In Wednesday’s post, Dynamically steering cities into the future, I reached the conclusion that it is only with feedback that we can adjust our path appropriately when needed. Without feedback, any adjustment is simply uninformed action. The world is changing in so many ways, it is not even possible to know what is changing and what it will turn into. The true work at hand is learning how to dynamically steer our cities into the future. We need to know our destination and then find the adjustments that will get us there. It means being open to feedback and willing to take action – at any and all scales. There is lots of work for us to do.
The intelligence of the city lays at many scales, and each of us work at many scales in each moment, each day, in each of our lives. In two posts (The development of cities is a survival skill, and Cities: the result of our evolving interaction with our habitat) I have referred to Marilyn Hamilton’s nested hierarchy, or holarchy, of city systems (Figure A). This is one of four key maps Hamilton uses to chart the intelligence of a city. This particular map articulates the city as a human system made up of a series of systems that are each, themselves, whole. (If you would like to read more please explore her book, Integral City, or the Integral City website.)
I recognize each of these ‘wholes’ in my economic life as I work (paid and unpaid) at several scales:
- As an individual, I follow my passion and look for people with whom I can exchange my passion for what I need for my livelihood.
- As a family, we work together to create a social and physical habitat that will support us, right down to this summer’s project: a new roof.
- My extended family goes for a backcountry hike each summer. This takes a lot of work to organize, and the payoff is time spent with each other and reconnection.
- I work as a consultant to a variety of organizations: cities, NGOs, corporations.
- I serve my neighbourhood organization as a volunteer.
- Much of my consulting work serves the whole city and its well-being.
- I am conscious of my actions that strengthen the connection between my city and its eco-region in my consulting work and our spending choices as a family.
- What can my city do for me?
- What can I do for my city?
- What can our city do for us?
- What can we do for our city?