Imaging a New Economy

Fall 2017

Designing a Sustainable Future: A New Economy as if People Mattered

Session One:  Imaging A New Economy

Essential Questions

• What is the design of the course?

• What are the assumptions that support the course?

Agenda Review

Gathering: name +The reason that I took this course was……..

Video: Gus Speith, “America the Possible,” Center for a New American Dream, You Tube, 2013
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcYqsbpbRTU

Rick’s rap

• course overview

            • handout – readings • unanswered questions sheet

• Stevenson & Zinn quotes

• definition of terms

            • What is Economics? • What is intelligent design?• What is sustainability?

            • What is a New economy? • Why do people matter?

• assumptions

            • earth is a closed and finite ecosystem • long term >short term

            • trickle –up > trickle –down • problems are opportunities in disguise

            • sustainable economic activity is based on a healthy environment

            • economics as a social science –prescriptive responsibility

           

Exercise: Tools

            • Bias-Angle exercise

            • Origin- Purpose- Value – Limitations (OPVL)

            • Reflective Sentence Starters tools

Exercise:  Image a positive future in economic terms (goals)

            • What are the goals of an economic society? (preferred state)

Exercise: Spaceship exercise

            • What are the challenges facing the economy? (present state)

Question: How do we get there?

Closing: Reflective Sentence starters

Readings:

• “Sustainablity,” Wikipedia, 9/10/12 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability

• Donella Meadows, “Just So Much and No More,” Yes! A Journal of Positive Futures ,  Summer 2001http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/reclaiming-the-commons/437

• James Eggert, “What is Economics?” 4^th ed., Mayfeld Publishing, 1997

Well the doctor comes ‘round here with his face all bright

And he says “in a little while you’ll be alright”

All he gives is a humbug pill, a dose of dope and a great big bill

Tell me how can a poor man stand such times as these

                        Blind Alfred Reed, 1929, Bruce Springsteen/The Seeger Sessions Band  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RLQvXmPxQY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcYqsbpbRTU