Tuesday, June 9, 2009

From a distance

For me, part of mindfulness is being able to step back and look at things. I found a book in the library yesterday that showed me a bit more of how FAR I need to step back.

In 2007 Riane Eisler published a book "The Real Wealth of Nations". Dr. Eisler is trained in sociology and law and has been described as a cultural historian and an evolutionary theorist. In this book she talks about the problems of neoclassical economics and their origins. She steps WAY back.

I have felt for a long time that the solution to the economics problems we have are not to be found in economics. Dr. Eisler agrees. I have felt that it is going to require gut level, individual, attitudinal change. Dr. Eisler agrees - I think. She proposes that it is going to take a profound cultural change to go from a cultural philosophy of Domination to a philosophy of Caring.

Her explanations are so clear and lucid. Her real life business/economics examples are concise and persuasive. All we have to do is change how we organize and relate to one another and nature and change it from a hierarchy of domination within the current domination system to a hierarchy of actualization working within a partnership system.

She has convinced me. Think if we get busy we can accomplish it before Thanksgiving?

3 comments:

christina said...

So glad you are writing, Linda. I miss you! Yes, All we have to do is change how we relate to each other. Or maybe the first step is simply acknowledging that how we relate to each other (or don't relate to each other, as it were) is the problem, then all of our problems will be solved. We have so many tools for relating to each other across time and space now - I sometimes wonder how they are changing our patterns, and whether or not it will be for the better. We can hope.

John Powers said...

I love Nanci Griffith's From a Distance. Do you know it?

Something about putting stuff online is it provides evidence that I repeat myself. A while back I mentioned a piece by Paul Krugman, The Rise and Fall of Development Economics. In it Krugman tells the story of the term "dishpan" model.

One of the keys for new ways of looking at economics to catch on is the need for models.

Unknown said...

Hi Linda,
im searching for a uga design rocket stove and thinking of u. how r u doing?

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