Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Summertime...
Fighting in the streets...from my little place in this world, the only people I expect to fight in the streets are an unhappily married couple.
I observed someone last evening speak from a cognitive dissonance...I thought this morning while sitting on a park bench at 6:15am, having coffee and a cigar, people want change, yet when a possibility arises, many can’t seem to get out of their accustomed habits of living. It’s as if they want someone to change their life for them...this makes them susceptible to leaders, gurus, charlatans, dictators.
They want another life, another world, yet seem so stuck in any comfort of their present way of living.
There appears to be a degree of predictability when people will eat, when they can sleep in shelter to rest, to escape the day of nothingness…
So...what does it take to start some level of social change, that does not require such a huge, uncertain transition. I watched people in this ‘discussion’ group last evening, not the one I referenced, as close as we claim we are to each other, there are still communication barriers that will not enable the bonding, the understanding needed so we can start to create some degree of social change right within our lives.
This will not make the world better for 7 billion people, but it will be a start, that we, 10 of us can initiate almost immediately, in our geographical proximity. By the way, I might be repeating myself, if anyone conjures ideas of the failing, and I don’t know how many failed, communes of the 60’s, that’s not what I’m referencing. Perhaps the reason any communes failed is because the old way of thinking was brought into a new situation...Instant replay.
Almost immediately we can effect the popular problems of reducing gasoline usage, reduce air pollution, noise, electro-magnetic pollution, etc.
We can start to develop more meaningful relations, community, ideas for work that might be a bit more satisfying...whatever the hell that is, right within walking distance...exercise will happen.
The struggle to leave the mainstream is also reduced by the mind power of the group.
Most people over the age of 6 minutes old know there is something very, very wrong with how we live and relate to each other...so what blocks social change at a small level between supposedly 10 like-minded people...addiction?, FEAR?, little insight into both?, not knowing an approach to resolve this baggage?, shed this armor?
I’m not one of them, but this is a very bright group of people. What keeps people stuck, except for our vocal chords, and minimally? Summertime is truly the time to look at all this since the weather is not an obstacle, inhibiting effort to change.
Does anyone out there know of a small group of people you care about who might be interested in developing a self-sufficient community? Has anyone tried this? Why did it succeed or why did it fail?
What rationalizations were popular or sounded elitist, or escapist, etc.? What were common denominators of group that might have drawn each other closer? I’m truly curious.
Posted by joe of maine on from 06/21 at 06:24 AMjoe, i have thought about doing a self sustainable community. in fact one of the scottish islands has already done it and this has sort of been my dream for a long time.
what with global warming and all these islands will probably be fucking tropical soon…
this might really interest you…
Posted by michael on from scotland 06/21 at 07:28 AMMichael..2...what kinds of vegetables, fruits can you grow in your immedate area?
Posted by joe of maine on from 06/21 at 09:20 AMMichael...2...Thank You...The Island of Eigg is a great story...and yes I know sometimes the story isn’t always the reality...sometimes the reality might be even better than the story...I think it can be, when there is real human caring and understanding...and if not...why not?
Posted by joe of maine on from 06/21 at 10:16 AMin my immediate area not many because i live in a city!
as far as arable land in scotland - there are a few large areas where the soil is good fro growing veg but lots of land is very mountainous and/or the soil can be slightly acidic so there are only certain things you can grow.
traditionally much of the land has gone over to grazing animals. i found this list of non-imported stuff…
Grains:
Oats
Barley
Rye
WheatVeggies:
Carrots
Parsnips
Potatoes
Turnips
Leeks
Onions
Rhubarb
Kale
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Burdock Root
Rape Root
Garlic
Carageen
Dulse
Celery
Hawthorn BerriesFruit:
Apples
Plums
Pears
Strawberries
Sloes
Raspberries
Tayberries
BramblesHerbs:
Stinging Nettle
Parsley
Thyme
Coriander
Dill
Opium Poppy
Summer Savoury
Rosemary?Spices:
Salt
Pepper
Ginger
Cinnamon
Cloves
Nutmeg
Mace
SageSweetners:
Honey
Treacle (molasses)Posted by michael on from scotland 06/21 at 10:28 AMThanks Michael...I could live on all that, including the herbs.
Posted by joe of maine on from 06/21 at 10:38 AMok, we just need to choose an island and buy one then.
i have about 5 pounds ($10)
its a start!
Posted by michael on from scotland 06/21 at 10:51 AMI’ll match that $10.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/21 at 10:55 AMright, thats us underway. if any of us gets a lottery win they buy the island and we rename it ‘expendable island’
deal?
