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  • From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] [Fwd: Re: [SANET-MG] Self sufficiency as a goal in sustainable agriculture]
  • Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:21:37 -0400

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [SANET-MG] Self sufficiency as a goal in sustainable agriculture
Date: Sat, 18 Dec 2004 12:49:59 -0500
From: Robert McGuinn <rpm@ALUMNI.DUKE.EDU>
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU

Sanet,

This topic is really interesting to me. I am fully merged with the
technological, specialized, monetized culture. My job, though having an
environmental focus, is almost exclusively accomplished in front of a
computer (in a cube). I do not grow any of my own food, make anything,
or do anything major to my dwelling (except cooking meals and general
cleaning). Most of all of my repairs to my home and vehicles are done
through paid providers of these services. I do try to spend most of my
non-working time enjoying the outdoors, usually at a local beach or
county park. My physical health and the immediate health and welfare of
my family are my primary concerns, everything else comes second. As far
as sustainability goes, I buy as much organically grown food as I can
afford, and I drive an old beater of a truck that I have owned since
high school (15 years ago). The car choice comes as much from nostalgia
as it does from the desire to fully capture the life-cycle cost of the
product. Most of my purchases are "green" and I try to avoid buying
things just for the heck of it. When I do need/want to buy things, I
usually try to buy from local markets and focus on 'hand-made natural
products.' Basically, I vote for sustainability with my dollars, but I
do little in the way of personal self-reliance. I am totally reliant on
society for my needs. This situation seems precarious to me and
probably to many on this list who are more focused on meeting their own
survival needs. I think most of the main stream live this way. Main
stream includes me, who I consider to be fairly sustainability
conscious, but not actively involved in resource extraction for my own
sustenance. Energetically speaking, my ecological footprint, is
probably not significantly different from any other person in the
mainstream regardless of their ideologies (on a spectrum from 'very
green' to 'don't think about sustainability').

Historically, I see agriculture as the beginning of culture and
specialization, leading away from the primitive states. Even the
primitive states were characterized by degrees of technological
specialization (no tools -----> many tools, or no art, no language
--------> art and language). Maybe every human period leads us away
from a more perfect state. Maybe it doesn't. Given the impermanence of
our very existence, and the enormity and beauty of the entire universe,
what does it really matter? Isn't the real point, some sort of final
union with what is perfect, in a purely personal, individual, and
spiritual sense, and not some earthly eden? Ultimately, as I grow older,
I see that I really don't understand anything and that I don't know what
is the "perfect way". Also, the more I pursue the "perfect way", the
more unhappy I become.

I used to consider myself a "liberal", whatever that means, but now I
think liberals are just whiney and depressed, and that's no way to
live. I don't think of myself as conservative either because, in the
words of that madman TK, "conservatives just want to fool the average
man into trading big government control for big corporate control".
Mostly I have realized that life is bigger than politics.

Finally, I would like to point out a cool Web site, brought to us by the
marvels of technology. Lots of philosophical discussion here on
technology/anti-tech., ag/anti-ag, and such. The writings of John
Zerzan and Thomas J. Elpel are particularly lucid.

http://www.primitivism.com/

Cheers,

Robert McGuinn





  • [permaculture] [Fwd: Re: [SANET-MG] Self sufficiency as a goal in sustainable agriculture], Lawrence F. London, Jr., 10/19/2006

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