Logo primary
Logo secondary
Community Cultivators
Community Cultivators
Details
Commenced:
01/05/2010
Submitted:
05/02/2011
Last updated:
07/10/2015
Location:
Austin, Texas, US
Phone:
1-512-659-7847
Website:
http://communitycultivators.org
Climate zone:
Arid





My Projects

(projects i'm involved in)

The Hummingbird Project

The Hummingbird Project

Cleveland, US


Followers
Aaron Brinks Abdullah Shishakly Blake Kirby Bronwyn White Chowgene Koay Daniel Woods David Braden ERay Gard Evelyn Bishop Gordon Walton Josh Louis Matthew Zarder Monica Williams Phil Garozzo Rachael  Neally Richard Moore Robert McKay Tajuddin Ariffin Theron Beaudreau William Seward

Back to Community Cultivators

Consensus, Community and Addiction

Project: Community Cultivators

Posted by Theron Beaudreau over 12 years ago

"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Our ability to cultivate the reality we seek is determined by our ability to communicate constructively. Community is the result of a conversation and, by the very nature of this conversation, community is inherently multi-dimensional. We all have different stories to tell and we all see reality through a different set of lenses. The variety of these perspectives is both the greatest challenge and the greatest opportunity for the cultivation of CommUnity. In this way, 'Community' can be seen as the 'Communicational Unity', otherwise know as consensus.

The complexities of communicational unity increases with each additional perspective. Thus the inherent challenges of consensus decision making. At the same time, each new perspective brings new opportunities to make decisions based on a more clear and holistic interpretation of our collective reality.

"Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes." - Walt Whitman

In this way, new perspectives add value and build better models for our collective reality. Now let us consider, we are approaching a world population of 7 billion people. Furthermore, many of us are beginning to recognize our interdependence, not only with 6.9 billion other people but with the vast diversity of organisms in our environment as well. Indeed, even our own bodies are made up of more bacteria than human cells. Taken further, what we consider to be our cells are actually a cooperative union of a verity of different bacteria. How then can we hope to make decisions that are considerate of such vast diverse perspectives?

Often we find it difficult to even consider ourselves completely. That pint of ice cream sure tastes good! But the impacts it has on our body is rarely taken into consideration, that is... until that perspective is illuminated through a visit to our doctor or a shameful moment on the bathroom scale. "Ugh, how did we let ourselves get so out of control?"

"Earth provides enough for everyones need, but not everyones greed" - Mahatma Gandhi

Ecologically, we find ourselves in a similar state to one who's "let themselves go". At first it tasted so sweet, how were we to know these indulgences would result in ecological dis-ease? Sure, there have been cells of the body along the way that were warning us to put down the ice cream or, at the very least, to moderate our consumption. But the perspective that our choices were leading toward self-destructive abuse were not illuminated or heeded in time to avert the onset of what now amounts to a compulsive addiction.

Today, with the conditions of our global dis-ease becoming so apparent we can no longer turn a blind eye, our collective challenge is to put down the ice cream and motivate the rest of our body to get off the couch and exercise, before it's too late.

"A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

This is where we have to make a choice about how we make decisions. Are we going to yield to and continue enabling those parts of us that just want one more bite while other parts of this figurative body are screaming for a return to a more healthy lifestyle? Apparently, there are enough cells left in our crucial nerve centers that crave the continuation of our consumption, irrespective of the result. And, just as with any new exercise routine, the desires of our addiction only become louder as we struggle for remedy.

In time, the parts of us that are addicted to unhealthy behavior can be re-trained to appreciate and even encourage healthy behavior. But that reality may still be some ways off. For now, it's going to take a serious amount of motivation to convince our addicted cells that it is time to get off the couch and shape up.

"We may think there is willpower involved, but more likely... change is due to want-power. Wanting the new addiction more than the old one. Wanting the new me in preference to the person I am now." - George A. Sheehan

With the behaviors of addiction, we often find ourselves in what can only be described as a pattern circular communication. The conversation spins around, no conclusions are reached, no decisions made, and little action is taken other than to continue to satisfy our craving for that which we are addicted. For the health of our collective body, it's important that we recognize when these patterns are occurring and cut them short. There is no need to waste any more time trying to convince the addicted part of ourselves what needs to happen. We will be thanking ourselves later. In the meantime, we can expect to throw a violent fit in protest of the initial discomfort of this dramatic redirection of our energies.

As a result, some might conclude that we can never find consensus with the irrational parts of ourselves however, with this I must disagree. Through constructive communication and the conviction (as well as clear evidence) that what we are doing, however painful, is part of the process of healing, consensus can eventually be restored.

