permaculture

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

Haven't noticed much permaculture conflict... not enough shared 
resources yet to really get down to politicing.

> "I personally think the "lineage" aspect of permaculture is one of its strengths.  
> I suspect that while holding to core PC principles, each lineage has its own unique take on the 
> subject matter and its application."  --Bob Waldrop
Similarly... ecoregion affinity influences ones design preconceptions.  
Lineage combined with eroregional affinity may form the foundation of 
most viable networks.  But the topic de jour is that fateful step from 
network to self-governance.

"How does the permaculture certification process speak to noting a person who has 
honed their skills of interspecies facilitation?" -- Kathyann

Thank you -- I like many idea's in Kathyann's post.  it was digging at 
something under the skin -- about what we are trying to do by elevating 
something.  We could spend a lot of resources figuring out which pig is more 
equal than the others.

I have been very impressed by Murray Bookchin's contribution to the 
debate of self-governance and promotion of confederacy... and it 
resonates with Starhawks message of 'power over' vs. 'power from 
within', and that conscious identification of how we organize power and 
assert our personal power is very important.  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_Bookchin

I would strongly suggest consideration of Confederation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederation

Power remains in strong local networks (that provide ecological/economic 
functions) that then develop a locally relevant form of self governance 
under which the power of the group is freely gathered.  These affinity 
groups can forward a representative to larger bodies, amass collective 
resources, and make committments to joint ventures.  I would suggest 
that there are several existing place based permaculture entities 
forming or well formed.  These groups should resolve their power 
structure at a local, personal, intimate level, then look at their 
shared goals, one of which could be supporting the formation of other 
place-based groups.  Confederations are built from shared vision.  
Status is alloted by communities as they see fit.  Lineage is more 
clearly defined and meaningless proclamaition of self worth become 
meaningless.  Well traveled and well respected teachers are honored by 
multiple communities as they earn it.

I could imagine a system of tithes at a local scale... members tax 
themselves, tucking away what they can into a personal escrow, at 
whatever level of centralization they feel comfortable.  initiatives can 
be proposed by individuals within the network and can seek support -- an 
arbiter/elder can be identified to hold the participants to honorable 
transaction.  Ideas that resonate gather more resources, only at the 
will of self-governing groups which operate at an intimate scale.  
Non-viable matchings split -- those of like mind aggregate.  Local 
groups host events to symbolically share the wealth of their network.  A 
joint project could be a national effort or it could be support of a 
local elder in need.

I suspect that at this point in system evolution anything else will be a 
group of professionals developing a trademark protection guild to 
advance their status... nothing wrong with that... it just is what it does.

Paul Cereghino