[Pil-pc-oceania] First move of PPP may be to act as wedge in PCmovement

[Cecile]

Hi Tim
Sorry, and I'm sure you are well meaning Tim, but I don't find it is helpful
to split permaculture into '2 camps'. I have come to permaculture without
all that old baggage and I don't want to take it on. I don't find it
relevant to the discussion of forming a PPP.
Cheers
Cecile

  _____  

From: pil-pc-oceania-bounces at lists.permacultureinternational.org
[mailto:pil-pc-oceania-bounces at lists.permacultureinternational.org] On
Behalf Of timwinton
Sent: Tuesday, 3 July 2007 7:41 PM
To: pil-pc-oceania list
Subject: [Pil-pc-oceania] First move of PPP may be to act as wedge in
PCmovement


Hi Tamara,

I have been following this thread and I'd like to give you a perspective on 
the task Bill Mollison has asked you to undertake in convening a 
permaculture political party. This may be a much larger issue than many of
us 
realize, and I want to make sure that you understand how it may affect the 
permaculture community. This is my perspective and my perspective alone, but

I have spent time with Bill and I have invested 14 years of my life in 
sustainability work in general and permaculture in particular, and I'd be 
surprised if there were not others who will resonate with, at least parts, 
of what I have to say.

Permaculture is a word in the public domain. As such, no one owns or 
controls the word or the idea. A great many people have dedicated time, life

energy and resources to developing projects and livelihoods in permaculture.

All of them, I think, will gratefully acknowledge the work of the founders 
of the permaculture concept, David Holmgren and Bill Mollison. People who 
have continued on from these beginnings, and I am one of them, are and will 
be affected by the behavior of influential permaculturists like Bill. 
Organizing and running a political party takes a great deal of structure and

conventionally it requires a great deal of control of member's behavior. 
These are two things that the permaculture movement has never gravitated 
towards and never excelled at. These can be counted as strengths in the 
context of permaculture. They would be serious weaknesses in the development

of a political party. In my experience and opinion, Bill is fond of 
controversial and sensational acts. This raises awareness of permaculture in

the mainstream, but it can be seen as a short term strategy which ultimately

undermines permaculture thinking and action as a serious alternative to the 
ways of destructive aspects industrial culture.

If in your view, Bill has come up with a viable way of developing a 
permaculture political party that furthers the ends of permaculture; and he 
is genuine about undertaking this venture in a way that honors the work and 
reputations of all permaculturists, then by all means take up his request. 
After all, who is to know what, in the end will be of service to permanent 
culture. I would agree that Bill's sometimes controversial tactics have been

effective. I also think there has been a cost to the movement by way of the 
erosion of credibility. This balance is a delicate one.

Permaculture is now in the position to offer the lessons and understandings,

successes and failures, of the last 25 years to world awakening to the 
realities of energy decent, climate change and a range of other limits to 
growth which we saw coming a long time ago. This gives us credibility and 
influence.We need this to help create a sustainable future. Particularly 
with the latter work of David Holmgren, the world is now looking to 
permaculture for real solutions in the era of post carbon transition. I 
think permaculture has been through a pioneering phase since its inception 
and now the time is right to offer a more mature and developed permaculture.

An ill conceived foray into a domain in which we have no history and no 
developed skill base could seriously undermine the permaculture movement's 
opportunity to be of service.

If Bill's idea for a permaculture political party is genuinely well thought 
out, backed by strategic planning, support structures and appropriate 
resources then please take the idea forward. If not, then it has the 
potential to cause a great rift in the permaculture movement. The rift would

be between those who are seen to undermine the long term prospects of 
permaculture for a sensationalist short term gain (the political party) and 
those who would like to leave the greater amount of  that kind of behavior 
behind as something appropriate to the pioneering phase of any movement. In 
short, and ill conceived political party could drain a huge amount of 
credibility from the permaculture movement and there will be those who will 
point this out and seek to distance themselves from it. If this split 
reflects a real and important development in permaculture, then so be it. 
You should, however,  be aware of this possibility and its downsides if you 
are going to participate in this venture.

I have no doubt you are acting from the best of intentions and that you are 
as passionate as the rest of us about permaculture. The issue of a 
permaculture political party has created a great deal of interest and 
debate- and so it should. I hope you have found my opinions helpful, and I 
hope others will find them helpful, in trying to assess the merits of 
permaculture as a political party.

Best Regards,

Tim

--
Tim Winton
Permaforest Trust
Lot 3 Hidden Valley Rd
Barkers Vale, NSW
Australia 2474
phone +61 02 6689 7579
fax +61 02 9225 9536

www.permaforesttrust.org.au

Offering Certificate 4 and Diploma
in Accredited Permaculture Training

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