The miracle of globalization has caused globalized problems. Climate change, terrorism, pandemics, human slavery, narco trafficking, and species loss are some of the problems that have taken us, as a species, by surprise.
Regrettably, on most of these issues we have failed to progress adequately towards equitable and sustainable solutions. But why have we, a species of 7 billion members possessing vast creative capacity, failed to find globalized solutions to our globalized problems? Simon Anholt thinks that the problem lies in the outdated attitudes of our nation states.
The way the governments of the 200 or so nation states that make up the global community think is absolutely wrong for the global problems. The governments of our nation states think and behave as if they exist on their own little island, in their own little solar system. When countries are not trying to kill each other, they are competing with each other, as if they share nothing in common.
The only way to find globalized solutions to our globalized problems is to actually come to terms that we are a globalized humanity. What is required is countries that cooperate with each other. Countries must recognize the common humanity we all share and cooperate for the good of the global community. We need our countries to become good countries. What we should be fundamentally concerned about is not whether we live in a rich country, or a competitive country, we must be concerned aboput whether we live in a good country. In this exceptional talk Simon Anholt explains what this means.
Simon Anholt is an independent policy advisor who helps national, regional and city governments develop and implement strategies for enhanced economic, political and cultural engagement with other countries.