Promising solutions to contemporary problems often arise by virtue of an individual passion, responsibility, cooperation of citizens (sometimes at the edge of their official function). Innovative "improvements" often arise in an intermediate area, where citizens have enough drive, encouragement, time and resources available to take initiatives for the 'Common good'.
We assume that these citizens' initiatives can really benefit from a close connection to the 'ground' and the reality of a creative local community. In a globalized, alienating world, local connection is an important resource and, in many cases, also a part of the solution to many ecosystemic challenges. Mobility has made us free of a lot of oppressive social control. But it has also alienated us from our land and our local communities. In our environment it is manifested in highly regulated 'anonymous' public and semi-public areas, in addition to the endless fragmentation in exclusive' private areas. |
There is little collective space where citizens can meet and where they can experiment freely and take responsibilty in a cocreation of their physical environment. A private profit-oriented landmarket and -regulation, and our current collective mindset still prevents that there arise many alternatives.
But there is a change going on: the old principle of 'common ground' was removed from the dust. Co-managing a ground with a number of users, is increasingly seen as one of the solutions to social and ecological problems. |