"There are no bosses, only coordinators of information" - Helen Samuels

It's starts with small circles of community like Tierra Viva in Mexico City that reach consensus, even on a small scale, and move in a constructive direction, despite the enormity of obstacles and challenges they face. Empowered with the knowledge that they are providing a service that is creating real and tangible benefits for their community, they do not look to leaders to guide their decisions. They merely allow their actions to speak for them, and the proof is in the preverbal pudding (not to be confused with that tasty ice cream - if you can excuse my over use of this analogy).

Tierra Viva is not alone. There are several other examples of the successful application of motivated and informed action followed by inclusive communication. The City Repair Project in Portland, Oregon is perhaps one of the most direct illustrations of how this approach can produce positive outcomes and even result in a consensus with the less than rational parts of our culture.

Community is cultivated through Communicational Unity (i.e. consensus). A consensus typically begins on small scale (just a few pushups to get started). If the outcome of the community's actions result in clear benefit, and the conversation remains constructive and inclusive, the community has the opportunity to broaden not only the scope of its impact but also its perspective. And, as our perspectives increase, our decisions become more informed. Before we know it, we've developed a rigorous workout that is challenging, invigorating and healthful.

We can't wait for someone else to do this work for us. We have an obligation to get off the couch and take control of our future. Don't waste time looking for consensus... cultivate it. The new you awaits!

 

Comments (3)

You must be logged in to comment.

Carly Gillham
Carly Gillham : Thank you so much for sharing... it is a topic I am often thinking about..
Posted over 12 years ago

Report Carly Gillham on Consensus, Community and Addiction

Reason:

or cancel

Christian Shearer
Christian Shearer : Theron, thanks for this. Would you mind if I post this article to our blog on the www.panyaproject.org website? It is striking a chord with some of us just now. Thanks, Christian
Posted over 12 years ago

Report Christian Shearer on Consensus, Community and Addiction

Reason:

or cancel

Theron Beaudreau
Theron Beaudreau : Of course Christian! Share it far and wide!!
Posted over 12 years ago

Report Theron Beaudreau on Consensus, Community and Addiction

Reason:

or cancel

Courses Taught Here!
Project Badges
Urban Residential Intentional Community School Demonstration Educational
Administrators
Chowgene Koay - Founder Theron Beaudreau - Founder
Team Members
Daniel Woods - Garden Manager 2015 season Daryl Stewart - Garden Manager 2015 season

Report Community Cultivators

Reason:

or cancel

Hide Community Cultivators

Reason:

or cancel

Hide Consensus, Community and Addiction

Reason:

or cancel

Legend of Badges

Note: The various badges displayed in people profiles are largely honesty-based self-proclamations by the individuals themselves. There are reporting functions users can use if they know of blatant misrepresentation (for both people and projects). Legitimacy, competency and reputation for all people and projects can be evidenced and/or developed through their providing regular updates on permaculture work they’re involved in, before/after photographs, etc. A spirit of objective nurturing of both people and projects through knowledge/encouragement/inspiration/resource sharing is the aim of the Worldwide Permaculture Network.

Member

Member

A member is a permaculturist who has never taken a PDC course. These cannot become PDC teachers. Members may be novice or highly experienced permaculturists or anywhere in between. Watch their updates for evaluation.

Male memberFemale member

Permaculture Matchmaker

One of these badges will show if you select your gender and the "I'm single, looking for a permaculture partner" option in your profile.

unverified

PDC

People who claim to have taken a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course somewhere in the world.

verified

PDC Verified

People who have entered an email address for the teacher of their PDC course, and have had their PDC status verified by that teacher. Watch their updates for evaluation.

pri_verified

PRI PDC

People who’ve taken a Permaculture Research Institute PDC somewhere in the world.

pdc_teacher

PDC Teacher

People who claim to teach some version of PDC somewhere in the world.

pri_teacher

PRI Teacher

With the exception of the ‘Member’ who has never taken a PDC, all of the above can apply to become a PRI PDC Teacher. PRI PDC Teachers are those who the PRI recognise, through a vetting board, as determined and competent to teach the full 72-hour course as developed by Permaculture founder Bill Mollison – covering all the topics of The Designers’ Manual as well as possible (i.e. not cherry picking only aspects the teacher feels most interested or competent in). Such teachers also commit to focussing on the design science, and not including subjective spiritual/metaphysical elements. The reason these items are not included in the PDC curriculum is because they are “belief” based. Permaculture Design education concerns itself with teaching good design based on strategies and techniques which are scientifically provable.

PRI PDC Teachers may be given teaching and/or consultancy offerings as they become available as the network grows.

pri_teacher

Aid Worker

The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to be involved in permaculture aid work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture aid worker experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.

pri_teacher

Consultant

The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to do paid permaculture design consultancy work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture consultancy experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.

community

Community Project

Community projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency.

Report Consensus, Community and Addiction

Reason:

or cancel