Managing Change
by Eduardo del Buey
Managing Change
“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.”
Maya Angelou
Twenty years ago, Moore’s Law dictated that the size of computer chips would double every eighteen months.
This became a measuring rod for the pace of change, and while challenging, it was manageable.
Today, it seems that eighteen months have turned into eighteen seconds. Change is so rapid that most people, including our political leaders, have few clues about how to manage it and make it work.
However, history is cyclical, and the tectonic social, economic, and political changes we are currently undergoing are not new.
The Industrial Revolution profoundly impacted society, leading to the downfall of many institutions and the emergence of new ones. Following World War II, multilateral financial and security systems were established, effectively governing global society for decades.
Indeed, many hoped that the world’s coming together under the umbrella of globalization would eventually lead to democratic opening for all.
However, this has not come to pass.
Today, we confront climate change, mass migration, terrorism, rapid population growth, and other phenomena that have caused many to question the institutions of social, political, and spiritual governance that have responded to the disruptions of past tectonic shifts.
What is different is that today, we face the potentially massive disruption of the Trump presidency and what this might mean for global security and economic stability.
The rapid pace of change forces us to discard traditional paradigms and identify new ways to define and deal with our reality.
Many people have lost confidence in our institutions and the alliances they have formed.
The recent U.S. election highlighted how much traditional alliances and groupings have evolved.
Kamala Harris campaigned on the belief that Black individuals, Latinos, and women formed monolithic groups that would back Democrats.
Yet today, Cuban Americans differ significantly from Mexican Americans; wealthier Black professionals are generally more conservative than their more activist counterparts and aim to enhance their share of the American dream rather than contest it. Additionally, many women prioritize economic realities alongside the control of their reproductive rights.
This is creating a significant political realignment that has changed the American electoral landscape and, by extension, the world’s. Politicians everywhere will need to adjust their traditional paradigms to navigate this new reality.
A global backlash is unfolding against what many refer to as the “woke” philosophy. The idea of allowing small groups to impose their views on the majority in order to win culture wars and elections seems to have been rejected by numerous voters around the world.
It accounts, at least in part, for the rise of conservatism in many countries and the decline in support for those who claim to be “progressive”.
Around the world, fundamental traditional paradigms no longer apply.
What used to be leftist regimes – Cuba, Russia, China, Venezuela, and others – are now mostly narco-dictatorships in which the military and security forces support a dictatorial class that has little use for human rights or social development.
The apparent allure of Islamist terrorism by what was once deemed the “left” was observed on the streets of our cities and campuses of our top universities since October 7. It demonstrates the waning confidence in established values and pillars of respect.
Many have turned away from religious institutions due to the nefarious behavior of many clergy, and institutions like the United Nations, the Red Cross, and others of their kind that no longer command public respect.
Mainstream media has lost considerable credibility worldwide, leading many people to search for news on unregulated cable and social media platforms. This information is often twisted to benefit powerful figures rather than accurately conveying the truth.
The result could be a significant decline in the public’s confidence in liberal democracy as their preferred model of governance,
Without reliable mainstream media and institutions that operate with integrity and adhere to established norms for reporting and conduct, our ability to separate truth from falsehood will be compromised.
Without leaders from liberal democratic parties willing to steer their parties back to the center—where most voters are—citizens will have few options but to choose which extreme to support. We are currently witnessing how dividing the populace can erode the liberal democratic order.
Are we prepared to face the personal and societal costs of defending liberal democracy against this onslaught?
Can Maya Angelou’s prescription be effective, or have we ventured into uncharted territory for which no prescription exists yet?
I would appreciate hearing from readers about their strategies for navigating this significant human history shift.
We must support what we definitely know is good & beneficial for mankind while this wave of ridiculousness burns itself out.
Your review of shifting sands is well-done Eduardo! It's true, the new centre in American politics (and in some other states as well) has shifted to the right. The allure of a supposedly safe, comfy & glorious past, along with fear & inability to cope with quickening change, are powerful factors in the popularity of MAGA and anti-woke politics. Racism, homophobia, islamophobia & antisemitism often characterize these movements. Organized religions of the past are having "death throes" - minority fanatical & fundamentalist revivals in an effort to hang on to power. However, challenging as it may be, the polarization seems to be leading to an awakening of civil engagement. Hopefully an authentic dialogue can emerge as people realize we are, after all, ONE (human) race and need to help one another. Sounds simple, even naive perhaps, but so many are resistant to this truth which if roundly embraced, could activate a "spiritual revolution" leading to the resolution of many political & economic conflicts - societal & international.