POINT OF VIEW-dec-17-PGC-mens

The PGC-man and the man of the future

1. Realising the future
We can best address this so important issue of how the PGC-man faces his future, what futures he can realise, what future he / she has to construct, has to realize, by starting with the following quotes:

2. Ladakh
"Each individual is supported by a web of close relationships, and no relation has to have more charges and burdens than the other ones. In Ladakh, I have never encountered something similar to the needy attachment or the guilt feeling and rejection that are so characteristic for the family. All signs show that the family does not work."
Helena Norberg-Hodge about Ladakh

3. Western model
"While our Western governments and religious institutions propagate more support for the family, many individuals realize that the family can never fulfil the needs of its members. Some even are now wondering why our society continues to propagate a model that produces damaged individuals. "
A.W. Schaef

4. A broader basis
"Indigenous peoples all over the world look with amazement and sorrow at our families: amazement because we do not know that this structure does not work well and sorrow for the many people whose needs are not fulfilled.
We now have the possibility to admit that we need a broader basis. We must let the indigenous peoples teach us something about systems in which the larger community grants support."
A.W. Schaef

5. The eldest
"Often we need to brood on what the eldest tell us. At first sight, their words do not appear to be applicable and then they begin to germinate."
A.W. Schaef

6. The elderly
The youth speaks, the elderly teach.
Maori proverb

7. Openness of mind
"Openness of mind is the basis of science. To be open to the ancient myths, might save us and our planet too.
A.W. Schaef

8. Nobody wants to listen
"I give ample opportunities to the youngsters to learn what I know, and yet no one seizes that opportunity. They only have to ask. No one wants. That is why I will let everything go for what it is. Everything will die with me when I die".
Peter John, eldest and chieftain of the Athapascan Indians, Minto, Alaska.

9. Please, elderly, do not be silent!
"I have heard this around the whole world. Many elderly decide to take their secrets and knowledge with them into the grave because they think that nobody wants to learn from them and that there is nobody who can teach and pass on the old knowledge. What a loss! However, there are others who say that the myths and legends of the elderly tell that a time will come that the world will need their knowledge to save the planet. Many believe that time has come. Please, elderly, do not remain silent!
A.W. Schaef

10. Single household
We dare to state that in our Western world, under the impetus of among others the social media, the single household is becoming more and more the standard for the family.

11. An easy prey
It is obvious that this is weakening humanity very strongly and that this makes it an easy prey for a "Big Brother" whether or not incarnated in an AI-Robot.

12. Relation of the PGC-man and the elderly
However, it is also clear, we saw that inter alia in the research on the "relation of the PGC-man and the elderly", that for happiness, prosperity, mental and physical health of man, humanity and nature, it is important to have the widest possible intergenerational interaction of children, grandchildren, young people, adults, seniors, nestors... This illustrates that the tendency of the last 60 years, to reduce the family, even in the direction of a single household is not beneficial.

13. Need for a real physical intergenerational network
We see in the indigenous peoples and also in the west that a real physical intergenerational network, with physical cooperation, interaction, cooperation in the broadest sense, is vital to such an extent that it should exist prior to and beside the electronic networks.

14. Working at home
The trend of home working in order to releave traffic congestion also strengthens the tendency for physical isolation and impoverishment of physical contacts with other people. This development is at least also an important risk.

15. Loosen and free ourselves
This is the challenge of the PGC-man. It is not sufficient to be aware of our freedom and possibilities in order to loosen and free ourselves from the genetic-cultural predispositions and ties. However, it is also important that this freedom be used to expand physical intergenerational interactions.

16. An active plan against individualization and isolation
These may and can use digital networks, may and can be supported by them. However, it is vital that these digital networks never hinder the physical intergenerational interactions or eliminate them by pseudo replacements (e.g. robot sex and robot care). In this context one can think of a conscious active plan to investigate the individualization and isolation of actors, to conclude, to counteract.