-------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 01 Sep 2003 16:25:40 -0700 From: Lynette <•••@••.•••> Subject: Re: Gaian transformation & system dynamics To: •••@••.••• Suggest you refer to the writings in Alternatives to Economic Globalization: A Better World is Possible A Report of the International Forum on Globalization This group includes Maude Barlow, Walden Bello, Tony Clarke, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, David Korten, Vandana Shiva and others. They are positing in this book what people are discussing on this forum- a return to the local. Lynette ----------- Dear Lynette, Thanks for the reminder. Here's their website: http://www.ifg.org/programs/alternatives.htm There weren't so many advocates for localism when liberal democracy and Western prosperity were in their heyday. Globalization has brought the reality home to us... the consequences of living under centralized political and economic systems. When it comes to 'programs' for society, a local focus is making sense to more and more people. My own contribution to this paradigm shift is to help develop an understanding of the political dimension... the community as the fundamental unit of political sovereignty in a stable, decentralized world system. cheers, rkm -------------------------------------------------------- From: "Richard Clark" <•••@••.•••> To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: Re: Gaian transformation & system dynamics Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 07:49:40 -0700 X-Priority: 3 Hey Richard, it was great to rediscover you writing and hear from you again. I shared one of your essays with my buds at cafe.utne.com, and they were impressed too. I will give careful attention to the article you just sent me and will probably have some comments. Best regards, Richard Clark -------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 02 Sep 2003 09:49:38 -1000 To: •••@••.••• From: Claudia <•••@••.•••> Subject: Re: Gaian transformation & system dynamics At 10:36 PM 9/1/03 +0100, you wrote: > I think it is important to focus on that moment-of- opportunity, that moment when a successful movement brings about the fall of the current elite establishment. When that time comes there will be many immediate problems to deal with, and it would be wise for the movement to already have some idea of where it's going, what kind of structural changes make sense if we want a sustainable, democratic society. We are used to a global, complex and interconnected system- tho its existence has been very short and it depends upon the destructive practices we abhor. The moment-of-opportunity you mention will probably be created by disasters, plagues, and the collapse of global systems. Only local systems are likely to survive. In such a scenario, who will preserve knowledge? How will widely dispersed like-minded people be able to help each other? Intentional communities with viable agriculture and a solid knowledge base might be an interesting place to start. How they might defend themselves from ideologues and tyrants, I can't say. In the meantime I've found myself alert to news of communities where good practices are not smothered by conflict or apathy; where diverse personalities manage to work together; and where authoritarianism is actively resisted. If history is any guide, artists and outcasts usually are the first to find these locales. Claudia --------- Claudia, As you quoted above, the 'moment of opportunity' I refer to is a moment achieved through the actions of a 'successful movement'. The moment you refer to - 'created by disasters...' - would be a very different kind of moment. Perhaps such a moment could have a favorable outcome, but I doubt it. Lots of people seem to have a romantisized notion of what 'collapse' would be like, something based on the Roman Empire collapse or sci-fi movies. To get a more realistic idea, think about what happens to a modern nation which is under attack in warfare. People may be starving, but what food there is goes to the military and leadership infrastructure. Command-and-control persists. In the sci-fi movies, we always see survivors in an empty world. In reality the post-collapse scenario would include the National Guard. Food would be confiscated & distributed according to centralized priorities. Those who starve would those who are considered expendable. Intentional communities are appealing to many of us. I've got many friends who have lived in such communities at one time or another. From what I've observed, people are attracted to these communities because they are seeking a 'new life' -- either to find new companionship or to connect their life style with their ideals. They are usually in a position in life where they don't mind leaving their current circumstances behind them. This is fine for some, but most of us have ties with family, jobs, friends, and community that we aren't particularly interested in leaving. And many who move into such communities leave again after a while. My own interest is more in ordinary communities, communities based on place. When I wanted a 'new life', I chose a town in Ireland. Compared to the suburbs and cities in California, Wexford has a strong sense of community identity and 'belonging'. It comes from the place, the history, and the connections between people and families. Intentional communities typically have an even stronger sense of community identity because they are relatively small and the members were drawn there by the shared focus of the community. I'm interested in how community identity - and empowerment - can be encouraged in ordinary communities. rkm -------------------------------------------------------- From: "Leonard Rifas" <•••@••.•••> To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: RE: Joanna Macy: The Great Turning Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 20:08:11 -0700 We celebrate this, for example, in the Council of All Beings. In that reverent and playful community ritual, we step aside from our human identity to speak on behalf of other life-forms. I participated in a Council of All Beings led by Joanna Macy at an Interhelp conference in Redwood City, California in the mid-1980s. I have often remembered it, and remain grateful for that experience. Regards, Leonard Rifas -------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 8 Sep 2003 16:38:52 +0200 To: •••@••.••• From: •••@••.••• (Christoph Reuss) Subject: Re: [MAI-NOT] Break in 9/11 coverup Cc: •••@••.•••, •••@••.••• Michael Meacher wrote: > [The Wolfowitz paper] also hints that the US may consider developing biological weapons "that can target specific genotypes [and] may transform biological warfare from the realm of terror to a politically useful tool". It is interesting that a former Blair minister points this out. There's a theory that Dr Kelly died because he knew too much about the U$raeli development of "weapons of RACE destruction" against Palestinians/Arabs. Looks like a number of microbiologists and other armaments industry staff already had been suicided for the same reason... See http://csf.colorado.edu/mail/peace/aug03/msg00009.html Chris -------------------------------------------------------- From: "Stephen Verbit" <•••@••.