Navigating a Sustainable Future: (Re)conceptualizing the Moral and Spiritual Realities of Human Nature

Abstract

In this article, we argue that the current crisis of civilization and the countless social and environmental problems we face today are the result of a culture of materialism that emerged out of the industrial revolution and has, over the past century and a half, become a kind of universal religion that claims absolute authority and shapes all aspects of human life -social, environmental, economic and cultural. In this article we demonstrate how prevalent but erroneous assumptions about human nature as predominantly individualistic, competitive and selfish contribute to a materialistic culture that is environmentally, economically, socially and culturally unsustainable. We examine, for example, the implications of materialism on technology-adoption, conceptions of beauty and international financial crises. We then argue that these prevalent assumptions are incompatible with what we demonstrate as true human nature informed by biological and social sciences, religious scripture, spirituality and indigenous beliefs. Finally, we suggest how science and religion, as two complementary systems of knowledge, can inform and achieve a sustainable future for humanity. We explore the spiritual roots of sustainability to paint a different picture of human nature, which is essential in building a society founded on the principle of the oneness of humankind and the convictions that underpin it. We also make the case that spirituality, defined here as a practical expression of a deep understanding of the nature of reality, should be more widely considered in the sustainability discourse as it is closely associated with the motivation to implement sustainable structures and practices. In writing this, we hope to set a foundation for further exploration of how spirituality can inform sustainability policy and practice and suggest that its role should be more closely considered.

The Shifting Sands of Happiness

“…According to Sinai et al (2019), modernization has been an important contributor to humanity's collective evolution, but we have also "witnessed a fundamental shift in the object of desire for a rapidly growing number of the world's inhabitants." (p. 2).…”

“…This culture of materialism has elevated the "self" and placed it at the centre of all human relationships. The cultured narcissism that is so ubiquitous today is self-evident in modern technologies, such as social media, which become vehicles for self (Sinai et al 2019 p. 2)".…”

Managing flooding: from a problem to an opportunity

“…The complexity and difficulty of detailed sustainability assessment, requiring significant resources in the application, has devalued the approach in the views of decision-makers. Taken together with the current climate of materialism, or financialization [37], the 'economic' leg of sustainability assessment dominates environment and society [60]. Paying scant regard to other factors, decision-makers typically preference the single bottom line of financial cost, despite standards, policies and guidance supposedly aimed at attaining sustainability or development that is sustainable (e.g.…”

“…While this is an approach that decision-makers are both familiar and comfortable with, it does raise other issues, notably about the need to largely reduce costs and benefits to single metrics, placing nature and society into the 'economic' box of the triple bottom line used in sustainability assessment. This focus on (neoliberal) economics, financialization or materialism [60,37], owing much to Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations [82], can conflict with Smith's largely overlooked parallel work on how to make decisions that are in the best interests of society: The Theory of Moral Sentiments [83]. Decisions are still made largely on the grounds of lowest costs and, less frequently, on the highest net present value (NPV), rather than what provides the greatest utility or is the fairest for society, although there are BGI plans that target the most deprived urban areas (e.g.…”

The culture of science communication in rural and regional Australia: the role of awe and wonder

“…For example, Luna and Bering [2020] discuss the role that documentaries play in creating an association between mountains and awe, suggesting that such an association may be only four centuries old. But in making this conclusion, the authors draw only on European examples, neglecting to examine the strong association between mountains and awe in a myriad of other cultures and traditions, including Islam (The Qur'an Al-Hashr 59:21), Persian culture [Karbasi, al-Islam, Shabani & Norouz, 2020] Judaism (Amos 4:13) ["King James Bible", 2022], The Baha'i Faith [Bahá'u'lláh, 1991], Daoist and Chinese philosophy [McIntire, n.d.;Ham & Scheidegger, 2018], Māori culture [Dennis, 2017] and many others [Sinai et al, 2019].…”