‽istis reclaims the
Summit (only 7 places available on this particular expedition) (weekending
June 5th 2021)
This week, ‽istis has been
pondering: the G7 Summit; change; the climate; possible lessons from a pandemic;
problem-loci and solution-foci; and, inevitably perhaps, inequality and power. So,
if, ‘Apparently it really is the
little things in life that make us happy, according to research…’[i] ,
then this week has been something of a ‘septimana horribilis’ even though some
of the thinking about ‘big things’ has been done sitting leisurely in glorious
sunshine (which may somehow be part and symbol of the problem…?).
The G7
Summit approaches and we are told that:
‘Prime Minister Boris Johnson will use the UK’s G7 Presidency
to unite leading democracies to help the world fight, and then build back
better from coronavirus and create a greener, more prosperous future.’[ii]
And ‽istis
can’t help but wonder if ‘greener’ and ‘more prosperous’ are compatible?
How might ‘prosperous’ be defined? Wealth of money, riches, property, goods,
the capacity to buy services or wealth of wellbeing? Wealth (both kinds) for all
- or primarily for those who already have and those who may be reluctant to
give up, including giving up on that potential fig leaf notion, perhaps conscience-salving
theory of trickle-down benefits?
Levelling up…? The playing-field still
looks pretty uneven…
So, how is it envisioned that the UK
Presidency of the G7 will fight and build back better; what are the
policy priorities that will bring this about? The official G7 2021 website
offers the following:
·
leading
the global recovery from coronavirus while strengthening our resilience against
future pandemics
·
promoting
our future prosperity by championing free and fair trade
·
tackling
climate change and preserving the planet’s biodiversity
·
championing
our shared values[iii]
More ‘big
things’ to ponder here…
‽ What if the shared values have
been more part of the problem than the solution?
‽ What if people and companies and
countries don’t really want free and fair trade because scribbled
(sometimes double-entered) in the margins of every balance-sheet is the mantra
that profit comes through the maximisation of revenue and the minimisation of costs…
words that barely hint at the potential
for exploitation of either or both consumer and producer
‽ What if tackling climate change and
preserving the planet’s bio-diversity is a bullet point highlight that does not easily
follow the promoting of future prosperity if that is then defined
primarily in terms of material wealth for the top 7 ‘developed’ countries in a reified
view of ‘history’ that ends in a world of ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ nations,
rather than ending in analysis informed by other ‘histories’ and a view of the
world divided (if we have to further buttress a binary view) into: ‘under-developed’
and ‘over-developed’, the one at the cost of the ‘other’…?
‽ What if
the leading democracies do not really want to help the whole of the
world to fight, and then build back better? for it may cost just too much –
not least in terms of donorships, support and, ultimately, the very votes that
keep the current leaders in power?
The queues
on the A30 through Cornwall to the Penwith peninsula begin to mount, the planes
and helicopters land, the emissions increase, some of the local businesses
benefit others just cut their losses and close for the week, and the rest of
the world waits for more crumbs (no doubt, mind, of the finest Cornish produce[iv])
to fall from the top table?
©
Pistis
NB: further reflections and comments linked to
this week’s theme and past blog
entries to be found on Twitter: replies, retweets (which don’t necessarily
indicate approval, sometimes the very opposite!) and ‘likes’:
@Pistis_wonders
[i] https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/40-little-things-daily-life-that-bring-true-happiness.html
[iv]
Jam or cream on top? A bit of scone would be nice…