•••> To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: RE: A break in the 9/11 cover up? Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 16:45:38 -0400 X-Priority: 3 (Normal) Importance: Normal Cancun diary Wednesday September 10, 2003 The Guardian · Michael Meacher, the former environment minister, has been refused admission to the talks by the WTO despite being invited to meetings with the Mexican government and international consumer groups. The embarrassed WTO denied that he was a security threat and admitted that an error may have been made. "We have never heard of him, but we question whether he is a bona fide journalist," said a spokesman. Mr Meacher was furious: "Let's just say that my opinion of the WTO is not high right now." Retaliation from the establishment? Stephen Verbit Law Offices of Stephen Verbit 235 North University Drive Pembroke Pines, Florida 33024 Ph: (954) 965-8350; Fax: (954) 241-6947 <>www.verbitlaw.com -------------------------------------------------------- From: "Val Eade" <•••@••.•••> To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: Another connection Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 08:32:48 +0800 Dear Richard, Thought I'd forward this on to help with the unified field of transformative energy that is growing and growing. Val from Australia The Collective Wisdom Initiative - and Deepening Democracy Dear friends, I want to alert you to the appearance of a very intriguing and aesthetic new website by The Collective Wisdom Initiative http://www.collectivewisdominitiative.org/ This initiative was born out of a team of spiritually oriented folks curious about the mysterious potential of groups. Funded by the Fetzer Institute they set out to understand how it is that ordinary people in properly convened groups can tap into levels of collective intelligence and spiritual wisdom far beyond what one would expect from the individuals involved. ---<snip>--- I came to think of them as the spiritual cousins of Sandy Heierbacher of The National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation http://www.thataway.org , that open-hearted networker of all who respect powerful conversation. Like Sandy, these Fetzer folks see the big picture and want to help the field of collective wisdom deepen and grow to achieve its full potential. So they have designed a website to help practitioners, students and the curious public fathom this potential, find each other, and share their discoveries along the journey. ---<snip>--- The whole enterprise is a remarkable adventure and I encourage you to spend some time exploring it. In particular, I want to alert you to a seed paper by Rosa Zubizarreta, my friend and colleague -- and the passionate midwife of my book THE TAO OF DEMOCRACY http://www.taoofdemocracy.com. Rosa's paper brilliantly weaves interactive spirituality into a vision of deep democracy. Given our shared history and many conversations, her vision naturally overlaps with -- and deepens -- mine. But it also has a glowing integrity of its own, and I really enjoy the thought of you discovering its gifts. Below is an excerpt from her essay, just to give you a taste. And if you'd like to get to know some of the many people in this field, check out the list of hundreds of names (including Rosa's and mine) at <http://www.collectivewisdominitiative.org/files_people/ _people_list.ht>http://www.collectivewisdominitiative.org/ files_people/_people_list.ht m and read our responses to the questions the Fetzer folks have asked us about the field and our work in it. Then, if you find yourself feeling at home, consider submitting your own answers to those questions and becoming part of the expanding seed-sprout these innovators have planted, soon to blossom for the good of the world.... There's a tremendous amount of juicy material available on this site (as on Sandy's). Enjoy it, and join the energy. There is so much to do, so much to learn, so many truly fine people to journey with.... Coheartedly, Tom _ _ _ _ _ From: http://www.collectivewisdominitiative.org/papers/zubizarreta_democracy.htm Deepening Democracy: Awakening the Spirit of Our Shared Life Together by Rosa Zubizarreta While there are many worthwhile efforts to address the problems we are facing, something seems to be missing in much of the conversation about democracy. There is often a disquieting sense that the problem goes much deeper than we may realize. Too many of us are not finding ourselves moved by well-intentioned efforts to "reform" our political landscape, much less by "politics as usual." There seems to be a much deeper hunger for meaning, a sense that our political and economic system needs to be renewed at a much more fundamental level than many suggested reforms might address. We know that "without a Vision, the People will perish." Yet in modern times our political system has become so disheartening to so many, that the very idea of democracy seems to have lost its power to inspire us. Our participation in the creative process of envisioning and actualizing our collective future has been reduced to selecting a candidate from a limited number of options, and our imaginations seem to have withered accordingly. At the same time, we know that every challenge offers the gift of opportunity. If we wish to renew the radical and revolutionary sense of relevance that democracy once inspired in the hearts and minds of so many people, we may need to ask ourselves fundamental questions about what it means to be human. As we search for a way through our current political crisis, we may find ourselves questioning our understanding of the Universe and our role within it. Looking deeply at the challenges of the present moment may turn out to offer some insights into the next steps of our evolutionary unfolding.... [She then proceeds with a detailed description of the revolution in thinking and institutions that can take us through that unfolding, concluding with this hope:] May we all help midwife, as gently and effectively as possible, a future filled with blessings for everyone. ________________________________ Tom Atlee * The Co-Intelligence Institute * PO Box 493 * Eugene, OR 97440 http://www.co-intelligence.org * http://www.democracyinnovations.org Read THE TAO OF DEMOCRACY * http://www.taoofdemocracy.com Please support our work. * Your donations are fully tax-deductible. -- ============================================================ "...the Patriot Act followed 9-11 as smoothly as the suspension of the Weimar constitution followed the Reichstag fire." - Srdja Trifkovic There is not a problem with the system. The system is the problem. Faith in humanity, not gods, ideologies, or programs. _____________________________ cyberjournal home page: http://cyberjournal.org "Zen of Global Transformation" home page: http://www.QuayLargo.com/Transformation/ QuayLargo discussion forum: http://www.QuayLargo.com/Transformation/ShowChat/?ScreenName=ShowThreads cj list archives: http://cyberjournal.org/cj/show_archives/?lists=cj newslog list archives: http://cyberjournal.org/cj/show_archives/?lists=newslog 'Truthout' excellent news source: http://www.truthout.org subscribe addresses for cj list: •••@••.••• •••@••.••• ============================================================