Our film about David Fleming's potent legacy is starting to take shape. And here's the first taster - a beautiful five minute wander through Deep Time, with a shocking ending..!
https://vimeo.com/236050600
I'm so proud of these tasters, and happy to see that they're currently going viral on Facebook, with over 1.5m 2.5m 4m views already. For more head over to the home of the film:
https://www.flemingpolicycentre.org.uk/the-sequel/
We look forward to hearing your thoughts there, especially on what else should be included when the final film comes out next summer :)
In a couple of weeks (Feb 6-10) I'll be leading a week-long course at Schumacher College based on David Fleming's legacy: Community, Place and Play: A Post-Market Economics. It will be an exploration of what 'life well lived' looks like in a world of ecocide and collapsing civilisational structures, and a call for those present to ramp up their involvement in the informal economy of relationships and Nature. The key resources for a thriving future.
Myself, Rob Hopkins and Mark Boyle have all been walking variants of this path for at least the past decade or so, and are much looking forward to discussing and debating the most delicious, enlivening ways forward in today's world. And all of us are deeply inspired by the work of David Fleming, the mentor I first met, along with Rob, when they taught me at Schumacher College ten short years ago. It feels a great honour to follow in his footsteps and continue his work.
I'm also particularly delighted that we will be able to première the beautiful, challenging and yearning film We, The Uncivilised as part of the course. It fits perfectly with the themes we will be exploring and is, quite simply, the most memorable film I have seen in years. It will be a real highlight and catalyst.
Here is a quick Q&A I did with Positive News on the course, and I believe one or two spaces are still available if you wish to join us. Can't wait!
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Edit - 14th Feb 2017 - I had intended to do a full blog post reflecting on the course, but in the aftermath I find myself exhausted, thrilled and satisfied, with a deep yearning for quiet and stillness. Suffice to say that the week was even more potent than I had hoped, and felt a transformational experience for most, if not all, of us there. Many powerful relationships were formed and ideas mooted, and I look forward to seeing what emerges as we all continue on our paths.
For more on my late mentor David Fleming's astonishing Surviving the Future or Lean Logic, see the official page for the books, which should provide all you need.
The “Order the books” section there will point you to the best deals available (in print, as e-books, or as an audiobook with my narration!), with free worldwide delivery.
Forthcoming public events:
Mon 23rd November 2020 - Sun 31st January 2021 - Eight week online course Surviving the Future: Conversations for Our Time, in partnership with Sterling College, Vermont.
Led by Shaun, the previous run attracted 250 participants from 25 countries, with guest teachers including Vandana Shiva, Kate Raworth and Rob Hopkins. This run will be limited to 100 participants.
Sat 12th December 2020 - Shaun will lead a workshop as part of A Journey Home, organised by Eve Annecke and Advaya.
Click links for more details or to book places at events.
Or follow DarkOptimism on Twitter for more.
I look forward to seeing you soon!
Sat 10th Sept 2016 - Small Is Beautiful festival, with Natalie Bennett, Andrew Simms and others. Centre for Alternative Technology, Powys, mid-Wales
Sat 17th Sept 2016 - 9am-5pm - Towards a Localised Future: A New Economy Convergence, with Helena Norberg-Hodge, Molly Scott Cato, Rupert Read, Michael H Shuman... Friends House, Camden, London:
Weds 21st Sept 2016 - 6:30pm-8:30pm - The launch party at Daunt Books Chelsea, London
Mon 26th Sept 2016 - 7pm-9pm - Studio guest of Dave Hampton on MarlowFM, 97.5's weekly environment show:
[sc_embed_player fileurl="http://www.darkoptimism.org/MarlowFM.mp3"]listen here
Weds 10th May 2017 - 7pm - 'Surviving The Future: Culture, Carnival and Capital in the Aftermath of the Market Economy', at Housmans radical bookshop. 5 Caledonian Road, King's Cross, London, N1 9DX
Tues 18th July 2017 - Greening the Apocalypse interview: "The Future, and How to Survive It" on Melbourne, Australia's RRR FM:
Sun 30th July 2017 - Workshop hosted by video link at the first Transition US national gathering, discussing "Transition's wider vision: David Fleming and Surviving the Future":
Thurs 30th Nov 2017 - Fleming anniversary event, Gaia Foundation - To mark the seventh anniversary of David Fleming's death, Shaun hosted a special evening with The Gaia Foundation at the beautiful Burgh House, honouring their late friend and fellow Hampstead resident. London, UK.Fri 1st/Sat 2nd Dec 2017 - Sterling College symposium - Sterling College hosted a weekend symposium dedicated to David Fleming, featuring presentations from five influential devotees of his work: Peter Buffett, Chuck Collins, David Bollier, Margo Baldwin and Matthew Derr. The event was standing room only, with over 150 people in attendance to engage with Fleming's legacy. Craftsbury Common, Vermont, USA.
