Internet's New Civilization Network

Flemming Funch

Adapted extracts from various online pieces by Flemming Funch.

I started the New Civilization Network on Internet on March 13th 1995. I had for a long time been wanting to do something more actively in the direction of making a better form of society, creating a future where all of our needs are met, working on global issues, as well as on local communities.

Probably my biggest inspiration in that direction was the New Civilization Game, written in 1982 by my friend Bill Robertson. It provided me with a really large scale perspective, such as in 'OK, here is a planet, what do we need to run it, let's start organising it'.

I was looking for ways of getting more action to take place - I mean, more than theoretical discussions and electronic networking. So, my idea was that people could get together and work on projects of their own choosing, but with tangible deliverables that they could present to others.

What in part told me that it was time to take action was that I ran into Leon Vickman and New Civilization Model One. New Civilization Model One has existed for more than 10 years as a group. Mostly it is a loose collection of people who want to do a better kind of community. They have been having a continuing dialogue in the paper equivalent of a mailing list. They have a piece of land and some efforts in the direction of organic farming and a new time-based exchange system.

Their New Civ Encino project inspired me, but I felt it wasn't exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted something more free-form, self-organising, including many different projects. So, I ended up with the name 'New Civilization Network', and the model of a loose network of self-organising teams.

Within about four weeks there were about 100 people who had signed up online.

I was also quite surprised and impressed with the quality of people who signed up. In retrospect it seems like it was the exact right time to start a new civilization project. It just seemed to be in the stars or in the air in various ways.

A few weeks later I walked into a bookstore and noticed that Alvin Toffler had just published a book called Creating a New Civilization. little annoying that he has to go and steal such a good title, I would like to have written a book with that name. But anyway, it is just another thing that shows that new civilizations are in the air.

How it works

What I have in mind is that people choose an area of specialisation, of any element whatsoever that is needed in a new, better, civilization. For example, some people will be interested in energy sources or energy distribution, some will be interested in farming, some in education, some in communication systems, some in child rearing, some in ethics, some in construction, some in art. Anything goes. You then on a regular basis present to the rest of the network what you are working on, what you've found, and in one way or another you will try to make some resources available in that area.

Many of you will of course already be doing things that are needed for a new civilization, and might already agree with such an aim. Some of you are probably full time doing such activities. What I suggest then is that you take a look at what resources or information you are willing to make available to others working on aligned purposes, in a win-win arrangement, without sacrificing your current means of living.

The separate 'teams' currently at work within this New Civilization framework are called:

- Teamwork Team
- Energy Team
- PersonCo. Bob Gebelein
- Creativity Group
- Alternative Money System Team
- Spirit Team
- Social Laws/Ethics Team
- World Knowledge Network
- New Civilization Model One
- CLN - COSMOS Learning Network

For further details see the World Wide Web address http://www.newciv.org/worldtrans/newcivnet.html or e-mail Fleming Funch at <ffunch@newciv.org>.

Flemming Funch, 17216 Saticoy Street #147, Van Nuys, CA 91406, USA.

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