Many people see the burgeoning population of the earth as a cause for great concern. They see our crowded cities and congested suburbs as an unsustainable drain on earth’s limited resources. Scarcity mentality overwhelms them as they consider the future and wonder how their posterity will survive this.
Live 168 doesn’t share this pessimistic view of humanity.
Don’t get me wrong, we recognize the socio-economic demands of a growing population, it’s just that we see the equation differently. The earth definitely has problems but they can’t be solved using 3rd-grade mathematics, even though that looks like the right answer.
The only equation most people seem to see is simply:
Designating earth and her resources as constants—Fewer people = problem solved
We however, see this equation as part of the problem.
We have witnessed the same problem many times, only on a smaller scale—thousands of people with innumerable medical and social needs and seemingly limited resources. So many people, so few resources—where do we start? How do we help?
A Better Equation
We discovered that as long we viewed people as numbers and resources as quantities, the predicament persisted. The real solution requires a major shift in perspective and better math.
Here are some of our findings:
Most people are in survival mode. When they are in this frame of mind, they aren’t open to new ideas. Until we solve their health problems or physical circumstances, they will only focus on what they know. Our first goal consequently is to lift them out of survival mode into a state of hope where they become aware of life’s possibilities.
Once an individual is standing on higher ground, they are able to lift those around them. Most people, once liberated from their debilitating circumstances, turn to their family and friends and help them find access to the same medical help and life skills that saved them.
The only way to help large numbers of people is through teaching and training. Every person we train becomes an exponential equation, reaching out to more people than we ever could as an organization. Consequently, we spend most of our time and resources training and teaching.
Once people are truly living rather than surviving, resources become more available. Once liberated from survival mode, the human mind and heart are capable of accomplishing anything. They can even transform scarcity into abundance. It is part of who we are.
Conclusion
Even with 7.6 billion people on earth, our planet seems to be suffering from a shortage of humanity. The persisting theory of trickle-down economics is just a euphemism for greed. What the world needs now is lifting-up economics.
Live 168 believes, as we lift individuals and communities, we will find there is room at the table for everyone.