In response to a member comment about reducing poverty:

Mike replies: Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day. At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day. More than 80 percent of the world’s population live in countries where income differentials are widening

Another member’s comment: The “two 100-year plans” are both China domestic development goals. They were formed back in the 80’s. The first 100-year plan is “100 years since the formation of CCP (in 1921)”, which brings it to ~ 2020, and the goal is the elimination of extreme poverty.

The remarkable thing about these plans is that in 1980 China had 540 million people living in extreme poverty. By 2014 there were only 80 million. In 1980 China’s GDP was $189 billion, about 1% percent of World GDP. [see: Gross World Product] That was when China planned to get to 30% of the global GDP by 2050. In 2015 China’s nominal GDP was around $11 trillion, about 15% of the World GDP. List of countries by GDP (nominal). So they are 35 years into their 70-year plan, with another 35 years to go. If they published their plans back in 1980, people would say that they were crazy. Now it looks like something quite do-able.

Mike’s reply: We scoff at long term planning, but the Chinese are making 50 to 100-year decisions as are some middle eastern countries and whether it all works out is another thing. But the long trek view is clearly present in all of this.

THERE ARE EMERGING CONDITIONS

To Live @F-L-O-W we have to re-orient ourselves to a set of emerging conditions. We’re attempting to design for something emerging. We are trying to address something that does not exist yet.

In the film The Matrix Reloaded (2030 – The Oracle says, “We can never see past the choices we don’t understand.”) The only truth we can hold is something that we can be, do, have, become, or contribute, based on what we know now. Nothing stays the same. When our structuring no longer fits the conditions, new problems are created.

Awareness unfolds out of filters and biases. It takes much more energy to work, were we are not already biased. Gifts, talents, skills, experience, etc. @F-L-O-W — and altered states — are not where we normally live. How do we scaffold @F-L-O-W so that it comes more often than not. It’s simple, but not easy.

Growth, more, consumption, assumption engine is the Matrix in which most try to live.

Another member’s comment: My anecdotal evidence makes me wonder if thrift for gain in certain areas may be more wired in Asian cultures. My son’s Chinese tutor made a good living as a scientist at the university, but she also tutored kids on the side, taught Sunday Chinese school, and taught painting lessons, and sold tofu for $2 a block.

She and her husband lived in a huge brick house in a high-end neighborhood. I really can’t picture an American in a neighborhood like that selling cookies at work for a $1 profit, even though $1s add up.

I met some Chinese people who had moved here within the past 5-10 years. They lived incredibly frugally — and I mean frugally, like sitting on a folding chair in the living room that they found on the side of the road and growing veggies and raising rabbits on the back patio of the apartment — but a few years later they would house hunt for 6 months, looking for just the right deal, and buy a house — for CASH. It was really interesting.

Mike gives an example: Secretary leaves $8 million for students.

Sylvia Bloom, from Brooklyn, worked for the same law firm for 67 years until retiring at age 96. She died not long afterward in 2016.

She left behind a fortune, the bulk of which was donated to help fund scholarships for disadvantaged children.

Member question: Can you be more specific regarding how to match the right model with the right person?

Mike’s response: Traits/Motives dictate largely which values emerge. Those values usually map to particular basins, each basin has a core set of algorithms or rule set. Determining through self-knowledge what those are, help in mapping to the core model which, for all practical purposes, built around a matrix of express self, sacrifice of self, now and later.

It’s clear that the legal secretary — as do many using that core of DQ-BLUE — sacrifice self to get later — THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR, amass large amounts of money using simple methods such as stick with things, spend less than you make, save your money, keep expenses low…. Most of us would not be happy with her life — boring. But it does create success as defined by about every measure in that basin, and others also.

Anyone can do it, as long as you have those motives or a design @F-L-O-W, that cued, scaffolded, supported, and lifted where necessary.

Member follow-up question: What steps lead me to living @F-L-O-W?

******************************* 
Note: Later this year Mike will be releasing his latest book, Dynamic Inquiry.

PS: In June we will continue covering Mike’s most recent book @F-L-O-W: FIND, DESIGN,USE TALENT to Emerge Happiness and Success in a Postmodern World