Post on 28-Nov-2014
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Bridget McKenzie, Flow Associates
Setting the scene Why be a Happy Museum?
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BUT, land use changes: •Deforestation •Intense farming•Extraction & fossil fuels•In short, ecocide
BUT, land use changes: •Deforestation •Intense farming•Extraction & fossil fuels•In short, ecocide
Root issue: Belief that wealth = wellbeing
LEADS TO growth of: •human population•Consumption & waste •unequal wealth
•NOT happiness
LEADS TO growth of: •human population•Consumption & waste •unequal wealth
•NOT happiness
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Leading to resource scarcity:•Oil•Water & food•Biodiversity
Leading to resource scarcity:•Oil•Water & food•Biodiversity
Spiralling of growth for wealth...
•Economic collapse•Social unrest•Conflict & war•NOT happiness•Wealth only for 1%
•Economic collapse•Social unrest•Conflict & war•NOT happiness•Wealth only for 1%
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INCREASES RESOURCE SCARCITY
INCREASES RESOURCE SCARCITY
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
LEADS TO•Sea level rise•Climate disruption
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
LEADS TO•Sea level rise•Climate disruption
GLOBAL WARMING!
DISASTERS•Coastal & fluvial floods & erosion•Severe storms •Drought•Forest fires & disease•Earthquakes•Pollution risks•Crop losses
DISASTERS•Coastal & fluvial floods & erosion•Severe storms •Drought•Forest fires & disease•Earthquakes•Pollution risks•Crop losses
MORE GLOBAL WARMINGFeedback effects. Plus, more damage to ecosystems = Yet more feedback effects.
MORE GLOBAL WARMINGFeedback effects. Plus, more damage to ecosystems = Yet more feedback effects.
IMPACTS ON HUMANS•Economic collapse•Migrations•Famine & disease•Conflict
IMPACTS ON HUMANS•Economic collapse•Migrations•Famine & disease•Conflict
IMPACTS ON BIODIVERSITY •Migrations•Habitat collapse•Risk of extinction to most vertebrates (includes humans)
IMPACTS ON BIODIVERSITY •Migrations•Habitat collapse•Risk of extinction to most vertebrates (includes humans)
Wealth-not-wellbeing is root of global warming
Quick note on planetary boundaries 1. Ozone layer (worse than thought)2. Biodiversity (safe boundary breached)3. Chemical dispersion (can’t quantify)4. Climate change (breached & impacts on others)5. Ocean acidification (40% acid)6. Freshwater consumption (bad but solvable)7. Land use change (on way to breached)8. Nitrogen/phosphorous (pretty bad)9. Atmospheric aerosol (can’t quantify)
So, in the false belief that destroying nature ensures human wellbeing by providing jobs, goods, and jobs to make more goods, we destroy the conditions for our own wellbeing and for all other forms of life*
*Except maybe ants...
Technical name: ‘Hairy crazy ant’
This crisis means that no museum can sustain itself, financially or ethically, without the thriving and wellbeing of global biodiversity (including humanity) somewhere in its mission*.
*Ideally, somewhere BIG in its mission
• Human flourishing• Prosperity without growth• Autonomy to act• Happiness not hedonism• Inspiring #occupywallstreet
Wellbeing: The Eudaimonia movement
•How the Museums for the Future toolkit can help you support this movement•You can find this toolkit on the Happy Museum website and on Renaissance South East pages•I’ll finish with three approaches of many from the toolkit
Museums for the Future toolkit
Use Museums for the Future toolkit
•Aim: For museums to be centres of sustainable communities•By Renaissance South East & Flow•The legacy of 8 pilot projects: museums in Kent, Surrey, Hants, E Sussex•Includes presentation, directories, evaluation & planning tools
Toolkit: 8 thematic pathways to suit your museum
1. Materials and things 2. Wellbeing3. Biodiversity stewardship4. Green your museum with people 5. Place-making and adaptation6. Energy and new technology7. Transition to sustainable economy8. Food, farming and horticulture
1. Show & tell the truth but give people space to feel sad and the tools to act
2. Engage cultural values or ‘deep frames’
The ‘Common Cause’ values model
People struggle to leap the gap from changing values to changing their actions
Museums for the Future 15
External influences: Crises,
Teachers, Examples
External influences: Crises,
Teachers, Examples
CHANGED VALUESCHANGED VALUES
Internal influences:
Fears/hopes, personality
Internal influences:
Fears/hopes, personality
CHANGED INTENTIONSCHANGED INTENTIONS
CHANGED ACTIONSCHANGED ACTIONS
The Value-Action GapThe Value-Action Gap
To help breach the value-action gap we need to learn why it’s there
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‘I can’t imagine what this future looks like’
‘I can’t imagine what this future looks like’
The Value-Action GapThe Value-Action Gap
External influences tell me
‘conform to social norms of
happiness’ & ‘doubt the
evidence of science’
External influences tell me
‘conform to social norms of
happiness’ & ‘doubt the
evidence of science’
Internal influences: ‘I’m
afraid to change. I may be
unhappy’Internal influences: ‘I’m
afraid to change. I may be
unhappy’
‘I can see logic of change but my values are long-held’
‘I can see logic of change but my values are long-held’
‘I need nudges, systems, peers to change my mind’
‘I need nudges, systems, peers to change my mind’
3. Change how you relate to communities •Mutual relationships towards wellbeing •Work with others to protect heritage beyond the museum •Expose & open your assets to help others tackle big challenges
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Define community openly while building museum as ‘home’ or local hub
If a ‘wellbeing not wealth’ mission means your museum must challenge the status quo, what might be the risks to your museum? How could you overcome the risks?
To conclude: My question
Toolkit available on Happy Museum website More about me on: www.flowassociates.com http://thelearningplanet.wordpress.com bridget.mckenzie@flowassociates.com