I received this email from Seth Jordan, a student of E.F. Schumacher’s buddhist economics and Rudolf Steiner’s social ideas and friend of a friend. He is currently the creative director at thinkoutword.org and is very passionate about the current candidate for the 2010 election of President of the Philippines, Nicanor Perlas. The Philippines is a country with a troubled recent past, growing population and economy, and emerging democracy that is also very vulnerable to potential effects of global climate change. Nicanor Perlas has been a lifelong activist arguing equally for environmental and social issues.

Hello all,

I’m writing a pretty personal email because I feel strongly that I should reach out to as many folks as possible who might care. There’s something happening that I believe is of world-historic significance… that is by far the most important positive event taking place in the world today. I’m worried that not enough people will recognize it while it has a short window of opportunity and therefore it won’t succeed.

So I’m bringing it squarely to your attention: there is someone alive today, a person with tremendous spiritual depth and insight, who is poised to become a major catalyst for healthy social change at the global level. This individual understands the intimate relationship between inner states of consciousness and outer social forms. He has the capacity to help individuals and groups overcome differences and access deeper sources of creativity – a necessary skill if we hope to create healthy social dynamics and institutions that are right for the future. But it’s not about this individual. It’s about society freeing itself from dead forms and untrue perceptions. It’s about society recognizing its own path, it’s true humanity, the higher potential of all human beings. It’s about all of us becoming active, empowered global citizens.

How will we break the bonds of consumerism and overcome the blindness of materialism? How will we heal the social and spiritual diseases that we suffer from? How will we achieve a comprehensive form of sustainability and regeneration? We need to move forward and we desperately need leaders who can help clear some of the obstacles from our collective path.

Nicanor Perlas is such a leader. He is running for President of the Philippines in 2010. The Philippines is the second most corrupt country in Asia. If he was elected president, his example there would have a major impact on global affairs and would bring a voice of sanity to the table. The election is in 6 months.

Many of you know nothing about Nicky. All I’m asking is that you read a brief, one-page description on his website called “Why vote for Nick.” If ever a revolutionary understanding of societal transformation was condensed onto one page – this is it. This is real, powerful, systemic change – not just tinkering with the same old corrupt system. If you disagree, I’d love to hear why.

I’m writing this because I want more people to see who Nicky is and what he stands for – what governance could be. If, after reading it, you also feel called to action – great. Please donate to his campaign (they need money!), spread the word wherever you’re able, and join A People for Perlas – an online community of global citizens striving to contribute in whatever ways they can.

Read the one-page synthesis of his ideas here.

Thanks,

Seth

More links and information about Nicanor Perlas and what he stands for:

www.apeopleforperlas.ning.com

http://www.globenet3.org/

http://www.rightlivelihood.org/perlas.html

http://www.nicanor-perlas.com/

http://www.nicanorperlas.org/