"I love that you've brought this to attention. An extensive database of uncommon but resistant and hardy plants/foods could be developed and organized by climate. Ease of growth and processing should also be taken in to account. I will try to…"
A crash course in changing the world.
Evoke: Ideological Imperialism is unavoidable.
The idea of imperialism has a negative ton in our post-modern society. The thing is that the EVOKE project is operating on an intellectual imperialism. One might say how is that possible? If we look at many posts on the site the obvious and easiest solution is to change the culture and to an extent force it to change. Many of the solutions are western and technological in focus. This limits the scope of ideas that are accepted as well as limit the ideas to be implemented. The ultimate end of this is conflict with other ideological cultures. There will be "kick back."
There is not one post on the use of sermons or religious speeches to promote prudence in spending and emphasizing gluttony and materialism as bad traits. One of the main reasons this hasn't gone on is that many people don't tie values or theology into equation. We are taught to be secular but we forget that even secularism/naturalism/materialism are philosophies of thinking. Forcing these ideas in non-secular arenas will lead to one of two values. The first value is continual conflict in which the two parties go at each other. One will accuse the other of being old fashion. The other will accuse the first for destroying local culture to fit the mold of outsiders. The second is that the secular culture will gain dominance and we will loose more cultural symbols, ideas, and viewpoints. The end of the second point will lead to the native culture being outcast by the majority. We can see this in various locations around the world where the native view is rejected for the western/technological view.
Many of the ideas presented on EVOKE to solve problems abide by the principle that more technology and info-structure will solve problems. This isn't necessarily true in all cases. Lets take the empowering women mission for example. I know this is a landmine waiting to happen so I will tread carefully. The first illusion that empowering women has to first be economical. Feminist and various other philosophical thinkers have put forth the notion that economy equals power. This partially true. A person with money is empowered only to buy and if they so choose sell. No one is forced to buy from them thus increasing economy. The idea many Evokers have in place is to give money to women with/or to start businesses. This is a "give a man a fish" type thinking. I haven't seen any ideas that are put forth to increase the community element of native women or start at the basic level of the women creating a micro network of barter and services. Everyone wants to rush everything. The solutions that empower women to tighten their communities through social means is overlooked. When historically it is through social means women have gained the most economical power and community respect.
Many ideas can not exist and be functional while their are other options available. Ask yourself this when you post your idea "In the current ideological climate would people do choose my idea without being forced or guilt tripped into picking my option?" For a lot of things I read the answer would be no for several reasons. Many options create a massive change of power that would not equalize the situation it would just put someone else in the drivers seat. You can give everyone in the world the same wage but if investing and money pooling is capable of any kind economic advantage will shift. You make x illegal it just shifts underground to a black market system. Where it becomes more interesting is in the realm of ideas. What does a parent do when they are told to no longer teach x information to their children because another force deems that as harmful. One poster (forgot his name) said that would infringe on his liberty as a parent for anyone to tell him what he can or can not show/teach his child. What would happen if this was applied to how you as a family unit live? What is more valuable tyranny for safety or liberty and risk? The real answer by most would be tyranny and safety because it would be rational and seek the good of the collective.
How can all of this be fixed? Its simple instead of trying to add outside elements and using more technology to fix everything do more research actually look deeper and see what is actually going on that a community. Utilize local forces before thinking about deploying forces. Realize that your position has a philosophical undertone and realize what that would do to the culture. Before you tell a community what they need see what they want. We have a lot of assumptions going on what 2nd and 3rd tier nations want. Does the country even want technological leverage and immersion that we are offering. Shouldn't they be free to decline? What I see is attitudes that if told "no" they would only paint the decliner as ignorant and oppressive.
Hope you enjoyed the read. Give your comments below.
There is not one post on the use of sermons or religious speeches to promote prudence in spending and emphasizing gluttony and materialism as bad traits. One of the main reasons this hasn't gone on is that many people don't tie values or theology into equation. We are taught to be secular but we forget that even secularism/naturalism/materialism are philosophies of thinking. Forcing these ideas in non-secular arenas will lead to one of two values. The first value is continual conflict in which the two parties go at each other. One will accuse the other of being old fashion. The other will accuse the first for destroying local culture to fit the mold of outsiders. The second is that the secular culture will gain dominance and we will loose more cultural symbols, ideas, and viewpoints. The end of the second point will lead to the native culture being outcast by the majority. We can see this in various locations around the world where the native view is rejected for the western/technological view.
Many of the ideas presented on EVOKE to solve problems abide by the principle that more technology and info-structure will solve problems. This isn't necessarily true in all cases. Lets take the empowering women mission for example. I know this is a landmine waiting to happen so I will tread carefully. The first illusion that empowering women has to first be economical. Feminist and various other philosophical thinkers have put forth the notion that economy equals power. This partially true. A person with money is empowered only to buy and if they so choose sell. No one is forced to buy from them thus increasing economy. The idea many Evokers have in place is to give money to women with/or to start businesses. This is a "give a man a fish" type thinking. I haven't seen any ideas that are put forth to increase the community element of native women or start at the basic level of the women creating a micro network of barter and services. Everyone wants to rush everything. The solutions that empower women to tighten their communities through social means is overlooked. When historically it is through social means women have gained the most economical power and community respect.
