Principle 2: It's about real things
- blairsheppard1
- Oct 22
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
# Why We Must Return to Real Things: A Call for Tangible Transformation
In a world increasingly shaped by digital abstraction, we must not lose sight of the tangible. If we are to thrive—indeed, survive—in the world we’re entering, we need to radically reinvent how we feed ourselves, build our homes, manufacture goods, move people and products, defend our communities, care for one another, and power it all. These are not virtual challenges. They are physical, material, and immediate.
Three Reasons This Shift is Urgent
1. Survival Demands Reinvention
Climate change, resource depletion, and geopolitical instability require us to rethink the systems that sustain life—food, shelter, energy, health, and security. These are grounded in the physical world, not the digital one. The urgency of our situation cannot be overstated. We are at a crossroads where our choices today will shape the future of generations to come.
2. AI Depends on Real Things
The dazzling capabilities of artificial intelligence are built on a foundation of chips, data centers, energy grids, and rare earth minerals. The virtual is only as strong as the physical infrastructure beneath it. Without a solid base of real-world resources, the promise of AI remains just that—a promise, not a reality.
3. Strategic Repatriation is Essential
We must reclaim control over critical materials and capabilities—those vital to defense, security, and daily life. COVID-19 exposed the fragility of global supply chains and accelerated the need to localize and secure essential production. This is not merely a logistical challenge; it is a matter of national security and community resilience.
🧱 Why This Will Be Hard
Many of the world’s largest economies have built their prosperity on services—intangible outputs like finance, healthcare, education, and digital platforms. Reorienting toward physical production will be a profound shift.
In the United States, services account for nearly 80% of GDP[1].
In the European Union, services make up about 71% of GDP.
These sectors have driven growth, employment, and innovation—but they are not sufficient to meet the material challenges ahead. The reliance on services has created a disconnect from the physical realities we face.
COVID-19 accelerated this reckoning. It exposed how dependent we are on distant supply chains for food, medicine, energy, and technology. It reminded us that resilience is rooted in the real.
The Path Forward: Embracing the Physical
As we move forward, let’s not forget that the most transformative innovations often begin with our hands in the soil, our feet on the ground, and our senses engaged with the world around us. We need to cultivate a mindset that values the real over the virtual.
Reconnecting with Nature
One of the first steps in this journey is to reconnect with nature. The act of growing our own food, for instance, not only nourishes our bodies but also our spirits. It fosters a sense of community and belonging. When we plant seeds, we are not just cultivating crops; we are nurturing hope for a sustainable future.
Building Local Economies
Next, we must focus on building local economies. By supporting local businesses and artisans, we create a robust network of resources that can withstand global shocks. This approach not only strengthens our communities but also reduces our carbon footprint. The more we rely on local production, the less we depend on fragile supply chains.
Education and Skill Development
Education plays a crucial role in this transformation. We need to equip ourselves and future generations with the skills necessary to thrive in a world that values the tangible. This means investing in vocational training, workshops, and hands-on learning experiences. By fostering a culture of craftsmanship and innovation, we can empower individuals to take charge of their destinies.
Policy Changes for a Sustainable Future
Finally, we must advocate for policy changes that support this shift. Policymakers need to prioritize sustainable practices and invest in infrastructure that promotes local production. This is not just a matter of economic strategy; it is a moral imperative to ensure a livable planet for future generations.
In conclusion, the journey back to real things is not just a necessity; it is an opportunity. An opportunity to redefine our relationship with the world, to create a future that is sustainable, resilient, and deeply connected to the physical realm. Let us embrace this challenge with open hearts and determined minds.
Thought-provoking, Blair, and perhaps a good moment to be precise about what we mean by real.
The tangible foundations you describe are indispensable. Yet much of what sustains our societies already takes the form of services: feeding, caring, educating, communicating, enabling mobility. These are not abstractions; they are the ways value actually moves through the world.
In that sense, the task may not be to turn away from services toward things, but to reconnect the service economy with the material and ecological systems that make it possible. A sustainable future will depend on both, physical resilience and relational intelligence, i.e. ownership giving way to access, production evolving into stewardship.
Perhaps the real challenge is not returning to the real, but redefining it.