The Physics of Connection: Understanding Relationships and Ecology
The Physics of Connection: Understanding Relationships and Ecology
The Great Simplification #138 with Fritjof Capra
Without a systems lens, the full reality of the human predicament will never be understood. It is only when we adopt this kind of holistic, wide-boundary thinking that we are able to see the complexity and nuance of how the biosphere, geopolitics, economics, energy, and many other systems interplay with and influence one another. But historically, the scientific community didn’t utilize the power of systems thinking until a few groundbreaking individuals advanced and popularized that way of looking at the world.
Today, I’m joined by one of the great systems thinkers, physicist and deep ecologist Fritjof Capra, to explore how his worldview has been shaped by his decades of work in physics, ecology, and community development – and his conclusions that addressing our ecological and social crises will require a broader shift in our values and philosophies.
How are science and spirituality deeply entangled, despite often being falsely separated in modern culture? How would our ideas of consciousness change if we understood the interconnectedness of all life, and our place within it? What could our societies look like if we emphasized the importance of maintaining deeper relationships with the natural world, and prioritized human wellbeing over economic growth?
In case you missed it…
Last week, I was joined by Mamphela Ramphele, co-founder of the Black Consciousness Movement, which was instrumental in building the ideological foundation that galvanized the struggle for Liberation under the apartheid regime in South Africa, ultimately leading to its dismantling. She shared her wisdom gained from over five decades of movement building and liberation as a means of structural change; something that is deeply relevant to positive outcomes during the coming Great Simplification.
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This systems angle, the notion that tribal cultures already observe the spiritual nature and connection of all beings and things, that science mirrors that notion, all very moving. Especially that spirit translated as breath in some antiquities.
Here in Hawaii they have Aloha, sometimes translated as one breath, conveying that I am in you and you are in me and neither is above the other.
A traditional greeting is to touch foreheads and draw in a breath together. So moved and inspired by this episode. Thank you so for your continued effort, passion and faith in sharing.
Hey Nate, Great interview with Fritjof Capra! I loved his description of spirituality as being fully alive. I integrate spirituality, an attitude of gratitude, a feeling of kinship, ancestral skills, traditional ecological knowledge, and modern science into my nature meetups with children.