A Personal Reflection on ‘Purpose’

How a small, independently produced documentary feature film sparked conversations and further reflections.

I do think about purpose, especially in these ever more challenging days for those of us working on climate change across the globe, when things appear to be rolling back at a time when even more urgency is required to keep our temperature rise below 2% (I think the ship has sailed for keeping it under 1.5%).  

When I think about purpose, I think about what I can do in a holistic fashion in all my life and in the whole of our society. It is one of the main reasons why I formed Aberdeen Climate Action, with Erik Dalhuijsen, in 2014 and NESCAN Hub in 2021. I see the role of a regional community climate hub as one of empowering and building communities’ capacity to act on climate issues, strengthening the local and regional connections into national connections to work together on the more pressing issue facing the human race and all others on our planet. We all have our part to play in making this world a better place and one in which humans and other living species thrive. 

Climate change is not an isolated issue, it is one intrinsically intertwined with our economy and our political power. It is a symptom of our systems not working for the good of us all. In essence, it highlights the illness within our current economic and power structures that mean that we work for the economy as opposed to the economy working for us to make all our lives better. Money is a means to an end and should never be conflated with the end itself. It is merely a mechanism to enable us to meet our needs. I think that as a society, we can forget that. Certainty I see that being forgotten by governments globally as they demand growth at the expense of people and planet, placing people into poverty, as opposed to rising them up, and putting industry above biodiversity and the nature that we are all part of. That is why it is good to take the time to reflect and watching Purpose gave me that time. 

The Power of Purpose: Watching Purpose meant that for 2hrs all I did was listen, learn and think before talking on a panel! 

The film follows Katherine Trebeck and Lorenzo Fioramonti’s journey, alongside others, to create a Wellbeing Economy Governments movement.  

The film made me feel inspired, as I always am, by the impact that one or two dedicated people can make in this world. It made me reflect on the short-term approach that our current political systems tend to engender, preventing real concerted long-term work on not just climate but realigning our economy and society to create a wellbeing economy where everyone and thing has the opportunity to thrive. It made me more determined to keep on fighting the good fight for positive change for people and planet. To continue to reach out and strengthen connections between us to build a bigger and bigger movement to create a way of being that creates happy, healthier sustainable communities, nations and world.  

I would advise you to watch the film and make up your own mind. Why not arrange a film viewing so more people can and discuss it after and then go talk to your political representatives and ask them to drive forward the idea of a wellbeing economy: The very thing that the Scottish Government has signed up to. Let’s encourage and support them to live up to this pledge!  

You can read more about the film, Purpose, its filmmaker and tour here. 

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