Greasing the Cognitive Skids

Abstract

Consider the following statement: A good person is hard pressed to do the right thing without knowing what the right thing is. Let’s investigate the relevance of this simple declaration in the context of the sustainable business movement. If an ethical person is unaware of the pernicious effects caused by the industry, would that person be likely to work to change that reality? If another ethical person realizes the extent of the problems but naively advocates ineffective symptomatic reform, would a meaningful solution be any closer? A reasonable answer to both questions is no. Today, not only are uninformed people unable to remedy the root causes of our current condition but also many well-intentioned advocates are advancing misguided answers. This limited baseline knowledge of both the problems and the solutions suggests an opportunity for educators to consider a series of adjustments in the content and approach of existing formal education systems…