Assembly (Still) Required: clarity, collaboration, and courage in a world full of noise

Latest version of my periodic PSA testifying that choices matter and informed alternative crafting is the name of the game.

Of all the uncertainty taking place here in 2025, I continue to find respite and solidarity in the builders.

Similar to Mr. Rogers "look for the helpers" in times of disarray or crisis, there are folks earnestly doing the work of building things that matter, looking at the difficult problems, and trying whole-heartedly to learn and grow and find new and better ways ahead; to actually understand how the world has come to be made - and looking for meaningful alternatives.

I use Twitter for the occasional fruitful discussion, basically, as a beacon. Image: follow up from discussion of my time after the AI x Philosophy Seminar at Oxford University hosted by Cosmos Institute. More on that event here.

They are often not headlines, or the loudest voices in the room. But they exist, and we are finding ways to connect, collaborate, endure, survive, move through the murky waters and maneuver around the obstacles.

It's part of why I am developing JOPRO, and part of why I am doing a lot of work to connect to various communities of builders, thinkers, healers, and otherwise those looking at what is going on with as clear eyes as possible and getting to the real work.

It’s about the folks drawn to circles of practice that combine strategy, complexity, and care. We may not have perfect answers, but we are asking better questions, together.

2022 PSA

The real work will remain, out there, to be done, regardless of all of the distractions and mounting consequences that we all are collectively having to deal with — right now, and probably throughout the rest of this century ahead. We are in a critical time for history, and we are still learning how to “grow” and have “progress” beyond duplicating what worked from 1900-2000:

The future will not suffer regurgitated methods and approaches, but only return to us the exhaust, exploitations, and familiar disparities of the previous millennium (or rather, millennia.) We have to meet the moment, and resist the allure of convenience in our aims, efforts, and methods.

Furthermore, we don't get the luxury of abstracting things out into a sterile setting: we have to connect where the present is — and understand its inertia and trajectory — to where things can go, and try to make the best choices about what and how to get there.

There is a lot to do, and to build, and yet to be comprehended, no less to be understood. Problematic influences will profit from apathy and despair. I don't have any sense of an immediately tenable utopia, but if there is one thing that I am sure of, is that in spite of the Doom Scroll-worthy news and realities, there are still those showing up and stacking the days and conversations and projects and ideas, to make something of substance.

There are alternatives to select from, choices to be made, and things to do in this world - and they matter.

Jesse
June 2025
Boston

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If this resonates with you, let’s connect, either for community or collaborations. I’m putting a lot of effort in aligning opportunity with those who want to do the work, so if we can help each other build, share hope, sustain and endure, or otherwise pursue what this is, reach out.

For more updates,
Jes Parent: Substack, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Twitter/X, YouTube
JOPRO - Substack, LinkedIn, Bluesky
From Here To There: Substack, LinkedIn