permaculture

[kevin s <k.skvorak@verizon.net>]

apologies,

in emails,  brevity and coherence are a real challenge. you can only 
include so much.

i appreciate people's reactions whenever an argument containing ism's 
is started, and i share those feelings.   "good little capitalists" 
is NOT meant to demean any individual  (unless they themselves 
strongly identify with such a label) it was meant as a systems 
critique.

 i agree with the fact that evo morales in bolivia identifies not as 
leftist govt but as an indigenous govt.  it is instructive of a long 
history of failure on the "Left" in regards to indigenous people.

i guess for me it is the question and meaning of "resistance" more 
than anything else that is on my mind.

permaculture  is a positive solution.  we are all here i imagine 
because of that.

but- i am stuck with the feeling that it is not enough.   resistance, 
and solidarity with resistance to global Capitalism must be equally 
part of that solution, or else we are all just implicated in some way 
as part of the problem.

i sometimes fear the permaculture movement going the way of becoming 
primarily another "green" lifestyle movement for priviledged people 
in the North to escape to their own beautiful hand built ghettos in 
the woods.

POWER is something that at least those that identify with ism's 
understand, and something we don't talk about much in permaculture. 
Political power, it seems to me must be as much a part of the 
calculation for sustainability as any other source of energy

i for one will never trust -anyone- who suggest we must "forget" the 
politics.  this is simply absurd, or worse. the politics is what is 
killing us all

btw- i am listening to Vandana Shiva right now on Democracy Now 
debating very powerfully (and critically) with a member of Grameen 
bank.  i highly, highly recommend listening to her if you wish to 
inform yourself on this, and the Indian context in which it is placed

http://www.democracynow.org/

peace,
kevin



> re:
> " What's wrong with being a capitalist? Calling someone a "good 
> little capitalist" is insulting and demeaning.  Teach them 
> permaculture, farming and alternative energy and architecture and 
> forget the stinking politics.
> I expect these people already know more about communalism, sharing 
> and cooperation than 49000 roiling, fevered "leftists". They have 
> been living that way for centuries and using a common land ownership 
> system."