permaculture

[Mitra <mitra_lists@earth.path.net>]

And in particular - if anyone claims to be an expert ask them one important 
question - are they living now, and for how long, have they lived in one or 
more intentional / sustainable communities. Some of the people claiming to 
be experts are not now living,  and haven't lived for an extended period of 
time, in a community , so most of the theories are just that - theories.

For example, I was listening to a well known "expert" on communities 
recently, everything he mentioned was correct, but much of his focus was on 
why communities failed.  Well communities fail, but then so do 
relationships, and the important part is how they were when they were 
working well, a point echoed to me afterwards by several people in the 
audience who actually lived in communities.

- Mitra


At 10:03 PM 1/10/2002 -0800, John Schinnerer wrote:
> Aloha,
>
> I think it is important to look at the big fat implicit cultural biases
> in these questions and both work with them and transcend them...give
> them what they want and yet *not* what they want...
>
> My pointed questions below are rhetorical to the extent that I know the
> status quo rebuttals to them.  I offer some alternative activities...
>
> > Among those, NHK, Japan's public television network is planning a TV
> > special on "Sustainable Communities" and looking for following
> > information.
>
> > 1) Who are the world's leading experts in the field (on sustainable
> > communities)?
>
> What makes an 'expert'?  For whom, when?  Why only talk to them?
>
> How about talking to lots of actual everyday people working
> towards/living in 'sustainable communities', in many different
> countries?
>
> > Are there any credible research institutes or center
> > worldwide?
>
> What does 'credible' mean?  For whom, when?  Why an 'institute' or
> 'center'?  Does living it qualify as 'research'?
>
> How about asking lots of different people in lots of different
> communities who've been doing it for decades (and for only months, as
> well) what they've studied, learned, discovered?
>
> > 2) What communities or areas in what countries provide the best
> > examples for the sustainable communities?
>
> What is 'best'?  For whom, when?  What is 'sustainability'?
>
> The more diverse (in all ways) examples offered, the better.
>
> > 3) Are there any big conferences, workshops or events planned related
> > to "sustainability" during this summer anywhere in the world?
>
> Why 'big'?  Why conferences, workshops, events; why not living
> examples?
>
> How about visiting and participating in small, locally appropriate (and
> locally sustainable! ;-), locally motivated, designed, implemented
> stuff?  Including everyday life, decision making, group process, etc...
>
>
>
> =====
> John Schinnerer, MA
> --------------------
> - Eco-Living -
> Cultural & Ecological Designing
> Food - Shelter - Community
> john@eco-living.net
> http://eco-living.net
>
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