Comments on: STEPPING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/2009/06/13/stepping-in-the-right-direction/ scripts from The Green Hour radio show on WRFN-LP, Nashville Tennessee Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:52:49 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: brothermartin http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/2009/06/13/stepping-in-the-right-direction/#comment-1085 brothermartin Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:07:05 +0000 http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/?p=835#comment-1085 yep...a lot of intergalactic anthropological study has confirmed that testosterone levels like those in the typical human male almost invariably create severe crises for the species/planet involved...occasionally a species will evolve through this barrier, so there is some hope for humanity, but most advanced galactic cultures have a much lower male testosterone level...it really does make critters crazy....and fiendishly clever... yep…a lot of intergalactic anthropological study has confirmed that testosterone levels like those in the typical human male almost invariably create severe crises for the species/planet involved…occasionally a species will evolve through this barrier, so there is some hope for humanity, but most advanced galactic cultures have a much lower male testosterone level…it really does make critters crazy….and fiendishly clever…

]]> By: Karen http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/2009/06/13/stepping-in-the-right-direction/#comment-1084 Karen Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:08:06 +0000 http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/?p=835#comment-1084 Ok, I guess I never learn!...always expecting too much! :) Ok, I guess I never learn!…always expecting too much! :)

]]> By: brothermartin http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/2009/06/13/stepping-in-the-right-direction/#comment-1081 brothermartin Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:45:13 +0000 http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/?p=835#comment-1081 kid---the hairless monkeys on this planet are not logical....don't expect rationality from them, for all their cleverness... kid—the hairless monkeys on this planet are not logical….don’t expect rationality from them, for all their cleverness…

]]> By: Karen http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/2009/06/13/stepping-in-the-right-direction/#comment-1078 Karen Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:20:14 +0000 http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/?p=835#comment-1078 When I lived on the other side of this state, the young people were more interested in alternative community and had alternative politics and did lots of fascinating things that were fun to get involved in -- like the free bikes program or the community gardens or the food bank that had organic, vegan food as an alternative. But, unfortunately, it became too expensive for me over there since I had no land or was not a homeowner. This side of the state is like night to day. It is commercial and conservative. Half the vehicles are BIG pick-up trucks, even bigger than they made them in the 70's. The youth are disaffected and uninterested (and uninteresting). I assume they are rebelling against something, but to me, they are just of the same ilk as the conservative, selfish, greedy corporations, etc. What's the difference in their attitude really? What's the difference between a neo-nazi and some old corporate fascist? Just appearance is all. I'm on the wrong side of the state and need to get back! I do feel lucky to have come of age in the 70's -- there was so much good going on (not counting disco music or John Travolta's movies then!). It was hard to know where to go or what to do. I wanted to join the Farm, but I wanted my dog, too, and I wanted to hike in Montana and be outdoors, and I wanted to participate in alternative society -- solar heating and organic gardening and finding alternatives to petroleum or conventional building -- and then their was my art and I wanted to finish college. I did it all on my own without any financial help from anyone (not even my parents). It does seem more stifled now. But, perhaps this is just the rambling of an "ancient" person, old fashioned and "in the way" -- I think not. I think we did what we could, but the government seemed to keep regulating against us, but the youth could learn so much from us. When we were young we learned from those with folk wisdom and experience. Remember those Foxfire books? Also, Brazil initiated a bio-fuels system in the 1970's so it COULD have been done here. I just can't see why people in this country have to wait until things get so bad before they change or why it has to get to where it is no longer profitable or beneficial for them before they change. Why not change because it is a good idea? And why do so many people want to prevent someone from building their own home if it doesn't look like theirs? When I lived on the other side of this state, the young people were more interested in alternative community and had alternative politics and did lots of fascinating things that were fun to get involved in — like the free bikes program or the community gardens or the food bank that had organic, vegan food as an alternative. But, unfortunately, it became too expensive for me over there since I had no land or was not a homeowner. This side of the state is like night to day. It is commercial and conservative. Half the vehicles are BIG pick-up trucks, even bigger than they made them in the 70’s. The youth are disaffected and uninterested (and uninteresting). I assume they are rebelling against something, but to me, they are just of the same ilk as the conservative, selfish, greedy corporations, etc. What’s the difference in their attitude really? What’s the difference between a neo-nazi and some old corporate fascist? Just appearance is all. I’m on the wrong side of the state and need to get back!
I do feel lucky to have come of age in the 70’s — there was so much good going on (not counting disco music or John Travolta’s movies then!). It was hard to know where to go or what to do. I wanted to join the Farm, but I wanted my dog, too, and I wanted to hike in Montana and be outdoors, and I wanted to participate in alternative society — solar heating and organic gardening and finding alternatives to petroleum or conventional building — and then their was my art and I wanted to finish college. I did it all on my own without any financial help from anyone (not even my parents).
It does seem more stifled now. But, perhaps this is just the rambling of an “ancient” person, old fashioned and “in the way” — I think not. I think we did what we could, but the government seemed to keep regulating against us, but the youth could learn so much from us. When we were young we learned from those with folk wisdom and experience. Remember those Foxfire books?
Also, Brazil initiated a bio-fuels system in the 1970’s so it COULD have been done here.
I just can’t see why people in this country have to wait until things get so bad before they change or why it has to get to where it is no longer profitable or beneficial for them before they change. Why not change because it is a good idea? And why do so many people want to prevent someone from building their own home if it doesn’t look like theirs?

