Arend van Campen

Dec. 28, 2016 This is an excerpt from my upcoming book ‘Coltan, Congo’s Curse’ Pauline has a chance to address the US President and the United Nations Secretary General on solving global crises such as the one on conflict minerals in Africa. Pauline suddenly realised that a more senior and more powerful audience than today would be impossible and with a nodded encouragement of Erik, she cleared her throat and tried to simplify her answer because this would be one unique chance only. ‘Gentlemen,’ she started, ‘Systems theory or Systems Thinking is science. It is a rather recent, but not a new science of how we see, understand and experience our world. It emerged around the nineteen twenties based on the vision that the whole cannot be understood from the parts alone. We see this world, our earth or planet as a living system where everything on it, the people, the sky, the plants, the water, all, are interconnected and interdependent because only as a complete system it can ...

Using Systems Theory or Thinking, we can understand harmful or disturbing processes by asking: Has all information (feedback) been allowed to base decisions on? If a preset goal or purpose doesn’t allow ALL information and therefore only selects information that is suitable, the direct consequence is instability. A next step for an organization that insists the goal justifies the means is enforcement until a regulator intervenes to stop the harmful process. This is unsustainable, opportunistic behaviour. But just look how energy, big pharma, GMO industries, political parties or governments operate? They only use information that amplifies (positive feedback) and do not allow or deny dampening info (negative feedback), hence the status of our world.   What we can do with this formulae is cooperate with only those organizations who are transparent (allow all feedback) and share goals of sustenance with them. Many products we generally buy will become questionable and we won’t...

Als ik de kranten en het nieuws op internet lees, wordt ik meestal niet echt vrolijk. Een verschil in berichtgeving tussen bekende kranten, televisie journaals en alternatieve nieuwssites geeft een algehele separatie tussen betrouwbare en onbetrouwbare informatie weer. En wat doet het met de mens? Hij of zij weet niet meer wat waar of niet waar is, dus hij of zij kan niets en niemand meer vertrouwen. Dat schept wantrouwen en dat is een sociaal schadelijke en ondermijnende menselijke waarneming. Dit zie je terug in de politiek. Een andere definitie voor politiek is ‘separatie’. Iedereen wil wat anders. Iedere partij heeft haar belangen. Ze handelen dus in belangen, niet in menselijkheid. Ondanks vele boeken en publicaties, sommige al zo oud als de mensheid, online video’s, documentaires of spreekbeurten, worden kennis, wetenschap, filosofen, ethici, systeemdenkers of anderen die zich betrokken voelen met het leven op aarde genegeerd door hen die gemotiveerd zijn dat te doen. Econ...

Democratic process does not exist, but not only in the US or autocratic countries, it is not existing in Europe either. It has been hollowed out by neoliberalism which is destroying social cohesion. Brussels acts if their processes are democratic, but they are not. An agenda is followed according to a central plan, written by a central planning bureau which sets the sails to a destination by which the end justifies the means. In the US, Chris Hedges points out that Sheldon Wolin's book 'Democracy Incorporated' warns us of a new and insidious way of autocratic despotism which he calls: 'Inverted Totalitarianism.' This is something to worry about I believe because while we are entertained by music video's, a neverending number of TV series, movies or gadgets, we simply cannot find the time to really look what is going on. We believe Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton despite the facts that they are lying to us and would do anything to become the leader of the free wo...

To understand life is to understand that natural conditions flourish within life sustaining boundaries. A cell can develop into an organism only because the conditions for it to live are undisturbed and available. If therefore such conditions are not available or are disturbed, life of an organism becomes questionable if not impossible. Now, fast forward this idea to ways we perform politics or conduct our business. Same applies; if the conditions for the sustenance of a business or political process are endangered, this business or political process cannot survive. For life and therefore for business or politics, the same natural boundaries of functionality are needed for them to be sustainable. So when a business or political process tries to operate beyond natural conditions and boundaries they become harmful and unsustainable unless their goals or policies are enforced upon us and our world. But from enforcement comes conflict, from conflict comes rebellion, from rebellion comes ...

When we look at the Energy Transition that is underway, we need a systems view on its complex, interconnected and interdependent relationships to understand it and then we can find useful processes to achieve it within a limited time. This picture may help you to understand these systemic relationships. Of course only by using our moral compass we can reach these goals. If money, control or geopolitical interests prevail, we will not be able to bring back universal balance. We already are at a tipping point.

I have changed the name of this blog into BusinessEthicsWeekly. The idea is to use this blog to publish unethical business practices in order to learn from them. Yesterday the UNHCR published a staggering number of 65 million refugees roaming on our planet. It is quite simple: they are victims of unethical and inhuman decision making. We are facing Climate Change and need solutions on Energy Transition. There are many conflicts about religion, resource wars or suppresion of race or gender and many people are losing their jobs. Let's do something about that. Post your comments, observations or experiences here.

Systeemethiek Alles, jij en ik, is verbonden met- en afhankelijk van elkaar We moeten beginnen met het denken in relaties Goede wil of ethiek is de relationele conditie voor het behoud van menselijk en niet menselijk leven. De Aarde is onze moeder, onze voeder en onze hoeder Waarom wijsheid, wetenschap en innerlijk menselijk weten ontkend worden. Ondanks vele boeken en publicaties, sommige al zo oud als de mensheid, online video’s, documentaires of spreekbeurten worden kennis, wetenschap, filosofen, ethici, systeemdenkers of anderen die zich betrokken voelen met het leven op aarde genegeerd door hen die gemotiveerd zijn dat te doen. Economisch en financiële beheersing, ondanks de onbeheersbare gevolgen voor mens en planeet, zijn prioriteiten die ondersteund worden door regeringen, personen en  bedrijven die zich afhankelijk hebben opgesteld, geregeerd door één fundamentele oorzaak: Angst door bewuste onwetendheid wat ik oblivicisme heb genoemd. Bezittingen zoals b...