What is the likely future

We stand at a pivotal moment — a fork in the road with two immediate choices.

We can either embrace the principles of the Harmony Manifest and embed its teachings in our hearts and actions, paving the way for humanity to evolve into a cooperative species, living in unity with all life. By doing so, we position ourselves to explore the universe as ambassadors of love and peace.

Or we can continue along the well-trodden path of business-as-usual, a trajectory fraught with environmental degradation, social unrest, and unsustainable systems.

Here, I explore both possible futures.


Business-as-Usual

Since the 1980s, I have watched humanity crash its way through the incredible gift of a universe and a planet teeming with beautiful, vibrant life — like a drunk at a party, carelessly trampling the delicate wonders around us.

I’ve tried to hold onto hope, keeping tabs on emails and stories filled with positive messages about small victories on social and environmental fronts. These tales of progress — community gardens, solar panel installations, acts of kindness — offer a glimmer of hope. But they are often dwarfed by the overwhelming reality. It reminds me of my personal efforts to reduce my footprint: ditching my car to walk 3 kilometers to and from work every day, only to have a monstrous gas-guzzling 4WD race past me, its engine consuming more energy in a single ignition than I’ve saved all week.

And yet our society with its capitalistic continuous growth mentality, fueled by happy colourful unrelenting advertising encourages the purchase of such huge 4WD and SUVs, even in our city where they are not appropriate. Extrapolate that to the advertisement and encouragement of a multitude of excessive consumable items that are unhealthy for our planet, given the number of people now trying to live here.

Over the forty years I’ve been observing this world, the pattern is undeniable. The health of our planet, and the societies that inhabit it, has been on a steady decline. Our growing disconnect from nature — the very system that sustains us — has driven us to exploit it without regard, as if we are separate from its laws and immune to its consequences.

As the unraveling accelerates and resources become scarcer, conflict will spread like wildfire. Wars — civil, international and ideological — will become commonplace, fueled by desperation and competition over dwindling water, arable land, and energy supplies. Entire regions could be plunged into chaos, with fractured societies battling for survival in a grim struggle that leaves no room for compassion or cooperation. The very foundations of civilization will shake under the weight of such strife, pushing us further from any hope of unity or renewal.

If we continue bulldozing forward on this road of consumption, competition, and domination — business as usual — we are hurtling toward a sticky and tragic end. The trajectory is clear. Without meaningful, collective change, we risk squandering not just the gift of life on Earth but also our potential to be better, wiser, and more connected stewards of this fragile world.

The Business-as-Usual choice will bring us:

1. Social Decay

Social anxiety and anger will continue to escalate. Experts will endlessly debate root causes, and governments will apply layer upon layer of regulation, addressing symptoms but never the underlying cause. Society will remain fragmented, consumed by individualism and materialism.

2. Environmental Collapse

The Earth’s ecosystems will deteriorate beyond recovery, diminishing its ability to support civilized life. Climate disasters will become increasingly frequent, and food and water scarcity will define everyday existence for many.

3. Escalation of Conflict

As resources become scarcer and societies unravel, wars — both civil, international and idelogical — will erupt with increasing frequency. Desperation over dwindling water, arable land, and energy supplies will drive humanity into cycles of violence, further destabilizing fragile regions and undermining any hope for cooperation or peace.

3. The Rise of Technocratic Elites

Billionaires, lauded as Gods and saviors (as people continue to worship money), will devise technical fixes for crises one by one — building geodesic domes, orbital space stations, and interplanetary colonies. But these solutions will serve the few, leaving the majority of humanity struggling to survive.

4. Inequity Deepens

The elite will offer lotteries for spots in life-supporting structures or space missions. For those lucky enough to be chosen, life will be restricted, monotonous, and devoid of the freedoms and joys once taken for granted. Outside these sanctuaries, humanity will regress into tribal survival, facing brutal competition for resources.

5. A Dystopian Divide

Those who leave Earth will inherit technological marvels but may lack the wisdom to use them sustainably. Cooperation will be necessary for survival, yet old hierarchies and rivalries will persist. On Earth, the struggle between cooperation and competition will determine the fate of those left behind.


