Ideas summary from the Ideas Dinner which took place on 1 May 2019 in London, UK.
This succinct summary does not do justice to the richness of your idea. It is just destined to remind you of who said what. Should you wish to go into more depth about any of these, access the whole “stock” of ideas from other dinners, relate the ideas to the content of the Monthly Barometer, or, even better, get in touch with the person who originated an idea to discuss it in more detail.
Ideas below are listed in no particular order.
- A map of the links between the ruling elites (SC)
Map the links and connections between businesses and politicians, the different sectors, and people at the top in each country (this knowledge often already exists but is usually ‘for sale’). Making this information transparent and widely available would benefit not only investors but also help redress the trust deficit of citizens vis a vis their leaders. - Map the human terrain that favors the propagation of good ideas (JA)
Innovation and ideas are transmitted through social evolution and connections. The pace of this transmission is already accelerating, if we could track how good ideas are transmitted, we could better enhance and scale their positive effect. (Caveat: the same could apply to bad ideas!) - A global environmental fund for charities (ZF)
Ask all charities (including small local ones) to contribute a small percentage of their income to a global fund dedicated to projects aimed at improving the environment. This would combine forces for maximum effectiveness in tackling the single biggest issue facing the entire global community. - Engage our best brains with climate change (AS)
The reality is that we cannot halt climate change. But we need to do something that ensures the deployment of our best brains (otherwise focused on tech innovation or making money) to address this existential problem. - Ban the over-55s from politics (SJB)
The younger generations are increasingly politically empowered, and have the tools for this, whereas the older generation feels unjustifiably entitled. We should prevent anyone over the age of 55 from holding any kind of executive political power. Prince Charles could lead the charge by ceding his position as first in the line of succession to his son. - Immersive empathy learning field trips for the political and business elite (MAM)
Crises like the gilets jaunes in France have exposed how disconnected the elite can be from the everyday realities of their fellow citizens. It has been proven that empathy improves social welfare, so the political and business elite should give higher priority to seeing for themselves what these realities are (e.g. through something as simple as a ride on public transport) to avoid the perils of ivory tower isolation. - Use the power of sharing food in a communal setting for positive impact (MN)
Growing, cooking, and sharing food can be used to improve the health and well-being of those involved and increase inter-generational connections. It can help tackle problems of loneliness and obesity, by helping establish a happy and healthy relationship with food while building human connections. - Aerial visual information delivery in disaster zones (MH)
Repurpose communications and space technology equipment to create armadas of airships that can deliver public information to areas and communities that have been hit by disasters and where all communications have been cut off. - Revive consumer boycott (JB)
When approaching the question of what it means to be a responsible citizen in this digital age, the reality is that everyday purchases are just as important as how we vote. Individuals should consume to the cause, reviving the past concept of ‘consumer activism’ or boycott in a new guise of digital strikes. - Create an ethical framework for policy discussions (CL)
How best can we re-define a meaningful social contract to address the two problems of almost unimaginable magnitude currently facing society: the future of work and climate change? An ethical framework could help inform political and business leaders’ decisions better define their moral responsibilities. - Legalize recreational drugs for the over-70s – a pilot scheme (RC)
Over-70s are typically out of the workforce, cautious drivers, not caring for young children, and already on some form of legal drugs. Recreational drugs (regulated along the same lines as alcohol currently is – licensed premises, etc.) would bring some pleasure and improvement to their lives. Eventually, the minimum age would be pushed down, and recreational drugs would be legalized for all and monitored in the same way other dangerous activities like driving and alcohol currently are. - Regain control of the internet (JT)
We have created, in the form of the internet, a single global brain but this brain is developing a mind of its own over which we wield very little control. Algorithms now dictate almost every aspect of our lives, shaping despite ourselves our very own bespoke version of reality largely beyond our control. - Reframe the discourse around the environmental crisis to make people care (CM)
Any hope of containing climate change and limiting the environmental crisis will demand huge societal changes and some sacrifices. Governments and corporations have a role to play but will only be effective if they have the weight of individual conviction behind them, and this requires people to be emotionally engaged. The discourse must change and adapt to engage all sectors of society. - A new empathy for the ruling class (NG)
The political class cannot handle the enormity of what they call populism that could be re-labeled ‘pushbackism’. There is an arrogance of power and lack of humility that prevents them from engaging with the population, and yet the only way to respond with effectiveness to ‘pushbackism’ is through empathy with those pushing back. - Replace workshops with ‘walkshops’ (TM)
Misery at work is increasing, non-monetary incentives work better than bonuses for improving productivity at work, and being outdoors is better from all angles. This all points to the need for conducting more work outside, hence turning workshops into walking activities – ‘walkshops’. This could be done via coupons or credit systems. - Make multi-disciplinary engagement compulsory at the corporate level (EL)
Thinking sourced through cross-semination often yields the best ideas, yet once we are out of higher education there are few incentives for multi-disciplinary learning and experiences. To resolve this, a company review should include a measure of the company’s performance in engaging in multi-disciplinary fields. On an individual level, we should each have a diverse and multi-generational, personal ‘advisory board’. - Encourage employers to seek out ‘special talent’ (VN)
Young people with special educational needs who have been through the education system are rarely connected with opportunities in the professional world (although good practice does exist). This is a loss for employers and a waste of investment in special needs education. The gap between education and work could be bridged by re-branding the issue as a special talent for employers and creating a hub to provide access to the talent pool. - Invest in character for meaningful change (IF)
Instead of investing in a company or an idea, it is possible to invest in character – individuals with tenacity, courage, and moral integrity, who are pushing for meaningful change and can become leaders capable of bridging divides. This form of investment into social change-makers already exists, but could it be brought to the UK? - Holiday courses to teach children about the issues that matter (JF)
If we get education and teaching right from the beginning, we would solve a lot of problems. Implementing meaningful change in the school curriculum is too big a task – instead, fill children’s holidays with government- and corporate-sponsored courses tackling and teaching about issues such as climate change, leadership, the impact of technology… - An on-demand learning system for children (ZP)
There is a lot of criticism leveled at the primary and secondary education system, ill-adapted to the individual and too focused on scores. Through blockchain, we could implement an on-demand learning system for children to go at their own pace, building their own curriculum and taking time to face issues such as mental health, regardless of their socio-economic background.
