Unsustainable Human Behaviors

One of the core assumptions of the Thrive Movement is that the core problems driving the environmental destruction are ultimately a function of individual human behaviors. Here, we expand on this idea.

The behaviors that have led us to this point have been competitive.

Movements have been active in countering these behaviors for a long time, representing a cooperative behavior: social movements, anti-violence movements, anti-corruption and environmental protection movements. If there is hope for humanity on this planet, it will be found in cooperation, not competition.

Yet competition (selfishness) is a valid, important evolutionary strategy. It's driven by a set of behaviors embedded deep in our brains that have been crafted through our evolutionary heritige to optimize individual and group survival. Yet we can learn to control them. Much like we control our sexual urges in public, we can control our competitive urges as well. We just need to learn, practice and be rewarded for doing so.

We already attempt control of these behaviors. We try to eat healthier, waste less and plan for our futures. We know the knowledge is out there - we've learned a great deal over time, and have come to important conclusions: we should eat more plants and less sugar, salt and fats. We should not spend what we don't have and save money for the future. We should waste less, buy all-natural products, be socially responsible, and use less energy. Yet we struggle to do so.

'Key Insight: We know how we should behave, but need help in successfully adopting behaviors'

A System for Change
What we need is a new system for changing human behavior. One that starts at the individual level and uses our deep knowledge of human behavior to motivate action, reward success and align all of this to a higher goal: global sustainability.

We call this system The Thrive Movement, because it will attempt a global alteration of human behavior.

If successful, The Movement will achieve a re-alignment of human values and attitudes. The new set of values will center around sustainability and happiness: the belief that we can thrive on this planet in a way that guarantees our future. The new set of attitudes will center around not judging each other while promoting and encouraging each other in making difficult changes in behavior.

My Vision
But The Movement does not yet exist. My name is Jason Sears, and I want to help build it. The following are my thoughts on how this system may work. There are many ways to do it, which is why I've started this initiative to seek input and make this a collaborative effort.

In 2009, I met my wife and was introduced to the concept of living in a sustainable way. Stephanie has helped me learn how some of my daily behaviors are contributing to global problems. Since we met, I've changed my diet, stopped using paper products, and started making more decisions with sustainability in mind. I've learned a great deal about some of the results of human behaviors: aquifer and top soil depletion, deforestation, environmental damage, and climate change. I've also learned about the institutions and behaviors causing these problems: our need to seek safety, security and protection, and our desire to thrive in our communities. This awareness has caused me to rethink my role in my community, and become a influencer for change.

This is my vision:

The Movement will accept our current state as a manifestation of normal human behavior, as if children suddenly took over a household full of bountiful resources. It will not try to condemn, but will seek to understand our current systems and seek productive means to change them.

The Movement will center on individuals - using a scientific approach to bring awareness and the tools we need to grow up and help each other make massive system changes.

The Thrive Movement will be composed of two key elements: a system to manage behavioral change, and a community to connect those involved.

The System
As a new member of The Movement, you will be given a personality assessment so that you can learn your strengths and tendencies. Following this, you will be given a life assessment to determine what behaviors to target for change. A system will be used to combine the two assessments to reccommend a personalized change plan.

The implementation of the change plan will be the primary focus of The Movement. Using various methods for accountability, incentives and rewards, The Movement will become a daily part of the new member's life. This may look like a "sustainability game" that you challenge others to play, or a step-wise progression at becoming a sustainability master, or a series of motivational messages relating to your specific goal. However it works, it will use the best of what we know about human behavior to challenge us and keep us on track.

As individuals learn about sustainability and start applying it to their lives, they will be more likely to contribute to social movements or change initiatives in their communities. This is how The Movement will achieve it's ultimate goal: to change humanity's behaviors to be more cooperative and thus more sustainable.

The Community
We need a way for members of the movement to communicate and collaborate. The Community will consist of a mryiad of structures similar to modern churches, creating opportunities to share ideas, play and enjoy time together, and amplify The System. The Community will help individuals keep in mind what is most important by recalling important themes on a recurring basis. It will facilitate collaborative action for larger-scale changes and form a real-world footprint for The Movement through facilities and corporate structures.

The Community will need to be structured differently than most modern corporations. We will apply the best scientific theories on organizational structure to ensure that the goals of The Movement are never compromised. This will likely involve local and shared leadership and will highly leverage social technologies.

Next Steps
Here's what we need to create The Thrive Movement: '''Why design-orientation? '''Because we need very smart individuals capable of systems thinking and action planning to turn theory into something tangible. They must understand the ideas around sustainability as well as the theories of human behaviors, and combine them into a system for driving change.
 * 1) A design-oriented artist who knows how to use various modern media to communicate complex thoughts, captivate audiences and motivate individuals to action.
 * 2) A design-oriented software engineer who's an expert in multiple platforms and can build dynamic systems that use multiple sources of inputs to drive customized outputs
 * 3) A design-oriented business leader who knows how to organize people and inspire collaborative action

What we will build together will be a multi-platform system that will engage users in life coaching. It will be an open environment that will encourage participation, taking the best ideas for sustainable behaviors, the best methods for achieving them, and the best systems for motivating the needed change. It will accommodate our most important social attributes: personality, group associations and purpose.

Will you help me? You can start by getting connected here or on Facebook.

