Tennenbaum

CGIU, Networks and Youth

After the vast success of CGI, President Clinton decided to open CGIU: same commitment model, same incredible conference-style led by world changing speakers, but this time for university students only. The first CGIU was in 2008, and this weekend will see the emergence of the 5^th conference at GW University. 

I’m really excited to see what ideas come out of this weekend. Students come from all over the world to participate, and each one brings their own spunk and wits to tackle the issues that need solving today.

Makes me think of Anne-Marie Slaugther’s essay “America’s Edge: Power in the Networked Century” (Foreign Policy Jan/Feb 2009)– she actually mentions CGI there. Slaughter argues that we now live in a networked world, and that “in this world, the measure of power is connectedness.”

The twentieth-century world was, at least in terms of geopolitics, a billiard-ball world, described by the political scientist Arnold Wolfers as a system of self-contained states colliding with one another. The results of these collisions were determined by military and economic power. This world still exists today: Russia invades Georgia, Iran seeks nuclear weapons, the United States strengthens its ties with India as a hedge against a rising China. This is what Fareed Zakaria, the editor of Newsweek International, has dubbed “the post-American world,” in which the rise of new global powers inevitably means the relative decline of U.S. influence.

 The emerging networked world of the twenty-first century, however, exists above the state, below the state, and through the state. In this world, the state with the most connections will be the central player, able to set the global agenda and unlock innovation and sustainable growth. Here, the United States has a clear and sustainable edge.  

President Clinton (among many others) has realized this changing format and tapped into it to create great good. Curious to think what this view of the world (more horizontal) means for our interactions within it. Slaughter thinks that it will radically alter state and governmental systems over the next few hundred years. How do you think our social landscape will change over the next hundred years? I’m hoping to do some research in the next few weeks on the topic of global citizenship, and am curious to see how a cosmopolitan identity interacts with a national one. I don’t think they conflict but have the beautiful for a really incredible harmony.

Lastly. Among the many things that I admire about President Clinton (and there are a lot of accomplishments to choose from) is his emphasis on empowering youth. Many great thinkers advocate this approach, including my mentor Daisaku Ikeda.  

This world demands the qualities of youth: not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease.” - - Robert F. Kennedy

We must continue to empower youth! Good luck this weekend everyone!!! (also, good youth quotes here)

My Business

So the whole point of the class (the one that I’m writing this blog for) is to come up with a business plan. My professor, Adam Penenberg (good writer, check him out) says that we should do something we love. 

Last week the founder of MediaBistro came to speak to our class. Laurel Touby’s story was beautiful because the tale of media bistro was so organic - she started throwing parties to get writers and editors together, and it went from there - with a ton of hard work of course! What was really great about Laurel was that she has always had a rugged sense of individuality, and it was her desire to live in a way true to herself that eventually led to her running and selling a multi-million dollar company. 

Ok, so, now I’ve got to create a business. What do I like? I really like blogs. I don’t do as sharp of a job with this one as a result of lack of time, but I’d like to think I could create something hip. So what would the blog be about? I’m thinking something called “The Cosmopolitan”: a non-profit online magazine dedicated to “do-good” news (think dowser meets GOOD meets Jumo pre GOOD) that exquisite multi-media journalistic pieces, book reviews and spotlighted scholarly work, Q and A’s, news aggregator, online store and a place for collaboration. It’s not necessarily money making, but I know I’d like to do it. 

Or I could always go back to blogging about food. My other dream is to open a vegan neighborhood cafe/community center that hosts permaculture workshops and serves vegan, local food. I would call it “Begonia’s” or “Peony’s”. I’m not quite sure how to translate this to an online site, however. 

My plan’s missing a crucial link - I probably need to talk to my prof. But do any of you have suggestions? 

Books I want to Check Out (From the Library)

A few books have been getting buzz lately: below are all on my reading list and in some way all attempt to create sense out of our current global structure.

 Power Inc. – David Rothkopf, now Editor at Large for Foreign Policy magazine, has also written Superclass: The Global Power Elite and the World They are Making and Running the World: The Inside Story of the National Security Council and the Architects of American Power. Power Inc. is about big business and its increasing hold over world affairs. Link goes to an article of Rothkopf on the book, featured in Foreign Policy.

The Race For What’s Left – Michael T. Klare discusses the increasing competitiveness and possible violence that is emerging as a result of dwindling resources –frightening. Link goes to a recent talk he did at the Carnegie Council.

The Leaderless Revolution –Carne Ross. Ross deconstructs the authority of money and power and probes into how to move agency back into the hands of the people.

From Poverty to Power – by Duncan Green of Oxfam. Published in 2010. Green’s take on how to approach development successfully.

Pathologies of Power- Paul Farmer. Farmer is a physician and an anthropologist and started Partners-In-Health along with Jim Yong Kim (also PhD in anthropology and MD). Kim is President Obama’s nomination to head up the world bank. This book takes a deep look at our understanding of human rights and structural violence. I believe that the mix between the anthropological and public health lens, in addition to Dr. Farmer’s extensive experience, will create a searing and compelling account.

 Also, I just finished “Common Wealth” by Jeffrey Sachs and fell totally in love with it.

Now I have to move onto articles for my thesis!

 

Cherry Blossoms

Early spring this year: “weather” (pun!) this is a result of global warming or just mother nature smiling down on east coasters, I am not sure. Let’s not try and look a gift horse in the mouth. However, this does mean that the cherry blossoms will be blooming soon at Brooklyn Botanical Garden (earlier than their usual april). Check out BBG’s interactive map of the trees so that you can catch your favorite before the petals all blow away!

Underground Greenery? In NYC? Yes please