Back to Basics in the Coming Decade?

Every January, pundits of all perspectives share their opinions and predictions of what the new year might bring. For 2020, we have the beginning of a new decade as well. How do we feel at this moment?

Global uncertainty is higher than ever—whether from environmental challenges like the immense, fiery conflagrations in Australia and the Amazon; to the complex internal conflicts in so many countries, including the US; to tectonic shifts as once-major companies go bankrupt and new unicorns rise that seem to be lacking in real substance; to questions about the value of education and fundamental governmental principles such as democracy.

Where do we go from here? Are we at the bottom of a trough? I, for one, certainly hope so. In the world of startups, entrepreneurs face this type of situation regularly and often more than once before achieving success! Every startup goes through this exercise called a “pivot,” a change of direction that can be relatively minor to a completely new focus on a different product, different market, different business model. What can we learn from how entrepreneurs deal with this extremely risky situation?

If we are ready for and are committed to recovery and growth, doesn’t the vast scope of our problems suggest that we need to revisit basic principles?

Where did we start from, how did we get to where we are now?

What do we believe in and hope for? What are we willing to commit to? What are we willing to sacrifice in order to achieve what is best for society as well as ourselves? Clearly, totally individualistic selfishness is not sustainable in our complex, interdependent economies, even at a city level. Each of us is far too dependent on the products and services of others to be able to survive without some level of cooperation. That demands concepts of fairness, justice, being heard, objective listening, critical thinking.

We have to start with a belief in TRUTH. There must be facts and concepts whose value we share to establish a base for our thinking, discussion, and compromises. This has to be the most basic of basics on which we can build a society together, at whatever scale, from a family to a community, city, state, country, or global village. We must engage respectfully, agree to disagree on some things, and negotiate for policies and strategies that balance different points of view. We must remember to negotiate openly and fairly!

This could be a massive inflection point in global society. How can our interactions transcend ethnicity, language, culture, economics, religion, literally every aspect of who we are and how we feel? These issues must be revisited, from a fresh perspective, with the goal and motivation being a commitment to building a truly global community—very diverse, with conflicting opinions, preferences, talents, and skills—but one where the majority of people want to live in peace, with a decent level of security (“trust”), eager to use scientific and technological facts as the foundation of everything we want to build.

Does this sound too intellectual and idealistic to you? What choice do we have? As Einstein is famously supposed to have said (more or less): “Doing the same thing thing over and over again and expecting different outcomes is the definition of insanity.” Sometimes, we just have to break with traditional thinking, long-held beliefs and assumptions, intellectual and practical processes that used to work well, but have proven to be ineffective in today’s context.

Just as Catholics go to Confession, now called Reconciliation, to have their sins forgiven by God so they can start the next days and weeks of their lives with a slightly lighter emotional and spiritual burden, we all need a reset. When our computers or cell phones become obstinate and unreliable, what do we do? A soft reset, and sometimes a hard reset. We shut down the device, give the circuits a chance to clean out the temporary memory caches that are clogging up the pathways, and voila. Miraculously, the devices seem to revive. They work as expected!

What does the concept of a “reset” mean for us as individuals and as a society? We must “go back to basics” and consider multiple, sometimes conflicting points of view.

Examine our principles and values. What matters for us? What do we truly care about? What can’t we live without? What about other people?

Examine our processes. How we think about how we live, work, and interact with others: family, friends, associates, and enemies? How we protect ourselves from harm? How do we deal with our insecurities?

Examine our institutions. Have we enshrined superficial aspects of our institutions, including education, government, businesses, global treaties, etc., so that we negotiate without a deep understanding and focus on how we can have positive growth, individually and collectively? The current political trends in so many countries in the world are truly disturbing because they seem irrational and actions that are taken seem pointless, not just short-sighted, but literally without purpose or meaning beyond expressions of individual emotion, bolstered by some level of popular support. How can these whims be the foundation of sound, lasting relationships?

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Examine our sacrifices. Today, the concept of sacrifice seems to be quaint and anachronistic. With our powerful technological tools, immense financial resources, political power, we can seem hellbent on optimizing our own positions without considering consequences to others—or eventual fallout to ourselves. Do we have a blind faith that, somehow, we will overcome all adversities? This is often a justification offered by those who do not want to believe that there are irreversible global environmental crises, whether man-made or not. While it is wonderful to have faith in our scientists and industrialists, is this strategy really going to work? The line between arrogance and confidence is very narrow.

Examine our faith. This is not meant to address only religious or spiritual faith, although those are certainly a critical part of this discussion. What do we believe that we are capable of, individually and collectively? How will society bring out, nurture, and support the best that we can do and offer to others? How will society provide adequate safeguards against malevolent actors while still preserving fundamental principles of freedom, rule of law, and justice? How do we model our values and behavior for the next generation?

These are basic questions that need to be reviewed periodically, preferably at least once a year, not just once a decade. 2020 will be a pivotal year, because, if we don’t change direction, the path toward positive growth may become much more difficult, by an order of magnitude. Small improvements may become ineffective as large changes will be opposed by those holding power and unwilling to share.

What happens if we stay the current course? Perhaps chaos—and worse. When a startup gets to this point, the outcome can be a complete shutdown and dissipation of the assets, especially human capital.

The ability to pivot successfully is how entrepreneurs survive. Maybe their example will help lead society out of stagnancy and apathy. Failure is not fatal. Inaction almost always is.