Our systems are collapsing and their renewal hangs in the balance

All systems (community, school, company, large scale energy, health, education, a nation state’s constitution, your garden) are premised on stories which humans make up, tell, consent to and organise into. Most of these stories are legacy ones, handed down through generations, culturally programmed at a young age, adopted into law and unbeknown to us, enforced through the act of living in a certain society. 

As a human race, we are evolving so quickly, that these stories and their consequential organising are not keeping pace to the change, and we only get to grip with the problems of these stories, either when we are professionals with years of expertise or when disasters strike.  

Many have spoken at lengths about the technological disruptions, and the consequences of climate change, which are creating a more urgent environment for this change. But many don't speak about the psychological transformation required by individual leaders and collective groups in these systems, to make the leap. 

For example, South Africa's energy system is at the pinnacle of this change. The story and philosophy of centralised, large scale and distributed energy utilities came about in the early twentieth century. In fact, in Eskom, there is an internal book called the 'Symphony of Power', which clearly spells out the story / philosophy, that energy access is not only a human right, but must be controlled for national security purposes, and not be used as a political tool. My great grandfather, Albert Jacobs, the first Eskom Chairman, actually wrote that philosophy, especially in light of the growing power of the National Party at the time, who would end up, after his resignation as Chair, use energy access as a political weapon for suppressing black people in South Africa. 

However, with new technologies, renewables and the potential for decentralised utilities, we have to start building a new story on how to collectively generate, distribute and possible even trade energy. There are many stories being thrown about for how energy should be generated and distributed, even ones which include the use of blockchain tokenisation. But at the end of the day, in a world which is shifting so fast, it’s the individual leaders (from all sectors) which are required to demonstrate wisdom to envision this future in which we all benefit, even if that means that some (like Eskom) might lose to some extent. 

Entrepreneurs across every sector are not only entering these systems, but are trying to change them. Equally important to any system, is that there is a 'hierarchy' that exists, to maintain the system. I'm definitely not an anarchist, but I do believe that healthy/growth hierarchies in systems can enable innovation, growth, and human development. These 'growth' hierarchies are ones, we are also not used to as human beings. 

Whether you have been part of a family system, with an abusive, controlling parent, or employed within an organisation with rigid rules, our sense of how hierarchies are enforced, has come from an evolution of control and violence. But once again, this doesn't have to the case, and in fact, it can't be if we want to thrive as humanity. 

So, the tenant of my argument here, is that we sit at the precipice of creating new stories and new systems which either enable human beings to thrive, or we leverage new technologies. to write new stories of enforced systems of old hierarchical structures. Ones of more violence, control and inequality. Technology is neutral, how we intend to use it is everything.  

The problem is, that at the most basic unit of storytelling, is the individual and their respective ego, or sense of self, or personal interests. In the new world we could envision, leaders have to start building stories and new systems with the 'collective we' in mind, and not just 'my' needs. Sometimes the paradox exists that we need to build systems which balance the 'me' (individual) and 'we' (collective), as there will sometimes always be winners and losers.    

Unfortunately, I don't see vision nor wisdom in most of our current systems to date. I see the needs of the ego, trumpeting, more often than not. Let’s exclude extreme forms illegal behaviour like corruption, its often the old system trying to upend another dysfunctional system.   

A famous case in point is the collapse of startup Theranos, a biotech start-up, and the fall of its founder Elizabeth Holmes. Holmes are trying to write a new story of how technology can disrupt lab diagnostic, medical device and health industry in the USA. 

The hidden story here, does not lie not in Theranos's failed device or business model, but in their sub conscious egoic, possibly sociopathic mind of its founder. Often, 90% of their true agenda, purpose and drivers is hidden to the outside world, and unseen by them. Publicly these entrepreneurs are trying to change the world and the system for the better. But their shadow is experienced by their co-workers, family and friends, who see the opposite and damage first hand.

Theranos, their bankruptcy, and their 10 funding rounds of $1.4 billion is an extreme example of this. A real account of this is the book ‘Bad Blood’ by journalist John Carreyrou. These hidden dynamics are laid bare. Individual founders can create collective stories, which become cultures that can be very damaging (or uplifting) to everyone.

Entrepreneurial martyrs trying to ‘save the world’, or impact billions of people, can be driven by the same sociopathic ego, which is unseen to them, but clear to anyone close enough. This is not necessary a ‘bad’ thing, nor something to judge, as it’s part of the human condition, but it demonstrates the story we are telling, the system and type of hierarchy we need to shift, to move into a twenty first century, where we don't destroy ourselves on this planet.

My point is that unless our societies breed healthier, brighter, and wiser human beings in caring households and systems, the stories, hierarchies and systems will never change for the better. South Africa, must watch itself, especially, as it seems to be placing us on a very dangerous trajectory as a society. Since, we are one of the most unequal countries in the world, with roughly 3% of the population in the highest income tax bracket, contributing 89% of assessed income tax, the large majority of our population rely almost solely on free (or almost free) public services and millions on social grants. Therefore, the majority of South Africans rely on a public system, which is often not only corrupt but extremely inefficient and bureaucratic. This means cracking this system (and shifting the story) with innovative, accessible, quality, and 'least' cost services is imperative.

Allowing new entrepreneurial solutions to shift these defunct centralised systems is one of the greatest challenges we have, alongside generating inclusive economic growth, which not increases the productive capacity of our poorest. but allows for the innovations that the 4th industrial revolution promises.