"All of Us are Smarter Than One of Us" - the Citizen Story

Gary Spinks

25 Jun 2025 — 3 min read

Jon Alexander, author of Citizens and co-founder of New Citizen Project, at Content Rising

There is currently one book I recommend to people more than any other...

... it is Citizens by Jon Alexander.

The book Citizens by Jon Alexander and his website on screen

Citizens is a book that sets out the roots of the systemic challenges the world is facing today, offers a way to overcome those challenges, and inspires hope through stories of people already making shift happen around the globe.

Once we were Subjects. Then we became Consumers. Now we need to be Citizens to change the world, argues Jon. A theme he spoke about again with energy, purpose and passion at Content Rising.

A line Jon often says to help explain collective Citizenship is this one:

“All of us are smarter than one of us”

Instead of seeing things through the lens of the drama triangle of perpetrator, rescuer and victim, Jon outlined a new version of the model.

The new triangle: Creative Citizens, Enabling Government and Supporting Organisations

The new model is forward-looking and about people in communities having agency. There is a shift in 'roles'.

Victim now as Creator. Rescuer now as Supporter. Perpetrator now as Enabler.

People seeing other people as the solution. People not relying on political leaders or corporates to come up with solutions. People just getting up and doing something to make their community better or be part of something much bigger for the world.

A new version of the 'Drama Triangle' is needed, says Jon Alexander

It’s happening in many, many, many parts of the world.

In Wales, there is now a Well-being of Future Generations Act which provides a framework requiring public bodies to consider the long-term impact of their actions, take a collaborative approach, and involve people of all ages and backgrounds.

An idea proposed by Jane Davidson when she was Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing.

Norway has a vast sovereign wealth fund to safeguard the future of generations, as Jon puts it, to “get behind what people want”. The fund has clear guidelines on how it must be run and what it must deliver for the nation.

The Re-Action Collective was co-founded by Gavin Fernie-Jones and Heather Davies. Re-Action is a collective of organisations working on community-based circular solutions for the outdoor industry.

Community members rescue outdoor gear and products, repair them and repurpose them. They then redistribute items through resale, rental and donation – putting profits back into the regeneration of the outdoors.

Look out for Re-Action Collective and their film ACTionism, the story of member Elle Meredith.

Jon Alexander is already planning a second book.

He believes the new triangle model for change is about supporting organisations, enabling government and creative citizens (that’s people like you and me, by the way).

Be inspired.

Check out Citizens. Get the book, see Jon speak.

Think what you could do in your community, take the idea and run with it.