Posted in reply to the post by CSummer:
This is a continuation of a thread started on WaccoReader from
a post by Hearthstone. We've begun a brief discussion (partly offline) on this topic that we wanted to share with others and invite respectful participation. What I think we're both interested in is expanding our sense of what such words as peaceful, humane, sustainable, etc might mean as applied to a vision of a new society or the world. My view is that this vision could also apply to a micro-society, e.g., an intentional community.
Here are some of my thoughts on these words:
Peace: the absence of war and other forms of violence, both institutional and interpersonal. It looks like: people relaxed, happy, free of fear, able to dance, play and create freely. It is a secure peace, not one over which a threat of annihilation hangs and not one that depends on the oppression of other humans.
Humane: closely related to peace, this is a world in which everyone is treated with respect and included in the wealth the earth and the society have to offer. There is no dividing the world into people who matter and people who don't, or denying anyone access to the resources, tools and knowledge that a healthy, thriving, fulfilling life requires; i.e., everyone is included in our circle of caring and compassion.
Sustainable: our way of life - of meeting our needs - is designed so it can continue indefinitely without degrading or depleting the natural environment or any natural resources. Ideally, it is a way of life that restores the earth to a state of health and abundance. This is best achievable by those who live in communities sustained primarily by local resources; communities that have built a relationship with the natural world that sustains us. If the members of those communities have the intention to be conscious of how all their activities affect the environment, it will become evident over time if any of those activities are not sustainable.
What kind of world do you want to live in? I invite you to step out of the box of the dominant society and economy and imagine the world you really want to live in. Perhaps allow yourself to go - in your imagination - to an uninhabited island with adequate resources to support a small community. Take a small group of people with you and imagine the society and culture you'd most like to create with them. When you return, share with us what it was like if you feel so inclined.
More questions to come . . .
CSummer