Subject: Megalopolitan worlds

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 25 Sep 1996 15:10:43 -0400

The listing of world megalopoli is both sobering and saddening. 

This splendid technology which allows us to share ideas and thoughts opens
immense possibilities for sharing among those affluent enough to afford the
tools. The experiences of working in the rural trenches of the planet still
show little other way with much promise than simply getting out there,
staying out there and working it out--out there. 

Here and there, in areas abandoned and shucked off by the juggernauts of
technical civilization, the survivors are putting together tiny patches of
post-something-or-other societies which may give us some models on which to
pontificate via internet. I suspect the rural future lies more with
once-again becoming "rural" which has a lot to do with giving up many of the
technological fantasies driving most of us now--without falling into the
traps of wannabee back-to-the-land or proto-injuns. 

Something significant is happening which needs careful examination and
reporting. Maria Varela and the folks in northern New Mexico rebuilding a
community around Navajo sheep are one example. Joe Caasi on Mindanao and now
Luzon with his bamboo propagation, community organizing and cooperative
development is another. I am also encouraged by reports filtering in from New
Zealand and Australia (and here in the US) where permaculture and similar
minded folks are scrabbling successfully. Like Maria says, it takes a
generation (as well as a village) to rebuild a shattered community. It also
takes a degree of isolation and insulation--even if only mental--from
corporations and Coca-Cola.

Now, all we need to do is get some corporation, foundation or university to
finance the research and reporting on these emerging phenomena (That's
possibly a joke.)

If you don't know about Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas in
Fayetteville ARKANSAS, USA, look it up. Steve Diver <[email-masked]>
or Radhika Bala <[email-masked]>

Milo Clark
http://www.swans.com