[permaculture-oceania] End of Suburbia cancellation -commiseration

[Janet Millington]

I think there are two points to consider.
1. The value of showing the End of Suburbia
And 
2. the appropriateness of a message at an opening of a new centre for
positivism.


There is no doubt there is a need for all participants in our society to see
where that is going and so EoS is essential viewing.  But we need to be
sensitive to those who are just starting on the journey that some of us have
been on for decades.  

We need to move them along with us and not turn them into further denial.
Their entry into this sort of realistic future thinking needs to be positive
and I would show the Cuba video as it is a celebration of positive action,
the same as opening a new building....  Especially for an opening I think
the positive approach would be best.  The principal at a local school has
insisted all students be shown the Cuba video after seeing it at  the
school's monthly permaculture group meeting where it was screened to over 50
community members (50 is good for mid week in Winter in a small QLD town)

Later you can schedule EoS and leave time for a forum where people can make
suggestions as to how that sort of end could be offset by positive action in
their own community.

I am interested in the other title mentioned The Future of Food as we now
have people here moving from denial into action and we need to gather up
more as well as define our specific action in each community.
Regards
Janet Millington

Janet Millington
140 Finley Road
Eumundi QLD 4562
07 54 427 200
0402 06 24 65



-----Original Message-----
From: permaculture-oceania-bounces at lists.cat.org.au
[mailto:permaculture-oceania-bounces at lists.cat.org.au] On Behalf Of Russ
Grayson
Sent: Tuesday, 1 August 2006 11:15 PM
To: permaculture-oceania
Subject: Re: [permaculture-oceania] End of Suburbia cancellation
-commiseration


Well, Virginia, I couldn't agree with you more. Is it a case of too much
time in the garden for these people and not enough time with their heads up
in the world? (no criticism of Robyn's valuable work meant here, not any
slight at her friends and collegues).

The bushland work these people appear to be involved in is useful but, like
gardening, it will do little to introduce social change. And as for
"worrying" people, well, there's an old journalist saying that goes
something like 'comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable'.

So, if the film afflicts people in their nice comfortable lives? Well, too
bad because, if it proves to be correct eventually, or even an approximation
of what happens, then a little affliction now might save a great deal more
later.

You know, in the days when even right wing neocon commentators talk about
the end of oil (the one I have in mind was using it to promote nuclear
energy, though there were misconceptions in his article about the types of
energy use that doesn't fit here), it really is hard to deny it. The ostrich
head-in-the-sand-hear-no-evil reaction to this news surely invites the
critical response it has received on this listserver.

Good that you tried, Robyn.

...Russ


On 31/7/06 12:15 AM, "Virginia Solomon" <vsolomon at netspace.net.au> wrote:

> It is not only disappointing, but positively horrifying that people 
> are being asked to cancel showings of this important documentary 
> because it might "worry" people! It SHOULD worry people.
> 
> I show it once every three weeks to a different class of Year 9 
> students at school. How can we get people to accept responsibility for 
> the evolution of our communities and to move into the descent 
> confidently if they are ignorant of the facts? Perhaps we should be 
> following EoS with the Power of Community for a positive view... 
> thanks for that link, I will try to get that too to show the kids.
> 
> Commiserations Robyn, and I hope the launch at Annangrove Park went 
> well anyway. Cheers
> Virginia Solomon
> Eltham College
> 
> _______________________________________________
> permaculture-oceania mailing list 
> permaculture-oceania at lists.cat.org.au
> http://lists.cat.org.au/mailman/listinfo/permaculture-oceania


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
RUSS GRAYSON
journalism, online content production, photojournalism, instructional
manuals, media services for overseas aid

PO Box 1045, Manly, NSW 1655 AUSTRALIA
info at pacific-edge.info
P: 0414 065 203
www.pacific-edge.info

TerraCircle international development team, Oceania www.terracircle.org.au

Australian City Farms & Community Gardens Network www.communitygarden.org.au
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^



_______________________________________________
permaculture-oceania mailing list permaculture-oceania at lists.cat.org.au
http://lists.cat.org.au/mailman/listinfo/permaculture-oceania