Co-Creating Our New Human Story

by Martin Rutte

Note to readers: This is a unique but powerful vision from Martin, an early #forkintheroadproject signatory

Enough already!

The significant problems we’re facing aren’t being solved: Pandemics attack us, ice caps melt, terrorism continues, millions suffer drought and famine, and the threat of nuclear weapons hangs over our heads.

Have you ever had the thought that we as individuals can’t make any impactful difference, not just in making these situations better, but in ending them. One person can’t really make a difference. One person can’t take on a suffering — war, hunger, disease — and end it. One person can’t take on an institution — government, the financial industry, health care — and make a positive difference. And when you try getting all of us together to solve a problem…forget it. The world’s problems are too overwhelming. We’re stopped by hopelessness, powerlessness, and resignation.

Humanity’s current story is not a powerful narrative for having the world work. It doesn’t empower us with optimism; it doesn’t cause us to engage the major sufferings and solve them; it doesn’t give us a sense that we’re moving in the right direction with a growing momentum. The current story has run its course. It’s ineffective, it’s tired. It needs to change.