"If We Build It . . ."
New Models of
Group Consciousness

To change something, build a new model.

~ Buckminster Fuller ~

When a group of any size agrees to be guided by its connection with one another and all others, its members cease considering themselves as individuals separate
from humanity.

Throughout his life, futurist Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) asserted that humanity’s survival on Earth depends on the wisdom to change reality by shifting attention from propping up what is obsolete to building new models. Anchored in a spirit of “if we build it”…,” Fuller writes: You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, BUILD A NEW MODEL that makes the existing model obsolete.

Two Principles for Living Wisely

To live wisely depends on accepting the constancy and positive power of change and on developing group consciousness. These two principles form the wings of wisdom we ride to BUILD NEW MODELS that will change our reality.

Solidified models crumble when they no longer meet the environmental, economic, and health needs of a living world. The Band-Aid approach to healing ineffective models has never worked. To survive, we are called to reach deep into our compassionate hearts and creative minds and join together to share our collective wisdom.

Change as the Guiding Spirit

Living from wisdom assumes eternal change. Change is an active principle—a guiding intelligence that asks timely questions and reveals the next step.

When we cooperate with, rather than resist change, we engage in wisdom in action, the ability to acknowledge the existing reality, envision another way of being in the world, and create systems that support the evolution of group consciousness. Change becomes the guiding spirit. Used with wisdom, change evolves our model.

When many individuals and organizations use this approach, group consciousness is raised and more new models evolve that naturally serve one another.

True group consciousness depends on cooperation, perseverance, and the intent of selfless service. Conscious groups make change safe. 

True Group Consciousness

When a group of any size agrees to be guided by its connection with one another and all others, its members cease considering themselves as individuals separate from humanity. This realization of interconnectedness creates true group consciousness.

True group consciousness depends on cooperation, perseverance, and the intent of selfless service. Conscious groups make change safe. Each member of a conscious group contributes her individual experience, creativity, and piece of the wisdom. The resulting collective wisdom is greater than the sum of its parts. Conscious groups can then join in exploring true solutions instead of reinventing problems.

Building Inspired Models

As agents of change, conscious groups build inspired models. Inspired models foster cooperation within and between people and nations. When we choose to build a new model using the principles of the constancy of change and group consciousness, we ride the wings of wisdom to create a new reality. In this way, we realize world wisdom in action.

Montreal Biosphere, built in 1967 and based on the geodesic dome
developed by Buckminster Fuller

The geodesic design is a perfect marriage of the sturdy arch and the rigid triangle, which enables dome homes to be extremely strong. They can withstand high winds, earthquakes and heavy snow, making them ideal structures for any type of environment, especially in an increasingly volatile climate.

 ~ Ashlee Christian ~
from "The Impact and Importance of the Geodesic Dome"

Reference: Susan S. Trout, PhD. Kosmos Journal, Fall 2007 issue.  An extended version of this article appeared in the Institute for the Advancement of Service Newsletter Sept 2007-Feb 2008 issue.

Image attribution: MONTREAL, CANADA JULY 03, 2016: The Biosphere is a museum dedicated to the environment. It is located on Saint Helen's Island in the Pavilion of the United States for the 1967 World Fair, Expo 67. By Greatest Shots

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