Bakari Pace is a soon to be published author whose first book “Enough. For All, Forever” attempts to tackle issues of scarcity, hunger, poverty and many other related issues that have plagued civilizations for centuries. Pace uses the attention grabbing title to hook the reader in, as he delves into his theory of why he thinks a reallocation and distribution of certain resources can help solve some of the most pressing issues mankind has to deal with.
What is the premise for “Enough. For All, Forever” ?
It’s simple. We have enough for all forever, for the first time ever. If democracy and sustainability are going to have any meaning, we need to incorporate this truth into our recommendations for a better world.
Can you talk about your background and how that may have played a role in “Enough. For All Forever” ?
Walking into a college dining hall changed my life. The New York Times did an article about me as a 19 year old college freshman whose family was surviving on donated bread. Walking into a room every day for years with that much food accessible inspired a lot of my questions about the meaning of scarcity, property, and access.
You have spoken at many different venues like the Council on Foreign Relations, the United Nations, and Bentley University. How did you accomplish getting your voice exposed at such places?
I rely on my community of like-minded friends. I suggest to any of your readers to be deliberate about those you bring into your social circle, because good friends support your interests as you support theirs.
Can you talk about your connection with The Zeitgeist Movement?
The Zeitgeist Movement is one of the few organizations in the world that has adopted a philosophy that is egalitarian and ecumenical, proposing solutions that transcend race, class, and nationality. That philosophy appeals to me as a Morehouse Man with a rich understanding of the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. a fellow Morehouse Man.
How did the idea for the book come about?
There are a lot of circles in which scientists, activists, and entrepreneurs are promoting the concept of a world beyond scarcity, in which every good and service is renewable, automated, and accessible. If we have transcended scarcity, then that’s the most important transition humanity has ever undergone but there have been maybe one or two books published recently that discuss this.
What was the motivation for writing “Enough. For All Forever” ?
It’s exciting to consider all the implications of a world without scarcity have on concepts like on social justice, welfare economics, international development, and so on. It’s also a bit frightening when you realize how valuable and fragile this moment is: handled properly, we can eradicate hunger, homelessness, and poverty from the face of the planet; handled improperly, we can turn our rich, providing Earth into a dry, acrid desert.
When will the book be published?
The goal is to get this book onto shelves at book retailers and libraries, so I’m courting publishers now. For any first time writers out there, the first thing a publisher wants to know is if you have an audience. If you can demonstrate an audience, you’re golden. Many of my promotional appearances on television, in print, etc are instrumental in proving my audience. My first televised interview hit a click rate of 3000/wk on YouTube, so I’m sure with the backing of a strong publishing house, the book will be on shelves within a year.
Can you talk about the GoFund Me campaign currently surrounding your book?
The crowd funding campaign hosted on GoFundMe.com was also part of “proving the audience”. During the short three week campaign which ended on March 8th, we averaged 1000 views per week, and once social media got involved the link to the campaign was shared over 100 times. The tweets went out, and then I sent out just one email blast on the last three days of the campaign and we hit the goal. It was a brilliant opportunity for supporters to get involved and say to publishers that this project deserves attention.
What do you want the reader to take away from reading your book?
I want the reader to know that post-scarcity potential is here, embedded in the promise of our technological capacity and the best instincts of human ingenuity and empathy. Post-scarcity isn’t just about more stuff around, it’s about the quality of life that is available to people who enjoy that condition.
What has the reaction been to the title of the book and the idea behind the book?
The title of course has generated a lot of applause from those familiar with the concepts, folks who’ve studied Buckminster Fuller, Jacque Fresco, Murray Bookchin and the like. For those outside the academic/activist community, there’s an immediate understanding nonetheless that this is an exciting concept, the concept of enough.
Where can people find “Enough. For All, Forever” ?
As mentioned before people will be able to find “Enough. For All, Forever” at their libraries and local book retailers soon, however to learn more about the project the GoFundMe campaign is still up and the Facebook page is up as well.
Why did writing the book take you two years?
I had a ball learning this. You know, I’m a nerd at heart so hanging out at Harvard and Columbia where I was studying trends in food production, water scarcity, traveling down to Venus, FL to meet with Jacque Fresco, Director of the Venus Project and getting his thoughts on renewable energy, and nanotech etc was just my thing. I probably got a little caught up in the euphoria of the learning because this topic is so incredible and massive. I mean, I learned about an organization that builds trains that can take you from LA to NY in 30 minutes, or LA to China in 2 hours, another that was building 3D printers that are replacing the need for going to the store, I was studying with leaders of the free software movement, guys who were making it possible for laptops to get into the hands of every child on earth. Then I was participating in panel discussions at the UN feeling incredibly intimidated by these guys on the forefront of innovative design solutions to address extreme poverty. So the writing really comes from my first hand experiences handling these technologies and my conversations with thought leaders on the concept of Enough.
Any last words for people about “Enough. For All, Forever” ?
Get ready… the next few decades of our lives are going to be more astonishing than you can even imagine.
Enough. For All, Forever Go Fund Me Campaign
Enough. For All, Forever Facebook
-Lulaine C.