Many ideas can not exist and be functional while their are other options available. Ask yourself this when you post your idea "In the current ideological climate would people do choose my idea without being forced or guilt tripped into picking my option?" For a lot of things I read the answer would be no for several reasons. Many options create a massive change of power that would not equalize the situation it would just put someone else in the drivers seat. You can give everyone in the world the same wage but if investing and money pooling is capable of any kind economic advantage will shift. You make x illegal it just shifts underground to a black market system. Where it becomes more interesting is in the realm of ideas. What does a parent do when they are told to no longer teach x information to their children because another force deems that as harmful. One poster (forgot his name) said that would infringe on his liberty as a parent for anyone to tell him what he can or can not show/teach his child. What would happen if this was applied to how you as a family unit live? What is more valuable tyranny for safety or liberty and risk? The real answer by most would be tyranny and safety because it would be rational and seek the good of the collective.
How can all of this be fixed? Its simple instead of trying to add outside elements and using more technology to fix everything do more research actually look deeper and see what is actually going on that a community. Utilize local forces before thinking about deploying forces. Realize that your position has a philosophical undertone and realize what that would do to the culture. Before you tell a community what they need see what they want. We have a lot of assumptions going on what 2nd and 3rd tier nations want. Does the country even want technological leverage and immersion that we are offering. Shouldn't they be free to decline? What I see is attitudes that if told "no" they would only paint the decliner as ignorant and oppressive.
Hope you enjoyed the read. Give your comments below.
Views: 41
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Comment by A.V.Koshy on April 27, 2010 at 4:41pm
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yes dark logos
you really got what i've been trying to say all along
we have to take things on a case by case basis and also lay bare the underpinnings on which evoke may work unknown to itself
i grant it that
changem ust be slow and in such a way that its of use not fast on the basis of technology and also it must result in equalising this canceling out power
great post
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Comment by Michele Baron on April 28, 2010 at 4:11am
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I agree with much of your post, dark logos. There is great power in the synergy of each community, and I think that outreach efforts should always be coordinated with the input, direction and work-efforts of community leaders and members.
It is interesting that you mention that you "haven't seen any ideas that are put forth to increase the community element of native women or start at the basic level of the women creating a micro network of barter and services." One of my most rewarding outreach efforts was to work with a group of women, and help establish a barter and mutual support network, develop gardening resources and skills, produce hanging baskets and bags for floral and vegetable plants. We undertook this project with no money, and the ladies were successfully continuing (and teaching their children these skills as well) when I left the area.
I also agree that philosophical, and possibly ideological/religious undertones should be considered when proposing, undertaking, or even discussing social change, outreach efforts, humanitarian aid.
Communities need to reach their own balances between religion and politics, between religions and individuals, between law, custom, tradition and choices to utilize existing technologies, try to develop new technologies, or hold to indigenously-popular practices.
It is very rare that anyone venturing in from "outside" the community can have a better perspective of what is occurring, what is needed, and what can be beneficial to the community than its own residents.
I think the value of collaboration is that community members are able to access information/technologies/assistance being offered if they deem it useful; otherwise, as you note, insisting that only certain ideas, practises, technologies, types of aid will be offered and must be accepted "limits the scope of ideas that are accepted as well as limit the ideas to be implemented. The ultimate end of this is conflict with other ideological cultures. There will be "kick back."
I think that, even if a specific humanitarian project reaches out to include a specific ideologica/religious group, that it need not be considered, or be operationally, invasive. I think that aid, assistance, exchange can be achieved without challenging or threatening the culture, customs, mores, politics, religions or philosophis of a community. If the community takes an active part in selecting the projects to be implemented, and takes an active part in achieving the progress desired, the community should be sufficiently aware of its own identity to preserve, protect, or alter its own social/political/religious identity.
I think the concept of the 'golden rule' can exist without direct ties or pressure to or from any particular political, religious, or intra-cultural value. As human beings, I think we can offer one another compassion, kindness, support and privacy as needed--and as human beings, I hope we can allow each to follow the promptings of his/her own faith, heart, intellect, without fear of prejudice or reprisal. Probably a very idealistic position, but my faith rests in the hope that peace can be achieved through, among, and between all humans living upon our interdependent planet.
thank you for this post.
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Comment by Iron Helix on April 28, 2010 at 4:30am
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@darklogos
You get a gold star.
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Comment by Jeremy Laird Hogg on May 3, 2010 at 6:38am
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"Many of the ideas presented on EVOKE to solve problems abide by the principle that more technology and info-structure will solve problems. This isn't necessarily true in all cases."
The second sentence there is my favourite. The work on a wh*** is a coherent line of thought, a rehearsed proposal for an alternate perspective I would say. It opines coherently without making believe that the position is impregnable in its blog-brief incarnation.
In way of criticism: some strokes are quite broad - abstract and generalizing. Those could be tidied up and better constrained. Due to the brevity/breadth combination, some argument epitomes are slippery slopes, ie not support but actually themselves in need of proof by more than illustration.
Well organized and readable. Thanks.
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