The Three Narratives

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Hand-drawn art by Rupali Bhuva
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Die drei Narrative
-von Joanna Macy

Wenn wir für diese Arbeit zusammenkommen, unterscheiden wir zunächst drei Geschichten oder Versionen der Realität, die unsere Welt prägen, so dass wir sie klarer sehen und uns entscheiden können, hinter welche wir uns stellen wollen. Die erste Geschichte, die wir identifizieren, ist "Business as Usual", womit wir die Wachstumswirtschaft oder den globalen Unternehmenskapitalismus meinen. Wir hören diesen Marschbefehl praktisch von jeder Stimme in der Regierung, von börsennotierten Unternehmen, vom Militär und von den von Unternehmen kontrollierten Medien.

Die zweite heißt "Die große Entwirrung": ein anhaltender Zusammenbruch lebendiger Strukturen. Das geschieht, wenn ökologische, biologische und soziale Systeme durch eine industrielle Wachstumsgesellschaft oder einen "business as usual"-Rahmen zur Ware gemacht werden. Ich mag den Begriff "Entwirrung", weil Systeme nicht einfach tot umfallen, sondern ausfransen und nach und nach ihre Kohärenz, Integrität und ihre Erinnerungsfähigkeit verlieren.

Die dritte Geschichte ist das zentrale Abenteuer unserer Zeit: der Übergang zu einer lebenserhaltenden Gesellschaft. Das Ausmaß und die Tragweite dieses Übergangs - der, wenn wir wissen, wo wir hinschauen müssen, in vollem Gange ist - ist vergleichbar mit der Agrarrevolution vor etwa zehntausend Jahren und der industriellen Revolution vor einigen Jahrhunderten. Zeitgenössische soziale Denker haben verschiedene Namen dafür, wie z.B. die ökologische oder die Nachhaltigkeitsrevolution; in der Arbeit, die uns wieder verbindet, nennen wir sie die Große Wende.

Einfach gesagt, unser Ziel mit diesem Prozess der Benennung und tiefen Wahrnehmung dessen, was mit unserer Welt geschieht, ist es, die ersten beiden Geschichten zu überwinden und immer mehr Menschen und Ressourcen in die dritte Geschichte zu holen. Durch diese Arbeit können wir uns entscheiden, ob wir uns am business as usual, an der Entschlüsselung lebender Systeme oder an der Schaffung einer lebenserhaltenden Gesellschaft orientieren wollen.

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Kernfragen zum Nachdenken: Was hältst du von den drei Narrativen? Kannst du eine persönliche Geschichte aus einer Zeit erzählen, in der du dich in der dritten Geschichte befandest: dem Übergang zu einer lebenserhaltenden Gesellschaft? Was hilft dir, dir der Geschichte, in der du dich befindest, bewusst zu werden?
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​​​​​​​Dr. Joanna Macy, Ph.D., ist eine Öko-Philosophin und eine Gelehrte des Buddhismus, der allgemeinen Systemtheorie und der Tiefenökologie. Auszug oben aus dem Emergence Magazin.






Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you relate to the three narratives? Can you share a personal story of a time you found yourself situated in the third story: the transition to a life-sustaining society? What helps you become aware of the story you are in?

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5 Past Reflections
CA
Caitlin Addison-Howard
Sep 15, 2025
The three narratives resonate deeply in our time. I was honored to have participated in a training that gave me a deeper understanding of the manner in which Joanna Macy portrayed what we are experiencing as individuals, as humans, and as a species facing our own extinction. I was sorry to read that Joanna Macy has died. She was a beacon of light for me as a woman and as a theorist. May her work continue through the many apostles, disciples and followers that she brought into the folds of her work.
JL
Nov 10, 2020
This is a great piece that resonates with me and reflect on. For the first narrative, I grow up poor and am able to make my way to a comfortable living, thinking that everyone has equal opportunity to do as well and better. That turns out to be true for many but for reasons that elude me why not the vast majority. As a life learner, my cumulative learning fromworld history, economics, sociology and the leaders around the world led me to conclude on the second narrative while there is a chance for the third narrative. Learning from my years of volunteering in multiple organizations and roles, and the current world situation do not give me high hope of the second narrative would turn to the third in my life time. The third narrative requires the whole chain of stakeholders in vast majority to take responsible actions instead of playing politics. Climate Change has been a well researched topic for the last forty years. UN SDG framework has been in place since 2015. I am still hopeful, loo... View full comment
PA
Nov 10, 2020
Reminds me greatly of Macy's dear friend Richard Rohr and his Widom Pattern of order, disorder, reorder.
DD
Nov 6, 2020
I believe the first two narratives, ie, a time of business as usual and a time of unraveling, are the usual progression of individuals and institutions, and the third narrative, ie, a time of a great turning that is life sustaining, is the evolution of some individuals and institutions. We rigidifyat a level of functioning until the diminishing returns and entropy result in either a great turning or death. My own spirituality went through that progression. I went through a business as usual unquestioning phase in which I took for granted the religious truths I was taught, then went through a phase of unraveling and collapse of my core religious truths, and then went through an inner transition to a life sustaining spirituality that reconnects me to myself, to others, and to all creation. What helps me become aware of this story for myselfis the intolerable emptiness in staying in businessas usual; questioning and letting go of business as usual; openness to learn from outside business ... View full comment
JP
Nov 6, 2020
I like the way Joanne Macy narrates the three frames, versions or narratives or stories. The first two narratives have been in the society for a long time. The third narrative is "the central adventure of our time." It is the transitionto a life sustaining society. We are going through this Great Turning, ecological or sustainability revolution. The challenge for us is to survive the first two narratives and keep bringing more people and resources into the third narrative. I strongly believe in deep ecology. It is our sacred duty to save and preserve our eco system. The first two narratives have served us at a big cost. Our environment is polluted, climate is drastically changingaffecting the lives of not only human beings but all beings. For many years I did not see the negative side of the first two narratives. I have been more aware of the damaging impact of the the first two narratives. Listening to eco-philosophers like Joanne Macy and many eco-scientists has made me mo... View full comment