BRATTLEBORO — In previous months, I've written that in the post-petroleum world we've already entered, all activists need to devote at least part of our energy and time to helping prepare ourselves and our communities to become more sustainable and self-sufficient, collaborative and cooperative. Resisting the growing police state in our nation and revitalizing our waning democracy requires an increased personal/collective sufficiency, a strong community and an engaged citizenry.
An important element in building solidarity, democracy and mutual aid among our fellow citizens is to create community among activists.
Emergency preparedness is one example of such mutual aid.
Activists could initially meet in their locales to address how to meet a sudden crisis that might result from one of many possible scenarios--a catastrophic weather event, a financial collapse, an attack on Iran, a declaration of martial law. We would plan for meeting our most basic needs, everything from developing food, water, and gasoline stocks, to planning health care, communication networks, and shelter, for both the short and long terms.
While in no way a permanent solution, this preparedness cushions us from the shock of the sudden change in our circumstances, providing the time and space to figure out what we need to do next and help those who weren't prepared.
Organizing ourselves in such a manner would not be done in isolation from our larger communities. As we prepare ourselves for a possible emergency, we would engage our relatives, friends, and neighbors around our efforts, inviting and welcoming their inclusion. We would meet with our local selectboards, churches, civic organizations and other community groups to explain our efforts and encourage similar efforts on their parts.
Emergency preparedness could lead to other efforts that would help our communities become increasingly self-sufficient, less dependent on the fossil-fueled global economy in the areas of food, energy, and transportation that will become increasingly problematic in a post-petroleum era.
Whether it's organizing skills workshops, community gardens and root cellars, sustainable energy projects, or resource and transportation pools, activities of this kind naturally evolve for people who have developed the practice of being increasingly responsible for their needs, and taking care of themselves as a truly collaborative community.
Any honest activist would admit that community building is challenging for us. The interpersonal skills essential to this work - accepting people for who they are, demonstrating compassion, kindness and respect, working cooperatively and embracing others, emphasizing consensus and process in our dealings with each other -- are not our strong suit.
Given the adversarial perspective of activism it's not surprising that we are just as likely to be at war with each other as we are with our “official” enemies.The truth is, we don't have a great history of practicing behaviors essential to a true community.
This is unfortunate, for it robs us of great possibility. Nothing is potentially more powerful for the world we seek than activists coming together who not only passionately believe in democracy, equality and peace but who, through practice with each other are able to create a living instance of a democratic, inclusive, peaceful community.
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So where do we begin? The first step is right intention.
The intention to be a community will shape and inform our subsequent practice. There is no substitute for such resolve. Intention illuminates our path by throwing light on the very behaviors that we recognize as the way to go.
But good intentions can ossify into political correctness, and become--rather than the path to community--the paving stones to hell, unless they are leavened by something that is critically important - a sense of modesty.
We need to achieve a balance between being serious about our purpose, and not taking ourselves too seriously. Maintaining the human touch is essential to community building.
So while we make honest efforts at being cooperative and inclusive, gracious and empathic we at the same time need to accept ourselves as sometimes falling short of these ideals. We need to accept ourselves for the human beings we are, and only then can we begin to accept others in a similar manner.
Doing so requires humor, and the ability to laugh at ourselves, our foibles and contradictions. It will also mean forgiving ourselves for being less than perfect, and exhibiting the same compassion for ourselves that we wish to extend to others. Though disciplined in what we do, we also need to be tolerant and generous in how we go about it. What is involved here, perhaps, is a willingness to park our egos at the door whenever we come together with others.
Through this combination of principled, conscientious intention, tempered with appropriate humility, we mine the best that activists can offer the world.
This is the stuff of community building, not only with others, but, perhaps most importantly, with our fellow activists.