SWS - Study

4.4 Respecting culture and benefiting from it

If the cultural dimension of human life and living together is not taken into account in the design of transformation processes, this can lead to resistance and blockades. At the same time, the great potential of culturally shaped perspectives, approaches to the world, views of humanity, value orientations and preferences to promote transformation remains unused.


Lifestyles and consumption patterns often change in so-called "niches". Initially, they only take place in certain socio-cultural milieus and only under certain framework conditions and anticipate on a small scale what is to be achieved by the socio-ecological transformation of society as a whole. In the meantime, organic and fairtrade products have found their way from individual private initiatives to the shelves of the large supermarket chains, even if by far not all the standards of justice and sustainability associated with them have arrived there. The niche thus shows that leaving the beaten track and breaking through well-rehearsed behavioural routines is possible under certain conditions and that in this way innovative power can develop. The idea of the "prosumer" points to the fact that in more and more areas the boundaries between production and consumption are beginning to blur. For example, energy transition can be promoted if a growing number of households produce green electricity for more than just their own needs.


In order to make the experiences "in the niche" fruitful for society as a whole, they must be sensitively perceived and analysed in the first instance: Why did these "niche-like" changes occur, what factors favoured them, what preconditions were necessary – and what can be learned from them about how structural conditions of enabling and incentive should be designed to be spread beyond the niche? If these experiences are implemented and become recognisable as attractive and worthy of imitation to broader social strata through appropriate communication, changes in society as a whole can be set in motion from within the niche.

"In the meantime, organic and fairtrade products have found their way from individual private initiatives to the shelves of the large supermarket chains, even if by far not all the standards of justice and sustainability associated with them have arrived there."

A wise transformation policy thus also follows the already described subsidiarity principle in cultural terms: on the one hand, it emphasises common target perspectives such as the promotion of a sufficiency-oriented lifestyle and the common good, but at the same time opens up new spaces and niches so that the different traditions and values can all contribute to the necessary cultural change.


Through their power of orientation these deeply rooted cultural traditions, which are not static and rigid but often change slowly, contribute significantly to the orientation of individual and collective action. They unfold a strong motivational force to actually behave according to this orientation and offer a supportive hold even in times of upheaval. Therefore, they should be addressed and used whenever they are compatible with the goals of socio-ecological transformation. This also applies to religiously and spiritually based attitudes and beliefs.


Thus, in different cultural traditions, there is a high appreciation of nature and non-human living beings, a normative knowledge of the interconnectedness of all living things, as well as concepts of a good life that is not exhausted in material prosperity: all of these attitudes are well compatible with the target perspective of a dignified life for all human beings within the planetary limits. Here, in an intercultural dialogue that respects diversity and difference, it is necessary to explore what can promote the socio-ecological transformation.


The aforementioned diversity of cultural beliefs, attitudes and approaches to reality is a challenge that must be addressed and used as an opportunity: Diversity also makes it easier to perceive, interpret and shape the complex reality in a plural and unabridged way. Pope Francis also points to the value of cultural diversity in the face of the complexity of the challenge: "If we take into account the complexity of the ecological crisis (...) we would have to admit that the solutions cannot be reached through one single way of interpreting and transforming reality. It is also necessary to draw on the various cultural riches of peoples, on art and poetry, on inner life and spirituality. If we really want to build an ecology that allows us to rehabilitate all that we have destroyed, then (...) no form of wisdom must be left aside." (LS 63)

Comments (2)

19.11.2021 / 16:35 Uhr

P. Degenhart

"Keine Form der Weisheit beiseitegelassen"?

Einerseits freue ich mich sehr über diese Aussage des Papstes, die eine große Wertschätzung gegenüber verschiedenen Wissenstraditionen und anderen Meinungen verrät, aber ich frage mich - gerade auch angesichts der vielen Fake-News und Verschörungs-Schwurbler: Wo liegt die Grenze zwischen "anderer Form der Weisheit", die ich wertschätzen muss und "Pseudowissenschaft", die mir und dem Gemeinwohl letztlich schadet? Ich kann doch nicht alle gleichberechtigt wertschätzen und reden lassen, oder?

02.12.2021 / 17:18 Uhr (> answer to P. Degenhart)

Dr. Stefan Einsiedel

Das ist eine wichtige Frage, die meines Erachtens nicht von einer Einzelperson, sondern nur im gemeinsamen Diskurs geklärt werden kann. So wie in vielen Wissenschaftsfeldern im "Peer Review"-Verfahren eine Gruppe von Wissenschaftlern sich gegenseitig überprüft, ob die Veröffentlichung handwerklich sauber erarbeitet und logisch nachvollziehbar argumentiert wurde, ohne dabei inhaltich einer Meinung sein zu müssen, so müssten auch die "verschiedenen Formen der Weisheit" sich gegenseitig herausfordern und hinterfragen. Was wäre denn Ihr Ansatz? Beste Grüße, Ihr Stefan Einsiedel