Our imagination needs DIVERSITY. ‘’Imagination – that ‘ability to look at things as if they could be otherwise’ – needs diversity to feed it. Are we more likely to be imaginative if all our food comes from one vast supermarket, or from a variety of small producers in a vibrant market? If most High Streets across the UK look identical, with the same massive chains, how does that impact our imagination compared with living somewhere that is home to an abundance of businesses unique to that particular place? There are also ways in which we can redesign our societies in such a way that more room and importance is given to our imagination. Hopkins highlights the important of more time for imagination in education, democracy and econ

Podcast – Rob Hopkins Podcast – Rob Hopkins

The flip side: This tells us that we can enhance our imagination if we manage to improve the functioning of the hippocampus. Some low-hanging fruits: Get enough sleep, get proper nutrition and enough exercise and make a serious effort to reduce stress. And of course, we can already see the impacts of climate change (and other ecological destruction) in real time with extreme weather events, the loss of biodiversity and a food system dependent on the use of vast quantities of pesticides and herbicides to coax crops from the earth. More and more people seem to be feeling accumulated pressures in their personal lives as well. There is an epidemic of loneliness, an epidemic of anxiety (estimated to have increased twentyfold over the past thirty years), a mental health crisis of vast proportions among young people, the rise of extremist movements and governments and much more besides. ⁸ Looks hopeless, right? It’s a great opportunity for your group to come together and really work through what is going on at present where you live. The process will help you to develop a shared vision for your community, as well as the areas/themes you would like to focus on during further community engagement. What Next is an online summit being developed with CTRLshift that will bring all this thinking together. We will join with others from outside of the Transition movement to explore how we can advocate for wider and ambitious societal changes towards a just recovery, and make our visions our reality. (20th-28th February 2021). Get InvolvedTowns and cities have already begun transition. Together, mayors have chosen to press ahead toward a healthier and safer world. Whether in Paris or in Totnes, initiatives are being launched and are encouraging us to shift from ‘why not’ to ‘how’ and from ‘how’ to ‘when.’ The movement must gain momentum and expand. We all, adults and children, have an obligation to daydream. We have an obligation to imagine. It is easy to pretend that nobody can change anything, that we are in a world in which society is huge and the individual is less than nothing: an atom in a wall, a grain of rice in a rice field. But the truth is, individuals change their world over and over, individuals make the future, and they do it by imagining things can be different. From What Is to What If is a profound look at imagination's potential to enact progress and a call for us to make space for the things we often overlook. Hopkins confronts the most pressing issues of our times and urges us to look closer, reconnect with our roots, adapt slower modes of production, and work collectively. Imagination is within reach; it can and it will continue to salvage and elevate communities while driving us towards more sustainable and resilient futures. -Theaster Gates, artist; founder and director, Rebuild Foundation

From What Is to What If:Unleashing the Power of Imagination From What Is to What If:Unleashing the Power of Imagination

For example, ART can be a promotor and facilitator of imagination. Some of the most moving examples in ‘’From what is to what if’’ are about people with mental problems or illnesses who find themselves with the help of art. Like Rosalie, one of the participants of the Art Angel project in Scotland, who says: ‘’It’s a place you come and you’re not bipolar, you’re not depressive , you’re not this or that. You’re an artist, working on your piece of art. You’re learning things, you’re thinking about what you’re going to be doing next, learning about other artists, going to an exhibition and building up your interest and passion for art… Recovery isn’t about regaining what you had before. It’s about developing a new life, and new things that are going to help you to get well, have an enhanced life, be part of something, part of a community’’ (p45). Chelsea Green sees publishing as a tool for cultural change and ecological stewardship. We strive to align our book manufacturing practices with our editorial mission and to reduce the impact of our business enterprise in the environment. We print our books and catalogs on chlorine-free recycled paper, using vegetable-based inks whenever possible. This book may cost slightly more because it was printed on paper that contains recycled fiber, and we hope you’ll agree that it’s worth it. From What Is to What If was printed on paper supplied by Sheridan that contains 100% postconsumer recycled fiber.

Episode Sixteen: What if we took play seriously?

From What Is to What If is a profound look at imagination’s potential to enact progress and a call for us to make space for the things we often overlook. Hopkins confronts the most pressing issues of our times and urges us to look closer, reconnect with our roots, adapt slower modes of production, and work collectively. Imagination is within reach; it can and it will continue to salvage and elevate communities while driving us towards more sustainable and resilient futures.” —Theaster Gates, artist; founder and director, Rebuild Foundation The mere fact that we humans have imagination is amazing. Among many other things, it allows us to come up with different scenarios for the future, to come up with various solutions for our problems, to tell each other (and ourselves) wonderful stories and to empathize with others. What Is delved into what is happening right now during the pandemic, what it has uncovered and taught us, and what inspiring responses Transition groups and collaborators have already developed. What Is– what is the context for our work given all of the changes we’ve experienced in the last 12 months?