[pf] democracy: groups of people can work things out for themselves

Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2000 17:50:27 +0000
To: cj@cyberjournal.org, renaissance-network@cyberjournal.org
From: "Richard K. Moore" <richard@cyberjournal.org>
Subject: cj#1097, rn> NAOMI KLEIN: "The Vision Thing"

[Comments by Richard K. Moore on an article by Naomi Klein (not incl.),

     July 10, 2000

WERE THE DC AND SEATTLE PROTESTS UNFOCUSED, OR ARE CRITICS MISSING THE POINT?

     The Vision Thing  ]
============================================================================

rkm>

Naomi is a keen observer, and has a sensitive grasp of evolving movement
dynamics.  There are however some additional observations to be made.

She approves that the movement is not rallying around some pre-defined
ideology, and that it is not characterized by identified leaders, but she
then chooses the word 'chaotic' to describe the movement's process.
'Non-hierarchical' yes, 'chaotic', no.  It may seem chaotic, in the same
way a busy job site looks chaotic, or a teaming jungle, but from the inside
there is a coherent energy, a harmonious flow.

It's not a 'ten point plan' that will be the major outcome of this movment
-- rather the process of the movement itself is the thing to watch.
Democracy is non-hierarchical, and our lives are so dominated by hierarchy
that we find this a bit frightening.  "Who's in charge here?" comes to our
lips when we see energy bursting out all over.  When you learn to say
"We're in charge", you'll feel a power emerging you didn't know you possessed.

Our 'vision thing' is rather well developed when it comes to green
economics, or appropriate technology, or any number of topics.  Where our
'vision thing' is most seriously lacking, I suggest, is in our vision of
democracy.  The idea that groups of people can work things out for
themselves is foreign to us.  We look for leaders, or ten-point plans --
for something or someone to guide our way. We're like children looking for
a grown-up to take care of us.  Our system breeds political infantilism,
because kids are easier to boss around than adults.

---

What the movement needs next is to figure out how to get to the next step
beyond demonstrations.

rkm

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sent on to Positive Futures by David.
(David MacClement) davd@ihug.co.nz 
http://www.emucities.com.au/member/davd/index.html#top
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