Posted by michael on from scotland 06/21 at 11:01 AMAn island is not necessary...anywhere can work. I have a friend who still owns a real island off the coast of maine. He lived there for 30 years...this place is exquisite!
The way he lived is hard work...not necessary...work smart, not hard...don’t need islands to have a community...need imagination, think beyond tradition…
Posted by joe of maine on from 06/21 at 11:18 AMHey, I live on an island that was purchased from the original inhabitants for, what was it-- $24, right? Think we can get a deal like that again? Come on, any thoughts about all that…
Posted by James on from work 06/21 at 12:09 PMThe value of Manhattan Island has risen a bit
...but what about my island: Long Island?Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/21 at 12:19 PMJames...11...sounds like you got quite a bargain...!
Posted by joe of maine on from 06/21 at 01:13 PMI’m not sure what that article is about-- I mean my rent goes up about 4% each year and I figured that’s the way it is… but I think that the Indians just gave Long Island away because they didn’t think that 7 train service would be reliable on weekends… as for fair trade, I lost track of how much is just so wrong about this:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ardyFvYPoEzY&refer=home
Posted by James on from work 06/21 at 02:20 PMJames...I saw F4: Silver Surfer the other night. The dialogue was some of the worst I have ever sat through, they somehow made Jessica Alba look unattractive, but I enjoyed the Silver Surfer parts a lot.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 06/21 at 03:21 PMHey JOS-- that’s pretty much the reaction I’ve gotten to F4: SS in general. It’s strange, as if after other recent Marvel movies, they just didn’t try that hard on the FF. How did you like SM3? It wasn’t perfect, but not as totally terrible as some have said. And while there does seem to be too many of these movies on the way these days, I’m oddly looking forward to the new Hulk, with Ed Norton as Banner and Tim Roth as the Abomination. We’ll see…
Posted by James on from work 06/21 at 04:08 PMHow’s everything with you and your family, JOS?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/21 at 04:15 PMAnd I am broke as usual!
(I love the idea-- my favorite island is Lismore-- for somewhat obvious reasons.)
http://www.kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=20839
Posted by Robert B. Livingston on from San Francisco, California 06/21 at 04:18 PMOh yeah, hey-- I meant to mention I was glad that you were able to take time out to relax some and enjoy a few hours… hope you and your family are peaceful and everything as can be.
Posted by James on from work 06/21 at 04:19 PMThat was a bad link-- try this--
Posted by Robert B. Livingston on from San Francisco, California 06/21 at 04:19 PMGreetings all…
Robert B Livingston...great watercolors on your link there.
Blessings to your family, JOS.
Count me in. I have $10. Actually I have $12.72.
Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 06/21 at 04:32 PMJames: I haven’t seen SM3 yet, but heard good things.
As for the family...we’re doing OK. A short update on the situation up there in Alaska:
my brother and Uncle (Kathy’s dad) went back up to Alaska on Monday. I found this group called the Seth Foundation (sethfoundation.org) who are a great bunch of people who volunteer their time and extensive expertise to do water recovery efforts…they have all of the high tech sonar equipment the divers and a remote controlled underwater vehicle for recoveries. The Seth group arrived last night and will search until Monday…we are hoping that they get some results. If not, another expert will be arriving next week to continue the search. Right now it is just wait and see…so we’re taking it a day at a time.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 06/21 at 04:36 PMsorry, it’s sethfoundation.com, not .org.
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 06/21 at 04:39 PMAnd a Happy Summer Solstice to you, Mickey and to you, Joe of Maine, Michael from Glasgow, James, JOS, Robert B. Livingston (oh, San Francisco - my favourite American city, right up there with New York) and last but by no means least Rosemarie! In Australia it is actually winter, so today (yesterday?) is the shortest day in the year, but so what ..
An island sounds good - as in the song performed by an Aboriginal Australian, Christine Anu: ‘My Island Home’.
Ciao, Helga
Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 06/21 at 07:23 PMHi Helga, hi everyone.
When I get to live with a nice small group on an island somewhere and we’re self-sufficient and it’s all working the absolute last thing I will do is set up and maintain a website about it. I mean: what?
Posted by Keir on from the hague 06/21 at 07:50 PMKeir, let’s just skip the island and buy the rights to ExpendableIsland.com.
Hi Helga…
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/21 at 07:54 PMI know of a very small island in a freshwater pond (maybe 7,000 ft/2). It is not suitable for crops, though wintergreen berries can be foraged. Once I discover oil there, I’m all set.
Until then, it’s Lord Of The Flies time on Turtle Island.
Posted by Zen Prole on from Urth 06/21 at 07:59 PMThe most likely island for us.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 06/21 at 08:01 PM
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