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The United Nations has been changing its composition (membership), its group of 'controlling' or most influential countries, its focus (more health, environment, sustainability and education issues than resolution of member disputes), its methods (i.e., resembling government, it spends a great deal of time on semantics, political correctness and making somewhat unenforceable proclamations and sanctions), and with a decreasing thrall over its membership.
The UN has been called many things, among them: a "toothless tiger," a "bully pulpit," a "house of rhetoric with little precipitous action," and "an anachronism". Despite fear-fueled discussions about a UN military to enforce the purported agenda of the New World Order at odds against sovereign member states (and creating a question of conflicted loyalties between UN Peacekeeping troops and the individual soldiers, each patriots of their respective countries, but being required to enforce the directives of a "higher authority"), each country still makes its own decisions.
I believe that the UN might indeed be becoming irrelevant directly, and becoming more the puppet of the many NGOs which have cropped up around which act like lobbyists on the US' Capitol Hill. These Non-Governmental Organizations* are increasing in number, financing and influence.
* Some information regarding NGOs follows, courtesy of Wikipedia:
Non-governmental organization, or NGO, is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations (UN), and is normally used to refer to organisations that do not form part of the government and are not conventional for-profit business. In the cases in which NGOs are funded totally or partially by governments, the NGO maintains its non-governmental status by excluding government representatives from membership in the organization. The term is usually applied only to organizations that pursue some wider socialpolitical aspects, but that are not overtly political organizations such as political parties. Unlike the term "intergovernmental organization", the term "non-governmental organization" has no generally agreed legal definition. In many jurisdictions, these types of organization are called "civil society organizations" or referred to by other names. ####
In addition to the growth in the influence and power of NGOs, which are not unlike cause-based nations unto themselves, the two other threats to the UN's relevance and potency are the 1) proliferation of global social media (the immediate and viral flow of information across the globe at a grassroots level), and 2) the increase in citizen ambassadorship, where citizens, as individuals and as operators of their own businesses conduct communications and commerce with minimal intermediation and intervention by their respective governments.
In summary, the three principal factors contributing to the UN's potential decline in relevance are these:
Growth in the power, influence and role playing of the increasing number of NGOs;
Growth in the proliferation and utilization of rapid-fire social media for grassroots, unofficial (and uncensored) communication of observations and ideas;
Growth in the role of citizen ambassadors as independent arbiters of their own relationships and policies as they relate to generating income (profit motive) and accumulating wealth - for example as a citizen ambassador, I become more concerned with peaceful relationships between my home country and the countries where my joint venture partners, distributors, manufacturers, suppliers and customers reside. In effect, as we become increasingly internationalized through the reduction of barriers to entry (it's far cheaper to import, export and co-venture globally than ever before, with the advent of telecommuting, VoIP [Skype is a sensation] and inexpensive but enhanced collaborative media platforms integrating screen sharing-and web conferencing... Go To Meeting, anyone?).
Actionable Items:
1) Keep abreast of the activities of the NGOs -- these are advanced 'telegraph signals' of where the UN is heading. The NGO agenda is a predictor of UN focus and activity;
2) Keep abreast of developments involving large international and multinational companies, as they become more like nations beyond geographical borders;
3) Keep up-to-date on all advances in communications and conferencing technology, as well as in social media proliferation and the emerging spate of applications.
Possibilities:
This might be a very good time to consider becoming involved in international and transnational partnerships, and in becoming attached to one or more suitable NGOs. In fact, it might not be a bad time to consider chartering an NGO with other like-minded individuals. There is tremendous power in judiciously managed and positioned not-for-profit entities.
Internationalists strive to unite the world, to exponentialize global collaboration and to positively leverage the infinite possibilities for communication and commerce across all cultural, political and geological barriers -- all of this, for the benefit of Humanity and the preservation and advancement of civilization.
An Internationalist can love his country, as a patriot, but he is sensitive to the interconnectivity of all members of our species. A patriot does not have to be a xenophobe; he doesn't have to choose between his homeland and the planet -- he belongs to both, comfortably and without conflict.
Conceptually, as a slightly selfish businessperson, I would not want my country to declare war on the country where my supplier is located, where my clientele is based, or where my joint venture partner resides.
War becomes an act of economic self-destruction.
With a rudimentary knowledge of history and of behavioral psychology, I can safely say that if peace becomes significantly more profitable than war, the pendulum of Human action will swing toward peace. Peace AND prosperity [in the same sentence].
Part of this globalization and alliance-building process has been initiated by inexpensive VoIP communications, the growth of telecommuting, and the wildfire that is social media. But that technology takes us no further if we cannot trust one another. In cyberspace with the social media bullhorn blasting multidirectionally, dirty secrets are increasingly difficult to keep, and lies ("and the lying liars who tell them") are increasingly easy to unmask. In a word..."Wikileaks."
Trust can only be developed through transparency and consistent integrity demonstrated and reinforced over time.
A major impediment to constructing this bridge of trust is the flood of revelations becoming de-classified about certain unholy alliances, certain "social experiments," covert operations and some incredible deception and crime in some very high places. The unveiling of this "Secret Underworld Of Internationalism" is slowing down the process of building trust.
The discovery of sensitive documents could spark tensions between Libya's new rulers and the U.S. 'Dark chapter' ####
And another...
Exposed: Uncensored WikiLeaks cables posted to Web
By RAPHAEL G. SATTER - Associated Press | AP – Thu, Sep 1, 2011
FILE - In this July 14, 2011 photo, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange talks to members …
LONDON (AP) — Uncensored copies of WikiLeaks' massive tome of U.S. State Department cables circulated freely Thursday across the Internet, leaving a whole new batch of U.S. sources vulnerable to embarrassment and potential retribution.