I do not paint a pretty picture here, however I aim to keep it real. Without fundamental change, life will become grueling, the global population will plummet, and humanity will receive the wake-up call it has long ignored. But why wait for collapse? Instead, let us reframe our priorities and adopt the Harmony Manifest now.

Harmony Manifest

The adoption of the Harmony Manifest promises a radically different future — one rooted in love, joy, cooperation, and reverence for all life. Its principles guide us toward unity and shared abundance.

Early Adoption

If humanity embraces the Harmony Manifesto now, the transformation will be immediate, profound, and beautiful. Here are ten examples of what this brighter future could look like:

1. Cooperative Communities

Neighborhoods evolve into thriving, interconnected hubs where people share resources, responsibilities, and joys. Community gardens flourish, local renewable energy grids power homes, and everyone contributes to collective well-being.

2. Universal Education

Education shifts to focus on emotional intelligence, interspecies empathy, and creative problem-solving. Schools teach children how to collaborate, resolve conflicts, and coexist harmoniously with nature and technology.

3. Global Peace Networks

Nations dismantle their war machines, redirecting resources to build bridges of trust and mutual aid. International cooperation focuses on eliminating poverty, restoring ecosystems, and sharing knowledge.

4. Restoration of Nature

Large-scale rewilding projects breathe life back into the planet. Forests are replanted, oceans teem with marine life, and biodiversity is restored as humanity lives in balance with the natural world.

5. Human-Animal Collaboration

Animals are no longer exploited but seen as sentient partners in sustaining the planet. Communities establish sanctuaries, and humans learn from other species how to live sustainably.

6. Transformative Technology

Technology becomes a tool for uniting humanity. Open-source solutions allow anyone to access tools for growing food, generating energy, and connecting with others. Artificial intelligence is programmed to enhance human creativity and cooperation.

7. Art and Celebration

Art, music, and dance flourish as expressions of joy and connection. Festivals and gatherings celebrate the diversity of cultures, fostering mutual understanding and strengthening bonds between people.

8. Equitable Economies

Wealth and power are redistributed, and economies prioritize well-being over profit. Universal basic income, cooperative ownership, and bartering systems replace exploitative practices, ensuring everyone has access to essentials.

9. Space Exploration as a Collective Effort

Humanity ventures into the cosmos as a united species, carrying a message of peace, love and cooperation. Space exploration becomes a shared endeavor, inspiring awe and unity rather than competition.

10. Healing and Wellness for All

Advances in medicine focus on holistic health, integrating ancient wisdom with cutting-edge science. Mental health, spiritual growth, and physical wellness are accessible to all, fostering a sense of inner and outer harmony.

Delayed Adoption

If humanity delays adopting these principles, these changes will come, but only after hardship. Communities will form out of necessity, and systems of cooperation will emerge organically to rebuild a broken world. Whether we act now or later, the promise of the Harmony Manifesto remains the same:

A world where love, joy, and peace guide every decision. A world where humanity thrives in harmony with all life.

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Conclusion

Humanity’s struggles are deeply rooted in our relentless pursuit to dominate and control nature, straying far from the bounds it so wisely sets for us. In our efforts to bend the natural order to our will, we have forgotten that we are a part of this intricate system, not its masters.

Imagine we are passengers on a powerful motorbike, pilon riders entrusted to balance and flow with the driver’s movements. Nature, the true driver, leans gracefully into every corner, adapting and navigating with timeless precision. Instead of working with nature — leaning in, finding harmony in its turns — we shift our weight the opposite way, resisting its flow in futile attempts to steer a different course.

But nature’s patience is not infinite. Like any driver pushed too far, it will eventually tire of our defiance and kick us off without hesitation or remorse. And when that moment comes, the consequences will be swift and unforgiving.

Our environmental collapses, social unrest, and endless cycles of conflict are not inevitable — they are the direct result of our refusal to live within nature’s wise boundaries. The Harmony Manifesto calls us back to balance, to a way of life where we lean into the natural order rather than resisting it.

By working with nature, respecting its rhythms, and finding joy in its wisdom, humanity can rediscover its true place in the universe. Together, we can trade the hubris of control for the humility of cooperation, steering toward a future of abundance and peace.