permaculture

[Niels Corfield <mudguard@gmail.com>]

Ken Wilber gives a very compelling argument on this matter in his book A 
Theory of Everything (T.O.E.)

He uses the models formulated by Developmental Psychology, for example 
/"The Spiral of Development".
/In this model there are 8 levels of thinking or "memes" each 
represented by a colour, rainbow ones not your dualistic black and whites.
Here he states quite clearly that those people operating at a "green 
meme" (/relativistic pluralism)/, the highest level of first-tier 
thinking, inherently rejects the /formal rationalism /of orange (green's 
subordinate) and the hierarchies of it and further subordinates (Blue's 
social-, and Red's power- hierarchies).
This is most likely the meme of most of our heritage.
Green's critique of orange and previous memes also closes it from 
further development, for as Wilber puts it we must encompass all 
previous modes of thought in our current one.

Anyway back to the topic.

As comfort for those uncomfortable about hierarchies, the model's 
concepts of /second-tier thinking/ (Yellow, /Integrative /and Turquoise, 
/Holistic/) stipulate a necessity for hierarchies. Or the assimilation 
of hierarchies to construct holons (the building block of a holistic 
world view).
That said the hierarchies in these cases are /nested/. Rather than 
dominant or linear. As in the physical domain, for example, organisms 
are made of cells, that are made of molecules, that are made of atoms, 
that are made of protons etc. And the same in ecology.
Again we return to /holons /(or wholes): each holon is composed of other 
(if you like "subordinate" or more fundamental) wholes/parts. So a whole 
quark is part of whole proton, a whole proton is part of a whole 
atom..........you get the picture......right the way up........... to 
the whole Kosmos (the universe/totality).

At a second-tire level, Added to this integration of hierarchies there 
is the further development from Green to Yellow "Differences and 
pluralities can be integrated into interdependant, natural flows. 
Egalitarianism is complemented with natural degrees of ranking and 
excellence." Wilber T.O.E. pg 13.

So, if permaculture is operating at a second-tier level, which it very 
well looks like, then it's assimilation of hierarchies and other modes 
of thought/operation are concurrent with the model.

For example: Green says: "All hierarchies are bad". Yellow integrates 
them. So perhaps permaculture is Yellow, with turquoise in ascendance, 
when practised well?
That is why there is little admissions made for Green characteristics 
like: consensus descision making, and cognitive processing limited to 
lateral-linking (heterarchies).
In second-tier consciousness there is power to think /both /vertically 
and horizontally, using both hierarchies and heterarchies (ranking /and 
/linking).
Which surely is a pre-requisite for good permaculture practice.

This I think very much concurs with Fukuoka's philosophies:
Organic farming (as an extension of scientific farming) is Orange by 
nature, constrained by it's paradigm of reductionism, materialism and 
rationalism
Whereas /Natural Farming /is a second-tier state. Where natural 
processes provide the order, around which the design (permaculture) or 
farm (Fukuoka) is "dressed".
Only through "_true observation_" (or "deep perception") of processes, 
natural and human (and human-natural) can the design/farm be fully realised.
And only by using second-tier consciousness can, I believe, this deep 
perception truly be achieved.

And let us not forget that Fukuoka was "/living /the talk" long before 
Mollison was in print and that Mollison's paradigm contains much that is 
Orange (/Scientific Achievement) /in nature (books divided into 
chapters, separated into subjects, subjects seprated into sciences, eg 
soils divided into "constituents": physical, chemical, biological)
.............but then good second-tier thinking (memes) must incorporate 
and celebrate all previous memes (/even 
/Orange)...........................................................and 
Mollison's books are just books....................and he's just a 
man...........and permaculture is just an 
idea...................................................and 
permaculture's not 
/everything/.......................................but it's /part/ of 
everything ;-)



Ultimately, much of this comes from Daniel Quinn.  More directly, where I 
picked it up from, would
be Jeff Vail and his memetic theory of power.  Somehow, all of this seams 
similar to understanding
the Tao Te Ching.  We have text after text saying these things, giving words 
for the concepts, yet
it sometimes takes making a nuisance of oneself to finally get it.  From 
finally understanding the
nature of the problem, so to speak, the conundrum of "what to do" posses 
itself.  On this, few
agree.

Distinguishing between rhizome and hierarchy cultures from the Quinn 
perspective:
Rhizome, or Leavers believe "We belong to Earth".
Hierarchy, or Takers believe "the world was made for man and man was made to rule 
it"

Permaculture within the context of Hierarchy keeps me up at night.  
Fortunately, the two pose a
paradox.  Some of the Quinn inspired discussions can be found at 
anthropic.com , as Toby has
mentioned and participated over there.  Other Quinn inspired activity places 
permaculture in the
realm of "intentional foraging" and provides incite into so called "primitive 
culture", as Toby
has discussed at anthropic.

Currently, many more hearts and minds have crossed over than lifestyles.  We 
have the realities of
hierarchy to consider in how we, as individuals, follow our hearts and minds 
to the other side,
beyond civilization.  Many of us reject wealth in an effort to enjoy a simple 
life and run from
the problem at the same time.  Unfortunately, wealth is required, so that 
land can be secured and
then improved.  With reclaimed land, we can begin to provide place without 
labor strings attached
for the wayward and the homeless.  With more reclaimed land, we can then 
transition the struggling
burger flippers into an easier, healthier lifestyle.  As the burger flippers 
and bum disappear,
the foundation of the hierarchy fails (hierarchy needs you to feel 
threatened, so work without
questioning).  With no wayward and struggling masses, there can be no army to 
come take our land
back from us.  With no "one way" for destabilizing the labor base, the 
hierarchy can not fight
back.  One or two rhizomes won't make it.  This must be a global movement to 
be effective.


-Sean.

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