The United States, meanwhile, denied ever cooperating with the anti-secrecy group, and blasted Wikileaks for allegedly threatening national security and the safety of confidential informants. [read whole article]
####
Until the stories of the "Secret Underworld Of Internationalism" are fully (and painfully) aired out, behind us, and espionage is no longer perceived as more desirable [profitable] than "overt operations" (i.e., cooperation and collaboration in good faith), Internationalism will have some stubborn and powerfully-entrenched opposition.
It is not, and has never been restricted by governmental or geographical boundaries or limited to any one nationality or race. It has always been a key component of society in every culture throughout history. Every ethnic group, country and social class has (and always has had) a few of these Human engines of productivity. We cannot have enough of them, and they should be collaborating to achieve accelerated breakthroughs.
I encourage entrepreneurs to explore the opportunities associated with international trade, global markets, trans-national joint ventures, foreign investment, technology transfers and other possibilities.
The internet, skype, virtual conferencing platforms and the reach of social media have made this less expensive and more expedient than ever in known history. There are no barriers -- if you are eager to grow, eager to learn and eager to profit from the ever-increasing overseas possibilities, you can expand your reach across the entire globe right from your computer, laptop or mobile device.
Entrepreneurs can find each other and work collaboratively more easily than ever before. You can telecommute through cyberspace, conduct business, and broaden your business network, social contacts and cultural horizons from your local wi-fi enabled coffee shop, your automobile, or your home.
Entrepreneurs - Go Global virtually! You might wish to learn more about TNNWC's International Connections Service (ICS) by visiting the website at http://www.tnnwc.com/ and cruising around a bit until you find the ICS description.
TNNWC, as a membership organization, and I (as an Internationalist and a Global Futurist) want nothing more than to empower entrepreneurs and increase their success prospects through the use of fiscally responsible, scalable, virtual international commerce solutions.
Entrepreneurs are those special, talented success-obsessed individuals who often refuse to accept the very notion of limitations. They are not just "people with ideas," or "people who want to "say goodbye to their booses and work from home," per se. Not necessarily. The greatest attributes of Human intelligence, tenacity, productivity, trend-spotting, and recruiting talent belong to the world's greatest entrepreneurs. The media tend to confuse "entrepreneurs" with "business opportunity seekers," "multi-level marketers (MLMs)," "unemployed or unemployable people who don't work well with others," and "garage-bound technology geeks -- ordering in meals and creating applications."
Well; entrepreneurs may be any of those things or none of those things.
At the lowest levels, they are dreamers, get-rich-quick artists, or just hustlers, chasing after someone else's money to burn through to sustain themselves and an ill-thought-out plan.
BUT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, ENTREPRENEURS REPRESENT THE BEST THAT THERE IS AMONG OUR SPECIES (if you happen to be a gecko or a duck reading this, kindly excuse that last remark).
Entrepreneurs, the best ones, are game-changers, world-changers and are the rarest and most highly precious of all "types" of people.
Please read what follows about Commanders, Visionaries, Entrepreneurs and Everybody Else. You will agree that entrepreneurs are the core of the technological, sociological, economic genesis machine; the specially-refined fuel that powers the reactor of all of Humankind; and, the very heart of the multicellular organism that we call civilization.
Entrepreneurs are Catalysts Creating Business and Social Value.
Incidentally, they (the best and brightest entrepreneurs) create permanent employment (real jobs!), know how to conserve and allocate limited resources, cannot stand to see waste, have to balance their own budgets (without printing fiat currency or engaging in 'creative accounting') and are either actively or unconsciously always working at achieving sustainability, as well.
Commanders either set goals or are given tasks which they accomplish through their mastery of other Human Beings -- they understand that the Laws of Physics and Human (mortal) Physiology are the only unbreakable rules, and thus Commanders function within very broad operating parameters.
They are expert at behavioral psychology, social engineering, project management and acting. "Acting" both in the sense of playing a role in a play, and in the sense of taking action to proceed toward the accomplishment of a mission.
Visionaries are persons of inspiration, insight and epiphany who have an idea (usually a powerful mental picture of an outcome or objective), which they are compelled to promulgate. They NEED to reveal the nature of what they see (and often, what they have seen) to someone else.
Entrepreneurs, in the truest sense, encompass many of the aspects of both Commanders and Visionaries.
Successful Entrepreneurs must be talent scouts -- they have to identify and choose Visionaries, Commanders, and numerous technologists, professionals and soldiers (or employees) in order to build a self-sustaining system (i.e., a business or an organization of some sort) that will not only achieve goals, but which will become self-sufficient, and synergistic - a "production machine" which is far greater than the sum of its individual parts.
Entrepreneurs are the catalysts in society who bring the appropriate assets together in order to construct something.
Entrepreneurs are the principal creators of value in our society.
For complete tactical and strategic business planning, marketing, media, lead-generation, technological and capital resources, scalable solutions and tools to support every entrepreneurial start-up, young enterprise, small- to medium-sized business and emerging high-growth company, talk to The National Networker Companies™/ TNNWC Group, LLC.
We are a collaborative entrepreneurial, creative organization offering you hands-on, personalized assistance in every aspect of achieving your monetization, profitability and financial sustainability objectives, domestically and globally.
We don’t just coach you or offer you pre-packaged, push-button solutions – we listen to you, analyze your exact needs, and work within your budget to: 1) create your tool kit and 2) work as your partner to implement your plan by supporting you in the most efficient and productive use of every tool.
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Just go to our home page, and click on the “JOIN US” button.
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