Sunday Open Thread – August 12, 2007

Posted on August 12, 2007 by Dave Pollard
tao of holding space
What I’m thinking about, and planning on writing (and podcasting) about soon:

Radical Simplicity: Much of what we need to do to create sustainable models of better ways of living and making a living requires us to simplify how we live: traveling less, buying less, owning less, owing less, supporting self-sustaining local community. How can we learn to appreciate radical simplicity, so we can become better at this?

Personal Resilience and Collective Emergence: I’m learning how not to take the bad things that happen hard, angrily, or personally, and how to let things emerge, in their own time, collaboratively. Why are we never taught these important lessons before the accumulated stress does so much damage to us?

Vignettes: Coming up soon, vignette #5.

Blog-Hosted Conversations: Starting the last week of August, once a week, this blog will feature 30-minute conversations, initially on the subject of “What is your model of a better way to live, and what capacities do we need to develop or re-learn to live that way?”

Open Thread Question:

How much progress have you made in the last five years towards reducing your footprint on the planet? 

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7 Responses to Sunday Open Thread – August 12, 2007

  1. BiIl Norris says:
    August 12, 2007 at 17:20

    We really need better thought out communication between each other.Please see below. I would love your comments of all kinds. Subject : Communique: If

  2. David Parkinson says:
    August 12, 2007 at 21:02

    I think I’ve made pretty good progress in the past five years. I’d give me a B+. Maybe a B. Let’s see: cut out remaining meat-eating (fish, chicken), started growing food, walk and bike almost everywhere now, composting, buying radically less and learning to do away with what remains, starting to entirely cut out plastic (which will be a long tricky project). Probably more I can’t recall right now. It’s all pretty easy stuff, but requires a certain dedication and bullheadedness.

  3. Mariella says:
    August 12, 2007 at 22:45

    “How much progress have you made in the last five years towards reducing your footprint on the planet?” NIGHT AND THE MADMAN”I am like thee, O, Night, dark and naked; I walk on the flaming path which is above my day-dreams, and whenever my foot touches earth a giant oaktree comes forth.” “Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thou still lookest backward to see how large a foot-print thou leavest on the sand…./..by Kahlil Gibran

  4. Vish Goda says:
    August 13, 2007 at 12:16

    “What is your model of a better way to live, and what capacities do we need to develop or re-learn to live that way?”We have to acknowledge our differences and learn to live with them. If you really analyze any of the conflicts – whether they are between individuals, groups or countries – differences of opinion would be the fundamental cause for conflict. Being that the differences could be for serious issues such as sharing of resources or quality of life – the next thing we have to learn is a better way to resolve such conflictsAll of which really boils down to this. If we can raise the consciousness level of everyone on this planet to a state of mind that is objective, detached and contented, thats the only way we can assure a better life for everyone. In other words.You cannot have a better life in isolation – its everyone or none.

  5. Jon Husband says:
    August 13, 2007 at 12:34

    How can we learn to appreciate radical simplicity, so we can become better at this?I have been slowly working at elements of this, mainly over the past 5 years. I now live in 900 sq. ft, walk, ride or take the bus 90% of the time, eat healthily at home, try not to buy anything I don’t need, practice recycling assiduously (which I think is mostly good for my psychology), etc.The more I do these things, the more I realize I am living a quite-luxurious life this way, and so enjoy it more and more.

  6. andrew says:
    August 13, 2007 at 13:12

    NIGHT AND THE MADMAN”I am like thee, O, Night, dark and naked; I walk on the flaming path which is above my day-dreams, and whenever my foot touches earth a giant oaktree comes forth.” “Nay, thou art not like me, O, Madman, for thou still lookest backward to see how large a foot-print thou leavest on the sand…./.. by Kahlil Gibran Mariella

  7. Vish Goda says:
    August 13, 2007 at 20:22

    Here is the paradox:If you are not big enough to leave a large footprint – then no one will even notice you or hear your message, even if the message itself is to reduce one’s own footprint :-)

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