Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Re: [permaculture] The Fed

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Paul Cereghino <paul.cereghino@comcast.net>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] The Fed
  • Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 10:08:08 -0700


It almost sounds like 'permaculture' is some kind of 'silver bullet'? Some
fundamental bottom of
the 'pyramid' foundation that permeates ideas and economies into some kind of
'harmonization'. So
how would a society such as here in the US look based on what you are saying
here, how would it
change for the better and how would people be living their purpose in their
lives?

Nope, I say no silver bullet. Many americans are land owners, but their land management is based on ignorant and informed by a consumer industry. Permaculture is a design system that uses information (as opposed to fuel and materials) to enhances the efficiency of land stewardship skills (agriculture, horticulture, silviculture, gathering). This 'relationship to land using information' is part of a 'bottom of the pyramid foundation' but doesn't directly apply to equaly important issues like relationshis to self, others, and the unknown, but it does indirectly apply.

Our current pattern of 'living their purpose in our lives' results in systematic degradation of ecosystems. So attempting to replace the current 'relationship to land' with a ecologically-based 'relationship to land' allows for future generations to increasingly 'live the purpose in their lives', while increasing the economic resilience of individual family units within the existing culture which does not value 'life' in a broad whole way.

Having a 'healthy' relationship to land has the potential to spill over into other relationship, like relationship to self (I can nurture my self like I can nurture the land, I am productive, I understand life, I make good choices). Having a relationship to land that is healthy and productive, based on understanding of ecological principles is a useful reference point when individuals or their social units try to make sense of more complex situations ethical or social situations. These earth-based referential metaphors are present and healthy.

A increasingly healthy future will look like it does or doesn't exist. I don't think this is about 'look' but about 'do'. Form follows function. Harmony resonates when it is actually harmony, and not when we say it is. You can be living close to the land, and be so mentally tortured and socially isolated that there is no harmony to be found. So it looks like it always has. We are born, we work to eat and drink, we raise the young, we create culture, we die. So we gradually methodically attempt to change function, and teach about what works. Part of that work is 'relationship to land'. Thats all. Before enlightenment, chop wood carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood carry water.

The question for those in the US who are into permaculture, is "why is it that permaculture has such a small cult following in the US rather than having broad attention and appeal?". Or is the kind of abstract thinking required for permaculture only accessible and valued by a segment of the population (in the same way there is only a smattering of 'scientists' who actually do 'science') combined with the obvious reality that people into permaculture appear to be inheritly cranky antidisestablishmentarianists?

Paul Cereghino






Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page