Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Democratic solutions to Permaculture

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: David Riley <reuselumber@yahoo.com>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Democratic solutions to Permaculture
  • Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 19:42:59 -0700 (PDT)









Michael Burns, your reply really clarified some thoughts for me about the
whole debate of organising pc folks, and who is carrying on the discussion.
Thanks, your stream of thought that gave me a chuckle at the clarity of it
all.

I keep in mind when reading the views on this list concerning the direction
of permaculture; there are 10's of thousands of graduates of pc design
courses around the world and this listserv comprises what, 700 to 1000
people? PIL list is another several hundred? PRI forum is another couple of
hundred...


Regards,

David



From: Michael Burns
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Democratic solutions to Permacultures
conflicts?



jedd writes:

---snip---
> Let's go back a couple of emails. Or even just back to the Subject.
>
---snip--

> So I ask you -- what are the problem(s) that you see right now?
>
> Once we've yakked about that, solutions can be explored more easily.

Nice... let us step back in this discussion and consider what exactly
we are talking about. In Kevin's original email, he questions why we
don't have a national Pc organization in the USA, and suggested one
be formed along democratic lines. Two problems come to mind
immediately. The first is what makes an organization legitimately
democratic, or what democratic methods would work for whom. These are
good questions that could be part of the design process for a
national organization... if we need one (oops, that's another question!)

The second problem is if you do not believe a national organization
is needed or appropriate at this time, to disagree with Kevin's idea
as presented also meant you would appear to agree with his
characteraztions of those who would disagree as lacking in "trust in
democratic process and organization," and prone to "individualistic
trends." Earlier in his questions/proposal he suggested that we
needed a process that "does not further divide us all, or place
people in turf battles, or cause any of the other internal problems
that seem to plague the 'movement'?

Unwittingly, a discussion becomes framed as you are either for a
democratic national organization OR if not you are an undemocratic
individualist that accepts the divisions and turf battles. Egos,
values, and our own personal worth are at stake and the original
question becomes mired in distracting accusation, comparisons,
personal declarations, and dormant and minor disagreements become
divisions in a movement.

Here I sit (as the coyotes howl outside my window!) wondering...
...I do not clearly see a need for a national org yet I don't oppose
democratic organization.
...I run an institute and see its initial success as a result of a
closed process between 3 and 4 people... where's the problem? I don't
see one. I do desire a grassroots democratic Pc org in my local area,
but not for the certification course.
...I do not clearly see a need for a national org and don't see how
it reflects a selfish individualist tendency on my part.
...From my perspective in the Finger Lakes, I'm fairly oblivious to
turf battles. Further divide? How bad is this divide if I've never
noticed it? What side am I on? Gosh, if there are divisions should I
pick sides? How can I protect the Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute
from being caught up or dragged down by all this? Dang, is this going
to take time away from my land?

Suddenly, the debate is removed from my reality. The issues being
discussed do not reflect the conditions of permaculture in my area or
on my land. Why do I have to pick sides? Why aren't we discussing
real needs? Is this debate exacerbating the "division" that a few are
privy to?

Now we are not discussing the viability, form or need for a national
organization but rather having a pissing match about democracy while
participants dig in to protect their egos, project their agenda,
while most retreat from the discussion losing interest in a hardened
debate between a bunch of sectarian ready-to-escalate-the-rhetoric men.

Meanwhile the rest of us decide to continue our work on the ground,
feeling disempowered on the national level because we don't have the

=== message truncated ===










---------------------------------
Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell.




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page