YouCOME: From EGO to ECO

Within the YouCOME project it was developed a guide on the SDGs, ego-centrism and how to shift to an eco-system vision.

‘Ego-System’ is where people prioritize the well-being of themselves and others in their social strata. It also conceptualizes Man (and indeed commonly men) as being at the top of the pyramid and in a more important position than all other creatures and nature itself.

Some situation outlines a prime example of what we are calling the “Ego-System”, in Society, there is inequality between groups, some are disadvantaged, and other have privilege. The most disadvantaged groups live in areas that are more prone to flooding, thus increasing their exposure to flooding caused by climate change. their houses are often less well constructed and made from a poorer quality, more flimsy material and consequently get completely washed away or become more seriously damaged. In contrast, the houses of the more well-off suffer less damage because these are generally made of sturdier materials, such as brick and concrete. The disadvantaged groups are less able to cope with and recover from, the damages caused by floods - the rich are able to buy the insurance and be compensated for the damages whilst the disadvantaged groups may not be able to afford such insurance and have to absorb the entire loss, leading to greater loss of assets.

The social and environmental crises are linked together, which is why many people are trying to fix a new mentality to move to more sustainable and fair communities.

The Eco-System conceptualizes human kind as an equal component in a more reciprocal and symbiotic relationship with the rest of nature. As the Convention on Biological Diversity, the ecosystem approach is a strategy for the integrated management of land, water, and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. Achieving a balance between the three goals of the Convention—conservation, sustainable use, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources— will therefore be made possible using the ecosystem approach.

The fundamental structure, processes, functions, and interactions between organisms and their environment are included in an ecosystem approach, which is based on the use of appropriate scientific procedures targeted at levels of biological organization. It acknowledges that many ecosystems depend on humans and their diverse cultural heritage.

Carl Roger Has a vision of the authentic person being ecologically minded. Due to this theory, many studies took place. Since the globe is on edge of destruction, awareness should be spread. Deforestation, extinction of species, global warming, depletion of natural resources, and intensive livestock farming lead people to take preventive actions. In the last decades, advanced sustainable technologies in the generation of renewable energy for housing and transportation have appeared, as well as ‘eco-friendly’ statutory legislations such as the separate collection of waste, become increasingly available.

An internal motivation to live in a constructive rather than destructive relationship with the ecological world is not an unknown psycho-ecological concept. In fact, various tribal cultures have lived in interdependent co-existence with their natural surroundings. An ecological crisis is faced due to the social crisis of individualism over collectivism. There are two possible orientations: Individualism and Collectivism. These two options are relating to and describe the differences in beliefs and values ascribed to human behaviours, relationships, and human interactions with other humans. Personal strength, self-reliance, assertiveness, and independence are the most valuable trait of individualistic cultures.

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