permaculture

[Fiona Campbell <pacedge@magna.com.au>]

Message to Bob Howard - it is Russ Grayson here, not Fiona Campbell - 
I'm just using her computer so her name automatically appears on email 
headers.

On Friday, June 6, 2003, at 07:50  AM, John Schinnerer wrote:

> Aloha Joshua,
> Welcome to the non-lurker side of the list.

> > So far, I have not read one post about PC.  What
> > gives? Can we focus on the reason we are all here?
>
> My comment on your questions is that you've been witnessing the 
> 'culture'
> aspect of permaculture in action here.

Permaculture is a microcosm of their wider societies, so people 
involved in permaculture have a diversity of opinion and are prepared 
to argue their point of view. Permaculture is much more than growing 
plants and I agree with John's statement above about the discussion 
being about the 'culture' side of permaculture. Permaculture cannot 
ignore what goes on in society and discussion on seemingly off-topic 
subjects is part of dealing with that.

I find that the discussions on this listserv are useful because the 
responses to an idea or opinion you put up provide the feedback that 
allows you to correct mistaken perceptions, to change the way you think 
about things as you get new information and alternative points of view 
or to reinforce and perhaps further develop your own attitudes and 
perceptions. I have found this also to be the case on the Australian 
region listserv, permaculture-oceania.

As to Bob Howard's provocative style and subject choice in argument, 
provocation often elicits better responses than other approaches. I use 
this in my writing because - I'm speaking about Australia here - 
permaculture has often looked at itself through rosy-coloured glasses 
rather than taking a more constructively critical point of view. 
Curiously in this regard, this morning I found a link labeled "for a 
provocative counterpoint" to a column I write for an online current 
affairs journal. The article was about ecovillages and the link is on 
the ABC's (Australia's national broadcaster and online news service) 
website set up as part of a documentary series on intentional 
communities. The article, I thought, was not particularly provocative 
and addressed issues that had first been raised with me by ecovillage 
residents themselves. I wrote it because I am supportive of ecovillage 
development - and of all the great work that permaculture people do - 
and wanted to address issues so that those with the know-how might fix 
them.

In the permaculture community, it is true that critical (another word 
for 'analytical' - we are not talking mere criticism) writing is 
sometimes seen as negativism. But critical commentary in any form - 
even Bob Howard's - is necessary for any movement to develop - you get 
nowhere by patting yourself on the back all the time, only through 
continual improvement.

What I think people get upset at are off-the-cuff responses that take 
an argumentative tone. But maybe we can simply see them as just 
initial, mainly emotional responses and as the prelude to a more 
considered discussion.

...Russ Grayson