Article: Occupy Sebastopol and Town Hall Meeting

[Larry Robinson]

"There's something happening here; what it is ain't exactly clear."

The Occupy movement has touched a deep chord in America, particularly among young people who sense that the doors of opportunity are closed to them and that capitalism has finally vanquished democracy. But that is only the most visible face of what is happening here, in Europe, in the Middle East, in Iran, in China and Burma and many other places.

Pundits and politicians all have very clear ideas about what is happening and they are all probably right; and all probably wrong, at least, in the sense that the blind men meeting the elephant are all right and all wrong. None of us can see the whole picture and we would be foolish to imagine that we can.

An understanding of the history of popular movements can give us some clues, but much of what is happening is unprecedented and, therefore, unpredictable. In particular, this movement has no defined leaders, no governing structure or ideology. Instead, it seems to be self-organizing, more like living organisms than machines. It belongs to no one and to everyone. It may be the world's first open-source social movement.

Many of us have a lot of certainty about where it is heading, but we are all almost certainly wrong. It may be Yeats' rough beast slouching toward Bethlehem or it may by Sophocles' moment when "hope and history rhyme". The unavoidable fact is that none of us really can know. We are in a time of such flux as we have never known in our history. All bets are off.

The science of complexity tells us that it is when systems are in such disequilibrium that new levels of organization that were not apparent or even possible before can emerge. It also tells us that at such times initial inputs can have disproportional impacts on the outcome. What this means to me is that our actions and our choices right now, both individually and collectively are vitally important. It also means that our collective dialogue is critical, since we probably have greater vision and more wisdom together than any of us does individually.

To continue the conversation that Occupy Sebastopol has initiated about economic injustice and the future or our country and community, the Leadership Institute For Ecology and the Economy and WaccoBB.net are hosting a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, December 8 at the United Methodist Church from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.

I hope you will join us to share your own perspective on what is happening here.

Larry Robinson served 12 years on the Sebastopol City Council, including several terms as Mayor and a lover of poetry.

[CSummer]

I am very pleased and grateful that this is being offered! I would like to ask two things: That in addition to sharing our own perspectives, we will practice listening for understanding; That in addition to "what is happening here," we can express what we see as the unrealized potential, i.e., what we imagine could be happening here if we choose to go in certain directions.

Many thanks!
Clint Summer

[Larry Robinson]

Clint,
These are excellent suggestions. Thank you. We will find a way to incorporate them into the evening. The format is still evolving but at this point we are planning to use a "World Cafe" model of small group serial conversations. Joseph McIntyre of AgInnovations will be helping to facilitate the process.
Larry

[iaim2xl]

Very thoughtful and well-written commentary, Larry.

I would like to add an additional perspective. Many people, even those on the "progressive" front, may have trouble with this one, but some of you out there will know what I'm talking about.

It is no longer sufficient to view world events simply in political or economic or social contexts. I believe the reason why movements are now emerging from the bottom up and spreading as they do is because of the underlying transformation of our species that is occurring. Think of it as the "hundredth monkey" phenomenon.

The Arab Spring, the Occupy movement and all the events that reflect this new way of being as groups is merely reflecting a new way of being at the Core of who we are. Perhaps we are finally coming out of the chrysalis. Politics, religion and economics cannot work if WE don't work. Maybe we're finally reaching a critical mass as species where the bigger/inner part of who we are is simply reaching spiritual adulthood.

God knows all the attempts to make religious, social and economic systems function throughout the ages haven't produced workable, sustainable societies. So, at some point, you have to question that maybe it's the people BEHIND those systems that haven't worked.

I'm convinced that enlightened, evolved people can make any system work: either capitalism or socialism. They can be either Democrats or Republicans, Moslems or Jews or Christians, etc.

We are, I believe, coming into a new age when Being, Source, God or whatever you want to call it is finally taking over. The old ways don't work anymore. If we prevail in the Occupy movement, it won't be because of the movement itself. The movement is a marker of the power behind it, just as the revolutions throughout the Middle East are markers of the power behind the revolutions.

It may look scary and chaotic, just as looking at a chrysalis and seeing the butterfly tearing through the structure that binds it would appear frightening if you didn't understand what was happening. It will get very messy as those who don't understand what's happening will try ever harder to enforce the old structures.

But meanwhile, what a show! What a marvelous time we live in! Buckle your seat belts, lean forward and relax inward. This is going to be a ride the likes of which humanity has never seen or imagined.

:-)

"There's something happening here; what it is ain't exactly clear."

The Occupy movement has touched a deep chord in America, particularly among young people who sense that the doors of opportunity are closed to them and that capitalism has finally vanquished democracy. But that is only the most visible face of what is happening here, in Europe, in the Middle East, in Iran, in China and Burma and many other places.

Pundits and politicians all have very clear ideas about what is happening and they are all probably right; and all probably wrong, at least, in the sense that the blind men meeting the elephant are all right and all wrong. None of us can see the whole picture and we would be foolish to imagine that we can.

An understanding of the history of popular movements can give us some clues, but much of what is happening is unprecedented and, therefore, unpredictable. In particular, this movement has no defined leaders, no governing structure or ideology. Instead, it seems to be self-organizing, more like living organisms than machines. It belongs to no one and to everyone. It may be the world's first open-source social movement.

Many of us have a lot of certainty about where it is heading, but we are all almost certainly wrong. It may be Yeats' rough beast slouching toward Bethlehem or it may by Sophocles' moment when "hope and history rhyme". The unavoidable fact is that none of us really can know. We are in a time of such flux as we have never known in our history. All bets are off.

The science of complexity tells us that it is when systems are in such disequilibrium that new levels of organization that were not apparent or even possible before can emerge. It also tells us that at such times initial inputs can have disproportional impacts on the outcome. What this means to me is that our actions and our choices right now, both individually and collectively are vitally important. It also means that our collective dialogue is critical, since we probably have greater vision and more wisdom together than any of us does individually.

To continue the conversation that Occupy Sebastopol has initiated about economic injustice and the future or our country and community, the Leadership Institute For Ecology and the Economy and WaccoBB.net are hosting a Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, December 8 at the United Methodist Church from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.

I hope you will join us to share your own perspective on what is happening here.

Larry Robinson served 12 years on the Sebastopol City Council, including several terms as Mayor and a lover of poetry.

[Orm Embar]

I am not able to attend the town hall meeting tonight, as it is bedtime for school children, but I am grateful for the fact that my fellow community members are gathering. I would love to hear (read) some the evening's highlights from anyone who has time to post!Thanks!-L

[Barry]

Shepherd Bliss just wrote an article about last night's fabulous town hall meeting!

I am not able to attend the town hall meeting tonight, as it is bedtime for school children, but I am grateful for the fact that my fellow community members are gathering. I would love to hear (read) some the evening's highlights from anyone who has time to post!Thanks!-L