David Korten
David Korten
David C. Kortenis an American author, former professor of the Harvard Business School, political activist, prominent critic of corporate globalization, and "by training and inclination a student of psychology and behavioral systems". His best-known publication is, When Corporations Rule the World. In 2011, he was named an Utne Reader visionary...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionActivist
CountryUnited States of America
absolutely american-activist bigger essential increased order picture poverty solutions
In order to find solutions to the increased poverty around the world, it is absolutely essential to keep the bigger picture in mind.
american-activist brussels citizens eu gap increasing lack makers perceived problems similar
The EU will face problems similar to the US: an increasing gap between the citizens and decision makers in Brussels and a perceived or even real lack of democracy.
american-activist asians excesses latin street wall
What I would tell the Europeans, but also the Asians and the Latin Americans, is: keep the excesses of Wall Street out of your system.
american-activist claim
My claim is that we do not have a market economy, but a capitalist economy.
basic contrary global market performing principles
And each of these perspectives comes to the same conclusion, which is that our global economy is out of control and performing contrary to basic principles of market economics.
american-activist among change concerned health quality taking values
More and more surveys in the US are indicating a change in values taking place among consumers, who become more concerned about quality of life, food, health and the environment.
american-activist cost experience faster housing increased people third
My own experience in the third world was that even if people started to make more money, the cost of living and housing increased often faster than the wages.
american-activist consuming flows means money monstrous
Money flows into the US, and inflates US assets, and allows the US to have a monstrous trade deficit. That means we are consuming more than we are producing.
american-activist believe prediction scenario
If I would need to make a prediction I still believe Kaplan's scenario is very plausible.
community needs credit
There was a time in the United States when most of our financial institutions were local. Which essentially meant that local communities were able to create their own credit, or their own money, in response to their own needs. We still depended on banks, but it was a much more democratic process.
suicidal acceptance people
When the institutions of money rule the world, it is perhaps inevitable that the interests of money will take precedence over the interests of people. What we are experiencing might best be described as a case of money colonizing life. To accept this absurd distortion of human institutions and purpose should be considered nothing less than an act of collective, suicidal insanity.
inspiring believe honor
To create a world in which life can flourish and prosper we must replace the values and institutions of capitalism with values and institutions that honor life, serve life's needs, and restore money to its proper role as servant. I believe we are in fact being called to take a step to a new level of species consciousness and function.
community needs levels
The current system is organized around financial values over life values. We need to shift that locus of power down to the community level because the financial markets recognize only money and thereby only financial values.
inspirational-life earth balanced
If there is to be a human future, we must bring ourselves into balanced relationship with one another and the Earth.