Global Journal of Science Frontier Research, H: Environment & Earth Science, Volume 22 Issue 5

undergraduate education is important. And, Bammer recommends uniting, organizing, responding, and fighting for such programs. She sees that institutionalizing “transdisciplinarity” requires its practitioners to co-construct a big picture vision. 48 Unfortunately, she notes that many people who have pioneered such an approach have often fought draining battles for even the smallest gains. She recognizes the barriers cited earlier in this paper to both her and my recommendations. And for the record, my colleagues and I, and many others, have been struggling against this conventional syndrome, which has foreclosed promising opportunities for imagination, learning, and experimenting with our own individual development and the “integrity” problem convention causes. 49 The integrated approach I recommendation invites us to “reimagine a future by exploring what might be possible. This requires an initial willingness of the imagination to let go of the trappings of the present [convention] without engaging in wishful thinking, ”says Falk. He sees that our shortfall or failure to date to bring about the needed transition is due to convention. VII. D iscussion This paper examines our current conventional (thoughtful or thoughtless) approach to problems, problem solving, and education in different ways as a major problem in the world today. Currently, we all are faced with huge social and environmental problems that portend catastrophe unless we address them effectively. “More than ever, we must face the question; can the peoples of Earth, doomed to share a ravaged planet, learn to live together in way that encourages our species flourishing in the emergent future,” says Falk (2021). What do we need to do? a) Global Solidarity Will a new kind of global “solidarity” help us? 50 What is a new global “solidarity?” Lasswell’s (1972) treatise on the Future systems of identity in the world community is helpful here. Some authors see that a global “movement” is needed. I argue that the academy could front integrated problem solving as a means to explore this option. There is much to do to get us to a shared global identity to tackle climate change, species extinctions, and widespread ecosystem degradation, much less ramped human indignity. Global solidarity is well outside conventional, parochial identities, at many locations currently. There is much activism, science, and movement currently appealing to individuals identities, loyalties, institutions now, some helpful, some not. 51 At present, these features are organized at the tribe to national levels supporting unifying identifications and security, including nationalism and war fighting capabilities. These are factors affecting our future and our present system of world public order. Despite the UN, European Union, and many other constructive efforts, people’s perspectives and identities are dominated by a structure that produces division and sustains the institutions of nationalism and war fighting. Just look at the present global picture of vying national states, level of resources going into military, and security alliances. For goal solidarity to come to reality, we need to understand “identity” and foster a new shared human identity of solidarity. Public and civic order and social movements depend on many factors, identity being a major one. Our future will continue to be affected by the predispositions of people whose identity and loyalties are expressed in the kinds of institutions they support. People who share identity, share a self-image, a cognitive map of themselves and others. b) Mass Social Movements Will mass social movements help and are they likely to happen? The task before us it to mobilize and organize mass action in favor of decisions and institutions that can bring about change and transformation needed to avert disaster. What the future holds will be influenced by the attitudes and actions of the young. Clearly many young in the world today are disturbed by events. This can lead to alienation as problems become clearer and our ability to address them seem to recede. Can mass social action be organized across class, education levels, and many other features of our current divisions? In some localities, youth are poise for collective action on varying scales needed. Yet some are busy cancelling people they feel are opposed to them and engaged in other diversionary actions. Are the preconditions present or can they be constructed to mobilize the outpouring of the emotionality, intellect, and energy needed found in youth today for constructive social action? We need to find ways to render contingencies more vivid. In doing so, we must address injustices, as they currently fuel conflict, fragmentation, and division. Can we accelerate a convergence of life styles and identities without obliterating nature, other life, our individuality, and the resources on which we depend? This bring out questions of population size and growth and consumption patterns. How do we overcome status quo interest coalitions and build new coalitions to address our urgent shared problems? Will today’s young catalyze and lead a transformation to the needed new identity, solidarity, and action? Successfully motivating for mass action in the face of powerful restrictive interests and forces (the status quo) is ongoing. Can we mobilize enough people/identities to make a difference in time? Can we change global and civic order to stave off disaster? Communications can help, as we now live in a world where internet/social networks reach millions in an 1 Global Journal of Science Frontier Research Volume XXII Issue V Year 2022 9 ( H ) Version I © 2022 Global Journals An Inquiry into “Convention”as a Problem and what we Might do About it?