permaculture

[Loren Davidson <loren@wombat.net>]

At 09:58 AM 3/4/98 EST, Elfpermacl wrote:
(on the subject of effective Pc courses)

>In my experience as a teacher, the best results come from working together, 
>if
>not living together, with students over a period of a year or more.  This is 
>a
>first step toward a sustainable culture (we can throw out the perma) where
>people grow up with elders and with a system in a population that embodies 
>the
>behaviorial and perceptual patterns required by place.  Most people don't 
>want
>to take the time for one-year or longer experiences.

And, at least in our current US economic/cultural system, the invisible
structures underlying said system make it highly difficult to do such a
thing.  Because taking a year out of "society" can easily leave the person
doing so without any material resources at all, including the land/space on
which to practise Pc.  All you create is a group of "Permaculture migrant
farm workers".  So I think that what would be needed is for such long-term
programs to really give its participants the tools and support they need to
create their own "place" in a way that is not only an extension of Pc, but
can also interface with the existing economic system, including not only
creating the design for such a system, but an implementation strategy.

But you're right, Dan.  Taking a two (or three) week Design Course and then
being thrust back into one's old life without good access to such a support
structure makes it hard for that student to take more than baby steps toward
integrating Pc principles throughout their life.  I for one have been
struggling with this since my own Design Course, and "breaking the molds" is
proving to be a significant challenge for me.

What sort(s) of "invisible structures" could we create in our designs and
communities to support this sort of learning model?  In the same way that
"halfway houses" exist for retraining homeless and drug-addicted people so
that they can function on their own in "normal" society, how about creating
"Permaculture halfway houses", where in six months or a year the
student/intern is trained in skills and opened to opportunities that allow
him/her to go out at the end of their internship and be able to establish
place & design & livelihood in such a way as to limit or remove dependence
on the dominant economic system?

I realize that some of this must needs wait on a "critical mass" of Pc grads
& designers to make a stronger support network possible.  But I think the
groundwork for such a system could be laid even now.  And the graduating
interns from such a place would then be able, if they so chose, to establish
"Pc halfway houses" of their own, thus multiplying the effects geometrically
over time.

It's not "how can we convert the world to Pc", but "how can we give Pc grads
a better shot at being able to kick the 'habit' of our current
economic/social system?", at least IMHO.  And I think it's one that may be
worth pursuing, by those with the resources and inclination to do so.

Walk in balance,

Loren
--
Loren Davidson      
loren@wombat.net         http://www.batnet.com/beauty/
"Follow your dreams.  Make your wishes.  Create the future.  And above all,
believe in yourself."  -- J. Michael Straczynski