Fri 6th Apr 2018 - Interview by Jean Vidler MBE of The Green Futures Show, Kingston, UK: "Shaun Chamberlin on David Fleming", via the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network:
17-19th May 2018 - Sterling College short course on Surviving the Future. Sterling College hosted a three-day course built around David Fleming's vision, led by Martin Kirk, Richard Heinberg and Matthew Derr.
Weds 19th Sept 2018 - The European Parliament discusses Fleming's TEQs system, as described in Lean Logic:
Tues 19th Feb 2019 - Inspired by the release of the Surviving the Future audiobook, Peter Buffett and Jimmy Buff have been hosting a weekly show on Radio Kingston NY, playing/discussing the chapters. Click the image below to catch up from the first episode, or hear the final episode, featuring an interview with Shaun Chamberlin, here.
Thurs 7th May 2020 - 'Deep Change: Cultivating a Truly Regenerative Activism', organised by Advaya and Ulex.
Online panel discussion with Shaun, Ann Pettifor and Fran Boait of Positive Money:
Mon 6th April - Sun 31st May 2020 - Eight week online course Surviving the Future: Conversations for Our Time, in partnership with Sterling College, Vermont.
Led by Shaun and Philip Ackerman-Leist, with 250 participants from 25 countries, and guest teachers including Vandana Shiva, Kate Raworth and Rob Hopkins.
Sat 20th June 2020, 8-10pm UK time - Shaun hosted an online screening of The Sequel: What Will Follow Our Troubled Civilisation?, as part of Into The Wild's 'Wonderland' online solstice festival, followed by a talk on the theme 'Culture, Carnival and Capital - Living in the Aftermath of the Growth Economy'.
Sat 29th - Mon 31st August 2020 - Shaun joined/hosted a couple of panels at Medicine, the first physical UK festival to go ahead post-COVID lockdown, discussing 'Dark Optimism: Culture and Carnival in the Aftermath of Capitalism'.
A personal post this, on the sixth anniversary of my dear friend David Fleming's death. A mournful day, but also one of great satisfaction, as his incredible books finally spread their wings and find the audience his genius always deserved.
Ten years on from our first meeting, on the Schumacher College course that utterly reshaped my decade since, and six years on from his death, I carry simply this immense gratitude for all that David was in my life and in our world.
What I wouldn't give for one more side-splitting, enlightening conversation. And what an absolute honour to have been invited to teach a week's course on his work at Schumacher College in February, a decade on, with fellow friends like Rob Hopkins, Mark Boyle and Stephan Harding alongside. May its ripples spread as far as its ancestor's, which also gave birth to the Transition Towns Network.
Above I release edited footage of Jonathon Porritt discussing David Fleming's legacy at Oxford University. And I hope David will forgive me and Schumacher College for having unearthed his below slightly nervous, rather endearing, rather brilliant public talk from the week of that course (immortalised in Rob's foreword to Surviving the Future). Rest well, dear man.
At recent events I have played clips from interviews with the late, great David Fleming, and a few people have asked me to make the full footage available. So here it is:
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