To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>, Andy Goldring <andyg@permaculture.org.uk>, leeds_permaculture_network@yahoogroups.co.uk
Subject: [permaculture] Perhaps Ken Wilber has the inside track? Re: Rhizome culture
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 17:33:51 +0100
Ken Wilber gives a very compelling argument on this matter in his book A
Theory of Everything (T.O.E.)
He uses the models formulated by Developmental Psychology, for example
/"The Spiral of Development".
/In this model there are 8 levels of thinking or "memes" each
represented by a colour, rainbow ones not your dualistic black and whites.
Here he states quite clearly that those people operating at a "green
meme" (/relativistic pluralism)/, the highest level of first-tier
thinking, inherently rejects the /formal rationalism /of orange (green's
subordinate) and the hierarchies of it and further subordinates (Blue's
social-, and Red's power- hierarchies).
This is most likely the meme of most of our heritage.
Green's critique of orange and previous memes also closes it from
further development, for as Wilber puts it we must encompass all
previous modes of thought in our current one.
Anyway back to the topic.
As comfort for those uncomfortable about hierarchies, the model's
concepts of /second-tier thinking/ (Yellow, /Integrative /and Turquoise,
/Holistic/) stipulate a necessity for hierarchies. Or the assimilation
of hierarchies to construct holons (the building block of a holistic
world view).
That said the hierarchies in these cases are /nested/. Rather than
dominant or linear. As in the physical domain, for example, organisms
are made of cells, that are made of molecules, that are made of atoms,
that are made of protons etc. And the same in ecology.
Again we return to /holons /(or wholes): each holon is composed of other
(if you like "subordinate" or more fundamental) wholes/parts. So a whole
quark is part of whole proton, a whole proton is part of a whole
atom..........you get the picture......right the way up........... to
the whole Kosmos (the universe/totality).
At a second-tire level, Added to this integration of hierarchies there
is the further development from Green to Yellow "Differences and
pluralities can be integrated into interdependant, natural flows.
Egalitarianism is complemented with natural degrees of ranking and
excellence." Wilber T.O.E. pg 13.
So, if permaculture is operating at a second-tier level, which it very
well looks like, then it's assimilation of hierarchies and other modes
of thought/operation are concurrent with the model.
For example: Green says: "All hierarchies are bad". Yellow integrates
them. So perhaps permaculture is Yellow, with turquoise in ascendance,
when practised well?
That is why there is little admissions made for Green characteristics
like: consensus descision making, and cognitive processing limited to
lateral-linking (heterarchies).
In second-tier consciousness there is power to think /both /vertically
and horizontally, using both hierarchies and heterarchies (ranking /and
/linking).
Which surely is a pre-requisite for good permaculture practice.
This I think very much concurs with Fukuoka's philosophies:
Organic farming (as an extension of scientific farming) is Orange by
nature, constrained by it's paradigm of reductionism, materialism and
rationalism
Whereas /Natural Farming /is a second-tier state. Where natural
processes provide the order, around which the design (permaculture) or
farm (Fukuoka) is "dressed".
Only through "_true observation_" (or "deep perception") of processes,
natural and human (and human-natural) can the design/farm be fully realised.
And only by using second-tier consciousness can, I believe, this deep
perception truly be achieved.
And let us not forget that Fukuoka was "/living /the talk" long before
Mollison was in print and that Mollison's paradigm contains much that is
Orange (/Scientific Achievement) /in nature (books divided into
chapters, separated into subjects, subjects seprated into sciences, eg
soils divided into "constituents": physical, chemical, biological)
.............but then good second-tier thinking (memes) must incorporate
and celebrate all previous memes (/even
/Orange)...........................................................and
Mollison's books are just books....................and he's just a
man...........and permaculture is just an
idea...................................................and
permaculture's not
/everything/.......................................but it's /part/ of
everything ;-)
Ultimately, much of this comes from Daniel Quinn. More directly, where I
picked it up from, would
be Jeff Vail and his memetic theory of power. Somehow, all of this seams
similar to understanding
the Tao Te Ching. We have text after text saying these things, giving words
for the concepts, yet
it sometimes takes making a nuisance of oneself to finally get it. From
finally understanding the
nature of the problem, so to speak, the conundrum of "what to do" posses
itself. On this, few
agree.
Distinguishing between rhizome and hierarchy cultures from the Quinn
perspective:
Rhizome, or Leavers believe "We belong to Earth".
Hierarchy, or Takers believe "the world was made for man and man was made to rule
it"
Permaculture within the context of Hierarchy keeps me up at night.
Fortunately, the two pose a
paradox. Some of the Quinn inspired discussions can be found at
anthropic.com , as Toby has
mentioned and participated over there. Other Quinn inspired activity places
permaculture in the
realm of "intentional foraging" and provides incite into so called "primitive
culture", as Toby
has discussed at anthropic.
Currently, many more hearts and minds have crossed over than lifestyles. We
have the realities of
hierarchy to consider in how we, as individuals, follow our hearts and minds
to the other side,
beyond civilization. Many of us reject wealth in an effort to enjoy a simple
life and run from
the problem at the same time. Unfortunately, wealth is required, so that
land can be secured and
then improved. With reclaimed land, we can begin to provide place without
labor strings attached
for the wayward and the homeless. With more reclaimed land, we can then
transition the struggling
burger flippers into an easier, healthier lifestyle. As the burger flippers
and bum disappear,
the foundation of the hierarchy fails (hierarchy needs you to feel
threatened, so work without
questioning). With no wayward and struggling masses, there can be no army to
come take our land
back from us. With no "one way" for destabilizing the labor base, the
hierarchy can not fight
back. One or two rhizomes won't make it. This must be a global movement to
be effective.
-Sean.
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