In my day job I analyze systems of governance and business models, take them apart and find the flaws that can become their downfall. I was explaining to a colleague how Darebee is a disruptive power that's slowly changing the world and because he was intrigued enough to check it out and inevitably saw some of our postings and he was unimpressed enough with the general lightness and silliness of our interactions to come back and challenge me on it. He forced me to go into greater detail painting the picture for him to see.
I don't often put anything as detailed here but it helps sometimes to see what we do and have a sense of our own sense of power. To understand how we fit into the great world machine it's important to start with Afghanistan. It's the world's largest producer of Lapis Lazuli (a semi precious stone) and has been for over 3,000 years with its rich mines accounting for about 90% of the world's production of the stone. The wealth of its mines in that regard has been estimated to about $1 trillion USD, enough to restructure the entire country and take it from its current sorry state to the 21st century. Afghanistan is also tremendously corrupt, finishing 166th out of 168 in "The World's Most Corrupt Countries" Index with the ones at the end being the most corrupt and the ones at the top the least.
Now, you'll think how does any of this affect us? The corruption in Afghanistan, deplorable as it may be, has nothing to do with any of us. Our problems are not theirs and vice versa. Now, because Afghanistan is so corrupt its system of governance is ineffectual. So ineffectual in fact that a some years back a local warlord seized the lucrative Lapis Lazuli mines. His army has been strong enough to keep them and the amount of money he makes from issuing mining licenses and mining the stone is enough for him to pay off any government officials who might have wanted to do something about it plus all The Taliban in the region so they could stop fighting and start mining. Again, I understand, this is seemingly not our concern. Afghanistan's internal matters should not concern us and for most of us it is all taking place in a country that's really far, far away.
What concerns us is getting healthy. having some kind of work, trying to be happy. Being safe in a world that increasingly appears to be the opposite. This is where things get interesting because it also transpires that because there is no rule of law in the mining region of Afghanistan a fair chunk of the wealth the mines deliver goes to fund illegal activities. ISIS for example, which is experiencing a revival after being almost eradicated, has an operational budget of which a full 20% of the total comes from these mining activities of lapis lazuli. And ISIS has a direct link to terrorism and destabilization activities not just in the region but across the world, sometimes, right up to our own doorstep.
Be that as it may, you might say, fine, all these dots are connected and the world is no longer a series of isolated pockets but really none of us happens to run a country or rule a military and we are way too small, as individuals to do anything to sort this mess out. Sorting out our messy lives is about all most of us can do.
That too is true.
Here's the rub. In DAREBEE we have proof of our capability to connect globally, meet people, accept them without judgement and cheer them on as they become better versions of their selves. We learn, each in his or her own way to become the best we can be, becoming more tolerant, more thoughtful and more accepting along the way. And because we live in many different countries and answer to many different nationalities we learn to do so at a human level, devoid of labels and judgement.
Our way of life and conduct is not just digital. It seeps into the physical world. By demanding the best of ourselves, by being the best we can possibly be we raise the game for everyone. Our conduct, spirit, attitude and disposition affect those around us. We become, by tiny, tiny degrees, the change we want to see. And that change, cumulatively shifts the needle in ways we may never be able to accurately predict. And when that needle shifts it applies its own force to other things that can sometimes lead right up to the point where a national government will not tolerate corruption because it is socially unacceptable. And that then makes things like what's happening in Afghanistan less likely to happen. And all that without crusades or revolutions, just tiny changes: the willingness to look at another person and see another person, first, beyond anything else. The ability to reach out and lift the spirits of someone when they are down. The opportunity to help someone feel less alone inside their minds, less isolated and judged by the world. We are Bees (to use the analogy) because we are tiny and unnoticed, because we don't have massive banners shouting out to the rooftops what we believe in, but our work, each of us and then all of us together, changes things and affects the world. Change has to start from somewhere. Our Hive is as good a place as any.
I've placed this piece in the KB to make it easier to find. Let me have your own thoughts or questions as they arise.
Last edited: