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  • From: "Healing Hawk" <healinghawk@earthlink.net>
  • To: "'permaculture'" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] what is "politics" exactly...?
  • Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 18:16:13 -0600

In my opinion, a Permaculture-informed politics looks like consensus
process, notwithstanding all the trying experiences people have had with it.
With trained facilitators (an early investment groups should make, I think,
is consensus facilitation training) consensus process allows a community to
grow its members into people who are comfortable with making decisions for
themselves and for the community.

There are always pathologies involved, because, I think, we are wounded
people who have been taught to shut up and do what we're told, generally.
Each person needs to feel empowered to respond appropriately to the
environment in real time. Healthy and mature consensus process heals and
grows people to this point.

It's as far from Robert's Rules of Order as one can imagine, but Robert's
Rules are a huge part of The Problem. They're hierarchical and autocratic,
and result in huge learning curves for those who are to implement the
decisions made without them.

Consensus process is inclusive and respects people, when done right. It
does not usually, however, set any speed records, but once done, everyone
knows what they're doing and what part they will play in the decision just
made by the group. No other decision making process comes close to good
consensus process, in my experience.

Politics is the process by which a human organization conducts itself in the
world.

Tommy Tolson
Austin, TX


-----Original Message-----
From: permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of kevin s
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2007 5:28 PM
To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: [permaculture] what is "politics" exactly...?

so, instead of a critique of existing systems, (which these
conversations often become) what does a permaculture informed
"politics" look like? how do we manifest it in our local
communities? how do we manifest it in relationship with other
Permaculturalists?





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