How bad is the state of our society?
This site started out as a sort of
personal collection and organizational point for various book notes, and
information from the Internet, which could, if needed, be shared with
another.
I'm getting sort of disillusioned with
sharing philosophical thought on the Internet (it's not that I don't like
discussing things intellectually, it's just that I'm more interested in
doing something real).......and am thinking if people are not capable
of, enthusiastic enough, or simply too afraid to communicate directly, that
is talk on the phone, they are probably incapable of doing much more than
going along with "the system". A system I would call, opportunistic and
exploitative. Certainly cost is no longer a factor regarding telephone
conversation. Rather, it would seem this inability or unwillingness to
"talk" is indicative of a state of affairs where we actually have very
little to say to anybody philosophically or spiritually, which isn't
surprising in our singularly opportunistic, materially centered, divided,
unfair, and unjust culture that we more or less passively accept. Sure,
there is plenty to talk about regarding "getting ahead", chit chat about
this or that bit of gossip, or news, or "talking shop" about one's
particular business or craft; but a confirmation and celebration of
meaningful and deeply held ethics, and the accomplishment of a vital and
communally shared goal or goals, I don't think so.
www.usurynomore.info
www.cooperative-community.info
I always thought that this
seemingly tricky, or mysterious business of "alternative" or "green" men and
women "hooking up" as they say, was about shared interests, dreams and
values (I have always suffered a bit from naïveté) and so I have been
inclined to go on a bit philosophically in print, as well as hoping to
engage in actual conversations.
However, I'm coming to the
realization that relationship between the sexes (conservative, liberal,
and even quite radical) is really not mysterious at all - it's simply
about money. It may be politically incorrect to say so, but I think the
times may call for a certain bluntness. Within the context of an
opportunistic and exploitative capitalistic system based on the "family",
survival within the so-called idyllic family unit becomes primarily an
affair of seeking
position, possessions and ultimately degrades to a greater or lesser degree
into issues regarding control,
contracts and servitude - if not one to another within the family, then to "work", or "the
system". It would be hilarious if it weren't so sad and catastrophic, as in
leading to so many wars. So many who think themselves or their societies
"free", when in reality, it's simply the freedom to choose how and where one
will set up one's indentured servitude. Regarding "love of one's work",
that's fine, but if that opportunity is not universally available to all,
then it is unfair and unjust. And finally, love between men and women under
these circumstances is all but impossible. Fondness, the pursuit of
pleasure, the solving of various problems regarding companionship and
survival issues but to call it love is most of the time a stretch of the
imagination. There is simply too much dependency and control issues going on
for there to be love.
Now before you label me a
complete cynic, let me say that I have always prided myself as a truth
seeker, a realist, someone who self reflects, a pragmatic man who can
generally and
generously see "both sides" of an issue, whether male-female, or
conservative or liberal. I understand the concern for "money", survival, and
so on. It's real and it has to be dealt with in some realistic, fair and
responsible fashion. Ah, but here's the kicker, that idea as to what is
actually achievable, realistic, fair, responsible or necessary as an
approach to the "money" issue or, in other words, the taking care of our
physical survival, as well as pursuing the "extras" can be a very
subjective, relative, personal, different, and so on. Some of what we view
as "realistic" or "achievable" or "necessary" we get from our upbringing and
parents, societal programming, commercial manipulation, comparison, envy,
some from our experiences in life and with other people, some from reading
and some from our imagination; and all this goes together to condition and
influence our minds. Perhaps too, it might also come from our capacity for
courage, our level of intelligence, sense of adventure, purpose and sense of
social, or personal responsibility. Or, it might come simply from a strong
need to "do what one loves."
You might think by my saying
all this, I'm completely broke; actually, I'm quite far from it. However,
while I'm proud of my accomplishments and work, I did not work in "the
system" either, so I do not have those sorts of long-term benefits; of
course neither does most of the rest of the planet either. Note: I feel it's
important to say here, my present philosophic and socioeconomic perspective
is definitely not a product of any present circumstance (age, resources
etc.), but rather, it has been a lifelong interest beginning in my 20s.
I will explain this perspective momentarily.
My knowledge of myself, self
study, as well as my experience with the world, has, and continues to tell
me that something different (profoundly different, really) than the
status quo needs to be done, it is possible and not only possible, but
highly desirable; not just for personal satisfaction and the
meeting of personal needs, but regarding a sense of social justice and
environmental responsibility. My answer to the "money" issue, which in other
words is simply a "how do we survive and pursue our desires" issue, is that
we should have always been living in large (a few to several hundred
people probably), rural and largely self-sufficient cooperative
communities, communes basically, but more communitarian than strictly
egalitarian. (Please call, if you need further
clarification.)
I am always tempted, and have
attempted in the past, to go on and on trying to explain this rather
unpopular (and that's putting it mildly for sure) notion; to convince
the unconvinced. But more and more, I'm coming to the realization that most
will probably never get beyond the opening sentence professing my basic
belief that we should be living more a less communally. Maybe at some point
I'll write a book, or make a documentary movie, but I don't think I should
just go on and on in a haphazard website, endless e-mail, or blog sort of
situation. So I'm glad to talk on the phone, exchange a few e-mails. I'm
interested in who you are, your interests, your experiences, your values and
dreams, but as I said, relationship between men and women today seems
ultimately to revolve around the central issue of money, which says to me
(and this is totally understandable and exactly my point) a man and
woman do not live, do not relate to each other in a "vacuum" so to speak.
We, as men and women paired up, live within a culture, a socioeconomic
system, and every culture or socioeconomic system (including a communal
one) has its own demands or boundaries; agreements and expectations.
So, what I'm saying is that I
am not interested in "fitting in" to the existing exploitative capitalistic
culture. I think it's pathological, it's based on greed and/or a sort of
Puritan strangulation of the spirit. This "civilized" culture creates
endless wars, crime, addictions, degenerative disease and to boot,
we're/it's making a mess of the natural world.
I'm not anti-technology at all
per se. I'm not opposed to a degree of comfort and security. And I don't
advocate a return to hunting and gathering (after all, agronomy is my
biggest passion), but I do side with the likes of Derrick Jensen who
says "civilization" can't be fixed. I believe in socialist values, but I
don't see how socialism could possibly work from the top-down, except in a
society that was already living with communal values from the bottom up. In
other words, the so-called idyllic individual family, home, or even rural
Homestead is simply too extravagant materialistically and resource wise,
it's too inefficient regarding energy and work, it's socially isolating,
stiflingly dull and requires way too much labor, or money to provide a
quality life..............without, and this always happens, engaging in some
sort of social injustice, direct or indirect exploitation of others, and/or
the destruction of our environment..... it really leads to a brutishness
about life, if not outright violence. Indeed, the isolated socioeconomic
family unit is the foundation which the artificial and frequently warring
nationstate rests upon.
It's not that I don't know how
to survive in this society on my own, or with a woman, it's simply I think
it works extremely poorly that way.
