First of all I want to apologize for the confusion generated by x-posting.
However, I felt that what I had to say had relevance to all lists. Smooch.
>Maybe I'm on the wrong list, but I am getting the impression that some of the
>contributions on ECOFEM are related less to pursuing healthy ecology and
>feminism than they are about complaining. While I'm not against venting, it
>would be nice to hear some of the more 'socialist' among us talk about
>solutions, and less about whining about the system as it stands. For
>example, if you really think that we would be better off in a 'socialist'
>society, I'd be interested to know how it would work--what kind of socialism,
>and how do you get around the issues of individual self interest, varying
>work ethics and talents, etc.. that have resulted in unworkable and low QOL
>societies.
Ok, I'll bite. I don't think that socialism, or marxism works, really.
It's been tried and there are implicit problems. It is not an alternative
to anything, because it still follows, as long as it tries to be a system of
control of society, the paradigm that has caused devastation. The main one
being is that everyone seems to become a slave of the state and those that
threaten the state are removed. But what the #$)(%*#$ is a "state?" Now I
*know* that this is not what most socialists believe socialism to be, but
the fact is that it becomes that as long as we regard it as an "ism" or
ideology. To me, marxism/socialism/communism is trading one hierarchy for
another, in this case the "good of the people." and the individual gets left
out. And the very idea of regarding it as some sort of ideal turns the
whole dynamic into a hierarchical paradigm, which we are supposed to "strive
for." I don't think we should strive for any ideology. We all know that
the other "ogies" and "isms" don't work. Capitalism is what the government
in this society is and it is destroying the world. Socialism and communism
failed dismally in Russia (oh yes, I know that it was not *pure*, but the
point is as long as we have human beings mucking around in things you will
never get a *pure* ism.)
So, how do we do something that can incorporate our "impurities?"
So, I propose a new dynamic. Rather than depending on "isms" we need to
look at the human animal as an implicit factor within a greater organism, as
a part of a whole, as necessary to the survival of this organism as are all
the other parts. I would like a return to decentralized tribal communities.
I would like us to examine a living ecosystem as our model for human
interaction. A living ecosystem is a hierarchy, in some sense, but all
things in the ecosystem are an integral part for the whole to survive. And
it is open, to new ideas, to new species, as long as those new things adapt
to the flow. What does not adapt, dies out. We have a perfectly valid
system of societal structure inherent in every backyard stream, on every
mountain...Gaia teaches us how to live with each other, and she knows the
craft VERY well. We are constantly trying to *create* new ways of
interaction, new ways of "fixing the problem" but (damnit) we don't even
seem to understand what the damn problem is! And it is a core simple
problem. We have become alienated from life and that which lives. We are
pathological as a species, we kill the very being which gives us our life.
WHY? What do we need to do to wake up? Do we not realize that we are going
to DIE OUT like the dinosaurs if we don't start to try and integrate in a
normal way with the rest of the species in this gigantic egg of life, which
may be the only egg for millions and millions of light years?
Ok, so I vented, but the point I am trying, so desperately, to make, is that
it's fine and dandy to run around telling people they shouldn't do this or
that and what "isms" they should live by, but when was the last time these
same individuals looked at how to be a co-conspirator with the rest of the
life on this planet? We aren't the only species, we aren't the only life.
We sprang from an incredible evolution, and we REALLY need to get away from
this anthropocentric attempt to try and deal with ourselves, as if we are
different from the rest of the co-habitors of this planet. We aren't the
only species that has importance here. And there are plenty of species
(actually all the rest of them) that have learned how to live dynamically
with their home. And there are human societies, indigenous societies which
have known this as well.
The point is: WE ARE ALL SILLY MONKEYS WITH OPPOSABLE THUMBS AND WE DON"T
KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT!
breathe....
So. Let us begin with the obvious fact that we are animals, trying to live
in a world that is sometimes terrifying and fraught with danger to our
personal welfare....let's get back to the beginning, and look at what we
did. We discovered something. This was an instantaneous, miraculous thing.
We discovered fire, and our consciousness *********shifted********* All of
the sudden we could stay warm without constantly hunting for internal
energy, so we had time on our hands, quite LITERALLY. We could stay in a
*place* rather than depending on following a herd. We could SMOKE our meat
so that it would stay preserved. We had time...we learned speech, we
learned how to create art, how to sing, dance, sew, etc. Our hair started
to dissipate, because we no longer had to depend on our own body hair. The
fire aspect totally turned around our whole animal nature. As did the
ability to figure out how to plant seeds. We were, please remember, at that
point, one shake away from the BONOBOS chimps, which is our closest living
link to the primates. They are chimps which exchange sexuality for food,
shelter, etc, a matriarchal species, a bi/polyamourous species, which are
very developed in other ways. They are a non-aggressive clan in our primate
group, they work out difficulties with love rather than aggression.
(Something that we NEED to learn, desperately). Anyway, I digress.
We must try to remember where we came from. It was an egalitarian society,
based on the need to be close to each other, to have family, tribe, touch,
etc. Mothers touching babies, friends touching each other. Sharing
metaphors of myth, sharing common ground and revealing new experience with
song, stories, dance. Talking around that fire that warmed us, and
grounded us to each other. Reaching out on a primal level to each other to
heal the fear when we go out by ourselves to face the wild and sometimes
unforgiving aspect of Nature. But also telling each other the secrets of
her grail, her womb. Sharing the delight we have when we discover Her womb
which is the key to all mysteries.
I speak from the heart on this, because this last weekend I discovered what
tribe was , in a VERY real sense. I realized that it was *possible* to find
a community of beings that WERE my family. A young woman in our tribe
stood up and made me realize this....she was born within our tribe, (one of
the few true daughters of Neo-Paganism). was brought up by many of us, and
she made me realize how important it was to get down to the nitty gritty of
why we are. She has gone through many difficulties, but has come out on the
other side of her travails as a dedicated daughter of the Earth. She is
dedicated to helping young people find a center, find a home, in a place as
unlikely as Ukiah, which is an impoverished lumber town. A town ravished by
capitalism and it's cohorts, which would desecrate the Earth. She is going
to spend the next year and a day creating a youth center, in the name of our
Church/tribe, to provide a place for young people to find a center in Ukiah
to explore other than drugs and apathy. I am so PROUD of her, and of US for
creating such a daughter. It's really hard to explain, unless you saw her
shining spirit, which has gone through SO much, standing up for her
convictions and her love for all beings. She is a fiery, wonderful woman.
I am honored to be part of the tribe that created her. I told her later
that it is people like her which make me dedicated to changing the paradigm,
that she is one of the people that keeps me from just apathetically
withdrawing from this fight, that she gives me real HOPE for our future.
That what we are doing is NOT in VAIN. That WE DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE,
MIGHTILY. One step at a time. She REALLY validated all the feelings I have
been feeling about what I need to do, and I need to do it. She was a
wonderful example of what is possible, and she made me realize, for the very
first time that what we are trying to do DOES make a difference. She is a
metaphor, a new mythic archetype. A survivor, who has dedicated herself and
her community to change the whole bullshit paradigm. Her name is Lessara.
And she is FIRE!!!! I honor Her as a living Goddess manifesting change.
She has given me hope, because she believes in her ability to "change the
world".
>
>Don't mean to flame anyone-- I would just like to hear more about the
>practical thinking behind the soundbites.
>
>Wendy
Wendy, was that enough?
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Joy Williams
Scion, Church of All Worlds
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Thou art God/dess!
