permaculture

[Felicity Wright <flickwright@ozemail.com.au>]

> i agree and resonate with you on the issues of cultural dominance, greed and
> exploitation. but why is whitefella dominant? Guns, Germs, and Steel: The
> Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
> (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393317552/qid=1009898173/sr=1-1/ref
> =sr_1_75_1/002-7174170-6581606) was quite a revelation to me. as a biologist
> he looked at it scientifically (methodically, by historical evidence, and as
> unbiased as one can be), and clearly answered: it is not because of genetic
> superiority. but quite as clear came up: it is not because of special
> greediness, cruelty, or any other ethical inferiority either. all societies
> of all races have been equally ruthless as soon as they got a chance to
> dominate. and they all did so whenever they got a chance, with all the nasty
> details right down to genocide, be it whitefella, blackfella, redfella,
> yellowfella or anyotherfella.
> 
> so i am afraid the attitude you can observe in todays indiginous people is
> simply a result of the fact, that at present they are the dominated (read:
> raped, killed, exploited, colonized, dislocated, etc.etc.) ones, and not the
> other way around as in: they are dominated because they are so
> non-dominating.
> 
> i myself found this even harder to stomach than the cultural baggage - it is
> the baggage of our species.
> 
> georg
>

Thanks for that Georg, I will look for title in the library, but I still
challenge the 'as unbiased as can be' - says who? Says our rationalist
culture. One of our conceits is that we can be 'objective', through
science and rationality, through our obsession with creating areas of
specialisation and ultra-study. Unlike those 'other' people who are not
us.. who operate more instinctively or spiritually or whatever. Anyway,
that's just a bit of a challenge about the dominant paradigm and
thinking about all the things we take for granted like the existence of
'experts' - and where has that got us in terms of the world and its
environment?

I'm not saying that Indigenous cultures are intrinsically better or
nicer than whitefellas (or yellowfellas etc) but that in my experience
they don't evangelise or crusade or seek to convert or impose their
world view (which makes them significantly different from dominant
western culture). Further, at what point do we stop and take
responsibility for the dominance of our culture and the way we all
benefit from some of the comforts and utilities it brings to our lives
whilst recognising how it oppresses other people, physically,
spiritually and emotionally? We oppress people with language and
attitudes (cultural imperialism) as much as through environmental and
financial exploitation. I am not guilt-ridden and overwhelmed, rather I
try and stay conscious of how I can conduct myself ethically as a member
of the dominant culture/society - and trying to understand and respect
other peoples' experiences and points of view and requests that exercise
caution/discretion with the distribution of information or heed their
wishes which are often spoken in a quiet, gentle voice. 

Look at the way the traditional owners of Uluru (Ayers Rock) deal with
tourists from all parts of the globe climbing the rock. They put up
signs and politely ask that people respect their cultural beliefs and
refrain from climbing. For them, asking should be enough (and if you
were part of their culture you'd automatically understand). Part of
their concern (apart from it being an important site) is that they feel
bad about people getting hurt or dying when they climb and as
traditional owners in an Aboriginal society they perceive themselves as
being responsible for visitors' wellbeing (and climbers regularly die on
the rock). They have the power to stop people from climbing through
force but instead they ask for respect.... and yet still thousands of
people climb the rock annually (because we're obsessed with our
individual rights and freedoms and having meaningful personal
experiences). Imagine the antagonism that would erupt towards the
traditional owners if they exercised their right (under Aust. Law) to
stop people climbing?

I see Marcus' initial statement on this list as being a small, quiet
voice saying 'hey, this is the concern of someone, how can we respect
it?'. And we put our energies into working out how we can still do what
WE WANT to do by debating and rationalising away the concern and
discussing issues of greater good - as if we are in a position to judge!
When we show that we can listen, be humble and treat knowledge with
respect, then communication and rewards will flow. And they may not be
the rewards we were chasing but they will be even more satisfying.

flick