We discovered you! Alternative futures
for Asia
Sohail Inayatullah
www.metafuture.org
Professor, Tamkang University, Taiwan, Adjunct Professor, University of
the Sunshine Coast and associate, Queensland University of Technology
"The reported discovery of an accurate map of Asia by a 16th century
Chinese explorer could create the context for Asia to transform its
self-image, according to Professor Sohail Inayatullah of Tamkang
University in Taipei and the University of the Sunshine Coast in
Australia., Speaking at a meeting of Bristol-Myers Squibb in
Singapore(January 7th, 2006), Dr Inayatullah said that the discovery of
the map could change the future for Asia."
www.theage.com.au
ASIAN FUSION
Is a new Asia emerging? Growth rates are important but the alleged
discovery of a map showing that Chinese explorer, Zheng He knew of the
new world – indeed, had a decent map of the entire world – strengthens
the confidence of Asia, creates the possibility of cultural
transformation.
While the map may be a forgery, its impact on the emergence of an Asia
that can say Yes! to itself is pivotal. "We discovered you," is the new
story. Add this new confidence to the emerging reality of China and
India joining the East Asian economic miracle and suddenly the future
can look quite different.
A new fusion Asia – traditional but far flatter than Confucian (or
Hindu, Muslim, buddhist) hierarchy – may indeed be possible. This Asia
would continue to learn from others, but instead of only copying, it
would see that innovation is the path forward. South Korea has already
begun to heavily invest in the creative industries – connectivity
through the eyes of the artist not just the corporate executive. And
with South Korea having quickly moved up the ladder to near the top in
new patents - joining Japan and the USA - new futures are indeed
possible.
DIVIDED ASIA
However, along with the bright future of Asia Fusion is another
scenario. This is Divided Asia. This scenario imagines continued
conflicts between the two Koreas, between China and Japan, China and
Taiwan, India and Pakistan, to mention just a few fault lines. Add to
that corruption and mindless bureaucracy, tempered with hundreds of
years of feudalism, and any bright future for Asia seems impossible.
The past few years of crisis provides testimony to this. The financial
crisis, SARS, HIV, the tsunami, extremist Islamic terrorism all point to
deep systemic problems. These cannot be solved merely by more efficiency
but must be addressed by changes in worldview. Surveillance helped stop
the SARS epidemic but now it is bird flu. Farming practices, certain
diets, men searching for exotic foods to enhance sexual potency – all
need to change in Asia. The pathologies of tradition must be
transformed.
And yet it is in tradition wherein lies the future of Asia.
Meditation, yoga, tai-chi, feng shui, jain paradoxical logic, future
generations thinking (life for our children's children) all are part of
the solution to a sustainable and transformed planet. After all, Grameen
Bank's micro lending program was a dramatic innovation and yet at the
root of it was a depth understanding of community, the local village
economy, and Muhammad Yunus' realization that the dignity of the poor
and their desire for a better material life were both necessary factors
for change.
USED AND DISCARDED FUTURE
The last fifty years, however, has not been the story of the village
economy but of the city. Asia has purchased the used and often discarded
future of the West. Bigger buildings, endless shopping malls, designer
clothes and the attendant problems of pollution, congestion (billion
dollar problems) still seem unconnected to many Asian city planners. But
with more and more evidence showing that car exhaust, the effects of
suburbanization are bad for your heart, for your breathing and for your
immune system generally, something has to give. It is western cities
that are now looking for ways out, for a return to the garden city – the
urban village – even as Asian mayors battle it out for the world's
tallest building (K.L. to Taipei to Shanghai to Dubai – is this Hegel's
geist but returned as a demon?). Some mayors in the West are even asking
the age old question of what would a spiritual city look like? How can
urban spaces be linked to green spaces to create a feeling of well-being
and even invite the presence of the transcendental? Seoul, for example,
to bring back nature, has just ripped up a huge chunk of motorway to
open up its main river that had been covered over 50 years ago
SNAKES AND LADDERS
But many Asian cities continue the rise. And yet, along with the rise is
the fall. Perhaps it is snakes and ladders that is the more appropriate
image of the future. Hard work, capital, savings have led to the rise,
but since the problems of patriarchy, environment, feudalism have not
been resolved, the snake is next – the slippery road back to poverty.
After all, it is still men who run things, still the male gaze that
dominates, the environment is not yet respected and it is the big man
who demands respect.
Underneath all this is worldview – karma. The future understood is that
which the astrologer sees not that which we create. It is fear of
disaster and not the imagination of a new future that holds sway. And
the leader uses this fear to ensure that innovation does not become
epidemic.
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
For Asia to transform – to avoid the problems of the endless rise, the
second-hand future of the West; the grand divisions of politics and
nations; and the fall of the snake- much needs to be changed. Here are
some starting points.
1. Design cities that are green – that create community, that are soft
on the earth, that recycle at every level (as per the work of Malaysian
architect Ken Yeang) and even as they grow financially retain equity.
2. Move toward resource taxes in order to promote sustainability.
3. Transform bureaucracy from red tape to green tape – rules that help
innovation -
Real innovation not just Poweroint presentations from representatives of
the Ministry of Science and Technology (Asia has its own version of the
Ministry of Funny Walks)
4. Move toward increasing cooperative enterprises of all sorts (academic
coops, food coops, for example).
5. Globalizing but enhancing local and regional economies to protect
local food, bio and cultural diversity.
6. Integrate consciousness technologies in education – meditation and
yoga for primary and secondary schools, in government and certainly in
business
7. Ensure that Asian leaders leave instead of staying way past their
welcome – deep democracy, not just regular elections.
8. Heal the wounds of past genocides – thinking of desired future, not
who was right or wrong – transcend peace solutions, as in South Africa.
And, most importantly,
9. Create gender partnership – women and men working together.
If change can move in this direction then a new Asia is possible. If
not, then it does not matter if Zheng He did discover the new world – he
is not here now to create it.
But we are.
