Zoom Seminar Series ~ “A Primer for Paradigm Shift”
Saturday mornings May 4, 11, 18, 25.
9 AM to noon Pacific time.
The seminar is from Jan Spencer in Eugene, Oregon.
You can go to the Seminar page on Jan's website for more info and to register:
A Primer For Paradigm Shift Seminar
A paradigm is a widely accepted way of thinking and behaving. The consumer culture is a paradigm most of us grew up in and could be considered a highly successful example of mass social engineering. Its trademark overconsumption of resources is responsible for a wide range of impacts including climate change, many kinds of pollution and damage to public health. From this perspective, the consumer culture has also degraded civic culture and social uplift due to its near endless production and promotion of shallow entertainment and distractions.
Paradigm shift, as used in this primer and seminar, refers to a movement towards a present and future where humans fit within the boundaries of the natural world, the goal of society is to bring out the best in positive human potential and that society is served by an economic system that is honest and ethical.
In a nutshell, the Primer and Seminar...
1. Encourages people to be an active part of paradigm shift in their own lives.
2. Encourages people to advocate for paradigm shift.
3. Provides useful information for items 1 and 2 above.
4. Makes a focus on human scale, bottom up transformation.
5. Calls attention to the benefits and real life examples of people already engaged in paradigm shift.
Overconsumption of energy and resources and the celebration of vanity is the defining character of the consumer culture. Reducing our eco logical footprints, uplifting the spirit and building civic culture are primary ideals for paradigm shift.
For the Primer and seminar, repairing the damage caused by the consumer culture to social relations, civic culture and human potential are just as important as addressing climate change and damage to the environment. Restoring the environment is restoring ourselves.
Paradigm shift is not a future utopia, its simply common sense that can start now. Rather paradigm shift can happen as soon as we care to take action in our own lives, with friends, neighbors and the wider community. Paradigm shift begins at home. There is no need for a break through technology, rather the break through history calls for is in our own consciousness. A common sense, down to earth paradigm shift will look brilliant compared to what we have now.
Jan Spencer's Background
Jan Spencer has lived in Eugene for 30 years. He has a BA in Geography and has low budget traveled to over 40 countries, during 5 years out of the country, much of that time with a bike and surfboard. He has a rich counter culture resume. Jan has been transforming his 1/4 acre suburban property in Eugene for over 20 years. He grows virtually all his own fruit and veggies. The place is a permaculture landmark in the Northwest. Jan is vegetarian/near vegan, does not own a car and rides a human powered Linear Recumbent. He is on the board of his neighborhood associaiton. Jan's interests are a convergence of care for the natural world, economics, permaculture, urban land use and social uplift. His favorite sound bite, "Positive human potential is our greatest renewable resource."
Jan has content on line here at Mother Pelican. He writes for Permaculture Design Magazine and Post Carbon's Resilience. You can search "Jan Spencer Primer" on Youtube and find presentations on the paradigm shift series.
An outline overview of the seminar by sections with key words and concepts
[1] Critque of capitalism
Deconstructing the mythologis of capitalism
The Consumer Culture
External costs – an immense subsidy
Cars and suburbia are a proxy to illustrate the character of capitalism
Millions of jobs exist to repair the damage caused by millions of other jobs
Concentration of wealth and political power
The Consumer Culture is a Cargo Cult
Its not broken, this is just what it does
The American Way of Life is Non Negotiable
[2] Aspects of paradigm shift
Reducing cco footprints
The footprint calculator
How to pay for paradigm shift and the double benefit
Permaculture
The Wisdom Of The World's Great Spiritual Traditions
Prioritize time and money
Resensitize
The Virtuous Triangle
Making the cut, not making the cut
Allies and assets
No need for heroes
[3] Real life examples of paradigm shift
Transforming a suburban property
River Road Neighborhood in Eugene
Block Planning
Kailash and LA Eco Villages
Eugene - Duma, Maitreaya, Dharmalaya
Onandaga Earth Corps, Local 20/20, PLACE, N Street Co-op, Horizontal Movements
School Garden Project, City Repair, Our 42nd Av, PC Bootcamp
Many examples of real life paradigm shift
[4] Taking the ideas of paradigm shift to the wider world
Being the change in our own lives
Better to make the changes sooner by choice than later by default
A common denoniminator means the same team
A movement in waiting
Social media and paradigm shift
Public interest organizations can take action
Various organizations in our dreams – AARP, Sierra Club, Climate Corps, Labor, Faith Groups
Capitalism invited to Truth and Reconciliation
Sound Bites for Paradigm Shift
* A significant amount of paradigm shift can manifest in our own lives and homes, with families, friends and neighbors as soon as we choose to prioritize our own time and money and take action.
* Capitalism and the consumer culture are at odds with environmental sustainability and social uplift.
* Paradigm Shift is not only an issue of ecological sustainability but also an issue of social sustainability.
* The greatest breakthrough needed for paradigm shift and moving towards a sustainable society and economy is not technology, rather its our own consciousness.
* Addressing the economic malpractice of capitalism addresses many social, political, economic and ecological issues all at the same time.
* Many of today’s most challenging & expensive social and ecological problems are totally avoidable. But they are very profitable. That’s why we have them.
* Capitalism and the consumer culture have provided us with an immense variety of tools, assets and opportunities to assist in creating a preferred future.
* Positive human potential is our greatest renewable resource.
* Every neighborhood and community has surprising allies and assets to work with for creating a preferred future.
* There are untold thousands of people and organizations already working to bring about paradigm shift all over the world, whether they identify with the term “paradigm shift” or not.
* Countless public interest organizations are on the same team on behalf of sustainability & social justice and can make common cause with each other to enhance their effectiveness & be part of more cohesive and broad social movement.
* We empower our advocacy for paradigm shift when we visibly live the change – our lifestyles, homes, transportation, food choices, how we prioritize our time & money.
* A culture and economic system based on simple common sense, modesty and care for the natural world would look brilliant compared to what we have now.
* If an individual or society doesn't have a positive reason to be here, we should invent one. Sustainability and uplift come to mind.
* Reducing our eco footprints addresses many social and environmental issues in a positive way at the same time.
* As social, environmental and economic conditions trend downward, many hopeful and optimistic ideas now that seem unlikely and even far fetched may well gain traction. But there is no easy exit from a culture and society based on excess.
* The benefits of a sustainable future will more than make up for what we leave behind of the consumer culture.
* The economic pie needs to be more fairly divided and it needs to be a lot smaller.
|
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jan Spencer is an advocate of suburban permaculture and paradigm shift in Eugene, Oregon. His focus of interest is care for the natural world, economics, urban land use and eudaimonia. His background is thoroughly middle class having lived in suburban locations much of his life in New York, Texas and currently in Eugene, Oregon. Jan earned a BA in Geography in 1974, has Permaculture Design Certificate from 1991 and has travelled out of the country for about 6 years to nearly 40 different countries. In recent years, visits to Europe have included a keen interest in urban public places, pushing back on cars and exploration by bicycle. Find links to "A Primer For Paradigm Shift" on his website. Jan is vegetarian and does not own a vehicle other than a muscle powered bike. He welcomes opportunities to speak with classes, events and organizations. You can contact Jan through his website, Suburban Permaculture.
|