]]> By: brothermartin http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/2009/06/13/stepping-in-the-right-direction/#comment-1073 brothermartin Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:46:51 +0000 http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/?p=835#comment-1073 Dorothy Day is definitely one of my inspirations in life--i have been privileged to know some of her descendants, and tho they are not exactly cut from her mold, there is a certain spark they carry. I am not down on the younger generation at all. I know a lot of young countercultural folks in Nashville who are dedicated, focused, and hardworking. My wife and Iappreciate the steady stream of visitors who come to work with us and learn what we know about homesteading and keeping our sanity. I think those of us who came of age in the 60's and 70's were very lucky to grow up when America was still rich and, in many ways, less controlled than it is these days--it's a lot harder/more dangerous to be young now than it was then, imho....at the same time, i find that many of the young people i meet have, in a sense, built on the foundation we created and are now doing/dreaming things that amaze and delight me....and we all have our shortcomings, but i'd rather encourage peoples' strengths than reject them for their weaknesses.... Dorothy Day is definitely one of my inspirations in life–i have been privileged to know some of her descendants, and tho they are not exactly cut from her mold, there is a certain spark they carry.

I am not down on the younger generation at all. I know a lot of young countercultural folks in Nashville who are dedicated, focused, and hardworking. My wife and Iappreciate the steady stream of visitors who come to work with us and learn what we know about homesteading and keeping our sanity.

I think those of us who came of age in the 60’s and 70’s were very lucky to grow up when America was still rich and, in many ways, less controlled than it is these days–it’s a lot harder/more dangerous to be young now than it was then, imho….at the same time, i find that many of the young people i meet have, in a sense, built on the foundation we created and are now doing/dreaming things that amaze and delight me….and we all have our shortcomings, but i’d rather encourage peoples’ strengths than reject them for their weaknesses….

