6 of the Bible (NIV).
16. Paul is the early church apostle (or sent one) who was converted from Judaism to Christ in a dramatic encounter on his way to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). He contributed much in the foundational doctrine and philosophy of human living as defined in Christ and as expressed in the church (the ekklesia). By ‘Pauline doctrines’, the author is referring to the collective writings of the apostle Paul.
17. Romans 5:12&18 of the Bible (NIV).
18. To read more about George Bernard Shaw, you may follow this link: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1925/shaw-bio.html.
19. ‘We are made wise not by recollections of the past but by our responsibility to the future’ (Source: G.B. Shaw). This quotation is found on this web page: http://www.globalepe.org/outreach.html.
_________________________________________________
Footnote
1. The Truth Foundation (TTF) is an international non profit organization with the mandate to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor by empowering disadvantaged young people. It’s programmes include ‘Free the Youth’ (which is about enabling young people to reach their full potential through teaching them life skills using sport as a vehicle.) and ‘Free the Players’ (which is about developing and empowering professional sportspeople during and after their sports careers). John and Tshidi Moeti (TTF leaders) have a close, personal and working relationship with Robert and Zamokuhle Ntuli.
2. Congress WBN (C-WBN) is a synergy of global initiatives focused on effecting human, social and national transformation through the propagation of values-based development principles, patterns and approaches. It is comprised of sectors of strategic operations involving networks of professional groups, educational institutions, businesses, churches, individual national leaders and university students. C-WBN operates through every continent and in over 75 nations. Livingstones Agency (a church led by Robert Ntuli operating from Durban, South Africa) is a member of C-WBN (KCN Sector). Robert Ntuli has been equipped greatly through the doctrine and philosophy pioneered by Dr Noel Woodroffe, the founder and senior leader of C-WBN. For more information on C-WBN, you may visit www.congresswbn.org.
3. Global Leadership Interlink (GLI) is a global network of professionals and university students committed to the development of society by impacting governance systems through the promotion of values-based leadership and the application of principles consistent with the Kingdom of God. Robert Ntuli is part of the South African GLI Management Team. GLI is a sector of C-WBN, for more information on GLI, you may visit www.glinetwork.org/gli/.
4. Proverbs 23:7 of the Bible (NKJV).
5. For more information on Brett Frischmann’s article entitled, ‘some thoughts on short-sightedness and intergenerational equity’, you may follow this link: http://www.luc.edu/law/activities/publications/lljdocs/faclawsymp/frischmann.pdf.
6. Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange, characterized by the freedom of capitalists to operate or manage their property for profit in competitive conditions (Source: Collins Dictionary). For more details on history and description of capitalism, you may follow this link http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/CAPITAL.HTM.
It is important to note that the emphasis of the author in this speech is on capitalism as a civilisation that shapes human existence as opposed to capitalism as an economic system that governs a nation’s economic process.
7. Ecclesiastes 2:18&19 of the Bible (NIV).
8. Solomon was one of the kings of the nation of Israel; he took over as a young man from his father David. Solomon was greatly known for wisdom (1Kings 4:34). 1 Kings 3:1-15 records Solomon asking God for wisdom. As a result of his wisdom, Solomon administered justice properly (1Kings 3:16-28), he was known and respected in the circles of philosophers of his day (1Kings 4:29-31), he brought much illumination in the fields of botany and zoology (1 Kings 4:33&34). He was respected by other kings and nations (1Kings 4:34, 1 Kings 10:1-10) – the Bible.
9. By institutionalism, the author is simply referring to “the system of or belief in institutions” (Source: Collins Dictionary). The word ‘institutionalism’ comes from the word ‘institution’. Some of the examples of ‘institutions’ can be law, formally structured economy, education system etc.
10. ‘Bottom line’ – refers to the last line of a financial statement that shows the net profit or loss of a company or organization (Source: Collins Dictionary).
11. The African Union (AU) is an organisation consisting of fifty-three African states. Established in 2001, the AU was formed as a successor to the amalgamated African Economic Community (AEC) and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The purpose of the union is to help secure Africa's democracy, human rights, and a sustainable economy, especially by bringing an end to intra-African conflict and creating an effective common market (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Union). For more information on the AU, you may follow this link: http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/AboutAu/au_in_a_nutshell_en.htm.
12. The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a VISION and STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR AFRICA’s RENEWAL. NEPAD is designed to address the current challenges facing the African continent. Issues such as the escalating poverty levels, underdevelopment and the continued marginalisation of Africa needed a new radical intervention, spearheaded by African leaders, to develop a new Vision that would guarantee Africa’s Renewal. NEPAD’s primary objectives are: (a) to eradicate poverty; (b) to place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development; (c) To halt the marginalisation of Africa in the globalisation process and enhance its full and beneficial integration into the global economy; (d) To accelerate the empowerment of women (Source: http://www.nepad.org/2005/files/inbrief.php).
13. Proverbs 22:6 of the Bible (NIV).
14. Moses is known as a prophet, political activist and revolutionary who facilitated political freedom for the nation of Israel. As a baby, he was adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter and was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (Acts 7:20-22). Moses later rebelled against the Pharaoh (Heb 11:24-27) and went to exile. He came back after forty years to mobilise freedom for his people (the Jewish nation) from Egyptian oppression under the theme: ‘let my people go’ (Ex 5:1).
15. Genesis 3:6 of the Bible (NIV).
16. Paul is the early church apostle (or sent one) who was converted from Judaism to Christ in a dramatic encounter on his way to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). He contributed much in the foundational doctrine and philosophy of human living as defined in Christ and as expressed in the church (the ekklesia). By ‘Pauline doctrines’, the author is referring to the collective writings of the apostle Paul.
17. Romans 5:12&18 of the Bible (NIV).
18. To read more about George Bernard Shaw, you may follow this link: http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1925/shaw-bio.html.
19. ‘We are made wise not by recollections of the past but by our responsibility to the future’ (Source: G.B. Shaw). This quotation is found on this web page: http://www.globalepe.org/outreach.html.
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