Societies, like individuals, can become addicted to patterns of detrimental and unsustainable behavior. We can learn from one of the most successful therapies at the individual scale, motivational interviewing (MI). MI is based on engaging addicts in a positive discussion of their goals, motives, and futures. One analogy to MI at the societal level is community engaged scenario planning, which can engage entire communities in building consensus about preferred alternative futures via public opinion surveys and forums. Effective therapies for societal addictions are possible, but require re-balancing effort away from only pointing out the dire consequences of current behavior and toward also building a truly shared vision of a positive future and ways to get there.

社会就像个人一样，可能会沉迷于有害和不可持续的行为方式。我们可以从个人规模上最成功的疗法之一-动机面试（MI）中学习。MI是基于使成瘾者积极讨论其目标，动机和未来而建立的。在社会层面上，类似于MI的是社区参与的情景计划，它可以使整个社区通过民意调查和论坛，就首选的替代期货达成共识。可能有针对社会上瘾的有效疗法，但需要重新平衡工作，而不仅仅是指出当前行为的可怕后果，而是要建立对积极的未来和实现这一目标的真正共识。