]]> By: Karen http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/2009/06/13/stepping-in-the-right-direction/#comment-1071 Karen Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:54:04 +0000 http://brothermartin.wordpress.com/?p=835#comment-1071 Wow! Great post. I can't believe Nashville has outlawed community gardens for 50 years! In the 1970's, when I came of age, there was still a movement of back to the land, whole organically grown foods, community gardens, free health care, working together, etc. and then I saw all that drain away under the pressure of a largely Republican capitalistic government and society; and basic costs became so expensive that many could no longer do anything for free and many could not buy a home or land on such low pay as they were able to scrape together or afford the constantly rising taxes. It's been like living under siege (the siege of greed). Community gardens became so regulated in my town and too expensive to rent. Landlords prohibited them and required renters to do lawn care. Chickens were outlawed in town. Bicylists were required to have licenses...etc. etc. They got you one way or another. But, I don't know if things will get any better. I see the younger tatooed, pierced generation as extremely lazy and selfish, unwilling to do anything for anybody but themselves (angry for no reason. They haven't even tried yet!). That was the attitude in the 1980's that destroyed all those dreams of a simplier, affordable, sustainable lifestyle. I would really like to see laws that would allow people to build a home without all the regulations and required purchased building materials (or abolish all the old laws -- think how years and years of politicians have been adding more and more laws to our lives -- its exponential!). I have had a dream for years to do that, but fear of regulations has stopped me. I didn't want my place torn down. Yuppie neighbors are not to be trusted. There is money that has to be paid for the priveledge of owning a home that one might not have, besides the cost of the land itself or the materials. So, I still do not own my own home because I would not take out a mortgage with what seemed to me as unscrupulous loan companies at extremely high interest fees (the ones Obama is bailing out -- it makes me so sick! And he's bailing out the car companies so all those "slaves" that work for them can continue their jobs, making CEOs rich!) This is the USA today and these are the people we've made rich with over-priced rents and high gas prices and over-priced food filled with toxic chemicals and over-priced services from health care to veterinarian care and fees and taxes for everything and laws to suppress everything good while drugs and homelessness are epidemic. It has been up to the populus to pay for the extravagant lifestyles of corporate CEOs and government officials. The organic food market has been steadily growing, it seems, but it is part of the over-priced capitalistic system. In this town, organic food costs 3 times what non-organic costs. Besides WANTING to buy organic, I need to because of chemical allergies -- which is also becoming epidemic (chemical alleriges and illness related to chronic ingestion and exposure to toxins). Yes, I think the US infrastructure is build on greed and immorality (not the religious kind -- I think of Dorothy Day who wrote in her journals that the losing of religion has caused a permissiveness that is not good, that steps on and abuses other people, but I wonder "what about inherant respect for others?" Does it not exist?); but I don't know if it will topple yet -- when the population gets so crowded that people turn murderous, then it will, like over-crowded rats in a lab cage, or like lemmings rushing to the sea. When you get tired of people telling you that you can't do something that does not really affect them in any way, is not noisy or unsanitary or dangerous to anyone...then maybe it will. When the rich have people sleeping in their yards and they have to hire personal policemen or when the rich are afraid to step out of doors... when even the rich will have to eat crap, when they, too, are dying of diseases of pollution...when money no longer protects them, things will change. When the poor no longer dream of money, but dream of changes. Wow! Great post. I can’t believe Nashville has outlawed community gardens for 50 years! In the 1970’s, when I came of age, there was still a movement of back to the land, whole organically grown foods, community gardens, free health care, working together, etc. and then I saw all that drain away under the pressure of a largely Republican capitalistic government and society; and basic costs became so expensive that many could no longer do anything for free and many could not buy a home or land on such low pay as they were able to scrape together or afford the constantly rising taxes. It’s been like living under siege (the siege of greed). Community gardens became so regulated in my town and too expensive to rent. Landlords prohibited them and required renters to do lawn care. Chickens were outlawed in town. Bicylists were required to have licenses…etc. etc. They got you one way or another.
But, I don’t know if things will get any better. I see the younger tatooed, pierced generation as extremely lazy and selfish, unwilling to do anything for anybody but themselves (angry for no reason. They haven’t even tried yet!). That was the attitude in the 1980’s that destroyed all those dreams of a simplier, affordable, sustainable lifestyle.
I would really like to see laws that would allow people to build a home without all the regulations and required purchased building materials (or abolish all the old laws — think how years and years of politicians have been adding more and more laws to our lives — its exponential!). I have had a dream for years to do that, but fear of regulations has stopped me. I didn’t want my place torn down. Yuppie neighbors are not to be trusted. There is money that has to be paid for the priveledge of owning a home that one might not have, besides the cost of the land itself or the materials. So, I still do not own my own home because I would not take out a mortgage with what seemed to me as unscrupulous loan companies at extremely high interest fees (the ones Obama is bailing out — it makes me so sick! And he’s bailing out the car companies so all those “slaves” that work for them can continue their jobs, making CEOs rich!)
This is the USA today and these are the people we’ve made rich with over-priced rents and high gas prices and over-priced food filled with toxic chemicals and over-priced services from health care to veterinarian care and fees and taxes for everything and laws to suppress everything good while drugs and homelessness are epidemic. It has been up to the populus to pay for the extravagant lifestyles of corporate CEOs and government officials.
The organic food market has been steadily growing, it seems, but it is part of the over-priced capitalistic system. In this town, organic food costs 3 times what non-organic costs. Besides WANTING to buy organic, I need to because of chemical allergies — which is also becoming epidemic (chemical alleriges and illness related to chronic ingestion and exposure to toxins).
Yes, I think the US infrastructure is build on greed and immorality (not the religious kind — I think of Dorothy Day who wrote in her journals that the losing of religion has caused a permissiveness that is not good, that steps on and abuses other people, but I wonder “what about inherant respect for others?” Does it not exist?); but I don’t know if it will topple yet — when the population gets so crowded that people turn murderous, then it will, like over-crowded rats in a lab cage, or like lemmings rushing to the sea. When you get tired of people telling you that you can’t do something that does not really affect them in any way, is not noisy or unsanitary or dangerous to anyone…then maybe it will. When the rich have people sleeping in their yards and they have to hire personal policemen or when the rich are afraid to step out of doors… when even the rich will have to eat crap, when they, too, are dying of diseases of pollution…when money no longer protects them, things will change. When the poor no longer dream of money, but dream of changes.

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