permaculture

[Jeffrey Newman <jn@jnweb.com>]

Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2003 16:59:11 -0700
From: Toby Hemenway <hemenway@jeffnet.org>
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Re:  Bob's post, what to call US,   and
        systemic  feedback
To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <B4063401-97B1-11D7-9AB3-00306583731A@jeffnet.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Toby wrote:

BTW, I plead guilty to the charge of living in a self-centered nation. 
Much of what goes on outside the US has no effect that the average 
American can feel, and is not reported in our news (the average 
person's source of info).  We're also about the only major power that's 
a couple thousand miles from any other, so international events reach 
us only with great muffling. (That's why Europeans are so damn savvy, 
all those jostling countries!) And the near-constant warring in much of 
Europe from 1870-1945 only encouraged our isolation--the majority of 
Americans wanted no part of it, and still don't. Our isolationism is 
also a testimony to how stable the US is. Most citizens feel safe 
enough to ignore everything, even domestic politics, that doesn't bump 
them in the nose. Foolish, but understandable.

If Mexico and Canada were Great Powers, I'd bet Americans would speak 
some Spanish and French. And if all Europe spoke only English, would 
Europeans really learn other languages? An entity only responds to 
influences that directly affect it. It may annoy those in other 
countries that the US is so self-centered (and Bush has taken it to a 
sickening, dangerous extreme), but it's perfectly logical.

Toby

---------------

> From Jeffrey Newman:

Hi Toby - I've been enjoying your book - and encouraged a few others to 
get/read/accept it as a gift.

IMO the tendency that gets many backs up is that beyond all the understandable US 
self-involvement is an annoying and common tendency to believe that "my 
country" (the U.S.) is the best in the world. I understand this is subtly or not 
so subtly taught in the schools. Exporting/imposing US culture (which seems to me to be 
largely consumerism) adds insult to injury and probably fuels the 
disrespect/insensitivity recently shown for the Iraqi culture.

To get back OT (means "/on/ topic" this time), someone here recently 
desctibed PC as seeing the interconnected significance in every act (my words - I can't 
recall the exact quote). I am very appreciative that there is the wisdom and maturity 
on this list to allow seemingly less-related matters to surface without having rules to 
keep order. The balance is restored by integrating the important elements - in this 
case, the participants' perspectives.

Moving on to something a little more core PC. Pretty much by accident, I 
discovered that a plant called Herb Robert proliferates and grows strongly 
here in central British Columbia, so much so that it has smothered an area 
that was occupied by persistent plantain and dandelion. The difference is 
that the Herb Robert (the dread Herb Robert?) is easily removed when it goes 
beyond where it is needed. It has some minor medicinal properties and cute 
small flowers but I appreciate the way it has transformed a rather 
ugly-looking corner into a green and pretty one.

Greetings to all from warm Cariboo (region of British Columbia).

-  Jeffrey





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Jeffrey Newman

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