permaculture

[Paul Cereghino <paul.cereghino@comcast.net>]

> 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