No AsphaltーTrue Development

When you think about development, you probably imagine asphalt and skyscrapers. But asphalt kills everything on the ground. Can we really call that development?

Actually, what does it mean to be developed?

Its not a question i ask lightly, cause I saw an interview of Terrence Crawford; the greatest boxer of this era. He spoke of his charities in Africa, which made me realize that even he, doesn’t understand what true development is.

development itself, is defined as the process of growth, change, or advancement. But what does that mean for a country, or the human race. Is it the asphalt, or sky scrapers that makes a country or city developed? And if so, what is this development we speak of. 

I want you to think.

When you hear about developed and under-developed countries, what thoughts come to mind? What truly separates the developed from the underdeveloped?

Often times, Sky Scrapers, Asphalt, Supermarkets, and plastic. Are the symbols of development. We’ve come to associate development with a specific way of life.

So when Terrence Crawford (A man who has earned my highest respect in the boxing world), goes to rural Africa, and sees a civilization that lives a different kind of life. He immediately thinks they’re uncivilized. I’m not going to delve into the details of his trip, or the political implications of his statements.

The only reason I bring him up, is to emphasize the point, that even the most intelligent and elite among us, can fall prey to the trick of development.

Which is understandable, cause It’s a very quiet thing to notice in a world that screams at you everyday.

Yet to understand True development, we must understand the tricks that exist.

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We already established that Development is simply change, and advancement. But those things are subjective.

Change can be good or bad, depends on who you ask. And too much advancement can kill the essence of life itself.

Which brings us directly to the first trick of development; an emphasis on ease/convenience, instead of life. 

Think about this, when companies first started making plastic, they only thought about the convenience and profits it’ll allow. They never thought of its effect on life in the long run.

Now we have nano plastics in everything we eat, the Ocean is poisoned with plastic, we can’t get rid of it. Its in our soil, its in the air. We getting sick because of it.

Who in their right mind would call that advancement? is that what real development should do?

To put this mildly, development is meaningless if it doesn’t support life. Actually, it’s not development at all.

The second trick of development, is the emulation of a culture, as development.

This is a common misconception, and many people fall for it. Because a country you consider as developed, does things a certain way. It doesn’t make it THE CIVILIZED WAY to do things. their culture is not a blueprint for development or civilization.

Development must come from within, It’s not something you just copy and paste.

its why most “developed” countries look the same. They all just copied whatever the dominant culture does.

Plastic everywhere, Asphalt everywhere, High rise buildings which are almost anti-life. 

Don’t believe me? Let there be no electricity for a year, and watch those skyscrapers become expensive coffins.

The point is; everyone projects these things which do not support life itself, as the essence of development.

But they’re simply not.

So the real question is; who decides what development is

And that’s a very simple question to answer. There is no authority on development. 

All development must be within the parameters of the culture from which it exists.

Yes,

your very own culture.

To put it simply, the only authority on development is you.

For example: if you’re a cattle ranching people. Then development means, improving your cattle ranching in a way that helps both you, the cow, and the environment. 

I call it the 3 dimensions of development, and all Development must hit all three. 

To emphasize this (using the Cattle ranching example). 

Cattle ranching becomes unsustainable, if your methods destroy the environment. It becomes a disaster if your methods are no good for yourself nor the cows.

if the methods are no good for you, you’ll be sick. If they’re no good for the cows, then the cows will be sick. If they’re no good for the environment, then the environment will be broken. which all leads to the same result; DEATH.

Makes sense? 

That’s all development is, when stripped down to the bone.

People, subject, environment.

And true development only occurs when it hits all three.

Its why every advancement must go through this screening process:

• Is it good for the people?
• Does improve the subject?
• How does it affect the environment?

If the answers are not positive on all three, then it’s no advancementーIt’s a taboo.

I want you to think of all modern inventions and “innovations” right now. Run them by these dimensions and tell me how many true advancements you find.

I won’t be surprised if it’s zero.

Well…

I’ll leave the math to you.

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Most people get lost in the trick of development

I get it.

From a young age, the same things have been shown to us in the name of advancement. 
From the womb, we knew a specific culture was being viewed as golden and true. Their way of life, self proclaimed as the pinnacle of all civilization.

Trust me, I understand why many fall prey to these subtle tricks.

But I’m here to say NO.

I’ve highlighted what true development is, and hopefully you see the lines on the sand.

True development, is, and has always been about you. Your culture. Your people. Your environment. Anything outside of that, is an assimilation of a culture outside of you.

Answer me this:

If you were asked to pick a poison, one was made with the contents of your belly. The other, with contents of another’s.

Which poison would you drink?